city lights.

there are few things on this planet that can get a person in the christmas spirit faster than the annual lights at temple square.

a few weeks ago, i spent a friday night up in salt lake with some dear friends,

braving the rain and admiring the lights.

we finished the night off with some peppermint chocolate chip shakes, 

followed by that inexplicable happiness that only christmas can explain.

christmas eve.

did you see this year's modern family christmas episode?

you know, where the dunphys do "express christmas" (basically throw together a christmas in seven hours)?

well, we sort of did that this year. 

our trip threw all of us off our game a little bit, but we managed to have a christmas-y few days at home! 

after traveling for five-ish hours on only a few hours of sleep, we were all pretty exhausted when we got home yesterday. 

but after a few naps, we kicked it into holiday gear and celebrated! 

my dad and i realllly felt like the dunphys though when we found out the grocery store closed at 6:00 p.m. and we were leaving the house at 5:51 p.m. 

we divided and conquered and may have even quoted said modern family episode...

"anna, you were born for this." 

and then we spent last night doing some of our christmas eve traditions...

holiday ethnic food (red-and-green-christmas enchiladas, in this case) and treats, christmas music, and the opening of one gift (or all, in will's case... he just couldn't wait). 

there is something so wonderful about christmas time... the remembrance of what we've been given, the love that surrounds us, and our incredible savior. 

i, for one, feel like this month flew by... i don't want these christmastime feelings to pass! 

anyone else with me on this?

in fact, it flew by so quickly that we didn't even get the chance to decorate the tree!
i guess the one part of "express christmas" we didn't pull off.
oh well... next year!

caribbean christmas.

merry christmas, everyone! 

or, as my people say... FELIZ NAVIDAD! 

i just might've snuck away from you all (unintentionally, i promise) and adventured to the caribbean for the last week with my family and our wonderful family friends. 

and really, it was the best. 

we spent the week in sunny honduras, belize, and mexico...

swimming, eating, relaxing, laughing, dancing, and adventuring. 

we lucked out with perfect weather and a perfect execution of our travel plans.

we flew back to the snow (in denver) this morning, so we're moving christmas back a day.

you know, it's a bit difficult to do the christmas thing when you're busy snorkeling and stuffing your face for seven days straight (i'll get to that later).

sorry for leaving you for a week; i mean, i know you missed me and were seriously concerned about my whereabouts and well being...
it's not like you've been busy living your own, busy holiday seasons or anything!
KIDDING. 

buuuut to make it up to you, i've got loads and loads of awesome stories, photos, and memories to send your way! 

so to the gleave family... merry christmas "eve"! 

we're celebrating tonight with our traditional mexican food, games, and christmas movies. 

(okay, and a little NBA... you know us, after all).

and to the rest of the world... merry christmas!

i wish everyone love, warmth, and happiness this christmas season, as we remember Christ and his influence in our lives. 

to catch the real meaning of the spirit of christmas, we need only drop the last syllable and it becomes the spirit of christ. 

-thomas s. monson

photo ® anna gleave photography 2011. cozumel, mexico. 

st. nick's.

every year at christmastime, we go to st. nick's,

this precious little store that's packed to the brim with christmas goodies.

more ornaments, miniature snow-covered houses that light up, and glitter than you could ever imagine.

they've got something like twelve rooms full of trees!

and each tree has a different theme, whether it be james bond, travel, fishing, or harry potter.

you know, a little something for everyone.

we've gotten ornaments here all twenty-one years of my life, 

and it's one of my favorite traditions of the holidays! 

it's pretty fun to look back at all of the ornaments because each year's shows what i was really into at that point in my life...

i have soccer ornaments, cute little puppies, surfing santas, (lots) of tennis players, and gingerbread men!

and this year, i picked out a suitcase. mostly because i got to explore the world, but partially because i feel as if i lived out of one this year.

though i must admit, it was so tough deciding between the travel-y, sparkly suitcase and that classic cutie clarice...

