on family and sleepovers

So my family lives here now. And I love it.  Sure, sometimes I feel a little stretched thin between all my activities (read: netflix and seven peaks) and family time, but after living so far away from them for so long, it's about dang time they came to Utah.  Maybe it's because I've moved so much or perhaps this is just the way it is, but I swear it doesn't matter where my parents are living - the second I walk in the door and smell mom-food, I feel right at home.  The best part:  I don't have to worry about getting all dressed up like a functional human being to just run over and get some food or hugs from Pammy Sue.  I can just roll up in my snuggie and eat like the resentful hermit that I am.

This past weekend we celebrated my aunt's birthday with those who could join us for lunch and let me just say: I love the women of my family.  We're all mildly funny but easily entertained by each other's mediocrity and, of course, the contagious laughs that abound when we're in each other's presence. We're all made of the same stuff, and it's great. 

the woman in the middle, whom we affectionately call Ma, is the best, most inspiring lady! you go, g-ma. 

it looks like we're drinking some cute alcoholic drink.
it's just water.

And because I just can't get enough of my lady-relatives, Heidi and I decided to have a sleepover on Friday night! Major win. 

So there was a lot of bonding going on that Friday night. Between me and Heidi, between me, Heidi and a bunch of my guy friends (welcome home, Quinn!! holla, all my boys be coming home), and between me, Heidi and Mimi. And it was a riot, I tell you.  Normally, when I’m trying to fuse together two groups of people I tend to get seriously awkward and try to force friendships: “Sally likes movies and you watched a movie today and Sally likes..breathing and so do you so…ha! Friends? Let’s take a picture together!" Luckily I didn’t have to build any bridges and those two got along swimmingly.  If I could have three wishes, they would be:

1. money. lots.

2. a personal chef

3. a video of the mimi-heidi-chrissy sleepover. a real riot, i tell you!! i am friends (relatives?) to the funniest people! 

I know that there are many things about childhood that we are all supposed to age out of.  I don't expect my parents to pay my bills (although...ok yeah that would be great), I am glad I no longer have a bedtime, and I don't ever want to be told what I have to eat for dinner.  I get that there are many things about growing up that are just necessities, and part of being a responsible adult is no longer enjoying the same things you did when you were seven (although the occasional prank call to my crush's house would still be fun now).  But there are some things we did which seem a complete shame to stop doing, even as we age into the bracket that requires a full-time job and the eventual profile on a dating website.  I need sleepovers now more than ever.  And having roommates is a great excuse for a never-ending sleepover. 

One of these days, I'm going to convince my roommates that we need a real sleepover, where we bring all our girlfriends (read: each other) over and we stay up all night watching tv, eating snacks, talking about boys, braiding each other's hair, doing our nails, and generally having a wonderful time free of judgment or expectation.  We can wear our pajamas and consume as many cinnamon rolls as our hearts desire, only wary of being the first to fall asleep and therefore becoming the receiving end of lighthearted pranks, such as having a penis drawn near our mouths or the tips of our fingers put into warm water so as to induce bed-wetting.  And before you ask, no, I have never actually done those things, I've only seen them done in movies.  I'm just reveling in a sleepover fantasy land here, alright?

So stay tuned for the sleepover of the year which I am currently working on.  Invites will be sent out soon.

Oh yeah, this happened this weekend too.  Taylor came into town and some major bonding time commenced!  

Also, my little hippe twin is back in town after her spontaneous trip to Californiaaaa!

So there was my weekend in a nutshell.  Hope yours was equally as full of laughs, crushes, and food. 

ox/C

reasons why rfg is the coolest and the weight gain involved with it is NOT.

Brace yourselves for a looooong but interesting (I promise! Ok I don't, but there are treats at the end!  If you are one of those people that considers pictures the equivalent of treats) post:

So remember this post from last year? RFG (Retreat for Girls) changes lives - mostly mine. And anything I post on here will not do it justice so feel free to go here and here for more info. K cool.  

