Preparing

I wish you could prepare for trips like you prepare for Christmas. By the time the tree is bought, decorated, and lighted, cookies are baked, Christmas music is on, family and friends are home for the holidays, and glitter pens and wrapping paper all over the living room floor, I definitely feel prepared to meet Christmas. And then of course it's gone before I have time to digest, and people throw out their trees before I've even put my presents away.

But no matter how excited I am for a trip, it always seems to present itself before I am anywhere near ready. Not like it takes too much to be ready - pack our backpacks, clean the house, and remember our passports. But here are SOME things things that help my mind prepare:

Books - I love reading about a place before or while I am there. Especially novels, because it gives a genuine and interesting inside into a place.

Itineraries - Not only is it a good idea to have some notion of where you are going to be, but it makes you focus on what is to come - kind of like wrapping presents. You have to look at maps and research little towns, reference the guidebook and ask for recommendations. Then give all this detailed information over to your mother, who will have much better peace of mind.

Food - What do they eat? One of the greatest ways to experience a place is by their food. What would I have done without Melissa's mini food guide in Paris, and how amazing was Smoking Pot Khmer cooking class in Cambodia? Very Important.

(I have already bought Argentinian olive oil and wine from Mendoza - I need to prepare my palate.)

Movies - We've already watched Motorcycle Diaries, and a Peruvian surf dvd...:)

Trying on Outfits - nothing gets you pumped for an activity like trying on your new gear, and same goes for traveling. It's definitely a mind workout trying to figure out clothes for hiking and city life, mountains and beach!

And no I do not walk around the house wearing my new hiking boots and backpack. Well, maybe.

On that note - any South American novel recommendations??

chaRISSStmas!!

December has been quite the month!

At the beginning of the month we had a Norwegian house guest for a week - I met Vegard while working at the pool this summer, and we became friends. He was working on a book, and going to Fuller, and started coming to church with us and becoming friends with our few friends here. Anyways, he gave up his lease in December, and it was fun having him around. Our next travels will probably lead us to his parents ski house in Norway :)

Anyways, later in the month, a couple from our Bible study threw a HUGE Christmas party. Everyone dressed to the nine's, and there was an abundance of food, drinks, and people. We only knew a few people, but it was really, really fun!

We also had my lifeguard party, Jordi's dad's birthday party, our good friends Shannon and John threw a Christmas Sushi making party, etc etc. It wasn't even Christmas yet, and we found ourselves partied to exhaustion.

THEN Christmas came:

Thursday the 23rd - we went to my parents house and drove with them to my cousin's house in Torrance. I hadn't been able to join my dad's side of the family for Christmas in a while, so it was really fun and we had a great time. Auntie Donna made an incredible Italian dinner, Ana wandered around drinking sweet wine and eating gummy houses, Joel and Dad had sophisticated talks about aged wine and theology, and we all had too much gelato. And to top it off, David brought a big box of clothes from the Pacsun warehouse which we quickly rid him of.

Friday the 24th - we had spent the night at my parents, so we woke up and opened stockings, and then had Christmas breakfast of mom's almond bread, chili egg puff, oranges from the tree and tea. I saw somewhere that a tradition in Mexico is to set the empty places for the family members that aren't there, but are there in spirit. Well, we didn't set all the extra places, but I put out all five of their pictures on our breakfast table and I liked seeing them there :)

After breakfast, we opened all our WONDERFUL presents!! Our family is pretty darn thoughtful and generous when it comes to presents, and even though the Swards and Amavisca's weren't there, it was fun to open their presents and feel like they were.

We hung out all afternoon, and then Jordi and I went back home. We were planning on making a fancy dinner, but we were pretty full, so we made a delicious salad instead, opened presents to each other, and went to church later that night.

Saturday the 25th - We woke up and drove to San Diego and opened presents with Jord's fam. Then his dad's parents came over and we had another delicious breakfast (although nothing can compete with mom's bread).

In the afternoon we didn't have much to do, and ended up going to Dave's climbing gym to get some exercise. In the evening all of Jordi's mom's side of the family, plus lots of friends and neighbors all came over for a cozy and chaotic Christmas open house.

Sunday the 26th - We went up to my grandparents house to see them and my cousins down from Santa Barbara. More presents and more food! In the evening we all went down to Buca di Beppo, which was really fun, and then we went to Balboa and walked around the whole island to look at lights. It was fun to hang out with the fam and even get a bit of movement and Christmas spirit :)

Luckily the week following Christmas I didn't have work, so I got to relax and get back to normal a bit. I sprained my knee at the beginning of the month, so I've been going to Bar Method a lot since it's the only exercise that I can do. For New Year's we decided to stay local and keep it mellow. We went to Vine, a really nice restaurant where my friend Shannon works, with her and her boyfriend John. We had a great time with them as well as amazing food and drinks. Then we got to walk home, which was so nice!!

The parties don't stop in January - it's Jordi's grandpa's 80th birthday this weekend, so they are having a big party for that, it's Jordi's birthday, my mom's birthday, my grandparents 60th anniversary, and then we are leaving for Peru!

Unfortunately Steph, Ben, Alyssa and Kels all head back to college, so we won't be seeing them for a bit :(

MERRRRRRRYYY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

I apologize because the only pictures I have to work with are off of Jordi's cell phone - we left our camera at Jordi's parents house...

Getting our tree was the most stress-free event of the season. We walked a block over to Rite-Aide, were the only people there picking out a tree, and carried it home. It took like ten minutes total!

Jordi's favorite Christmas decoration on Balboa Island

Me wearing all our Christmas presents - hiking shoes, backpacks, travel books, headphone splitters - we are ready to go! :)

Happy New Year! (or as one person yelled at midnight, two thousand ten SUCKED)