holiday goodness...

it hasn't felt like christmas to me yet.

and then i made cookies and ate them when they were warm while i looked out the window at the snow-filled streets... it's started...

still here...

i have NOT fallen off the face of the earth, although with this weather it does feel like i am not on this planet (i'm an AZ girl through and through!). school has just been super busy, work the same, and life has just kind of gotten in the way again. my computer has another virus (or something of the sort) and my last day of organic chemistry is TOMORROW! the weather's been crazy-- 20 below zero and more at times and my car is fighting with me in the mornings to start... so here are some pix to catch up a little bit.

all bundled up. mom would be proud - wool socks up to my knees, long johns, thick gloves and four different layers on. and yet it is still cold!

nalu with all his toys lined up in a row... now which one to choose?

i love his snowy face!

dancing my way to the door.

dancing again at the hospital holiday party... yeah, i'm wearing a wedding dress. i went with a group of girls who get REALLY fancy because, as one of the nurses put it, we basically wear pajamas to work!

...if your wish be to close me, i and

my life will shut very beautifully, suddenly,

as when the heart of this flower imagines

the snow carefully everywhere descending...

-e.e. cummings

happy thanksgiving

i am thankful for all the wonderful people i am so fortunate to have in my life...

miss you guys!

fun with hair

the surgery on my lip will never keep me down... i will ALwaYs make the fishy-kissy face!

this is what you do one bored wednesday evening... play with the camera and the settings and your hair. i'm glad i cut it short. i'm more vulnerable this way... plus i have bOUNce!

if i could hide behind myself i would

shy

hesitant

the world will never see me...

however, greatness beckons and i blossom

vibrant

beautiful

the world will take notice...

happy pup

Nalu smiling with his new BIG white teeth... I think I laughed out loud (tears streaming down my face) for about ten minutes.

rainbows appear when you least expect them

what a cold day!

i wish pictures could indicate how cold it is... it looks like a nice sunny day but it's about 30 degrees and it's noon! i guess it's been coming, but those 50 degree days last week threw me off :) the above photos are some pictures from my (cold) morning.

cancer (sucks!)

took a trip all by myself...

time to reflect.

time to play my music as loud as i could.

time to sing even louder.

got to the doctor's office and five hours later

i left with this great souvenir...

stronger, braver, and proud of myself

i faced my fears all alone.

and they weren't that scary.

i may have scars but the wounds will heal...

cloudy day

these were taken on my way up to missoula the other day... some of the clouds were so close to the ground it looked like you could touch them. i had to concentrate on paying attention to driving though - i get so distracted when there are awesome clouds in the sky!

i am a pro-procrastinator

pro·cras·ti·nate

(prō-krās'tə-nāt', prə-) Pronunciation Key v. pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing, pro·cras·ti·nates

v. intr. To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

v. tr. To postpone or delay needlessly.

a twelve page paper due in the morning... it's 10 pm and i'm not working on it. i find things to do - - -call everyone i haven't talked to in the last 24 hours... take unnecessary bathroom breaks... text message... make "to-do" lists... space out... take pictures... surf the internet... do my laundry (finally!)... pet the dog... pet the cat... try on all my scarves... stretch... sigh... BIG sigh... then i get back to it for a couple of pages until something else catches my attention and the cycle continues. i will be up late tonight and up very early tomorrow trying to get this done. i can sleep when i'm dead...

i do my best work under stress...

my warm and fuzzies

sweaters that keep me cozy

the softest cat i've ever met

inside some broken in uggs

ears that feel like velvet

scarves made with love

it is...

...carefree smiles in the summer sun...

lips pursed in concentration on a snowy slope

...days on the beach in far-off locales...

you just don't think that those days that hold such great memories will come back with such a vengeance. skin cancer at 26. on my face nonetheless... when i have a million more first impressions to make. a billion more smiles to give... i guess it's slightly comforting to hear the nurse say, "it's the best kind of cancer to get!"

various states of consciousness

nick snapped this picture of me and the "kids"... all in dreamland

these animals DefInAteLY know how to nap!

(head)aches

blurry thoughts, sentences run together, nothing sticks... it's about quitting time

i feel drained today. i've been doing homework ALL day long, with breaks only to shower, eat, and a little bit of talking on the phone. my head and eyes hurt. and i get to do it all again tomorrow!

and of course i took some time to take handsome pictures of nalu (with a tasty new treat )

i hate 2008

don't get grossed out

Stich! just one stich so i cannot pluralize it... there was a questionable growth on my lip. it got biopsied and i should know monday or tuesday if it is cancerous or not. the procedure wasn't too traumatic, however, my lip swelled to the size of angelina jolie's and i vowed on the spot to never get collagen injections or botox. that is a SENSITIVE area!

and here's nalu tonight... lazy. tired. friday.

and a rare moment of truce for the sake of comfort. nick took this while i was at work. they have never been so close and so calm at the same time.

us and our animals

jhenessa knitted me some awesome scarves. i love this purple one!

and so does kai!

contrast

LOVE his dark hair with white snow on it :)

lots of snow!

forget fall, it looked like winter this morning! nalu is thoroughly enjoying the snow, and i must admit, so am i.

first snow of the season

sNoW! it's here already! there is a storm moving in and by sunday, we are supposed to get 4-8 inches. i'm not quite ready for the cold and everything that goes along with it (having to start your car early, snow tracked in the house, heaters) but it is beautiful. i am very excited to wake up tomorrow to see a glorious blanket of fresh snow. it makes everything seem so clean and fresh.

Nalu loved his first experience with snow! He's still healing from the surgery so he's not supposed to be moving around too much - but he just couldn't help himself :)