Emily Burnham: Merry Christmas!

19 December - 25 December 2022

I had this entire week off from both school and work, so I tried to stay productive by studying for my MFT exam next year, painting, and practicing piano. I was not as productive as I would have liked to imagine, but I did my best. I played racquetball in the late afternoon with the girls in my family plus Andrew and Zeb. I actually played pretty well! I'd say the best I've done so far! That evening for FHE, we decorated gingerbread houses. I sat at a table with three other guys who are sometimes socially awkward and did my best to make it fun. Our creation fell apart shortly after we put it on the stage to be judged at the end. Oh well!

Tuesday was filled with cleaning! I swept and mopped and cleaned up junk to help mom prepare for the annual Burnham Christmas party where Val hosts the games. I got to sneak some food for dinner, yum yum! I spied on the party antics and got to live vicariously through the fun they had. They LOVED the "Elf Yourself" video Valerie created of them and enjoyed playing telephone charades. Kim got some pretty funny videos of the family playing that game.

On Wednesday, I went to Kelli's house at noon to go over everything I'd need to know for dog sitting for a week. She bought me a bunch of snacks and showed me the ropes (literally, if you count the dog leashes as ropes... hehe). I'd have to spend the nights at her house. Fortunately for me, (sadly for her), I found out the next day that her flight got canceled and she did not need me anymore. That evening, Charly hosted everyone over to watch The Muppet's Christmas Carol. It was an okay movie, but the best part of the evening was definitely the company. And Charly had some pretty awesome snacks, including gluten and dairy-free options for me! So kind! Cadence, who had asked me on a date at the ward Christmas party, was there, along with Amber, Brittany, and Jasen. I sat down on the corner of the couch, Jasen sat on my right side, and Cadence sat on the ledge in front of me, which was kind of awkward for obvious reasons. I really enjoyed talking with and interacting with Jasen. He showed us all a game he was addicted to called STOP and got us all playing it. We also made fruit roll-up tattoos on our tongues. At the end of the night, we watched Brittany's pet iguana/lizard eat a small worm. It looked so cool! It had spots like a cheetah! Also, there was a tender moment that happened. So before, Jasen said he hated iceskating and wouldn't go even if I asked him (like on a date), and later he said he only went in the past if he had a crush on a girl/liked her enough. I felt like that was a subtle (or not so subtle) way of saying he didn't like me, which hurt, though I think he thought I was sad just because he didn't want to go iceskating (this was on Dec 11th and he didn't text me for an entire week. Granted, I didn't text him either, but that was because I'd been the last person to text and had been the one initiating the previous week, and so I took a hint to stop texting him since it sounded like he didn't like me anymore, and sure enough, it felt confirmed when he didn't text me for an entire week, but then he kind of acted like nothing happened when I saw him on Sunday so I followed his lead and am trying to match him. And it seems like he maybe likes me again? Like maybe he missed me? I don't know. But I guess that's all part of it). So, with all of that background, this next part will make more sense: I'd invited our group chat of people to go iceskating on Thursday because Lucy, her friends, and Andrew wanted to go. At the movie night, Jasen asked if I was still willing to help teach a hopeless cause and said he would be willing to go. It made me feel really good because it felt like an apology/him saying he did like me enough to go with me. He didn't end up coming to skate because he had to do chores before he left out of town later that day, and he said he'd be super late, and I said we should just reschedule because fresh ice is paramount to having a postitive skating experience. He texted me after and said that even though he's only had negative experiences skating, "after careful consideration," skating with me might actually be a fun/good experience. So we'll see if that happens. Oh, plus he texted me on Monday that he still wanted to watch the last episode of Merlin together, but the ball is in his court to plan a time and it hasn't happened yet.

Anyway, so skating on Thursday was pretty fun. Only one person from my friend group came, Cadence. He wasn't doing so good, but did a bit better after one of the workers offered to tighten his skates. I felt obligated to stay with him for the majority of the time, so it honestly would have been a bit more fun if I hadn't felt that way. The funnest part was towards the end when all of us got together in the middle circle and I was helping teach everyone different tricks and showing off. I did some BOMB spins! Usually they're pretty hard for me, but I was doing so well staying on the sweet point. Lucy also had a super fun time! So overall, it was good! Afterwards, Cadence wanted to go on our date to get Acai bowls. Then we stopped by and got fries at Smashburgers after, and then my mom invited him to go play racquetball with us, and it was his first time playing while actually knowing the rules. Cadence was a gentleman and very kind, but I didn't click with him like I have with other guys.

I went to the temple to do initiatories on Friday. We went out for dinner as a family, but Garcias was SO packed that we wouldn't have time to eat there and make it to the David Archuleta concert on time, so we tried looking for another place on our way home but nothing worked out. Mom was so sad and grumpy. But a blessing in disguise happened because a tamale guy had come by to sell us tamales, and mom had told grandpa to pay him since we weren't home, so when we got home, fresh tamales were waiting for us! And they were delish! And the best part was that they didn't hurt my tummy that night or the next day!! Then we left that evening, me, mom, Val, and Lu, to go to David Archy's concert. The poor guy sounded a bit sick, like a sore throat, but he still did good. Lucy was a punk and had to be bribed into going because she wasn't feeling too well, so on the way home, we had to stop at Frys to get her sushi.

Saturday was Christmas Eve. I wrote the sweetest note for Lucy and wrapped dad a present. I'm becoming frustrated with trying to get my new computer working. There are aspects of it that I think will be amazing, but I'm having trouble getting the basic things to work, like storage and downloading Microsoft word. BLAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There went all my frustration... well, most of it, anyway. Oh yeah, so most of my Saturday was spent blending up gluten-free flour. We also got to watch Gracelyn in the afternoon while Aaron and Bri went riding. She's adorbs as always! It's actually super funny because she looks more bald than when she was born except for this patch of long hair at the back bottom of her head, so we joke that she has a mullet. We ate breakfast for dinner.

Sunday was Christmas! I tried on some of my new makeup products. We watched the nativity video as per tradition, then had monkey bread (I had leftover GF waffles from the previous night). We opened presents, and I knew I wasn't getting much, but I was still surprised that I didn't have any presents to open under the tree! I had one. But then, Val found two other ones for me, hidden waaayyyy in the back. I got two things I didn't expect. My most expensive gift, though, were massage coupons!! Which were hiding in my stocking. SO pumped to use them!! My absolute favorite part of Christmas was watching Lucy read the card I wrote her. She cried. Like, tears running down her face, shoulders shaking, sobbing. When she was done reading it, she gave me a big hug, the longest hug she's ever given me. It was SO precious. Valerie also got teary-eyed reading my card too. So tender. I love my sisters times a million!! Aaron and Bri came over with the baby while we were opening presents. They got all the girls in the family a dress. We took the CUTEST pictures of Gracelyn! I just love that little human so very much. Val and I drove to church together, which NEVER happens cuz she's always having to go early for ward council. We sang hymns the whole time with some Christmas scriptures read between each song. It would have been fine but I sat next to someone who sang so loud that my ear started hurting on that side...! When we got back, we had Christmas lunch with our whole family, including Sean and Symantha and Grandpa and Aaron and Bri and the babe. That was pretty much it. I napped for a bit, we had cheesecake, everyone left, then we chilled for the rest of the night. Mom and dad went over to Kim's house, but me and my sistas did not feel like socializing anymore. We were just kinda bored. But when mom and dad got home, we played Code Names and then watched It's a Wonderful Life (but I got bored and went to bed about halfway in). So yup, that was Christmas!