Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Sixth Grade

On Monday my best friend Chandra and I hung out with our sixth grade best friend Josie Carou. In sixth grade Josie moved away to Montana, we had all been the best of friends through middle school. Thanks to the power of mail we were able to write her occasionally and keep in touch. Over the years we really didn't keep in touch with her that much. We grew apart but Chandra and I stayed best friends since we lived so close to each other and because we went to school together. In our later years we started writing her again but since the Internet was then so popular Chandra became close friends with her again through Facebook. The power of the Internet has brought us back together again. Josie came back to her original home of Illinois last week and texted Chandra saying "I'm home, when are we going to hang out". So on Monday we picked her up from Hoffman Estates and we all took the train down to Chicago.
We hadn't seen her in ten years since sixth grade. She looks exactly the same though, shes still her bubbly self. Nothing has changed about her at all! We were at the art museum almost all day and then we went to see the bean, had lunch and walked around Chicago. We left at 8:00 am and got back home around 7:00 pm. It was a very long day with lots of walking but it was great fun. Josie loved being back and seeing where she used to live, seeing the middle school again and visiting the city. After all these years we finally got to see her again. Next trips going to be a road trip to Montana, she wants us to come out to her house and visit her.









Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! Today is Christmas day, we woke up early this morning so we could open some presents before Kristi had to leave for work. Unfortunately she had to be at work by 9:30am so even though I stayed up until 1:00am last night I couldn't sleep in. I was up by 8:00am to open presents and after opening presents there was no way I could go back to sleep.
I got most everything I really wanted and I think everyone else enjoyed there gifts as well. I didn't have a huge Christmas list or anything, I like everything I got.
We all got some new clothes as usual, everyone can use new clothes once in a while. My mom got a kitchen aid from Cosmo, George and Harry. Her pets love her very much!
Its amazing! Its red, it looks awesome! I cant wait to use it. My sister and I got my dad a new beer flavor for his new hobby of beer making. Its called Dunkelweizen which means dark in German. My dad likes dark beers so I made a good choice!
My sister hasn't finished opening all her gifts but she got some clothes and a new pair of boots. My grandma got some new books, a sweater and of course the traditional frango mints. We get her those every single year, there so tasty. The smell is so strong, you can smell the frango mints even when there wrapped up from a mile away.
Later on we're dropping grandma off at Laurel and Larry's house and then we're going to the Porters house for presents and dinner. It should be fun! We've gone over to there house for Christmas day in the past and its always a real good time.









Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was a blast! For the first time ever we had Christmas Eve at my cousin Owens house. Our family tradition has been to have it at my Aunt Laurels, then our house and then my Uncle Gary's every year since before I can even remember. It goes in order from oldest to youngest. Now every year somebody new will have it, it rotates through the family. Now that Owen and Donna, Kyle and Teri and Jessica and Carl all have there own houses we can start having it over there. Thus, somebody will have Christmas Eve and then they wont have to have it again for another six whole years.
We had lots of good foods, everyone brought one new item this year just to spice things up. Our tradition is to do finger foods, snacky stuff, we don't eat a real meal. Everyone brings different foods and we have it all buffet style. Eat what you want when you want. Its nice having little kids around now as well because we get to watch them open there gifts and play all night.














One of our other traditions is white elephant. Everyone wraps up some junk, an item they don't want anymore. Its fun seeing what everyone gets because some of the stuff is just ridiculous!


































































For the first time ever Kristi brought along her boyfriend Shawn to Christmas Eve and what does he get for a white elephant... a penis cake mold. That was the joke of the night! What are is parents going to think of our family when they see that. Or there going to think he wasn't really at Christmas Eve and he went somewhere else instead.














































I hope everyone had a Merry Eve! I sure did.

A Michael Jackson Christmas

Most people may not know this about me besides my friends and immediate family but I freaking love Michael Jackson. I'm a huge Michael fanatic! I own all his albums, his ultimate collection, DVDs of him dancing, posters ect.

Now this blog post is mainly for my best friend Danielle because I know she'll appreciate this more then anyone. So Danielle, I hope you enjoy reading this post.

I didn't think I was going to see John on Christmas Eve or Christmas because he was working and going to his moms house. Thus, I had already given him his gift before Christmas. I got him a GPS for his car, he wanted one badly. I had already been thinking about getting him one and when my dad said he had been talking about getting one of those I knew for sure it was the right thing to do. So I went to Walmart to buy him one because they were on sale there and I ended up getting him the same exact one I have. It works out well though because I know mine well so I can show him how to use his.
Anyways, he ended up coming over in the morning on Christmas Eve because he wanted to give me my present. So he came over and he got me a huge 3D Michael Jackson picture. Its Michael Jackson and when you move it side to side Michael dances. Its in a nice black frame and everything. Its going right on my wall! I already have a spot for it and everything. Unfortunately I had to take down my Michael Jackson Thriller poster to put this picture up but I'll put that poster somewhere else in my room. This picture is even more amazing!
On Christmas morning I also recieved the new Michael Jackson Album. Its called Michael and it is brilliant!! I've listened to it straight through about ten times already. My ears are in heaven, every song is amazing!







