"Roommate Reunion"

It be dark outside, and there be just a few of us in the apartment. I sit here with me roommate Taylor, listening to her "Princess Playlist" and blogging. I truly couldn't be of much more contentment. :)

This school year, I've been blessed to live an apartment with five of the most wonderful girls on the planet. They make me happy and keep me smiling all day long. We have a quote wall, share the chores, talk and compliment each other, crack jokes, and eat lots of food. Without them around, it's easy to find yourself stuck in a super boring rut. Now imagine a month long break without those kind of people around....sad day.

So to fix that problem, we planned a "Roommate Reunion" over the Winter Break. It was spectacular!

We talked about all the different things we should do together over the break. We came up with idea after idea over the weeks prefacing our vacation. Here are the things I noted to self:
     - Kelsie had never seen the lights at Temple Square.
     - Mallory mentioned that we should go skating at the Gallivan
       Center.
     - Most of us had never seen "White Christmas." Rachel was
       aghast.
     - We went to Firehouse Pizza with our home teachers one
       night...and Rachel told us we needed to try FH'zzookies. Go
       figure- she had the pans to do that back home!
     - We all have a passion for good Italian food, and a few of the
       roomies had never had Olive Garden before!
    - We needed to have a sleepover.

Soooooooo....after much texting and planning between us, a plan was configured!

On December 18 -a crisp winter day- we met up at an Olive Garden in downtown Salt Lake City. It was so good to see each other and catch up with what had been going on in everybody's life over the past couple of weeks. We all ordered endless soup, salad, and breadsticks....and then rip-off expensive Raspberry frosty drinks (Boo - I'm bitter) that the poor waitress managed to dump all down her front.

Taylor, Mallory, and Rachel

Me, Kelsie, and Michelle

After a fabulous meal, we all went to re-park our cars so we wouldn't get ticketed, and we met up at the Gallivan Center. "Moly Hoke!" Did you know that there was an outdoor skating rink in SLC? I had no idea! It was such a super exciting moment, and only continued to become more exciting when they turned on all the Christmas lights and blasted the Christmas music as we skated. Christmas was in the air!

Taylor

Skates!

Rachel, Kelsie, and Mallory skating - AIRPLANES!!!

We walked a couple blocks more and reached Temple Square where we wandered among bazillions of bundled families and couples also admiring the lights. We took pictures and tried to stay warm. It was splendidly beautiful.

Salt Lake Temple

Michelle, Kelsie, Taylor, Rachel, Mallory, and Me at Temple Square

Alas, Taylor and Kelsie were not able to sleepover, so we said our good-byes and exchanged Christmas gifts near our cars. I assure you, they were missed as Me, Michelle, Mallory, and Rachel continued on in the adventures of the evening.

The task of getting to Mallory's house? Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right.... :) We hauled all our sleepover gear inside and decided to start making our FH'zzookies and watch "White Christmas." Rachel pulled out her VHS edition and Mallory's jaw dropped, "Uh...we don't have a VCR player." Oh heavens! It was hilarious! We also realized that we didn't have all the ingredients to make the FH'zzookies. So we ran to the store and picked up a few things. We then drove around Rachel's neck of the woods and recieved a tour of her neighborhood while listening to Michael Buble (an apartment favorite). We passed by the house of the man supposedly in charge of the lights on Temple Square...

...no wonder...

...And passed the homes of "boyfriends" past. :)

We eventually made it to Rachel's and made our FH'zzookies. I'm sure by this point you have asked yourself several times: What in the heck is a FH'zzookie? I will tell you. It's a gianormous chocolate chip cookie with ice cream placed on top as the cookie comes out of the oven. Divine goodness, I assure you. They were big - and we were so completely full...it wasn't right. :)

Fingers of joy for FH'zzookies!

Me and Michelle - Oh YUM!!!!

So...full...

I loved "White Christmas." It's my most favorite Christmas movie from here on out!

After our movie was over, we went back to Mal's and crashed downstairs. But of course, before we crashed, we had to chit-chat until 2:00 in the morning. It was just like being back home in Logan! We slept on mattresses on the floor and laughed until our eyelids were heavy.

Mallory sporting her socks that Taylor gave her as her Christmas present.

The sun rose, and we ignored it for a few hours and eventually chose to get up. Mallory made us delicious cinnamon french toast (my favorite breakfast!). But alas, this breakfast was the commencment of our "Roommate Reunion." We now had to be on our separate ways and continue living our lives like we did before any of us knew each other....hello Winter Break!

I love my roommies. They're one-of-a-kind good people.