I just got home from my two week trip to California for the holidays. Seattle is truly home now and I felt that very strongly on this trip. I’ve always been a California girl, born and raised but the Northwest has really found a place in my heart. I think the biggest change for me is the seasons. It’s hard to be in the Christmas spirit in Southern California when it’s 70 out. Before we moved I was thinking I would dread winters here. It’s actually the opposite! I love winter! I love my winter coat and my winter hats, and scarves, gloves and mittens. I love being so close to the snow! A group of us went up to Snoqualmie for the day a few weekends ago. I’m even going to be brave enough next time to try skiing…
One thing that is very different for me this December is that I wasn’t involved in the Cal Poly Rose Float for the Rose Parade this year. The Rose Parade has always been very special to me- my Mom and I used to always wake up so early on New Years to watch it. She would make sticky buns and I would sit amazed at the beautiful flowers they covered the floats with. When I got the opportunity to lead Decorations week when I joined the Rose Float program at Cal Poly I was ecstatic! I served on the Rose Float Committee for three years before I graduated and it is one of my best college memories. The week between Christmas and New Years is spent decorating the float… and it is one crazy week. Suffering from sleep deprivation and dealing with flower order mix ups- it was all worth it when you saw your float coming down the parade route. Check me out in this video of last year float! I was lucky enough to be an observer on the float- I even a the emergency brake!
So for the first time in three years I will not be attending the Rose Parade. I did get to see this years float when I went down to visit and the team this year did an incredible job! I’m so proud of them and will be getting up reeeeeaaally early to watch all their hard work go down the parade route on January 1st
I was able to visit one of my bff Rose Float alumni (She was the Design Chair) when I was down in beautiful Southern California! She is now living her dream and working at Disneyland. I didn’t get to see her shpiel on the Jungle Cruise Ride this time, but we did spend an awesome day together and ran through California Adventure before she had to go to work. I didn’t bring my big camera with me to California and my little point and shoot broke (Santa has gotten me a new one– yay!). I couldn’t not bring a camera to Disneyland so I went out and bought two disposable cameras. It was so much fun shooting with such a basic format and I think the pictures turned out really great. Lets see what you think…
xoxo kate
Shawna and I <3
Leave a comment
You must logged in