Only 3 Months More...

I don't remember exactly who introduced me to "The Hunger Games", probably one of my sisters as they are the ones that I hear most book recommendations from, but I have been in love with the books since day one.

When they announced they are making a movie I was a little skeptical mainly since I remember a little book-turned-into-a-horrible-movie named "Twilight" but then I saw this preview.

I was sold.

Then one boxing day I came across this lil late Christmas present on the internet... 

The first official song off the soundtrack sung by Taylor Swift.

I was a lil wary at first, as much as I love Taylor Swift, cause I wasn't sure how the two fit together...

Gorgeous... 

You can bet that this is one movie that I will be fighting the crowds on opening day to see... 

Booking off March 23rd right now. 

Where Have You Been All My Life???

Ahhh...

Cafe Rio.

This is a restaurant I have heard ALOT about. Everyone knows and loves it and my amazing mother-in-law even recreated Cafe Rio salads for our wedding reception. It was amazing and it solidified my desire to one day become a patron of the restaurant.

Cue our current trip to Gilbert, AZ.

We were all going out for dinner and someone suggested it. 

"Cafe Rio"

Finally! After all this time, I got to go to the Restaurant.

I am sold.

How do I bring this restaurant to Lethbridge?

GIngerbread Dreams

Making Decorating gingerbread houses (I don't saying making because there is NO way I would make the house from scratch. I am all about the kits) is something that always sounds like fun and a way to get into the Christmas spirit.

Ah... I love being tanned... but I digress

 The Bevans clan decided to whip out our Christmas spirit and have a traditional gingerbread-decorating-off; the houses were bought, the teams were made and it came the time to actually make them.

Three problems:
1) It is inevitable that someone is gonna bow out and disappear come gingerbread house time *cough* Todd and Matthew *cough*
2) There is NEVER enough candy given in the box. I would LOVE to see the magician who decorated the houses on the box cause how did they make that candy stretch that far? I am pretty sure they only decorated the two sides that are shown in the picture.

Supplementing the candy supply is a MUST

3) The IDEA of decorating houses are sometimes more fun than the actual event and I was a lil weary about wanting to do it this year

But I am glad we did... Because we KILLED it...

Okay, not really, but we pulled a decent result.

 

Alright, who am I kidding, we were dead in the water till Shawn pulled out his secret talent.
Shawn can make a legit candy Santa. We all laughed when he suggested it but he made us believers.

This lil guy helped keep us in the decorating race

I learned that Jenny is a freakin star of decorating. Martha Stewart should hit her up for tips.

Apparantly the key is to decorate BEFORE arranging the house.

Pure Martha Steward talent

 

Kyle and Shadolyn win the slow and steady award. We were all done and they had only the walls done but they came through in the end.

But the best part is afterwards, when they are all done and I get to take pictures, celebrate the Christmas-y-ness and think "Yep, just another memory to store away for a fantastic lil Christmas"

 Love how every group pulls out something different. Aren't the hollies on the middle house adorable?

p.s. if anyone has actually ever been brave enough to actually try and eat the gingerbread house from the kits I will salute you cuz that stuff can't even be classified as food in my books.