Themes.

My overall theme for 2011 was:

{via: http://www.instagrid.me/glitterguide}

My overall theme for 2012 will be:

{via: http://www.etsy.com/listing/76950689}

Happy New Year! Bring on 2012!

New Year's Resolutions.

Well here you have it, folks. I guess since everyone is bound to do a New Year Resolution post, here's mine. This is not what I hope to accomplish in 2012, this is what will happen.

• Not be on a diet. I'm already making a lifestyle change...on how much I love chocolate. We're getting there.
• Land a fantastic internship in Boston with Romney 2012 when he wins the Republican Primary. (And the White House.)
• Never see a single digit dollar amount in my checking account. And put more in savings.
• Learn to love cooking/baking. My wife 101 class last semester have dramatically increased my skills already.
• Pick up yoga. I need to take advantage of those classes at Gold's Gym.
• Have an unforgettable 21st birthday.
• Be in the best shape of my life. The goal is to always be in the best shape of my life...
• Get to know my Savior even better by continuing my weekly temple attendance.

There's obviously more things I'll do, but I probably won't publish them online. Sorry. 2011 was a fantastic year. But, I just know that 2012 is going to be unbelievable. Every year I get older, there's always seems to be ten times more exciting things happening in my life. And I'm just antsy waiting to find out what they are already!

The day after.

...and I thought I'd be bored over the Holidays. Yeah, right. I am most definitely more busy now than I was during Fall semester! But, that really isn't saying anything. An hour of homework a week does not count as "busy." I will have a lot more homework this semester, however. Anyway, there's only been a couple of times where I've just been sitting around the past two weeks. It's a good thing!


So, the day after Christmas is always a bummer. No one really wants to take the lights or the tree down, just because we still want the spirit of Christmas. And we must wait until 2012 to do this all over again. 364 days?? At least I don't have to work or go to class until next week. I guess there is still New Year's Eve, but I don't have any plans yet. Hopefully I'll get some soon, so I have something to look forward to.


Christmas 2011 was the best Christmas yet. I say that every year, though. Christmas always just keeps getting better at the Hawkes home. It may have been the fact that we didn't spend very much money on presents, or that Jake spent hundreds of hours making useful (very useful, I might add) presents for us in his wood-shop class, or maybe that we were just all together again. I do love coming home for long periods of time, because it reminds me I wasn't born in Provo, and I that still have a life outside of campus. It's almost like I can feel the stress decrease when I drive down from the point of the mountain, out of Utah County. I'm not really looking forward to going back next Sunday night, but at least I'll have all of my BYU friends in one place again. 


I am looking forward to going back to school, though. However, I'm not looking forward to the LONG Winter semester. Is it just me, or is Winter semester always the longest? I do love meeting new people in my classes, changing the subjects I study completely, and just getting a fresh new start. I have so much to look forward to this semester, and especially 2012. I can just feel that it's going to be the best year yet. There will be plenty of ups and downs, but overall, it's gonna be fantastic. 


Here's a little look into the Hawkes family Christmas week:

Jake's birthday is the 23rd. Poor kid. We give him all of his presents
on June 23rd, so he doesn't get ripped off too much. He's 14 now!
(Also, do not judge us on our cake-decorating talents.)

Christmas PJ tradition. Mom wanted a "photo-shoot" look.

So jealous of Jake's new goggles...we better get on the mountain soon!
As soon as there is 10 more feet of snow.

Annual family photo.

Merry Christmas!

Love is Christmas.

"Christmas--that magic blanket that wraps itself about us, that something so intangible that it is like a fragrance. It may weave a spell of nostalgia. Christmas may be a day of feasting, or of prayer, but always it will be a day of remembrance--a day in which we think of everything we have ever loved." -Augusta E. Rundel

Christmas '10

Everything I've ever loved during Christmastime:

• A family that's still together.
• A strong house that I've been blessed to live in my whole life.
• Watching hours of bowl games and basketball.
• Having absolutely nothing important to do. (See above.)
• Watching my little siblings open their presents.
• Singing Christmas songs while wearing a thousand yards of purple fabric. (Madrigals. Ahh, the memories.)
• Knowing all of the people that saw me grow up are currently within a 2 mile radius.
• Cuddling/crying/laughing with my sisters while watching The Notebook.
• Seeing the lights on Temple Square.
• That cinnamon spice smell!

"I don't care if the house is packed, or the strings of lights are broken. I don't care if the gifts are wrapped, or there's nothing here to open. Love is not a toy, and no paper will conceal it. Love is simply joy, that I'm home." 

-Sara Bareilles, Love is Christmas

Two days people!

Hello, Christmas break.

I haven't posted in five days? I know, weird. I'm still loving this blog thing. But, I've just been busy.


Yesterday, I got four hours of sleep. I honestly can't remember the last time that's happened--if that has ever happened. I've never even pulled an all-nighter, not even the all-night party on the last day of high school. Anyone who knows me at all, knows I am a stickler to my bedtime. If I'm not at least getting ready for bed by 10:30, something is off. But sleepovers with Rebecca can do that to you. (Way fun, and enlightening, by the way.)


Then of course we had to roll out of bed at 6 a.m. to be at work by 6:45. With the 20-minute drive, let's just say I looked homeless the whole day. Anyway, we left the building once at noon for a 15-minute Panda run, and then ran...no, literally ran...back into work. I finally left the broadcast building at 6:45 p.m, ironically. However with 12 hours of watching sports highlights, I really shouldn't be complaining. I could tell you in detail, every highlight of the Baylor game last Saturday, and even how many people have filled up the Marriott Center at once. My job rocks. 


This past weekend also was great! I should have taken more pictures--I regret not doing so. However, it was fantastic. I heard many amazing mission stories, saw many hilarious mission pictures/videos, and spent a lot of time with my best friends. It was also great to spend time with my sisters. I really like being reunited with them and now that we're older, we can talk about something other than boys. Oh wait...that's a lie. Just look at them. It's a full-time job (for all of us) warding off these guys, so it's obviously inevitable.

Beautiful Sarah and her also beautiful friend Megan at Christmas Dance.
They're old enough to date?!

"Drop Dead" Nicole.

In all reality, we do have more mature conversations. Oh, how our late-night bathroom conversations have evolved. I love that I get to be home for two straight weeks. That hasn't happened since I graduated high school, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm still busy. So much to do, so little time! 


Now, if only I could learn the art of the famous Sharlene Hawkes multi-tasking...