Christmas | loveliness.

Tag: Christmas
- mission peaks
  
  Posted at 8:00 am by jasminedesirees, on December 28, 2016
  
  We’ve been in the Bay for the last couple of weeks after the semester ended, and we ended up celebrating Christmas on December 24th this year, just because it worked better for a lot of people’s schedules.
  
  So on the 25th, we woke up and had breakfast and opened up our stockings, but then we didn’t really have anywhere we needed to be. It turned out to be a gorgeous day, so we decided to go for a hike and try to burn off some of the treats we’ve been eating. I made two huge bags of puppy chow on the 20th and they were gone before Christmas Eve.
  
  Missions Peaks was about 7 miles total, and was only about 30 minutes away from where we were staying, so it was kind of perfect. It was kind of hard in some spots, it had rained a few days before so it was a bit slippery, and parts of it were pretty steep. Also, there are cows.
  
  It took us about 3 hours total, but the view from the top was gorgeous, and it was nice to get outside and actually do something, even though I like drinking mimosas in front of the fireplace as much as the next guy.
  
  It’s a great option if you are looking for a hike in the East Bay, especially on a clear day because you can see the entire Bay.
  
  Tomorrow we are off for a couple of days in Big Sur, and I am SO excited. We’re supposed to have good weather, and we are leaving super early to try to snag a cliff top spot. It might be really cold, but between by batman onesie and the 400 pairs of socks I got for Christmas, I may avoid freezing to death.
  
  Posted in California, holidays, travel, USA | 0 Comments | Tagged bay area, California, Christmas, hiking, mission peak
- christmas in mazatlan
  
  Posted at 10:24 am by jasminedesirees, on January 27, 2016
  
  I’m only a month late, but still wanted to share some snaps from the holidays in Mazatlan. We were actually just going to be in the Bay with D’s family, which I was kind of devastated about since I’ve never not been with my family for Christmas, but we ended up deciding to go last minute (as in Christmas Eve) and flew out on Boxing Day.
  
  We’ve been going to Mazatlan since I was little, my grandpa has a house there, and it’s still one of my favourite places. Most of my fondest childhood memories happened there, so it’s fun to go back now and see what’s changed and what’s stayed the same, and it’s especially fun being there with my niece and nephew.
  
  Posted in beach, Mexico, travel | 1 Comment | Tagged beach, Christmas, family, mazatlan, mexico
- christmasness
  
  Posted at 10:48 am by jasminedesirees, on January 13, 2015
  
  Just a few pics from my dreamy hibernation holiday in Montana, which included too much polar bear plunging (once) and just the right amount of Rumchata (all of the Rumchata).
  
  I am writing this from a Starbucks because we still don’t have internet (or furniture) at our new place. There are two older women across from me discussing how one of their ex-husbands has shacked up with “a floozy”, and I’m sneak downloading Shameless to watch later, snuggled up on my inflatable bed.
  
  Starting tomorrow I should be back to a semi-regular posting schedule, there are still tons of photos and adventures to share from our trip, starting back in Kuta Lombok.
  
  Posted in family, holidays, life, Montana | 1 Comment | Tagged Christmas, family, holidays, life, Montana
- hibernating
  
  Posted at 2:54 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 29, 2014
  
  This has been my view for the last 6 days. It’s been pretty much dill pickle dip, mimosas and playing in the snow since we got here.
  
  I have been wearing stretchy pants and a t-shirt the entire time. It may not be pretty, but it is pretty wonderful.
  
  Happiness is Christmas in Montana.
  
  Posted in family, Montana | 0 Comments | Tagged Christmas, holidays, life, Montana, winter
- mazatlan
  
  Posted at 12:49 am by jasminedesirees, on January 7, 2014
  
  We spent a really great week in Mexico with my family over Christmas and New Year’s, it was so nice just to relax. We had a bit of a harrowing experience right when we arrived, I was trapped in the tiniest elevator possible with 5 people and two giant suitcases in 100 degree heat, on Christmas day.
  
  We weren’t sure how long it would take for someone to come save us, and it was a bit scary. We got out eventually, and after a few margaritas I pretty much forgot about it, although I refused to get back on the elevator for the rest of our trip.
  
  Posted in family, life, Mexico, travel | 0 Comments | Tagged Christmas, family, life, mexico, travel
- christmas
  
  Posted at 3:00 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 25, 2013
  
  I hope everyone has the best day today, and gets to spend it with all of the people they care about.
  
  I am hopefully either on my way to Mazatlan now, or I’ve already landed and I’m enjoying a margarita with my family.
  
  Merry Christmas!
  
  Posted in family, friends, holidays, life | 0 Comments | Tagged Christmas, family, friends, holidays, life
- elf
  
  Posted at 11:08 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 24, 2013
  
  Last weekend we volunteered at a Winter Wonderland put on by the Foster a Dream foundation. Foster kids from all over were able to come and have some holiday fun, and leave with lots of presents and treats.
  
  I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but this time of year especially makes you feel like you should be doing something for other people, like it should be about more than just getting gifts, so I signed up, and the boy decided to join me.
  
  We showed up for our four hour shift, and we were really impressed. An entire warehouse had been transformed into Santa’s Workshop, there were tons of decorations, and lots of different stations for the kids to go around to with different activities at each.
  
  They didn’t tell us ahead of time what we were going to be doing, there are lots of different jobs for volunteers, but both of us were assigned to be elves, meaning we were paired with a foster family with from 1 to 4 kids and we took them through the Wonderland, and helped them have fun along the way.
  
  The kids got their pictures taken with Santa, decorated cookies, made crafts, played games and did science experiments, and at the end of each activity they usually left with a prize. Experienced foster parents came with trash bags and extra strollers just to carry all of the different toys the kids got to take home.
  
