Travelin' time.

Happy holidays, everyone! I'm sorry I haven't had time to do a proper post all week. I've been busy last-minute gift shopping (because I'm a world-class procrastinator), cleaning (because the apartment desperately needs it), and freezing my butt off (unfortunately not literally).

I'm going to Iowa today! Jon and I are staying with my aunt and uncle in Bettendorf. I'm really looking forward to seeing my cousin, Katie, who spent her summer in Germany and I'm sure has a million pictures to show and stories to tell. My uncle, the one that lives in Minnesota? Michigan? I can never remember...will also be there, as will my grandpa (who lives in Cedar Rapids).

I have one thing I've been meaning to say. I usually dread shopping over the holidays, but this year, it actually wasn't that bad! My personal highlight: the retail employees who helped me out. I have extreme gift anxiety. It's really bad. No matter what I get for people, I panic that they'll hate it or already have it, etc. The people at Macy's were really helpful and sweet, and I kind of enjoyed it for once. A favorite moment happened at Lush, where the salespeople are ALWAYS really...persistent. Especially over the holidays. This 25 year-old guy kept following me around telling me exactly what a 16-year-old girl (Katie) would enjoy using. He held up this one bar of soap and said, "Smell this! It's so good, isn't it? This is what I imagine Hanna Montana would smell like if she was soap!" I didn't buy that particular soap, unfortunately, but opted for a gift basket instead. I currently have gift anxiety over it.

Ok, well, Happy Holidays everyone! Enjoy your time with family and friends, stay safe and warm, and I'll talk to you (at you) when I get back. :)

Off to pack, pack, pack...