2009-- The Highlights

I tried to come up with one highlight per month, or one highlight per season, but although it was a great year, I can't come up with very many specifics.

Mostly what was great about this year was marrying Dave, and then being with him all year. We moved a lot, and when through a lot together, but it was the being together part that was a highlight for me. I love going to sleep next to Dave (okay, that rarely happens because I go to bed early) and waking up next to him (and then quietly creeping out of the room to get ready for work).

I love our happy little family: Dave, me, Boozer, and Maeby. Our mini schnauzers are our children.

So being married to Dave is my number one highlight. Other random highlights:

• Getting laid off from LANDesk (yeah, it turned out to be a good thing)
• Our Honeymoon to Hawaii (my first time there. Hopefully not my last!)
  
• My little brother Mike's mission farewell (Oh wait, we missed that! We'd flown home from Hawaii all night long, and slept in. Mike might never forgive me...)
• Having our car broken into as we drove across the country, and having almost $7,000 dollars worth of stuff stolen (Oh wait, that sucked.
• Having everything replaced by renter's insurance which we'd paid a total of $13 so far!
  
• Moving to Baltimore and visiting D.C.
• A trip home for my 90 yr old grandma's wedding
• A girl's weekend in Park City. Shopping, sushi, and pedi's. HEAVEN!
  
• My parents visiting (my dad had business in D.C.), and then staying with them in D.C. for a few days (went nuts in the art galleries with my mom. One of my fave trips of all time)
  
• Dave's family visiting for the 4th of July
• Orioles games
• Moving to Atlanta
• Braves games
• My dad visiting (he had business in the area) and going to Six Flags with him
• Moving back to Utah!!
• Finding a great apartment for a really great price
• Finding a wonderful job at BidSync in American Fork

Overall, it has been a wonderful year. Thanks for your contributions which helped make 2009 a great year. And 2010 is looking good from here...

Things I Won't Buy Generic

1. Tide laundry detergent
2. Windex
3. Q-Tips
4. Chanel Foundation
5. Zip-lock freezer bags (I'll buy cheap sandwich bags)
6. Toothpaste/toothbrush
7. Garbanzo beans (The Walmart brand ones are especially dry and gross)

I'll probably think of more and add to this list...

What things do you insist on buying only the name brand?

Merry Christmas?

Worst rendition of O Holy Night known to man. Hysterical!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk4woNRD7NQ

My Bro Mike

Some things I posted about Mike when he got his mission call. Been missing him a lot lately, so I thought it was time to post about him again.

Mike and I share some special little loves:

1. We loved to watch the new 90210 together. Yep, it's true.
2. He pretended to hate when I watch Law & Order but I know his heart skips a beat just like mine when we hear the "ching-ching!"
3. Andy Samburg and the SNL digital shorts ("Mmm, whatcha say....")
4. Harry-freaking-Potter!!!
5. Midnight trips to Beto's (this deserves a shout-out to Nick. He started the tradition)
6. Rad concerts: Def Leppard, Journey, Styx...just to name a few!
7. Relationship chats, often via text message (sometimes 7 incoming texts at a time!!)
   
8. Making up Facebook groups: Hillary Has Cankles, LaVell Edwards Fan Club, Austin Collie for Heisman.

The list goes on and on.

More awesome things about Mike:

1. Once I was having a hard time with my primary class. they were out of control. Mike was walking past the classroom so I had him come in for a minute and asked him to help me calm them down. He proceeded to tell my class he was in the Army and if they misbehaved they'd have to go into the army too. They quieted right up. haha.
2. He learned Greensleeves on the Viola because it's my favorite song
3. Lacrosse State champs '07-'08
4. When he gets excited he rubs his hands together really fast and shudders a little bit. it's adorable!
5. When I came home from my mission he had a MULLET!! Just to freak me out!
6. Mike was SO patient teaching me how to snowboard. I'm so athletically retarded! I was sure he'd get frustrated and ditch me, but he never left my side.
7. He used to call me his "Sugar Mama" for taking him out for sushi and getting him decked out in new school clothes.

The Best Men at Nick's wedding. What a babe!

Havasupai-- Dare Devil!


Hubba hubba! So ripped!


Super Mikey!!


Laundry and scriptures on Heritage Tours (He read the ENTIRE Book of Mormon in 3 weeks!!)

I love you so much Mike. I'm so grateful that we were able to become so close over these last few years! I will think of you and miss you everyday. A mission's not easy but that's what makes it so awesome! What I wouldn't give to have one more day as a missionary! For a long time you'll feel like your mission will never end, but CHERISH that!!! Because it does inevitably end. Your life will be forever changed and blessed for serving the Lord. When times are hard don't turn inward, turn to UPWARD! the Lord will carry you through the hard times more literally than I can tell you. I am thrilled for the experiences you will have and the friends you will make.

THE GERMAN/AUSTRIAN PEOPLE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE YOU!!!!!
I love you Mikey.

My Favorite Chrsitmas Song

This is one my mom taught me:

"I'm dreaming of a green Christmas,
Just like the one's I used to know.
With the palm trees swaying,
And children playing,
Without hats or coats or gloves!

I'm dreaming of a green Christmas,
With every Christmas card I write:
May your days be merry not mean,
And may all your Christmases be green"

"Workin 9 to 5..." ~Dolly

Yep, I'm finally employed. I work (8 to 5 actually) at a software company in American Fork called BidSync. Great company, great people. It's a lot the same as my job at Landesk, except the company is roughly 50 employees (as opposed to the 400 at Landesk-- not to mention remote employees!). To be honest, I preferred the large company, but who doesn't?! More money, more supplies, more perks... But the small feel here is also nice.

We had our company Christmas party last weekend, which was nice (Landesk doesn't do parties any more. Budgeting.). We got all dressed up and ate yummy food.

After taking 11 months off from work, it's hard to put in a 40 hour work week! I got soft ;)

We're going to Cali for Christmas again. Yay! I'm dreaming of a GREEN Christmas! With sun and sand! We love being with Dave's family for Christmas because he hardly ever get to see them. One of these years we're going to have to buckle down fro a winter Christmas before my family disowns me.

Then from Jan 3-10 we'll me on a CRUISE IN MEXICO!! Can't wait!

Hope everyone has a great holiday!

Sammy turns ONE! And A Blast From the Past

My sweet nephew Samuel turns 1 tomorrow, so I was looking at my posts from when he was born. In the process, I also came across one of my favorite posts of all time. My Portuguese professor at UVU showed me a list of actual names of people in Utah. This is the link to it. UNREAL!!

http://wesclark.com/ubn/faves.html

My faves:
~Jennyfivetina
~Chinchilla Zest
~Zestpoole
~Thankful Flood
~Christmas Cantata
~Vinyl
~Treasure Cocain