Kelocity.com

A runner with an appetite for adventure!

Christmas Tree Time!! December 3, 2010

Filed under: Christmas,Family,Happy — Kelocity @ 8:47 pm
Tags: , , ,

First of all, I can’t believe that it’s already December. Where did the year go! Regardless, I’m super excited, I love this time of year, especially in Los Angeles. It gets just cold enough to feel like Christmas, but still warm enough that you don’t need a coat.

This year, we went to get our tree at Home Depot (can’t beat the price and the convenience!)
IMG00010-20101201-2019

For some reason, I started to feel a little emotional buying our tree. I just feel so lucky that we are able to afford the tree we want to get. We are so fortunate that we don’t have to choose between a tree or food on the table like so many Americans. The tree is a constant reminder to us to remember what’s really important in life, I am so lucky to have Irving and two great families to celebrate the holidays with.

We brought it home and gave her a new home in the dining room.
IMG_2239

We let it settle and open up and we watched an episode of Weeds. And then we dragged out all the ornaments!
IMG_2245

IMG_2246

We put up two strands of lights and watched her glow.
IMG_2248

We were so tired at that point that we went to bed (GASP! Without putting the ornaments on!)

So today, we woke up at 5:30a and decorated her before work. Smile Much better!
IMG_2257

We always buy a Christmas ornament from every place we travel to.
This year’s new additions:

Whistler, British Columbia, Canada
IMG_2258

Dubai, UAE (It’s ‘gold’ and it’s a camel. how perfect is that?)
IMG_2259

Cairo, Egypt (which was actually really hard to find!)
IMG_2268

And I know this sounds really bad, but I think I got this last year for Christmas and I really really really love this ornament….  does anyone know who gave this to me? I want to write it on the box!
IMG_2262

The rest of the house got decorated as well!

IMG_2250

IMG_2251 IMG_2252

IMG_2253

IMG_2254

Who says Sunflowers aren’t Christmasy?
IMG_2255

I’ll get a picture of us in front of the tree this week to post. Now it’s time to get shopping!

 

In Anticipation of Christmas! November 16, 2010

Filed under: Family,Happy — Kelocity @ 1:30 pm
Tags: , , ,

Whew! That was two full weeks of travel, exploring and adventure, but I am definitely happy to be home. Here’s a round up of what we’ve been doing since we got back.

This week, Irving and I geared up for our annual Christmas present game (we like games). A few years back, I came up with an idea to make Christmas shopping more fun and meaningful. We came up with about 100 adjectives (things like ‘Something Red’, ‘Starts with an R’, ‘Batteries not included’, etc.) And we put each thing in a bag and randomly pull out five cards. Then we have to buy gifts using three of the five cards for the other person.

This year, we flipped a coin (from Dubai) to find out who got to pick first…
IMG_1980

Ready for the coin toss..
IMG_1978 IMG_1981

Tails! I go first!
IMG_1982

Have to make sure you pick a good one!
IMG_1983

Yes! That one is a winner! (But the cards are top secret, so I can’t reveal to you just yet which ones I picked since Irving reads the blog!)
IMG_1985

Irving’s turn…
IMG_1986

I think I got good ones… stay tuned after Christmas to see how it all turned out!
IMG_1987

On Sunday, I went over to see Ashley’s new baby, Hudson! He’s adorable, I can’t believe he’s here!
photo

Then Erika and Timmy and Irving and I went to Honey Kettle for lunch.
IMG_1989

Dipping sauces required.
IMG_1991

Last night, my friend Janet came over to teach me how to make real tea. I picked up this amazing tea from the Dubai Spice Market and I was dying to brew a cup.

IMG_1995

We heated up the water in my Keurig machine…
IMG_1997

And Janet brought her teapot to share.
IMG_1996

It was a DELICIOUS cup of tea! (Thanks Janet!)
IMG_1998

Tonight, Irving and I made grilled chicken sandwiches!
IMG_2009

With all the fixins’.
IMG_2002

Mmm Steamed Veggies! I was CRAVING these!
IMG_2008

We dined next to the beautiful flowers Irving bought for me this weekend!
IMG_2005

We’re also loving these alabaster tea light holders we got in Cairo. They are so pretty when they glow.
IMG_2004

Whew, that was a long one! Stay tuned this week for another round of the Arabian Contest!

 

Christmas in California! January 10, 2010

Filed under: Family — Kelocity @ 4:37 pm
Tags: , ,

As sad as it was to leave Boston, my family and my sisters after Christmas…

….we knew we had to come back and get back to our life in California. But it was super fun to know that we had another Christmas waiting for us back here. We saved our gifts to each other until we got back. but it still felt like Christmas to us!

We put our jammies on (just like Christmas Morning) and got our stockings!

PS. I can’t believe our tree is still standing! That thing lasted a month!

We sat on the floor in front of the fireplace and the present opening began!

Stockings First! Irving got his usual sunscreen and deodorant. haha


My turn!



We also found a gift from Jake and Janie under the tree! (Hi Jake and Janie!) Thank you!!

When all the presents were opened, I asked Irving, “Did you get everything you wanted?” And he sadly said, “Yea, I guess. Except for one thing.” He really really really wanted the FIFA 2010 video game this year. This was his face when he thought he didn’t get it:

But then I surprised him with one more gift…..FIFA 2010! He was so excited and now he looked like this:

Yep. I’m pretty much the best wife ever.

Here’s some of my loot! I also got the new Lady Gaga CD…. which makes Irving the best husband ever.

So what was my favorite gift this year? MY FIRST IPOD EVER!!!!!

It’s teal! So cute huh?

It was a pretty awesome Christmas this year. 

 

Pre-Christmas Presents! December 14, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Kelocity @ 11:51 pm
Tags: , , ,

Wow, I came home to find a whole bunch of good mail today! A whole bunch of great christmas cards (thanks for thinking of us, friends!) We also got an early Christmas Present from Jake and Janie (hi guys!) but Irving wouldn’t let me open them til Christmas! But I did grab the cute Ornament they sent and put it promptly on the tree!! It combines my three favorite things: Cupcakes, Christmas and Ornament. 🙂 

And then Erika sent us a HUGE box of homemade Christmas cookies!!! THANK YOU!!!!! Not only were they gorgeously wrapped, but they tasted ah-mazing. Look how pretty they look!


The note read: One great way of spreading cheer, is singing loud for all to hear. (or eating cookies!)


There were candy cane shaped almond cookies, chocolate cookies, sugar cookies and this amazing one:

I mean, how awesome is that combination! We quickly ate one of everything before dinner!

Irving was caught going back for seconds!

 

Thanks for the awesome christmas treats! We love them… and have to resist eating one everytime we walk past them! YUM YUM!

 

Decorating Disaster in Christmas Past…. December 9, 2009

Filed under: Uncategorized — Kelocity @ 6:10 pm
Tags:

We’re decorating our tree tonight! I’m so excited! I’ll post pictures of it soon… but in the meantime, may I remind  you about “The Great Christmas Tree Disaster of 2006“?

I still look back at this and laugh… Hil-Arious.