Hello, Goodbye, and Thanks to Jesus Price.

Since October, I've been spending my Tuesday mornings with members of the (unofficial) funemployment breakfast club at the Hi Life in Ballard for their $5 Not-So-Early-Bird meals. After (officially) getting a job in December, I dined with them one last time before leaving for the holidays in Green Bay. The breakfast burrito was my staple with an occasional order of biscuits and gravy, but this time, I decided to step out of my comfort zone with the goat cheese scramble and boy, was I pleased with my toast, which was in the shape of a heart (when altered). It practically said, "Good bye, Kelly. We'll miss you here in unemploymentland."

See what I'm saying? You can bet I will miss those Tuesdays. Tear. (But I surely won't miss the financial distress that comes with those unemployment breakfasts. I can guarantee I won't be crying that hard...)

A few days later, I packed my bag for an epic "vacation" in Wisconsin for Christmas. Two weeks of family time, snow-filled streets, frosted cookies and peanut butter balls, loud seasonal music, the occasional gift of a wintry mix, down-filled jackets with mittens, hugs and kisses, coffee with high school friends, and relieving old memories (and triggers). Y'all will be impressed to know that I packed ONLY carry-ons for my trip. Take a look at my master packing:


That's it, folks! That. Is. It. Hell, I even impress myself! And take a gander at the inside, too...


I am unbelievable. Even color-coded. I fit 3 pairs of pants, 2 skirts, 4 tank tops, 3 sweaters, 3 long sleeve shirts, 2 dresses, 6 short sleeve shirts, 3 pairs of shoes (including knee high boots), a straightener, 2 belts, 15 pairs of underwear, 5 pairs of socks, 3 bras, and one lone pair of tights inside that suitcase. If you weren't impressed before, you MUST be now! And let me tell you, rolling is the way to go. Trust me.

Upon arriving in GB, I spent a weekend holed-up with my family before decorating cookies with my adorable young cousins before the big event (Christmas). In particular, my favorite moment of this week came when my little cousin Colin sang "Go Tell It on the Mountain." Did you know it's where Jesus Price was born?

Neither did I.