Holiday Blog Challenge Day 8

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Let's get to the goods!!

For Christmas I would really really love to get some new work out gear.  My current work out ensembles consist of old, cotton, 2 sizes too big t-shirts collected as souvenirs and a couple of basketball shorts I've had since high school.

Yes, you read that right.  High. School.

I have one pair of "yoga" pants that I wear often.  They are capri style and I got them from Target.  However, they are cotton and seem to soak in the sweat instead of making it disappear.

My shoes? I've had for over a year.  They are from Asics, but I have no idea what the make/model are on those babies.  Also, I use them for everything- cross training (elliptical, stationery bike, etc...), running, walking, and sometimes wear them to work to keep my footsies warm (yes, we get cold in Hawaii!).

I found these two tops from YMX by YellowMan.  The shoes? Asics (hey, I like to stick with what works for me!).  I love these tops because they both feature a Polynesian print.  And they're pink! My favorite color =)

The shoe (sorry so blurry) from Asics is meant for low mileage- beginner runners (that's me!). When I get new shoes, I promise to myself to only use them for running and to log my miles.  One of the easy ways to prevent injury, right?

I would also love a membership to my favorite Bikram Yoga studio.  I used to volunteer at the front desk a few years ago and received FREE classes in return.  It was great!!

Once baby arrives I would love to get back into yoga.  I always felt like dying in the middle of the practice but felt like a rockstar while walking back to my car, dripping in sweat and gulping down my VitaCoco!  I imagine I could one day do this:

And of course after all that running with my new wardrobe & shoes, and after intense yoga sessions, I'm going to need to freshen up!

I would love a new bottle of my fave perfume: Chance by Chanel

And anything from Sephora:

What's on your Christmas wish list?

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 7

HOW DO I CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS?

Well, it's no secret that I celebrate Christmas.

And just as an FYI- A Complete Waste of Makeup, this blog topic includes Kwanzaa as a choice.  Just had to mention that Kwanzaa is NOT a holiday that takes the place of Christmas! You're probably wondering how the heck do I know, since I'm obviously not African-American.  Long story short- in college I was part of a multicultural organization that included clubs like the Jewish Student Union, Black Student Union (BSU), Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization (FUSO), Association of Chicana Activists (ACHA), and others... BSU would hold Kwanzaa celebrations on campus and invite everyone to join, so YES, I've participated in Kwanzaa before with the BSU.  It is to celebrate their heritage and just so happens to fall near Christmas. Like how Veterans Day is in November?  No one celebrates Veterans Day instead of Thanksgiving! Kwanzaa isn't celebrated instead of Christmas. *steps off soap box*

Moving on...

I celebrate Christmas. 

I like to decorate as early as possible.  I'd even start in October if I wasn't afraid of being burned at the stake for celebrating Christmas WAY before Thanksgiving.  So I compromise and start publicly sharing my love for Christmas in November. Yes, I'm one of those people!

I celebrate Christmas all season long (yes, Christmas is a season for me, not just a day!).  

We put up a Christmas tree and decorate it.

We like to drive around the island and look at the city decorations.

Most years we're spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family friends.

But this year? We may be celebrating Christmas with the arrival of Baby L!

We don't have very many traditions set in place, yet.  

But we are excited to start creating our own traditions with our little family very soon!

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS?

Holiday Blog challenge Day 6

CHRISTMAS DESSERTS/TREATS

Well, the first thing that came to mind was yet another pumpkin recipe.  

But I figured I'd spare you all and try something new.

So I scoured boards on Pinterest (You can follow me here!) to see what desserts I would like to try out (maybe someone can bake them and bring them over for me? Thanks!)

First up? Marshmallow Snowflakes.  I would love to learn how to make my own marshmallows! I heard it's super easy but haven't done much research into it...

And of course Pumpkin Cupcakes! I actually had a recipe for this from a magazine... somewhere around here... I made it and it was delish!!