  Most of the kids’ favourite part was the Toy Room, they got to go in by themselves and other volunteers inside helped them pick out any 3 things they wanted from inside. One of the first little girl’s I was paired with walked out with an American Girl doll, and she was absolutely on the verge of a panic attack she was so excited.
  
  Another family I was paired with had identical twins, a boy and a girl about 7 years old, they were probably the sweetest and most polite 7 year old’s I’ve ever met.
  
  The little boy was missing part of his left arm, but he went up to the basketball game and scored 12 out of 20 times. His foster mother was almost in tears, as she whispered to me that she had been nervous that he wouldn’t be able to make any of the shots.
  
  I was wearing an elf apron, and Derek was wearing an elf hat with ears. The same little boy and girl were decorating cookies when Derek walked by and they both looked at me with huge eyes and whispered excitedly “It’s an elf, a real elf!”. Derek came over to talk to them, and answered all of their questions about what it was like to work for Santa.
  
  It was a very tiring day, between carrying bags and bags of toys through the toyland and corralling groups of excited children through the stations, being an elf is hard work.
  
  But it was also a really great day, the Christmas season is so exciting through the eyes of a child, and I felt very lucky to have been there to be able to make their day as much fun as possible. It’s a really great cause and I’d like to keep working with the Foster a Dream foundation throughout the year, as much as I can.
  
  Posted in life | 0 Comments | Tagged charity, children, Christmas, Foster a dream, life
- i’ve seen Christmas lights, reflect in your eyes
  
  Posted at 10:33 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 19, 2013
  
  We heard about a house in Pleasanton that was crazy decorated for Christmas, so we went to check it out. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.
  
  There were over 500,000 lights, it was madness. They had a mini-golf course set up, and Santa’s workshop in the garage where kids could come to get their pictures taken.
  
  I should have set up a hot chocolate stand in front, I would have made a killing. It’s great that people are so into the holidays, the electricity usage made me a bit nervous though, but the kids were loving it.
  
  A lot of their neighbours had joined in and decorated every house on the cul de sac, except for one house that was completely decorationless. I felt a bit bad for them, it must be kind of annoying have thousands of people driving by and parking and hanging around your house for a full month, and their complete lack of decorations might have been their way of protesting.
  
  Or maybe they just don’t celebrate Christmas.
  
  It helped get me in the mood for the holidays though, I’ve been skating, and drank egg nog and been to tons of Christmas parties, but it never really feels like Christmas without snow to play in.
  
  This was clearly my favourite one. “You guyth, it’th jutht lemon”.
  
  Posted in holidays, life | 0 Comments | Tagged Christmas, decorations, holidays, life, lights
- parties
  
  Posted at 6:27 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 16, 2013
  
  I love the Holidays for tons of reasons, one of the main ones is holiday parties. They do tend to stack up though, this last weekend I had 3, starting with my work Christmas party on Thursday night. They rented out a nightclub, Temple, and we partied and danced until the wee hours, followed by an obligatory 2 a.m. trip to In and Out.
  
  Friday I had to work, it was a rough morning but they brought in McDonald’s breakfast and Bloody Mary’s to get everyone motivated.
  
  I brought in my own bottle of pickle juice, I like to plan ahead.
  
  Derek’s work party was that night so I left work early, changed in the car and went for dinner and drinks at Rickey’s in Novato. I did pretty well off the start, I had a few martini’s to perk me up, but by the end of the night I was fading fast.
  
  Saturday night we had a White Elephant party with friends, it was a bit more low key, but still lots of fun. I have three more parties this week, Friday is my last day of work, and then we’re off to Mexico next Wednesday.
  
  It’s great to spend so much time with friends and always have something fun to look forward to, I kind of wish it was Christmas all the time, but at this rate I’m not sure I’d survive it.
  
  Posted in friends, holidays, life | 0 Comments | Tagged Christmas, friends, holidays, party
- viva mexico
  
  Posted at 9:40 pm by jasminedesirees, on December 11, 2013
  
  We booked our tickets for Christmas in Mazatlan with my family yesterday. I am so excited to go, my grandpa has a house there and I used to go all the time, but I haven’t been since I was 18.
  
  Most of the memories I have of being a kid are in Mazatlan, and it’s kind of weird to think I’ll be going back there and bringing my husband. I still very clearly remember stealing quietly from my bed and creeping down the stairs in my Aladdin night gown to see if Santa had found us in Mexico.
  
  Lazy beach day, before I realized that I should be scared of sharks
  
  I remember swimming at the Granada pool and playing mermaids with my sister, and then stretching out on a lounger to eat Oreos and Ritz crackers that my grandma stocked by the closet-full when we came to visit.
  
  A palm tree started on fire and we forcibly adopted two iguanas. Mine was named Princess. I was terrified of her.
  
  I loved driving my grandpa’s golf cart, visiting the crocodiles that lived on the first hole, and spending days at the beach jumping over the waves until I was too exhausted to move and then laying on the beach looking at the wares of the beach vendors and trying on jewellery.
  
  The money keeper around my neck is both a great place to keep your pesos, and a stylish fashion accessory
  
  My sister and I would creep around the house at dusk and try to catch iguanas and geckos, and spend our days trying to sneak into the pool at the El Morro so we could jump off the highest rock in the waterfall, and then reward ourselves with a dip in the hot tub.
  
  As we got older we’d go out drinking and dancing and maybe to a foam party or two. I know people who won’t go to Mexico because they are scared, but I’ve only had wonderful memories and met great people there.
  
  I can’t wait to be back there with my family again and to show all of 5 year old me’s favourite places to 26 year old me’s favourite guy.
  
  Posted in beach, family, life, Mexico, travel | 0 Comments | Tagged beach, Christmas, family, life, memories, mexico, travel
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