will got a tim tebow ornament (no surprises there!), and bennett got a beaver... because of the whole benny the beaver thing, you know.

and one of the best parts? that giant santa hangs out on st. nick's' roof alllll year long! 

the happiest reminder of christmastime to come!

what are your favorite christmas traditions?

on the ninth day of christmas, my true love gave to me...

this awesome video.

aaaand a (hopeful!) A on my humanities final.

seriously though... frosted tips, holiday cheer, family fun, AND awesome 90s special effects?

what more can a girl ask for?!

post script: sorry for another music video. it's still finals week. and i'm still not sleeping.

blue christmas.

on the third day of christmas, my true love gave to me...

bravo, bright eyes. bravo. 

diciembre.

it's officially december!!!

i am celebrating by studying my hiney off and depriving myself from sleep.

oh, and i've listened to this 82948 times to celebrate, too. 

zooey d + ukelele + christmas = heaven

also, rumor has it that this song was recorded when she was just relaxing & jamming...

not even practiced. crazy. 

holiday boutique.

every winter, my oh-so-talented aunt and her fabulous daughters and friends put together a holiday boutique. 

they deck the halls of my aunt's darling house with the most precious holiday goodies...

jewelry, fudge, scarves, notebooks, vintage linens, ornaments, holiday decor, & more! 

it's always such a fun way to start off the christmas season,

and when we were up there tonight, 

it snowed! 

biiiig, fluffy snowflakes. 

it was quite romantic... perfect, really.

i can't wait for thanksgiving & the christmas season to begin!

so, if you're in the salt lake area over the weekend, 

head up to my aunt & uncle's place to pick up some holiday goodies! 

november 19th

10:00-4:00 p.m.

1509 east michigan st. 

please feel free to e-mail me with questions!
amgleave@gmail.com

joy to the world.

the LORD has COME.

let every heart prepare Him room.

i hope that you all had the warmest, merriest of christmases.

i sure did.

feliz navidad!

salud, paz y amor.

a christmas eve of sorts.

time is a funny thing.

last year, my christmas eve rocked.

even though i was quite ill, i really had a remarkable day.

remember?

i was hoping that today would be a similar experience.

however, i woke up feeling not-quite-right.

and that not quite right quickly turned into one of those full-blown, nearly paralyzing migraines.

naturally, i decided that it would be a brilliant idea to wait to do my christmas shopping until four p.m. on christmas eve (or really, i just haven't had the time), so cried my way through kohls. the cashier awkwardly asked me, "are you sick?" "no, i just look this good all of the time..."

but one thing i've learned over the past two and a half years is that pain passes.

after five hours, some coke, a nice rest, and a little bit of inspiration, i started feeling quite a bit better.

i was able to salvage the evening by just enjoying time with my family.

we ate chinese food (ten points for yen king & their gluten-free food!), read the christmas story, and ended the night off right with home alone 2.

today, i am thankful for christ.

that he has a plan for us.

and that he can heal us, if we just keep enduring.

oh! and another little thing that cheers me up:

i have the cutest little brother in the world... he decks out his room for christmas every year, with lights, a tree... the whole shebang.

this year, he wrapped fake mini packages to put under his little christmas tree in his bedroom. is he not the most adorable 17-year-old on earth?

finite.

so i am finally finished with finals.

and i can't tell you how relieved i am.

after a 7-hour drive (filled with lots of new found glory, josh groban christmas {i know}, and death cab),

i am home with the family, and at last, i can begin the christmas celebrations!

i've got some exceptional reasons to be excited this christmas because:

one) it's our first holiday together as a family after two years apart

two) though still under the weather, i'm feeling much better than i did last christmastime

three) my doctor has ordered me to gain some weight to avoid becoming a twig after my upcoming surgery

...bring on the gingerbread men!

really though, aren't they adorable? my favorite christmas mythical character!