I also love anything chocolate and mint so these White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are also on my "Need to Try" list.

Followed by Fruit Pizza! I remember one year at my grandmother's house in California (I must have been 7 or 8 years old), my aunt was visiting and made this delicious Fruit Pizza with flattened out cookie dough, cream cheese, and fresh fruits.  It was sooooo good!

Also on my treat list? Well, if I wasn't pregnant anyway... Pumpkin Eggnog Martinis and Dark Chocolate Whiskey Cupcakes!

What are your favorite Christmas Desserts/Treats? 

Don't forget to link up your post =)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 5

IDEAL OUTFIT FOR CHRISTMAS/NYE FESTIVITIES

Another reason to love the holiday season? Dressing up!

Out here in the islands we are WAY more casual when it comes to special occasions and dressing up.  

Granted most of the ladies here love to wear their pretty dresses, sparkly jewelry, and glammed up makeup when they are out on the town but when catch them at a family gathering?  Everything is toned down... WAY down.

It's pretty much a guarantee that if someone showed up in sequins at one of our family gatherings the response would be 1) "Oh where are you off too? You're not staying with us?" or 2) "Why you gotta show off and be all fancy for?"

It's one of the things I miss about living in the "mainland".  I could get dressed up to my hearts desire without running into someone who would ask, "Why you all fancy, huh?".

You can bet money on the fact that if I show up to a family party for NYE, I would be in jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket (just in case it drops to the low 70s.  I know. Be jealous).  I would also put on make-up because I know lots of pics will be taken that night. 

And probably wear pretty earrings. 

But that's about it.

The night would be spent chasing after my nieces/nephews/cousins, pouring drinks for the everyone, stuffing my face, and not worrying about ruining my outfit.  

But ideally?????

I would love to go to a "fancy" cocktail party hosted by friends and get all dressed up.  In fact, if/when we ever move back to Maui I would love to host a cocktail party for my friends- with the request for "cocktail attire", of course! I think dressing up is fun and everyone looks so good!

So if I had somewhere to go this year, I would probably rock one of these dresses:

As you can tell, I love sparkles!!

And for accessories? These really caught my eye:

But for a night spent with the family?  I think I'd take the jeans and t-shirt combo- it's all about comfort sometimes!

What's your ideal Christmas/NYE outfit?

If you're participating in the challenge (it's not too late to jump on in), don't forget to link up =)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 4

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES AND SPECIALS

Well, it is no secret from this post that one of my favorite all time movies is ELF.  I can watch this movie everyday! When I watch it, I turn into that annoying kid that says all the lines before the characters.  You've been warned!

Another favorite of mine is Eloise at Christmas Time.  I've only seen it a few times- and most of that was just in bits and pieces.  But the antics of this little girl are borderline annoying and hilarious! I think part of the reason I can tolerate this little 6 year old running around The Plaza Hotel during Christmas is that her charm reminds me of my grandmother, Eloise.  My grandma is the youngest of 13 children.  From the stories told by her older sisters, she was SPOILED! When her older sister Marian was alive, she would tell me silly stories of my grandma and the trouble she would get into.  Plus, I think it's hilarious to hear the characters yell, "ELOISE!!" when she stirs up trouble because I can't imagine someone yelling like that at my grandmother! 

And another favorite?  Love Actually.

I love all the characters in this movie.  It just warms my heart and makes me feel all giddy inside.  It totally pulls on all my heart strings and gets my emotions all worked up.  Exactly what I love in a movie!

Can you believe that there is one classic I've never seen? Yes, Christmas' #1 fan has missed out on a classic.

It's a Wonderful Life

Well, this season has just started! It's not too late for me to pick it up somewhere.  I'm determined to watch this movie this year.

What's your favorite Christmas movie/TV special?

Don't forget to link up if you're participating in the Holiday Challenge! Let my followers know who you are =)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 3

CHRISTMAS DECOR

One of my biggest memories of Christmas growing up is my mom kicking me out of the house for a day while she decorated for Christmas.

