t.day

a little sample of what my t.day was like this year.

{one}

fun at g.ma's house (as usual)

this is a picture from my phone of a picture on the wall at g.ma's.

left to right: me {aw, so cute.}, erin {AH!}, dana {bald baby}, emily {cutie pie}

{two}

BLACK FRIDAY!!!

dana, emily, sara, and i found out that gap was having 50% off everything in their store from 12am to 10am.  naturally, we had to go.  so we headed over there at 10.45pm thinking there would be a line.  wrong. no line. no one there. no lights. so we called and found out it was opening at 6am.  we went home, slept for 4.5 hours and went back at 5am. still no line. first ones there.  so we sat in the car for 30 minutes with our blankets.  other people were pulling up and sitting in their cars, too.  finally at 5.30am some girls got out to open the store.  so we got out and waited. and so did a bunch of other people.  and then it happened.

6am.

store opened, we went wild.

not really.

but i put all 4 of our purchases on my gapcard so i will get some sweet reward vouchers in the mail come Christmas break.

i'm a black friday believer.

for gap that is.

50% off? you bet i'll be there. 5.30am next year!

we even stopped by old navy on our way out.

i found this super cute coat/jacket for only $35. and it was an xs petite, which meant that someone had to have returned it to the store. plus, it fit perfectly, which naturally meant i had to buy it.  and it was from old navy! who knew.

but dana decided to give it to me for christmas, which is a good thing since i have no money.

black friday miracle.

the remainder of the day consisted of laziness and a nice long nap--much needed.

{three}

that night i had more pumpkin pie {that's the end of it.  until christmas!}

and then mike wanted chili from harbor house and said "shakes on me."

i decided to go just so i wouldn't be sitting at home doing nothing.

dana and sara decided to tag along.

they got oreo bit shakes.

erin and i ended up ordering a peanut butter shake.

hello yum! no wonder they are known for them!

i don't know if i died and went to heaven because it was so good or if it was because it was so bad and i went into cardiac arrest.

either way, i better not go back!

{four}

shooby dooby down to Ruby's!

this morning we walked down the pier to Ruby's for breakfast.

loooove going out to breakfast.

loooove the beach.

loooooove Ruby's.

win. win. win.

we didn't get down there til about 10.15--late breakfast.  emily and dad had already had pancakes and orange rolls, respectively.  this is dad's kobe beef burger.  at 10.45am. hello, huge.

and of course, he was part of the clean plate club. 

{so was i with my egg white veggie omelette--my absolute favorite! mostly because i can't handle the sugar, or i don't want to handle the sugar, and i can't make an omelette for the life of me. hence, one of the reasons i love going out to breakfast.}

of course we snapped some photos via phone afterward.

and of course erin made mike pose this way.

which is why he is laughing and erin has an awkward smile.

oh we are so funny.

love, love, love.

more love, love, love.

{five}

i finally saw erin's new place.

5 minute walk down the street to the beach? i'll take it.

isn't it so cute?

then erin and i went and saw steve's little baby.

tiny! and so cute!

and then we visited grandpa and grandma galloro.

and grandpa had a hat on that said "Galloro University."

yeah, he's that smart.

home again, home again...

lickity split!

After severe blizzard warnings throughout the state of Utah and some juggling to get out of school early, I have made it home safely to sunny Huntington Beach!  We beat the blizzard, which ended up being a total dud in Provo.  That's okay!  

I want a Griddler from Cuisinart. 

See it here.

(A commercial for it just came on.)

I love kitchen "stuff".

We had a total girls day.  G.ma, mom, and sisters.

It was so fun!

Shopping, lunch break, shopping.

here are some pictures of my trips home the past 2 turkey days.

 things got crazy at d.land in '08.

t.day '09 started with the turkey trot for erin and i.

ooo.  last turkey day was like 70 degrees and so beautiful.  even in the evening for our after dinner walk.

and bucky was there :(

 and we ended the weekend with a lovely ferris wheel ride.  i had an itchin' to go on one a few weeks before i went home last year.  kinda was a bust.  i think what i really wanted was a giaaaaant one or the one at d.land.

i have my body combat class to go to.

i get as excited to come home and go to eduardo's body combat class as i do to see my family.

weird? perhaps.

oh well!

until tomorrow.

HAPPY turkey!

more bday.

a few more pictures from brandon flowers

for your viewing pleasure.

{alex's camera}

[sisters--i think you got his cd from me in october. if not, be prepared to rock out in 3 days!!!]

lauren kinda knew that smiling boy's friend and we made friends with them during the concert and then he smiled in the back of our picture.

and we hit up corner bakery for dinner!

YUM!

********************

so friday night alex, katie, and i were supposed to have a little church {Relief Society} girls night.  that got cancelled and instead i went on a very nice date.

dinner at la jolla groces, a new place at the newly remodeled riverwoods in provo by the mouth of the canyon.

i LOVED it.  the place and food were fabulous and the riverwoods reminds me of something from home.  if you're in provo, check it out.  santa was there.  christmas lights everywhere.  live music.  horse and carriage rides (although the carriage is more like a wagon that pulls 10 people, but still cool).

when we were at dinner, i was told i would need shoes for our "surprise activity".  hmm, okay.  no cute boots?  can i at least wear cute flats?  no.  okay, so we have to go back to my place to get shoes.

and then i opened the door, the lights were off.  fitting since katie, alex, and lindy were all going out.

