Team-Work Hard, Win Hard, Play Hard

Follow @makenzie_jones 

 

This one was the next oldest post in my drafts, so it's the one for today!

As you know, I'm all about celebrating, especially if it's Christmas.  Mom must like it pretty good, too, because she is a lot more in the mood to have people over at our house and to fix things up!

Our cross country team is something special, not only because we win state championships.  We have a bond that is like family, but more special than that:  we all know things about each other that our families wouldn't know!  We have a sisterly love that is beyond that family obligation.  It's hard to explain all that a team goes through together, but it is an experience that few are blessed to know, and those who do will cherish for a lifetime!

That being said, my social life is basically the team, aka the girls.

 

When there is any reason to have a party, we girls work out a plan to get it done!  This is the 3rd year that my mom has offered up our house for a Christmas party.  It also helps that she makes the white trash.  I hear it all year long.  No matter where we are going, but if bringing snacks is an option, someone usually says, "Kenzie, your mom should make white trash!" which is followed by bulging eyes and agreeing comments from the rest.

Hobby Lobby is the place to shop.  Next to Target, this is where I would go broke if I wasn't so stingy with my money.  Hobby Lobby is also a place I love to buy things becasue they are a Christian-based business.  I can always go there and find notepads, pictures, decorations, paper, frames, calendars, cups, wrapping paper, gift bags, plates---you get it--all kinds of stuff that is encouraging.  They always have coupons available and deals going on in the store, too.  Mom and I picked out these plates with matching napkins, working in the reason for the season and Santa and his reindeer!

    
What I said earlier about Mom enjoying hosting Christmas shindigs?  She may act stressed and say she doesn't like it, but she does.  If she didn't this wouldn't happen. 
The vegetable Christmas tree?  Totally her idea.
I am a proud daughter.
Some other girls brought finger foods, too, and you can see the big bowl of white trash (don't worry, there was 2 more bowls that size for when we ran out).

    

While we waited on everyone to arrive, I started up the Wii and turned on Just Dance.  I feel goofy playing it in front of other people because I'm used to always playing by myself, but hey, we all look goofy.  The "expectation vs. reality" caption on the picture of Jessica and me is on point.  We try.
When everyone was ready, we got the food we wanted and voted on a movie.  Elf won, no surprise.  That movie never gets old.  A couple of the girls had never seen it, which blew the rest of our minds, so that made it even better!

Fam.

To wrap things up, we unwrapped things!
We invented our own random exchage process for who got what gift.  We didn't plan this, but we all ended up with a pair of fuzzy socks to wear, so as girls, we had to take a picture!

June is almost here, and that means cross country will be starting up in just days!  Then it will be party time again.

A Typical Day of my Christmas Break

These are the days that I think of as a stereotypical Christmas Break day for me.  Sleeping in, exercise, a nice breakfast, computer time, playing Wii, reading, and dinner.

Yesterday was just that!  Except we went to Walmart, too.



After I did a morning workout, I got to try out one of my new Christmas presents, a griddle!  I'd been asking for one for a while, so that I could have friends over and make us a bunch of pancakes and maybe even eggs.  These were some more pumpkin ones.  I had one lonely Kashi waffle left in the freezer, so I also added the toppings to it and ate it, too.  Pumpkin, pumpkin butter, spices, honey, and sugar free syrup are just the right toppings.

I found this at Walmart, and it is so tasty!  Just the right balance of eggnog and vanilla to make it not-too-strong, but right to my taste.  Healthier, too!

I got the Just Dance for Christmas and bought the Zumba the previous day at Target.  I love these dancing games, because I enjoy having fun while exercising, so dancing is the fun.  This is how I pass extra afternoon time I have before dinner on breaks from school. 

I put my new eggnog drink to good use after dinner!  I made my own vanilla eggnog protein shake using the eggnog of course, vanilla extract, protein powder, vanilla almond milk, vanilla bean frozen yogurt, and boston cream pie yogurt, adding in some cinnamon and nutmeg.  Delish!

This is the next book I have started reading after I finished Jantsen's Gift by Pam Cope. This is the book I bought and got autographed at the concert a little over a month ago.  A fairly different story, it is still hitting me hard!  I love reading about true life stories.  Jeremy came from a background that you would not expect.  His faith in God is so amazing and admirable, and the way he trusts God through struggles and the unknown is so inspiring.  He really has put to use the gifts that God blessed him with.  His love for others and his wife is also something to take note of.  This is the kind of man I want for my husband.  Jeremy is a fantastic role model for all men out there!  Hearing his story and knowledge of God really hits my heart, and I believe it will yours, too.