This woman went all out! By the time I would come home in the evening, she had the tree up and decorated, all the kitchen towels switched out, her snow village set-up, the bathroom covered in Santa paraphernalia, and a 5ft stocking hanging on my bedroom door (my bedroom was the one place she was not allowed to decorate.  There had to be boundaries somewhere! So she decorated my door).

Now I know that for someone who has recently professed their undying love for all things Christmas, I sound like a Grinch.

But as I reflect on the reason why I didn't welcome my mom's decorating with open arms, I realize that it was because I was never involved!

Once I got my own place in college, I was so happy to finally be able to decorate the way I wanted to decorate.

Even if that meant just a tree...

My first tree was a small 4ft something tree.  It was real.  And we decorated it with whatever fit our budget at the time. 

There wasn't a theme or color scheme.  

It was simply decorated.

Since moving back to Hawaii, we have gotten our own tree (yes it's fake) to decorate year after year.  

Because we're budget conscious, we use the same decorations year after year.  However, this year our tree is looking kinda sparse. 

But I love it!  There may not be much to it, but there's an ornament on there that you can't really see (and of course I forgot to take a picture of it last night!).

It looks kind like this, but is all green w/ no hibiscus flower.

It is called a Latte Stone and is one of the major symbols on Guam.  Chamorros (natives on Guam) used to build their houses on these stones that sometimes could reach 7 feet tall! The husband and I got this ornament during our trip to Guam back in February.  

This year we decided to start our own tradition.  We'll collect ornaments during our travels and to mark special occasions in our lives.  Our tree will probably never have a cohesive color scheme, but the theme will always be about US.

Just the way we like it.

What does your holiday decor look like?

Holiday Blog Challenge Days 1 & 2

Neely at A Complete Waste of Makeup is hooking up with her girl Amber for the Holiday Blog Challenge!

Challenge Accepted!  Some you might remember the challenge I started earlier this year... and never finished (ahem).

Maybe I'll go back to that and finish it up- I hate loose ends and that challenge has been haunting me!

Anyway- I decided to take up this challenge because 1) It's only 10 days (versus 30 like the last one) and 2) it's about my favorite time of year!

Here's the complete list of topics, which I grabbed from here:

Monday November 28th: Fave gift received EVER

Tuesday November 29th:  Fave holiday tradition, new or old

Wednesday November 30th:  Holiday decorations/decor
Thursday December 1st:  Favorite Holiday movies/tv specials

Friday December 2nd: Ideal outfit for Christmas/NYE festivities

Monday December 5th:  Christmas dessert/treat recipe
Tuesday December 6th: How do you celebrate the holidays? Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, etc.
Wednesday December 7th: Christmas wish list

Thursday December 8th: 2012 goals/resolutions
Friday December 9th:  NYE memories/pictures

Do you want to join in on the fun? Here's what you do.  Add this button from A Complete Waste of Makeup, and link up your post below on my blog and at A Complete Waste of Makeup.  Don't forget to spread the word to your blog readers, Twitter followers, and Facebook friends!

OK- On to the CHALLENGE!
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DAY 1: FAVE GIFT RECEIVED EVER

Thinking back to my 20+ Christmases, I can't really put a finger on my FAVORITE gift.  I've been really blessed and received some often gifts in my days. I remember bikes, dolls, games, and books from childhood.  As I got older I received beautiful jewelry from my parents and boyfriend (now husband <3).  I cherish all those gifts and at one point or another, each gift was a "favorite".

So I'm going to share my most memorable gifts.

First up?

Super Nintendo Entertainment System! I remember being sooooo excited when I opened this gift.

And also because my dad took FOREVER to set it up.  And then he decided to "test" it out to make sure it was working, while I sat on the couch and whined waited patiently for my turn.