SURPRISE!!

nope!  the little devils threw a surprise party for me.  for me! {remember my roomies last year threw one for me, too?  i don't feel like i deserve them!  i win worst friend of the year award the past 2 years because i am so busy and stressed all of the time.}

i'm sure alex will put the few pictures we took up on facebook and i will post 'em up here when she does.

lyndi and corrie came and i was able to chat with them for awhile--miss you girls!

katie went to the sweet tooth fairy and got an assorted dozen cupcakes.  i will remind you, once again, that the cupcakes i like are muffins/bread with frosting.  i had a pumpkin one AND a sweet potato cupcake! SO GOOD!

it was a super fun night that just kept getting better and better.

love, love, love!

and saturday night was 

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HOLLOWS part 1.

mmm, love me some HP.

(the movies, not HP himself.)

best bday ever.

My students have been excited for this day ALL week.

But it started before school.

Well, it actually started with this note yesterday.

but that was just a thank you note, not really for my bday.

At 3am I woke up for a potty break.  I opened my door and there sat this big, beautiful pink cheetah print birthday hat that said, "All Hail the Birthday Princess" on it accompanied by a card from Tedi, Katie, Lauren, and Alex.

So sweet!

At 7.15 am I opened my door to leave and there were pink streamers and a "Happy Birthday Heidi! We Love You!" sign outside my door.

the streamers and glitter confetti continued all the way down the stairs.

YESSS!

Love those girls!

Miranda has been counting down for almost 2 weeks.

"Miss Kendrick!  13 days until your birthday!!"

I was sitting at the back table when the 8.20am bell rang.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!"

5 of them walked in all happy and a slightly crazy.

I got lots of hugs, birthday wishes, and notes all day long.

Sally made me a bracelet, necklace, and earrings.

Then Miss Ellee came into class about 10 minutes late.

We'll let it slide this time because she had a pink present in her hands.

I opened it in front of the class.

A cute little Ms. Kendrick's Classroom sign for me with a turtle and starfish--matches our classroom perfectly.

The principal announced my bday with the announcements.

My kids told everyone.  Miranda said "happy birthday" to me every time she saw me.  She even held my hands and sang to me after recess.

here's a few of them singing to me at recess.

I walked back in the classroom after recess and 

"Surprise!!!  Happy Birthday!!"

About half my kids hid behind the bookshelf and jumped out at me.  It was great.

Theeeeeeeeen,

Garrett's mom is my Wednesday helper.  She brought a pumpkin pie that Garrett gave to me.  I cut it into 22 little pieces (well 24) and we shared it after lunch.

{I tell my kids everyday how much I love pumpkin pie.  At least they're learning something about this fall season!}

Tedi comes in once or twice a week to volunteer.  She came in yesterday and everyone told her it was going to be my bday.  When she came in today, of course they reminded her.  We took the kids to lunch and went to the faculty room.

God bless Tedi.  She stopped at The Sweet Tooth Fairy (here) and picked up a pumpkin chocolate chip "cupcake" (it's really a muffin with frosting--remember when she surprised me with one a little bit ago?) and a cranberry orange "cupcake" (also a muffin with frosting, which apparently is all the difference between a muffin and a cupcake.  i beg to differ.  muffins are not cakey and airy, they are like bread. duh.  there's a difference--trust me.  i hate cake.).

we split the muffins 50/50.  both were SO good.

thanks again, Miss Tedi!

We came back into my classroom after lunch.  And, to my surprise, one of my sweet room moms had snuck in and put up streamers on my table and counter, wrote "Happy Birthday, Miss Kendrick!" on the board, and left a present with 4 books in it from my 2nd grade class!  How sweet!  I LOOOOOVE getting new books!

and then we shared our pumpkin pie.

i came home from school and found this waiting on my table.

so sweet.

post-its are a teacher's best friend.

i LOOOOVE those crystal BLUE bic pens.

and we all know how obsessed i am with golden spoon, which was waiting in my freezer for me (pumpkin pie flavor).

and we also know how in love i am with flowers!!

[katie got me gerber daisies after my marathon. my bday seems a more fitting occasion for flowers, but i'll take them anytime!]

speaking of flowers...

i changed my clothes. i put on a super cute blouse katie got me!

and alex, lauren, katie and i jumped in the car and headed for salt lake!!

we stopped at fashion place mall in murray [south salt lake county] and ate at corner bakery.

LOVE corner bakery.

california favorite that recently opened in murray. please, bring one to provo!!

theeeeen we drove up to salt lake city and saw brandon flowers!!

it was SO much fun!  he is the lead singer for the killers that just put out his first solo album.  love him.

Lauren and I

alex is pretty much obsessed with brandon flowers (and the killers for that matter.)  so naturally she was rockin' out.  and i was as well.  i'm not much a killers fan, not because i don't like them. i jsut never really listen to them, but i enjoy it when it comes on the podski.  anyway, alex introduced me to b.flowers about a month ago and i got his cd and love it.  so i knew like 85% of the words. and it was SO much fun!  and fran healy (scottish lead singer for the band Travis) was the opener.  um, loved him.  he just had his little ol' guitar and strummed his little acoustic heart out.  so great.  and he is HILARIOUS.  and apparently the "f-word" is nbd in scotland, because he was throwing it down like nobody's business.

totally looks like i am jutting my chin out here and completely exhausted. because i was. and had been standing for 4 hours. and only 5 hours of sleep.

TOTALLY WORTH IT.

so many good things happened on my

23rd

bday.  i loved it.

especially since i wasn't feeling too excited about it, because let's just face it: the older i get, the less and less exciting my bday becomes (school, work, etc.)

but 2nd grade made it good. and as always, my good friends make me feel special.