our current state of existence

This is what our apartment looks like right now:

There are packed boxes in almost every room of the house.

Most of our things are in those boxes, so we are living out of our closets and on paper plates/cups.

(Thanks again to my mother- and sister-in-laws for packing our kitchen for us!

It was one room I didn't think I could handle.)

And if you know me at all, this means that I feel completely discombobulated and stressed.

I am even more excited to move and unpack into our new home.

Counting the days and anxiously awaiting a closing date!

happy snowstorm everyone!

Col deciding how to start un-burying our cars :) 

We can't complain, it's 12/27 and this is our largest snowfall so far this year.  It was actually kind of fun (and it's so pretty!) to get an early morning workout and dig out with Col this morning (and no, I don't think I'll like doing this on a daily basis once we have our own driveway to clean out). 

I'm very thankful for having my grandpa's car this week, because my little Sookie Suzuki would not have made it through the deep snow very easily since it's so light.  So hooray for big ol' boat car.  I plowed out in no time!

Happy winter everyone! 

Merry Christmas from the Leathersich's!

Merry Christmas to us!

Col and I received a very happy Christmas gift today: the arrival of our commitment letter for our mortgage!

So many steps closer and closing is in a couple weeks.  Can't wait! :)

Breaking News!!

My brother is awesome!!  My mom called today and filled me in on a change of plans for our family's Christmas celebration coming up this weekend.  The change was that we'd have to squeeze our time into just Friday night because...

my brother got his dream job!! 

Even though he recently moved back from a couple years in L.A. to NYC this past year, he will be relocating back to L.A. on Saturday.  He had an interview and was hired by CBS to be a videographer/video editor, which is what he loves to do.  This time in L.A. will be so different for him because he'll have a steady, contract, full-time job.  Even though I'm sad that he'll once again be farther away, and that we will have to cut our Christmas short since he and my dad are driving out there Saturday morning, I couldn't be more proud of all his hard work.  Zack, this opportunity is amazing and I'm so happy to share in the news with you (and obviously brag about you a little).  It's just another excuse to visit California since we didn't get to last time.  I love you bro!!

P.S. I'm totally pulling for you to eventually get a job as a cameraman on The Amazing Race, so once you find out who to speak with, I could put in a sisterly good word for you ;)

"See you later," not, "Goodbye"

My friend whom I've known since Kindergarten is pursuing her dream and moving to Nashville in the coming week.  It's so hard and so scary to put yourself out there and jump into the unknown (I was similarly petrified when I moved to Spain for 5 months to study abroad), but I couldn't be prouder of her for taking the risk.  Saturday we got to spend the afternoon together in our hometown exchanging Christmas gifts, making truffles, and getting smoothies from this tiny coffee shack.

Her impending move made me remember how I felt when I left for Spain as a 20 year old college student.  I had my freak outs, bawled my eyes out saying goodbye to family and friends, and thought more than once, "What the heck am I doing?!"  However, that 5 months was so much more than I could have ever imagined and all my fear and tears were worth what I gained while there.  At the end of my journal from that time, I wrote these lyrics from Superchick's song Suddenly:

"And suddenly it isn't what it used to be,
And after all this time it worked out just fine.
And suddenly I am where I'm supposed to be.
And after all the tears, I was supposed to be here."

Isn't it funny how God knows what's best for you even when it feels like the worst idea ever?  Even when things don't turn out the way we imagine them, He stretches us, grows us, and shows us His love all along the way.  I am praying that the same will be true of Deanna's quest to Nashville.  As I wrote in her Christmas card, "Go get famous!"  I love you friend!

i L.O.V.E. coming home to this

we interrupt this busy season with a long overdue blog update

December has always been a busy month with Christmas and holiday celebrations, not to mention both the birthdays of my brother and I.  This year has been no exception plus add in the fact that we are buying a house and closing in early January.

Thankfully I've had time to enjoy the season and therefore my blog has suffered a little.  Here are some highlights:

-yearly holiday brunch with friends

-Deanna's going away party

-babysitting 3 precious babes over the course of a couple days

(nothing better than a baby falling asleep in your arms!)

-birthday dinner with my in-law family

-cookie swap with work ladies (we each had to make 96!!)

-dessert with Rach for my birthday
-my car looking like new after 10 days worth of repairs thanks to the hit and run before Thanksgiving
(and a small rust spot from another incident being repaired for free!!)

-holiday breakfast with tons of yummy food and a funny white elephant gift exchange at work

-first legit snowfall of the year, 12/21/12