Posted by Lauren
My morning began with a 30-minute “glutes” elliptical stint, where I listened to zero music and zero TV. I think I was still asleep?
Breakfast followed…
Coffee? Yes. Cereal? Yes, and refilled many times. Grapes??? YES! I was in a building with grapes, so I was able to get my fix. p.s. Jeremy bet that I couldn’t eat a bushel of grapes in less than 5 minutes and, well, I totally can. He even said he would take them off the branches. Cake walk, my friends.
Soon enough it was lunch time…
This picture looks gross because I held my camera 1 inch away from the cookie. Sorry ’bout that! This is kind of like Where’s Waldo – if Waldo was macaroni salad and chunks of salmon. All that sriracha had me sniffling away!
The drive home took me exactly 55 minutes. Too bad I only live 23 miles away. Damn, traffic is getting b-a-d!!
Dinner time!
Tuna sashimi with broccoli, carrots, some of Nicole’s spaghetti squash, a little brown rice, and a few other veggies. I added garlic powder for extra flavor – I can still taste it and I’ve brushed my teeth twice…..
Posh after-dinner cup of Dagoba Hot Chocolate?
Why, thanks for asking!
And that wraps up a semi-detailed WIAW! Nicole should have photographed all the chocolate I was eating… I just couldn’t satisfy my sweet tooth with the lingering garlic taste from dinner. Shucks. Head over to Jenn’s blog for the party.
OK Folks, I need some advice/stories!
Ever been to a white elephant gift exchange?
You buy & wrap a present to bring to a party, within a set price range (usually $10-$20). Everybody gets to choose an anonymous gift and sometimes swaps/trades are allowed. I’ve got TWO white elephants before the weekend is over: one at work and one with Lauretta’s family.
- the most memorable items from last year’s white elephant gift exchange (at work) were a snuggie, a kid-sized megaphone, and a nerf gun
- lots of people (I was one of them) wrapped up holiday mugs + hot cocoa… kind of boring.
- kyle usually contributes a bottle of wine at his work’s white elephant, and he says it gets traded for the maximum number of times
- in high school, I went to a paint-your-own pottery place and decorated a cookie jar with our dance team colors. I wrapped the jar really nicely and included a few pixie sticks as garnish because I really wanted people to pick + trade it
- I want to bring something good/desirable this year!!
What was the best thing you gave/received at a white elephant gift exchange?
Secret Santas > White Elephants, don’t you agree?
Throwback to XMAS 2008 with college roomies (we are all modeling our gifts)
-Lauren
10 comments on “WIAW 12/14: White Elephant Thoughts”
Leave a Reply
@laurenolerich instagrams
@nicoleolerich instagrams
Send new posts to your Inbox!
How stinkin’ cute! The White Elephant is happening next year. Fasure.
They stopped serving grapes at my dining hall. They STOPPED. I died a little bit.
I’m all about White Elephant. So much better than secret santa in my opinion!! My favorite gift was the year someone put in a fanny pack, but it had $50 inside. It was pretty funny to see us all fighting over a fanny pack!
I’ve never even heard of a white elephant gift exchange!
I’ve never heard of the white elephant exchange! that sounds so cool!
We just did a beer-themed White Elephant, and I ended up with a six pack of rare beers!! Alas, some folks got unlucky and one fellow wound up with a 4 year old bottle of Miller Chill he was forced to drink on the spot.
Grosser than gross.
I think it’d be HILARIOUS if you actually brought a White Elephant, but how about a festive “Night In” basket with a bottle of wine (or a few bottles of beer), some cool glasses, and some snack foods? I know I’d personally LOVE to get that.
Ooooh that’s a great idea!!!
I Love sriracha!!
You could do a gift certificate to Boo Radleys!
The tuna in your dinner looks delicious!
Oh my goodness, I love putting together white elephant gifts! I was just at an exchange last week Friday, and I put together a fun little “basket”. I think presentation is key! I found a Christmas themed “takeout” container, and I lined in with a holiday towel (instead of tissue paper). I filled it with chocolate, drink mixes & tea, and a magnet. It was a hit ~ it got stolen the max number of times! And bonus ~ I went home with the gift I had my eye on ;)