But it really has been an incredible couple of weeks in which I worked part-time as a head counselor (with my little partner in crime Spike! see: blonde babe up above) and full-time as a walking panic attack.   I mean probably - I felt like I was in a lack-of-sleep-induced spiritual high in which I can't really recall details of the week, but it was a really challenging (yet fulfilling!!) opportunity.  Because I was in a different role than I was last year (last year, I had my own groups of girls and this year I acted as a counselor to the counselors) it really gave me some good time to reflect on my growth over the past year. 

Like, honestly.  I would literally throw last year's version of myself down a set of stairs.  Because I feel like so much of me has changed.  Fist pump!  Go, refiner's fire!  And I love RFG for that very reason.  It is constantly bettering (so I guess that IS in fact a word because there aren't any red squigglies under it? I thought I made it up...) me and it is all in thanks to the Lord, obviously, and also the amazing counselors!

ready for this?

back row, left to right: bug, frosting, mamba, frenchie, pember, shuffle, serenity, ricki, beffy, barney
back row, left to right: mango, JOLIE, spaz, road runner (ra ra), belle, sunshine, m&m, giggles, spike

so now you have a list of baby names. you're welcome. 

giggles                                                                       spike                                                                                       shuffle   

Aren't we cute?  

And now commence...a story describing the most random night of my life:

As true to RFG tradition (er...a tradition of one year, that is), we stopped by Texas Roadhouse after the first session ended on Friday evening.  Just for some good old fashioned fun.  Which quickly escalated into a birthday party.  FOR ME. I know, my birthday was well over a month ago, but hey, I'm a roll-with-the-punches kind of gal.  When someone tells me it's my birthday, gosh darn it they're right.  Now where is my free cake, people?!

And it wouldn't be a birthday if a man wasn't involved, am I right? 

No. No, I definitely could have gone without the man.  See, here's what happened.  After I got sung a little birthday diddy, homeboy two tables down decided it was his birthday too.  Suuuuure. I'm on to you, buddy. 

It really was his birthday. His 28th, we later found out. Woops?

So after his birthday is celebrated by the workers of Texas Roadhouse (a big yeeeeeeeee-haw! included), the girls at my table start chanting BIRTHDAY KISS! BIRTHDAY KISS!  And he waltzes over to my table and lays one on me. Just to clarify, it looks like my hand is grabbing onto his shirt in a "I think you're sexy get your body closer to mine" type of grasp. No no. It was just an awkward arm.  Very dinosaur-like, really. 

And that is how a not-22 year old (he lied to me) kissed me on my not 21st (I lied to them) birthday.  And now I would like to start a charity called "Christina will no longer be the victim of hate crimes.  Unless free birthday cake is involved."

And now let's talk about real the issue at hand. 

This year, I was determined to make some lifestyle changes while up in Logan. Namely, cutting out Diet Coke.  Remember that refiner's fire I was talking about earlier?? Yeah, this is where it came into play. Oh well and also...I guess I did a lot of work spiritually too.  But let's focus on my DC problem.  I did in fact only have one soda the entire time I was at Retreat.  But does that mean I lost weight? 

Absolutely not. Despite the miles of walking I did each day.  

To make myself feel better, at the end of the second session, I compiled a list.  

Reasons I Still Haven't Lost All the Weight I Said I Would Back In May:

:: I'm big boned?

:: I can't afford a new wardrobe.

:: It's been too hot - WAY too hot - to run. On the treadmill. Inside the gym.

:: So...donuts.

:: And also Taco Bell.

:: It's all muscle weight, I swear. Lots of lean muscle. Right on my abs. And my inner thighs.  

:: Sometimes, I give myself a "free day" (binge day - you know).  Sometimes, my "free day" turns into "free days" which then turns into "free weekends."  And by sometimes I definitely mean "every time a week contains a Friday, followed by a Saturday then a Sunday." So that's cool.

:: Elephantitis. Probably. 

Ok ok enough talking. Here are some pictures of my favorite ladies to send you on your way!

I love this picture very much because it includes Katie (far right) and Anita (far left) - and they are honest to goodness some of my heroes. I love these women!

Aaaaaaand here'e the treat you were promised! 

Yaaaaaaaaay. 

spike, jolie, bigdawgdaddy and frosting.