Happy New Year!

I made ten sets of Finnish gingerbread cookies to take to the Ures in New Jersey.  I was staring at the picture and it hit me that I made the wrong year!  DUH!!  So at 1:10am I got out of bed, turned on the oven, and rolled out ten 5's!  Now I've got ten 4's to eat! 

I couldn't leave without driving around

I couldn't leave New York City without driving around and taking in some of the vibe.  And Magnolia Bakery banana pudding.  It was a fun few hours!

One stop

Absolute Bagels, of course!

Lucky me!

I found a sweet parking spot on the UWS!!!

The City

I stopped in New York City on my way home.  Thanks for the chicken pahhhhhm sandwich and I love your apartment, Morgan!!

The Jersey Ures

I took this photo before we all enjoyed a tea party!  I love these Jersey Ures. 

I call Lisa "the bus driver"

Ella (#6) on the swing set

Johnny and his cowboy quilt

This little dude has six older sisters!  It was fun to finally meet him tonight!!

This is Jersey

The Ure girls (minus Johnny).

NYC lights

My favorite of the Johnston "kids"

all the Johnstons

I asked Mary if all the kids would be home during the holidays and if I could take some family photos.  They were together for about 28 hours!

Ye olde sibling chokehold

Yin family photos

Cowboy quilt: done

Hermana Patton!

Adrienne will be serving her mission in the Salt Lake City South Spanish speaking mission!  I'm so excited I could burst.  She is the first sister missionary on the Patton side.  #proudaunt

New Englanders and their wreaths

We take our wreaths-on-every-window seriously.  This house in Woburn had 29!

TBT: Christmas at age 6

This was at our Patton grandparents' apartment in Long Beach, CA.  It looks like we each got a stack of gifts; we must have been nice.

The Peterson's beautiful Christmas tree

Christmas Eve Peterson style

#goodfriendsgoodfood

If you wait until Christmas Eve...

From my pen pal Ali

The Twinners

I got my twin fix tonight.  #fakeaunt

Elephants for the Young Women

I made each of the girls a stuffed elephant (I had asked them what their favorite colors were).  I attached a note: Elephants never forget and I hope you never forget the YW values. 

Beacon Hill

Ice skating on Frog Pond

Christmastime in Boston

I've been wanting to ramble around downtown Boston at Christmastime and blocked out some time today to do that.  Boston's not NYC but it has a holiday vibe.

Food in New York City (a problem)

Cookies and cupcakes and bagels are not the issue when I'm in the Big Apple, but meals have always been a problem for me in New York City.  I watch videos, I look at websites, I pin things and make lists.  And I always end up eating in lame places.  A few examples.  Last year I was in New York City on Thanksgiving for the Macy's Parade.  The main issue that time was that there was hardly anything open on Thanksgiving day.  So my Thanksgiving dinner was a pretzel that I got waiting for my time slot at Top of the Rock.  In August when I was there with Adrienne I had grand plans to take her to some cool New York-y places (pizza, deli sandwiches, dumplings, etc.).  Well, by the time we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge we were hot and sweaty and starving.  We settled for Baja Fresh in Times Square and I was so disappointed in myself for caving, but I was also ready to eat my arm so I didn't even care.  Last weekend -- same thing.  New York City was its usual crowdedness around Christmas.  My friend and I wanted to see Macy's so we walked/subwayed it down there and by the time we arrived we were starving.  I remembered that there were restaurants in the store so we found one that was kind of expensive so went to the Cellar in the basement.  It was kind of expensive too ($17 for not-so-good fried chicken) but we didn't care and surprisingly, there was no wait.  And again, disappointment.

So I think the solution to my New York City meal problem is that I need to go with my restaurant list for a week and ramble around and make the main focus: food.

The end.

TBT: first Christmas card

We had professional family pictures taken every year and always sent a picture Christmas card.  This was my first!

Cookie Swap

I made bretzelis for my cookie swap tonight.  I wish I was back in Van Nuys making them with Ruth Hirschi.  #laborintensivebutworthit #swisscookies

Christmas on the UWS

Alicia -- you won the calendar!

Calendars for sale HERE!

My friend in The City

It was really fun to have a few minutes to chat with my blog/real friend Morgan who lives in Manhattan.  I love hearing about her adventures living in New York City. Lucky!

Thank you, NYC

Absolute Bagels

Patiently waiting for the best bagels in New York City.  #poorposture

Banana pudding

Breakfast.

Church in The City

My friend and I went to church in New York City today.  A young dad with two children (a 15 month old boy and a 3 year old girl) joined us on our row and then asked if we'd watch his kids while he swing in the choir (his wife was out of town).  Sure?!?  The little boy started crying half way through the Christmas program and the dad started to leave the stand.  I motioned to him that I would take the boy out.  I walked the halls with him and when Sacrament Meeting was over I went back in and handed him back to his dad.  My friend told me that when I left with the little boy, the girl said, "where's my brudder?"  #mormonstrustmormons

New York City

It's the most wonderful time of the year in the most festive city.  #NYC

THE tree

And this might be my Christmas card photo.

M&J Trimming

Be still my heart.

Where am I?

#fishseddy

Finally made it to the Holiday Market

First holiday work party

#MIT #cupcakes

TBT: Christmas orange

Every year we got an orange in our stocking.  See!

#pattonmemories

YW Christmas party

I hosted the YW Christmas party tonight.  The girls did an ornament exchange, we had hot chocolate, and played the game with candy taped in bubble wrap and rolling dice for doubles.  #arlingtonwardyoungwomen