Christmas Central Coast Style

We started out our Christmas break by going with my mom to watch the men of the family play paint ball...you see they do this quite often and my mom was curious to see the fun...turns out it's really just man time...they play for 10 minutes, sit around for 1/2 hr messing with their guns and talking about how manly they are in their gear...it was hilarious, and mostly I would be okay with it if I stayed at home from now on.

A few days later our family participated in my home ward's live nativity. My sister and I along with a little girl from the primary were the angels.

My Dad and Mom were the Inn keeper and his wife. So cute!

We also attended an ornament exchange a family friend has every year.

On Christmas eve-eve my sisters and I took a trip to Harmony which is a little town along the coast near our home. Please note that on the sign behind me the population is 18...18 people live in Harmony. Fortunately they have a fabulous pottery shop where local artists sell their work. We found some great gifts there.

This year for Christmas Eve we all wore Pajamas. My sister and I were all matchie, matchie. So Precious.

Here's the sibs in our new PJ's...so funny.

Here's my grandma and mom enjoying the festivities. What cute ladies they are.

Adden really enjoyed chasing Aunt Jeans little chihuahua.

Here we are all the Griffith kids including Carrie and Adden.

On Christmas day we went to Aunt Lisa and Uncle Joes house. Here's my sisters and I with our cousin Tiana.

Here we are with our adorable mom.

The day after Christmas we went on a hike up Bishops peak. I took this photo along the trail. It was soooooooooo beautiful!

Here I am with my cousin Brent, who just got back from his mission to Spain, at the top.

Oh the sibs on top of Bishops peak.

Such a fun break!

The business of Christmas time!!!

We all know Christmas time means a lot of holiday parties. Well with so much going on I decided to just post a few of my fav. pics for the holiday festivities. Here is a mock family picture we took of the activities committee at our ward Christmas party! Naturally my co-chair and I were the "mom" and "dad" of the group. Although the party didn't come at the most opportune time (the week before finals) we all pulled together and the party was amazing complete with gingerbread house making, a talent show, and a reading of "twas the night before Christmas" by our bishop!!!
Note: That thing on my face is a Christmas tree, we had face painting at our party. :)

Another fabulous outing was going to see the lights at the Temple. We thought it was a good opportunity to take a jumping picture....this was the best one we got. I love the facial expressions.

This is one of the pics I took of the temple. It was beautiful.

For our OT holiday party the 1st and 2nd years in my program got together for a holiday ugly sweater/bowling party. It was a good time.

All in all to spite the stress of finals there was lots of fun to be had in the life of this OT student!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend 2009

Last weekend I went home for Thanksgiving. My sister Brianna who goes to BYU came home as a surprise to everyone, except me cause I picked her up at the Oakland airport on my way home. Hearing my Moms shriek of surprise,which woke my Dad from a sound sleep, when she saw Brianna was priceless! The next day we met up with friends to introduce Callie to sushi! Here we are at the restaurant.

Here's my yummy meal

Myriah enjoying her sushi

Brianna enjoying her soup.

Callie she likes it, cant you tell?

Myriah and I looking very thanksgiving-ish in the park in Paso.

Callie and I in the park.

Myriah and I in the park looking very fallish and cute.

Brianna and I ready to rake Grandma's yard...looking hardcore....well Brianna is anyway

Peace sign is what we do best!

Cal, Brianna and I looking cute.

Cutest Baby ever!!!

Family walk down Barns road on Thanksgiving.

The siblings on Thanksgiving day--Me, Matthew, Brianna, Callie

Cousins picture with a lovely sunbeam-Addie, Sadie, Me, Brianna, Callie, Katie

One without the sunbeam...so cute.

A silly one.

After our gingerbread house making...Brianna and I made one together

Brianna and I with our Christmas tree before we cut it down to take it home.

Me and my Mom at the Christmas tree farm.

Me and my brother Matthew at the Christmas tree farm.

Adden enjoying the fall foliage.

I love this pic....the lighting is beautiful.

On our last night together I got to read Adden a story, so sweet. It was an amazing trip home and I cant wait until Christmas.

Sub-for-Santa Adventure!

Being activities co-chair is an adventure. On the weekend before Thanksgiving our ward hosted our annual sub for Santa auction to make money to give Christmas to kids in Oakland who otherwise wouldn't have Christmas. Our responsibility as a committee was to decorate the institute for the invent. We met the Sunday before and had a general plan of what we were going to do but were still trying to think of ideas of what to do for table decor. It turned out the night before we still didn't have anything solid to go on. So in the morning I went to Micheal's and bought some fake Christmas tree swags and scented pine cones along with various Christmas like decor like plastic cranberries, gold stars, and candles. Then I brought them along with my trusty glue gun to the institute and we went for it. We just got creative and made center pieces for all the tables. They turned out fabulous. This is my favorite one that I made.

I made a pumpkin crumb cake to auction off in the dessert auction.

Here's the living room at the institute after we decorated. Cozy, aye?

Gar (our RSP), Katy (our wonderful new convert), Kathy (every one's friend), Me, Karina (the amazingly creative one)--friends @ sub for Santa.

Allison my roomie who made this beautiful tarts that sold for $90 at the auction!

Me and my Roommates Sam and Allison at Sub for Santa, so cute!

Joanne (my decorating buddy), Vickie (the founder of the feast), Me, Amy (the spunky side kick to Vickie in this great endeavor) after it was over and we could all go home! It was a great night and we (everyone involved did SO much) made record amounts of money to give lots of families in our stake a nice Christmas, so exciting!