The game that was included with the system was Super Mario Paint.  My best friend and I could spend HOURS on this game! There were "coloring pages", free style, a music composer (my personal fave), and a silly game where we had to swat at flying insects.



And coming in at a close second....

Our first home computer- A Gateway 2000!



I remember this gift because my parents wrapped each part separately! So it looked like I had a bunch of gifts under the tree but once I opened them all they all connected to our very first computer! I must have been 11 or 12 years old.

I was able to type up my own research papers and using dial-up, connect to the internet.  I set up my very first email address using Hotmail (can't remember what it is now!) and even created an AOL screen name so I could chat with my friends after school.

I also remember getting in trouble because I was constantly tying up the phone line hehehehe.

What was your favorite gift ever?
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DAY 2- FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION NEW OR OLD


Usually I spend Christmas with my family on Maui.  Christmas Eve is usually spent at my grandparents' house with all my cousins and aunts and uncles (dad's side).  There is a huge buffet spread (my grandpa, uncles, and dad are GREAT cooks!) and one of the uncles dresses up as Santa and hands out gifts to the little kids.  My family will play music and sing Christmas songs in the backyard (we live in Hawaii, remember?) and eat and eat and eat until we can eat no more!

Most of the family will just end up spending the night (any spot on the floor is up for grabs!). Because my parents are divorced, I usually will then spend Christmas Day with my mom.

This year? Well, I'm looking forward to starting our own traditions.  Our baby may be here by Christmas Day so we'll be busy getting adjusted to our new family.  Or baby may decided to bake a little more and you may just find me stuck on the couch watching Christmas movies.  Either way, this Christmas is sure to be a life changer for us and we couldn't be more excited!!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?


Don't forget to add a link to your Holiday Challenge Blog Post:

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

There's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to come right out with it.

I'm one of those people.

You know, the type that thinks it's NEVER too early for Christmas!!

Yeah, I said it.  And I'll say it again.

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS!

I've seen comments all over Twitter and Facebook about how retailers are pushing Christmas too early, commercials for Christmas shopping are jumping the gun, and people who put up their Christmas tree before Thanksgiving are CRAZY.

Well call me CRAZY.  If I could put up the tree right now, I would.  But being 34 weeks pregnant makes it kinda difficult.  But trust me that I've thought about it!

Seems like the concern is that we're just glossing over Thanksgiving and heading straight to the commercial nightmare that has become Christmas.

Valid concern, for sure!

For me, putting up a tree and listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies doesn't mean I'm forgetting about Thanksgiving.  If anything, it's a way to PREPARE for the Holiday of Thanks.

As a Christian, Christmas and Easter are the top two most important holidays of the year.  Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, and Easter is when we celebrate His ultimate sacrifice- His death for our lives.

Christmas to me is more than just shopping for the best presents.  Take away the glitter, the lights, the parties, and the gifts- we can get to the heart of the holiday. 

Even though Thanksgiving isn't here yet, I love getting into the Christmas spirit because the Christmas season is truly a time of thanks, good tidings, and new beginnings.  I feel that Thanksgiving is more of an extension of Christmas.  Sort of like the pre-party.

Thanksgiving is a time where families come together, share love and laughter, and give thanks for the many blessings in their lives.  Why stop there?  Christmas is also a time where families come together and reflect on their blessings, shower each other with love.

I don't understand why there is a set timetable for these holidays.  In my opinion, November to January is an entire season to celebrate with thanks and love.  Why wait to get into the Christmas spirit? Is it sooooo bad to be spread Christmas cheer in November?

Why not set the mood for the Christmas spirit in November and have it carry on into the New Year?  What is the big deal? Trust me that I will celebrate Thanksgiving and reflect on all that I've been blessed with in my life.  I'm thankful for my family, my husband, our bundle of joy that will arrive soon, my job, being able to live in Paradise.

But that doesn't mean I can't listen to some Christmas tunes or put up my Christmas tree. 

Or watch Elf on repeat.