Flores Family Time

This winter break, I left Washington D.C. the capital to return home to Washington state (Seattle area) for a whole 10 days. This was my first time home in a year and I knew it would be drastically different from my life in DC surrounded by LDS YSA (see last blog post) because the rest of my family are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I decided this year that instead of having a self-pity party about not having gospel-centered traditions and trying in vain to convert my family, I would focus completely on enjoying quality time with them and loving them for who they are. This attitude adjustment made my visit home a wonderful one filled with cherished memories.

My winter vacation consisted of several major parts, the biggest being my brother Chris. He is the other main man in my life (Mike went home to Ohio with his family) and I love him more than life itself. Chris is 8 years younger than me and I have loved him since the moment he was born. It's amazing how much he has grown - my little brother who is now taller than me, has a 6-pack and a mustache, and is stomping the halls of my high school! I'm so proud of all the talents he's developing and the kind, funny, smart young man he is becoming. My favorite part of my break was getting to spend so much quality time with Chris...in the car...

He just got his license and can now drive me places!!

...wearing our high school gear...

...playing with his new iPod...

...eating out...

Lots of sibling love :)

Of course, it was wonderful to spend time with my parents too!! Aren't they cute? :)

It was a great change of pace and diet to sleep in everyday and eat so much good food. Mom likes cooking for me cuz I always show my appreciation enthusiastically (especially if it has garlic, onions, shrimp, and/or mushrooms in it). She made fried rice for breakfast and porridge when I was sick. Typical dinners by my Chinese mother -

Also got to eat at some of our family's favorite restaurants. My favorite order of shrimp pho at the restaurant we call our "2nd kitchen" -

Dim sum!

Asian buffet (1st plate). I almost left Mike for that seafood soup - sooo yummy!

I wore a different junior high/high school sweatshirt everyday from my gymnastics and jazz choir days. It was also nice to not have to do my hair & makeup everyday -

I was so happy to be reunited with my piano and enjoyed playing as much as I could from my 2 new piano books -

Our Christmas was most unconventional and untraditional. We usually spend it at my Auntie Josephine (dad's older sister) and Uncle Vince's house but they were going to Hawaii for his family reunion this year :( We got to visit them before they left. They're like my surrogate grandparents in the US.

With some of Uncle Vince's kids

On Christmas eve, we continued our little tradition of driving around the neighborhood of huge houses and tons of lights -

On Christmas day, we slept in, I gave my family gifts of GW clothes, and we met up with my niece and her boyfriend (visiting from Guam, where her and I played together as kids) to have brunch at IHOP.

Reunion with the girl I played house/school with and had lots of sleepovers with :)

Her and her boyfriend are so sweet

Then in the afternoon, I took my family to Les Miserables on opening day. We ran into my friend Rachel and her mom Nancy, who we hadn't seen in a few years!

After Christmas, my cold turned worse and I was stuck on the couch all day (tho it was awesome to finally catch up on The Next Food Network Star). I was silently wishing I could have a Priesthood blessing so I could get better and enjoy the rest of the break with my family. Lo and behold, the new missionaries from my home ward stopped by unannounced! Chris had taken the lessons before and they found his name in the record book. They gave me a blessing of healing and made an appointment to come back in a couple days. I'm so grateful the Lord prompted them to visit us (I was well enough to leave the house the next day) and that I got to sit in on 2 of the lessons they taught Chris while I was home :) *note Chris's BYU sweatshirt I got him years ago :D

They taught the Plan of Salvation with a colorful diagram :D

I tried to organize a high school reunion but only a few could make it. It was good to see them tho.

I had fun visiting our kind neighbors and my former piano teacher with Chris and my parents. I took piano lessons from Linda (we have fun sharing names) for 6 years so we've known each other 14 years now!

She had a cute energetic cavalier king charles spaniel and I took the opportunity to start getting over my caninephobia since my boyfriend is a huge dog person. Lucy was really well-trained and I realized I quite like dogs...that don't slobber, bite, scratch, or shed!

I'm grateful I had the opportunity to relax and goof off at home and spend so much quality time with my family. 2012 was a really blessed year for me (and I've documented most of it in this blog!), just like the Lord promised. Now I'm back in DC and have to be an adult again, transitioning back to work and school. I don't know what 2013 will bring but I know the future is as bright as our faith.