Goodbye 2009

Today we are counting down to the end of another year and though it's true that New Year's Eve is a good day for get togethers, food and cocktails, it is also a good day to think about all the things, the good and the bad, that happened throughout the year. So today I have been doing just that and I'll share some of it with you. Later or tomorrow I will share our top ten things in 2009 but this should hold you over!

In 2009 I got my current camera which has had a vital role in helping me document each and every thing we do. This year my hair grew quite a lot and it now reaches my shoulder, and while we are on the topic of my hair I changed the color too and started dying it black! Might not sound like much of a change but it really has been!

One of probably the most exciting things this year was our first cruise! Even though the cruise was early in the year - way back in February - we still talk about it just about every day and are planning on going on another hopefully very soon! Not only was it our first cruise but it was my first time out of the country!! I hope it is the first of many trips where we try new and different things and locations!



This year mom and I started doing our scrapbooking challenges, and though we haven't done them in a little while we talk about them and plan on resuming them very very very soon!! Also this year in scrapbooking I started playing with digital elements thanks to House of Three and thanks to Zanne I worked the CHA Trade Show where I got to see lots of inspiring things and I met some really terrific people!! I also took my first online scrapbooking class this year! I might not have finished all the assignments but it was a great experience for sure!




2009 took us to the FX Show at the convention center where we got to meet James Marsters from Buffy and see some of the other stars of one of our favorite shows. And speaking of TV 2009 brought us shows like Modern Family and Cougar Town and unfortunately it brought us the news that Dollhouse was being canceled. 2009 meant the return of the original Lucky to General Hospital which again may seem small but those of you who remember how much I loved this guy all those years ago know that this was a big deal!!

2009 was the year I started selling Tupperware!! It was a long time coming but it was exciting to take the plunge! I'm so glad Leslie finally talked me into it because I've had a ball! And since I became a Tupperware consultant 2009 was the year I attended my first Jubilee!! So exciting! It was the year I took a million photos of Chef Stuart and I met lots of great people and I spend four days at Leslie's house and we happily signed up for Jubilee 2010!! It is quite an adventure and something I never thought I would have the courage to try!



2009 I got to spend four AWESOME days with the Sylva/Mattheson clan and enjoy Alex's first time at Disney! It was so much fun, we had so many laughs, we took so many pictures and now we get to look ahead and plan the 2010 visit! In 2009 my grandmother also came to visit twice! We ate great meals and I surprised her with a character breakfast! It was a good time and we made memories that will last for many years to come.



This year I reconnected with old friends I hadn't seen in a long long time. We got to spend time with Kevin, Marissa and little Jacob, I got to see Melissa after many many years and visit with Simone and Erik and there were countless other friends and relatives I found on Facebook that I happily reconnected with. I mended broken relationships and nurtured relationships that are still thankfully going strong. We spent quality time with Monika and Dave and Monika and I had some girl time too and did something so fun - we went to tea at the Grand Floridian! I got to spend time with Ruth at Food & Wine this year and for a couple of afternoons while she was between jobs and though I'm glad she found a job I miss our movie watching and snacking afternoons! We enjoyed another year at Star Wars weekend with Gabby and a couple of girls' days at the parks!

Unfortunately not all relationships were mended and in fact some were broken. It is sad when that happens but sometimes it's necessary, sometimes it's not and sometimes no matter how hard you try you just can't fix them.

2009 meant making new friends too though! We spent a lot of time with Tom and Anna going on adventures and getting pep talks from them. They are beyond amazing. This year we have been more involved in our complex and that has resulted in new friends as well and looking forward I just see these relationships growing!

This year we saw some great movies: Star Trek, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, UP! (which might just have been my favorite) Julie and Julia, Avatar and Twilight New Moon of course! 2009 was definitely the year of Twilight for me. I read all the books, watched the first movie countless times and saw New Moon on opening day! And for Christmas I got Twilight Scene It from Mike!! This year the new Jennifer Weiner book Best Friends Forever came out and like all her others I loved this book! I read Why We Suck by Denis Leary which I loved and for the first time ever I couldn't finish a book. I don't know if this has happened to anyone else but I read 400 pages of a 900 page book and just couldn't bear to pick it up again!

All in all 2009 was a great year, everyone was healthy for the most part and happy for the most part. I took steps to better myself by working on my novel and I took up running! 2009 meant another year that Mike and I have been happily together and our little family has just grown to love each other more and more. It has been a good year and I will say goodbye to it fondly but look eagerly ahead to all 2010 has to offer!!

More Photos and our Top Ten Favorites for 2009 coming soon!!!