Updates... including the first time I've EVER dyed my hair...

Recently,

I added some new editions to my room decor.
They were lovely little Christmas presents from my mom.

I also gave up ice cream...

and I started eating substantially more vegetables than I ever have.
My entire life.
I have a whole cup of spinach
(or kale if I'm feeling crazy)
every morning in my breakfast smoothie.

I have been getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night as well.
I even leave things a little early
just so I can get to bed on time!
(this is probably the nuttiest thing I've ever done)


Also, I gave in and went trendy;
I did the paint-one-nail-a-different-color thing...

And...
I did it!!
I dyed my hair!!!
I was terrified, but I did it!

I had a great hairdresser,
and let's be honest, it's not too crazy different;
just a bit darker on the top, and a bit lighter on the bottom....

But now that I've done it, I'm not sure I'll ever go back...
And next time I think I may even go darker,
or redder...
We'll see...


And this hasn't changed;
I'm still grateful for old movies.
Preferably ones from the 50's to mid 60's.
I could watch Cary Grant and Grace Kelly
or Humphry Bogart and Audrey Hepburn
just about any day.
I'm also grateful for faithful MTC teachers
like the awesome Tasha Marie,
that can miraculously run into Sister Robinson on her birthday!!

...and also the world's best parents
who are exceptional examples of fulfilling their callings,
and being in a relief society with wonderful sisters,
and CES firesides.

Quote of the Day:
"The thing about truth is that it exists beyond belief.  It is true even if nobody believes it... There is indeed such a thing as absolute truth--unassailable, unchangeable truth."
--President Uchtdorf

NYC Take Two.

One day,

I will live in New York City.

I will live in a tiny (yet charming) apartment.

I will know the subway system well enough

to tell tourists the wisest way to get where they're going.

I'll buy my produce in Chinatown,

my meat from a real butcher,

and my cupcakes and such from Babycake's vegan (aka gluten free) bakery.

I'll meet up with friends for lunch at places like "House of Sandwich",

or I'll  grab a hot chocolate from somewhere like "the Chocolate Room",

(and since we're living in my dream world,

I'll be an accomplished runner 

who runs in Central Park every day)

I'll go on dates to places like the Guggenheim,

or the Met, or catch a show on Broadway.

I'll watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade 

live,

every year.

I'll be a regular at the "brooklyn flea",

And get lost in stores like "Books of Wonder"

(kind of a real-life 'Shop Around the Corner' from You've Got Mail...).

My children will be cool New Yorker's

who wear bow ties and oxfords, 

or stripe-y leggings with peter pan collar dresses to church.

My family will of course be in the Manhattan ward,

and go to the church on the bottom floor of the Manhattan temple building.

Yup. Right there.

But for now, since I love Austin so much,

it is sufficient to simply visit NYC every once in a while.

Or maybe more often than "a while"...

Seeing as I went in May, and just got back from another trip with my family...

And it was as wonderful an adventure as the last.

First of all, I seriously think one of my favorite parts of this trip

was the ordeal of my entire family getting on and off the Subway--

we never lost anyone ; it's a Christmas miracle!

And these handsome dudes were always gentlemen

and let us ladies take the seats first.

There was a lot of family bonding/huddling for warmth.

And plenty of hood/hat/scarf wearing;

it was a foreign concept to those youngins who haven't ever lived in a cold climate.

And our family's suggestion for when you visit NYC, 

is DO NOT take the "fast pass" option to the top of the empire state building;

it's code for twice as much money and an extra 2 hours of waiting...

it's not like a fast pass at Disney World... hahaha

We LOVED the Plaza though!

We even prepped for our trip by watching Home Alone 2: Lost in NY

just the night before we left

It also made me want to read the Great Gatsby again...

And mine and my mom's little hearts flipped when we saw this portrait of Eloise.

(with her pets Weenie and Skipperdee of course)

We were suuuper excited to see this on Time Square!

We felt like celebrities.

And it turns out that 'Annie' on Broadway is FANTASTIC.

Not quite as life-changing as 'Newsies', but even Dylan liked 'Annie'.

(although, Sophie and I haven't decided yet if it was quite as good as the renditions

we put on in our game room growing up...)

We ate lots of yummy food.

And clearly enjoyed each other's company.

The girls loved the SHOPPIN.

(aka window shoppin...)

Aaand the boys did not.

This picture sums up the Robinsons in NYC; 

we took up that entire ice cream store.

We saw the beautiful Grand Central Station.

Where Jesse's head pretty much scraped the ceiling...

he just won't stop growing!!

We went to church...

in my future ward.

And got to visit the breath-taking 9/11 memorial.

And walked across the Brooklyn Bridge!!! It was beautiful!

It was also freezing...

But don't worry, Emma and Logan had the appropriate head gear.

And I got to go to the Guggenheim with my mom.

She's so wonderful.

Goodness Gracious I'm in love with that city.

Grateful for:

my hippie Mom,

my cowboy Dad,

and Logan, Sophie,

Jesse, Max, Dylan,

and Emmacita,

and for the blessing to be sealed to my whoooole family

forever.

Christmas time [was] here...

I'm a big fan of the Christmas season;

I looove that Christmas lasts a whole month.

The shopping and such does stress me out,

but I do love that it's socially acceptable to sing Christmas songs every day,

and everyone seems to be a bit friendlier for the month December.

I also love the excuse to go to concerts and throw parties.

Me and sweet miss Livvy 

got to attend Emma's choir Christmas concert;

I loved when they sang "Santa is the Man".

And then Livvy Lou gave me this Christmas present--

because she knows how much I love Paris!

It was so sweet!! 

And thennn, I went to a lovely little Christmas party,

where apparently a group of us subconsciously decided 

that we wanted to show the Christmas spirit

with the color of our pants.

I ended up making way too many presents

I didn't mean to, but I spent a whole lot of hours

(that I should have been sleeping, mind you)

making, remaking, and perfecting Christmas presents...

and loved every moment of it.

My sweet roomie gave me a super wonderful gift.

And left it in my stocking before she left to go home; so cute!!

My family even came over to my apartment for treats, and coco

and the "Polar Express"

We wore Christmas sweaters 

(and snowflake headbands)

and everything.

Such cuties!

"The first gift of Christmas!"

We love the Polar Express.

And then we donned footie pajamas...

And also party hats while we were eating our Christmas Eve soup...

...we made CC and Papa wear some hats too--they were great sports.

It was an extra special Christmas because these guys were there.

They are some of the most wonderful people I know.

And we all sure love them.

...

(and then came this big, lovely trip my family took to NYC; 

just imagine a group of nine people shuffling on and off of subways,

and in and out of tiny NY restaurants and stores...

It was simply fantastic.  I love that place.)

...

It's been an exceptional Christmas!

Grateful for:

my Papa serenading us on Christmas Eve,

my sweet Grandma and friend CC,

gluten free NY pizza,

the Manhattan Temple,

my faithful, soon-to-be missionary sister,

getting to go to the temple with my parents and brother and sister,

a whole new year ahead of me,

a nice, neatly organized list of resolutions

and the blessing of forgiveness

Quote for 2013:

"It's never too late to become what you might have been."