It Ain't the End of the World

Every year on NYE, the family goes out to eat at Hunan Manor. It is our favorite Chinese restaurant and one of our favorite traditions.

Here's the conversation we had on the car ride over to the restaurant:

Mom: Let's go around and have everyone say something they are going to do to demonstrate good manners at the restaurant.

me: The boys will get our chairs. Just kidding. I will put my napkin on my lap.

Nicole: That was MINE!

me: Pick again.

Sarah: I will not burp, or fart, at the table. I will leave to go to the bathroom to fart.

Nicole: I will not yell at Heather when she undoubtedly ruins my evening. Just kidding. I will only speak Mandarin to the Mandarin waiters. They are important, too!

Kelly: I will try not to snap at anyone.

Julie: I will drink with my pinkie off to the side.

Dad: Okay, now. This is for everyone. Not just directed at you, Joseph.

Joseph:.....okay?

Dad: There will be no eating with your mouth full of food. Or half-full!

Dahl: I will say please and thank you.

Everyone immediately began praising him and started singing, "When you want the butter, say please pass the butter. Manners, are never out of styyyyyle!"

Kelly: No one can sing it right!!!

Dad: I hope I will not have to remind anyone about things like singing at the table.

And you know what? He didn't. We were perfectly well-mannered. And the food was delicious. And we were all happy about that. And this was probably the best New Years' Eve I have had in 6 years.

Hulloooo, 2012! :)

Was your 2010 as Awesome as Mine?

Cuz mine was pretty awesome. Here are some of the awesomest parts of my year.....in chronological order, I think:

1. Going shooting with Uncle Brett! It was my first time shooting a gun and it was very fun. Almost as fun as the photo shoot we had afterwards.

2. My floral design class. I didn't love Winter Semester 2010, but this was one class I did love. I made all sorts of arrangements. Including, I learned how to make boutonnieres and corsages, which I made for Kelly's wedding :)

3. Finals week of winter semester. I had lovely roommates in the winter and we all separated in the summer :( To finish off our semester together, we pulled our mattresses out and had a sleepover, all week long. We got henna tattoos. And made smoothies. And watched movies. And kind of studied.

4. Nannying. I nannied the summer after my freshman year and I got to go back and nanny for the same kids again for about a month this summer. I love Malan and Owen so much, so that was wonderful!

5. Going to Trafalga. Chelsea worked there over the summer so she got me and some other friends in for free! We had a blasty-blast trick-riding on the carousel, racing the go-carts, and riding on all the rides past close.

6. Stadium of Fire. It was my first year going and it was awesome! I love Carrie Underwood and thought she did a fantastic job.

7. Lehi Roundup! Not long after Stadium of Fire I went to my first LEGIT rodeo in Utah. I was not disappointed! I went with my friends Brinley and Alyssa. I love cowboys so obviously I was in heaven.

8. Working. I had two great jobs this year that I absolutely loved. I started working at ColdStone in February and then at the BYU Writing Center in the summer (as an intern). I wasn't exactly thrilled with either job to begin with, but I quickly came to love them. The only pictures I have of Coldstone and the Writing Center are the ones I'm posting here....

At the Writing Center, Kylie and I are showing off our twin fingernails. On the wall behind us, please notice the thankful turkeys that everyone made for Thanksgiving.

At ColdStone, I am saying goodbye to Bruce, who was kind of my husband, because he decided to go to college.

9. Cornbelly's! This year was my first time going to Cornbelly's and I think I was converted. I love love loved it and will definitely be going back next year.

And finally,

10. Being the MOH at Kelly's wedding. I got to be home for Thanksgiving, give a speech, and dress up. Win win win. Not to mention, I think Dahl is the best brother-in-law ever, so all in all, their wedding easily makes this list.

I could put sooo many other things on this list. My birthday, for instance, was one of the best I've ever had. Halloween was amazing, as usual. I loved all the times I got to lay out by the pool just soaking up the sun and eating free hamburgers, and my trip to Texas was an adventure, to say the least. For the first time this summer, I enjoyed camping. I loved going to General Conference in Salt Lake, my trip to Park City to see Shawn White, and going to the Manti Pageant. It was awesome to see Nicole give the speech at her graduation and Sarah get baptized in May.

And the best part is, my life is only going to get awesomer! I am so ready for 2011 and all the awesomeness it promises :)

A Toast to Breasts

My family drank some bubbling cider and made toasts to the New Year. Here were our toasts, in the order they were given:

Mine: A toast to adaptation! (I don't know, it was the first thing that came to mind.)

Joseph: A toast to defenestration!

Jacob: A toast to awesomeness.

Sarah: A toast to.......breasts. (She is eight years old.)

Dad: A toast to good health.

Julie: A to.....

We all clink our glasses together. Julie dropped her head, sad that no one cared about her toast. Everyone quickly pulled their glasses back and asked Julie what her toast was.

Julie: A toast! To.....uh.....a toast to.......family. :)

We all smiled back at her, clinked our glasses together, and drank in the New Year.