Monday, December 20, 2010

Ski Club Christmas Party

This weekend we had our annual Four Winds Ski Club Christmas party and it was a blast! The whole four winds gang is pretty wild and crazy so that makes everything alot more fun.
We had so much food to eat and of course lots of desserts as well. Its great seeing everyone in there Christmas gear and it gets me even more excited for the holidays.
As usual we did our white elephant and its insane with the amount of people we have. We had about thirty people bring gifts for the white elephant. Thus, we had to limit the amount of times you could steal or the game would of gone on forever!
I ended up with a mini portable TV that also has am/fm radio but who knows how old it is. Can you even watch TV on it anymore? It was quite funny that I ended up with a mini TV because last year my mom opened the biggest most heaviest gift there was and it was a television set. It was so old you couldn't even get cable on it if you wanted to. It went right to the curb when we got home! That was the joke of the night though, that out of the thirty people there were.. some how our family was destined to have that portable TV.
Anyways, it was a great night! I wish it wouldn't of gone by so fast. I cant wait for Christmas! I hope that doesn't fly by as fast as this party did.

Happy Holidays.













Sunday, December 12, 2010

Kyri Joan Burritt is 2 years old!

Today we celebrated Kyris 2nd birthday at Kyle and Teri's House. It was great because it's not often that we get to see all the kids together at once. Charolette was there and also Kyri's other cousin Aubry. They had a great time playing with all the new toys Kyri got for her birthday. After presents we got to sing happy birthday and watch Kyri make a mess out of her peice of cake. Most of it was on her face, she choose to use her fingers rather then the fork.
Since Kyri's birthday falls so close to Christmas we all decorated sugar cookies to take home before we left. They were delicious!
This Friday December 17th is Kyri's official birthday. I cant believe it will already have been two years since Kyri Joan Burritt came into this world.
Happy 2nd Birthday Kyri!

Grandpa Larry, Aunt Bobbi and Great Grandma Leona wearing there birthday hats!













Smiley Kyri eating her dinner.













Kyri and Charolette with Grandma Laurel.













The Birthday Girl



















Kyri's new tea set













Kyri loved her birthday cake!













Decorating sugar cookies


Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Crazy Finals Week Blog!!!!

Today is insane, I have to print out eleven 11x17 prints for my Location Photography final. I cringe thinking about the cost of all the prints and the matte board. At least I only have one week left of school before Christmas break, thinking about that keeps me sane. Finals week is always crazy! No matter how much you prepare or no matter how much you try to get ahead of the game it never works. Its just not in the books for finals week to be a normal week.
With finals week officially being here next week I'll have alot to do this weekend. I have to edit all my eleven prints before Friday. I have work in the morning so I'll have to submit them to be printed directly after work so I have them in time for the next week. Its going to be a pain mounting them all before Wednesday. I have work every day this weekend and I have my last photo shoot for Location Photography to complete. By the time I get that done I'll have to get it printed some where other then the school. Theres no way they'll be able to print it on time if I do it at school because they'll have so many other prints to do by that time. I have a birthday party on Sunday that I want to try to make it to as well.
Wish me luck, if I stay organized I think I can make it through alright.

Friday, December 3, 2010

Christmas Pictures

Yesterday I took my friends to my school's photography studio and we shot some Christmas pictures. All three of them are sisters so I shot some pictures of them individually and I shot some of them together in Santa hats as well. It was a great experience and the photos definitely look more professional because I got to use studio lighting and a back drop.
I hope to get in there again soon and shoot some more pictures, any volunteers?













Saturday, November 27, 2010

Decembers on its way...

Turkey Day has passed and it is now almost December, I cant believe it! Getting into the Christmas season is always so exciting though. My favorite time of the year is putting up the Christmas decorations. Our family tradition is to put the tree, lights and all the decorations up the day after Thanksgiving. That's been our family tradition here at the Mickow home since before I can even remember. Now that Kristi and I are getting older and we're all so busy it doesn't usually happen the day after anymore. However, it still happens over the weekend and I always have fun doing it. Today I worked all morning but they still left some ornaments for me to put on the tree and the beeds and garland as well. Thus, my mother and I have just finished up decorating the tree and getting the stockings set up. I'm so glad Christmas is on its way, I love shopping for Christmas presents. Before I know it Christmas will be over though and I'll have to take all the decorations down which is the worst part of the whole year. Happy Holidays all!



Friday, November 26, 2010

Turkey Day!

Today was the best Turkey Day ever! I didn't have to work until 5:00 pm so I was still able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with everyone. Mom and Dad, Grandma, Kristi, her boyfriend Shawn and I all went over to my Aunt Laurel and Uncle Larry's house. Jessica and Carl were there to and we all got to hang out and catch up. We ate the best dinner ever and chatted for a while, it was great and the food was yummylicious. I ate as much as I could so I wouldn't be hungry at work. However, I still ended up eating a ton at work after that as well because they had so many yummy things there to. They had sandwich's from Jimmy Johns, all kinds of deserts and chips. I was surprised how much food they had for us so I was snacking all night long. It was nice to visit with everyone today and of course watch uncle Larry cut the turkey in his apple apron. I took many pictures of course and I got a video of uncle Larry doing his best turkey impression, that's our new tradition! Happy Turkey Day everyone!