Christmas 2013 was pretty rad. Here are some of the best things that happened to me:
My mom freaking out over the quilt I made
There was a lot to freak out about
Baking cookies!
Peanut butter blossoms are my favorite Christmas cookie! Unfortunately, I dropped a whole pan of them while taking them out of the oven. The soft smooshing noises they made on the tile were both beautiful and tragic. These are the ones that survived. Until they were eaten, I guess.
My dad breakfasting like Christmas is Beer Bike
Except with higher quality liquor, of course. What an ugly hat someone made for him!
Mr. Biffle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Delicious food!
Family
A hotel room on the beach!!!
Waking up to this every morning is no bad thing
Perfect view of the sunset too!
Steven, being surprisingly chill about confronting his ancient enemy (natural light)
Playing Take Off!!!!!!!!!!
Take Off is my family’s (well, my brother and my) favorite game, which is ridiculous since it was made to teach geography in like 1991. You have to guide your planes across the globe by rolling multi-colored dice and heartlessly sabotaging each other. Seriously, it may have been made for 8-year-olds, but it is the world’s best game. My only regret is that we only have one of it, which will inevitably lead to a decades-long Ladd family feud between my brother and I if it isn’t specifically addressed in my parents’ will. Maybe we will have to PLAY FOR IT ohhhhhhhh.
I won this year, by the way.
BERN’S STEAKHOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m thinking about doing a whole post on Bern’s because it’s ridiculous. It’s like what I would have described as a child if asked to imagine how rich people live (“…And then you have a separate room JUST FOR DESSERT…”).
Also, presents!!!!!
Signet Ring!
Hobbit Pez!!!
Look how the dwarves are tinier! It’s the best!!
Girl+conman+attack goose is the best combination
I’m so glad to finally own my favorite Frances Hardinge books
Honey!
One of my mom’s students keeps bees, which is the coolest thing ever! Even cooler, I got a big jar of honey!! I’ve already tried some, and, of course, it’s delicious!
Drafts of my books!!!
This wasn’t technically a Christmas gift, but they arrived at Christmas and going over them took a lot of work so it felt like a present! Thanks, Brian!!! And Brian’s Mom!
ADVENTURE TIME GLASSES!
I’m drinking water out of the Lady Rainicorn one right now, it makes everything taste more adventurous.
Now that I’ve used up my all the remaining exclamation points I’d saved up in 2013, on to New Year’s!