Christmas Break Plans

Now that I know Stanford Football is playing in the Sun Bowl, I can finalize my Christmas Break plans. Here's the schedule:

December 18: last final

(I have some additional assignments to finish in the days after that final)

December 21: Lady Gaga Concert with Curtis, Tracy, and Nancy

- Yes, we're going to see Lady Gaga. And yes, even Curtis is super excited about it.

December 30: Depart for El Paso, TX for Sun Bowl! I'm flying out w/ Tracy in the afternoon and meeting up with Juls and other Stanford buddies.

December 31: SUN BOWL - STANFORD VS. OKLAHOMA at 12 PM local time. (11am PST on CBS). I'm flying back after the game, will celebrate New Years w/ Curtis and finish packing.

- I'm kinda excited to be going to Texas for the first time, even if it's for less than 24 hours.

January 1 - Depart for Maui, flight leaves at approx. 8:30 AM. Watch the Rose Bowl from our hotel, with a beautiful view of the ocean.

- plans include swimming in the ocean, tanning, and spending a day at the spa

- I already ordered a new bathing suit for the trip!

January 11 - Return to LAX, sometime in the evening

January 12 - first day at the 9th Circuit Courthouse!

The next few weeks are going to be very exciting!!!

Pictures & Christmas Stuff

Every year that I've had my own place, I've wanted to get into the holiday spirit and get decorations, but have never felt like it was worth it. I'm not often home, and I spend the actual holidays at my parents'. I do have a few things, and hope to acquire more over the years, especially when I have more funds/more time to make stuff.

This year, I operated under the assumption that since I'm married, I would probably try to get a tree (a real, living tree, not the skinny one in the picture). And it would be fine if I had a fake tree, b/c you just put those up and take them down at your convenience, no water needed. The problem is that I don't believe in fake trees. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to the lot and picking out the perfect tree. Year to year the tree is different, which makes it special. Well, last night we talked and decided that it probably wasn't worth getting our own tree this year, since we're going to be at my parents' for the holiday, and then on vacation on the first. I can't say I'm not disappointed, as I was looking forward to picking our first tree out, but I am happy that I got my lights out a few days ago and hung them. I haven't seen them from the outside yet but I hope to tonight when we go to dinner.

The other major household project was putting our wedding pictures up. We finally got the CD's of our pictures, and I ordered a ton of prints from Shutterfly (one of my favorite websites). I had purchased a bunch of frames from Ikea back in August to put up in our room with the pictures, and so I was finally able to do it this week.

I realize the lighting is awful on these pictures and I should have waited until tomorrow to take them, but I guess you'll just have to come see our apartment to get the full experience. And yes, that is my desk that now has 5 Christines, staring at me. We have one more large frame to put up, once we decide what picture we want to use. Of course, this will all be done, and pretty, and we'll be moving (no plans to move yet, I'm just sayin').

This weekend I am studying for finals (eek!) and finding out which bowl Stanford is playing in so I can plan accordingly. Good bowls to hope for: Holiday (San Diego), Emerald (San Francisco), Las Vegas (duh.). Bad bowl: Sun (El Paso on NYE...). And I'll also be reading more coverage about Toby Gerhart's Heisman chances.

Have a good weekend, I'm off to dinner w/ my partner-in-crime, who will hopefully perk me up in the face of what's to come in the next two weeks.