Year in Review

Like a lot of people I had planned on posting about 2008 shortly before we entered 2009. Clearly that did not happen. Mostly because I am a sucky blogger and clearly forget about this thing for weeks at a time. But as they say (whoever THEY are) it is better late than never. So here we go...

2008 began with us in Seattle winding down an 18 day Christmas vacation. We rang in the new year with 2 of our closest friends Shawn and Celeste. A few days later I celebrated my 30th birthday. It was nothing exciting. The world didn't end. I realized that as much as people hype up turning 30 it was really just a regular old birthday.

This year my dad was diagnosed with early stage prostate cancer. Cancer has already taken so much from me and my family so I am happy to report that my dad is winning his battle.

In July Chris and I got to welcome not one but TWO new nephews. My brother and his wife welcomed Caelan Ethan Floyd on July 5th and Chris's brother and wife welcomed Avery Richard McClees also on July 5th. We have yet to meet either of them but can't wait till we finally get to hold and love on them.

In August Chris and I had a weeks holiday down in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It was amazing. We golfed, sat on the beach, ate great food and most of all relaxed. It was a much needed trip for both of us.

In September we celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary with an amazing dinner at The Melting Pot. It was so much fun and I highly recommend it. It is a little on the pricey side but totally worth it. The chocolate fondue for dessert was to die for.

In October I escaped to Philadelphia for the weekend with my girlfriend Georgette. We stayed with her sister and had a great time. We even got stuck in NJ for 24 hours after her car started acting up on the way home. It was a great time for both of us to recharge and have a couple days to just relax and not worry about the real world back home in Boston. This year has brought a lot of ups and downs, healing and forgiveness in our friendship and I am thankful to have her in my life.

We were shocked to find Chris's parents literally outside our house on Halloween. It was a wonderful surprise and we enjoyed a great weekend with them. Chris's sister and husband also showed up on our doorstep November 2nd which was Chris's birthday. I knew they were coming but he did not. It was great to have them all here to celebrate his birthday. We had a fabulous time with all 4 of them and thoroughly enjoyed showing them around Boston.

Christmas was quiet this year. Just me Chris and Belle. I would be lying if I said I wasn't homesick for both Edmonton and Seattle but at the same time it was nice to just be here with each other.

So there you have it. Those are the highlights. 2008 was not the greatest year for me on a personal level. I have struggled with a lot of things, my weight being one of the biggest issues. I am tired of being overweight and tired of not feeling like myself. I am tired of feeling like I am hiding behind all this extra weight and letting it hold me back from things I want to be doing. I have been homesick a lot this past year, probably more than the previous 3 years we have been in Boston. I miss both of our families and my friends back home in Seattle and Edmonton. I just have to keep telling myself that there is a reason we are here.

I am determined to make 2009 a year worth remembering. I want to look back on 2009 and be proud of what I accomplished and be happy with where I am at in my life. Which brings me to my resolutions for this year.

-First and foremost I want to lose weight and finally reach my goal and be back to my healthy weight. I want to feel confident again and find the happy person I used to be which I know is hiding under all this extra weight.

-I want to go back to school and have at least started before this year is up. That is all I am going to say about that because I don't want to say something is going to happen for sure and then it doesn't for whatever reason.

-I want to be a better friend. To be more supportive, to listen better, to say I love you more often. I have learned a lot about friendship this past year and what it really means to me on a personal level.

-Learn to play the guitar. This is something I have always wanted to do and have just never got around to it. THIS will be the year.

Those are the three main ones. The ones that are the most important to me. You don't want to hear about all the trivial stuff like how I want to walk my dog more, read more, drink less caffeine etc...

What are some of your resolutions?

The Interview

Questions by Courtney from Five Second Dance Party

(1) Who is your all-time Seahawk player and what does/did make him so great?

#84 Bobby Engram. Bobby is a wide receiver who has been in the NFL for 13 seasons, 8 of those with Seattle. He is one of those guys you don't hear a lot about around the league. He quietly does his job and is really good at it. Last year when we had injuries he stepped up and had the best year of his career with 1147 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. He is not the guy you throw the ball to every time but he is the guy who comes up with the big play and catch when you need him the most. The stars an sports teams have never been my favorite. For me it has always been about the heart and soul guys, the ones who are gritty and gut it out the whole game. Now if only the Seahawks resign him this off season I will be a happy girl.
(2) If you could pick one day in your life since your mom passed away and have her there to enjoy it with you - which day would it be?
This is a tough one. There have been more than a few that I would have given anything to have had her with me on. So I will give you a two part answer, one day that has already occurred and one that is yet to happen. I think the one that stands out the most for me is the day Chris and I got engaged. She was the first person I thought of and in that moment the only person I wanted so badly to share it with. The other one will be when I have my first baby. It will be really hard for me to go through that experience without her and to not have her there with me to share it. Just thinking about it makes me cry. I know you can fully understand that one having recently experienced it yourself.

(3) If you're in a hurry and need to grab a bite to eat real quick, what are you most likely to eat?

If I am at home and running out the door it is likely to be something I can take with me like a 100 calorie pack or an apple. If I am already out somewhere it would most likely be a burrito from my favorite burrito joint here in Boston. Anna's Taqueria. I am hungry now just thinking about it, thanks Courtney!

(4) How do you think you would react if the plane you were flying on was hijacked? Would you freeze or act? Since I am completely terrified of airplanes I imagine I would be in a corner with my knees tucked up under my chin, rocking back and forth and sobbing like a baby. Before I fly on a plane I don't sleep for weeks because my mind is running wild with thoughts of all that could go wrong. What if an engine goes out? What if we lose cabin pressure? What if the pilot passes out? What if the landing gears or brakes fail? What if we get hit by lightning? Then as I am waiting to board my plane I will size up all of the other passengers and try and figure out which one is most likely to hijack the plane. All these thoughts go through my head that by the time I reach my seat on the plane I am in almost full blown panic mode. So while I would love to say I would act I am afraid I would be so paralyzed with fear that I would not be able to do anything.

(5) What would be the most difficult to live without: your computer or your TV? Why?

Computer by far. While I love my TV most of what I watch on there is available online anyways. At least with my computer I would still have a connection to all my friends and family and be able to watch all my TV shows. I would def miss those days of laying on the couch being lazy and flipping through the channels but I would be so much more lost without my computer.

Want to play along?

1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”

2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. I get to pick the questions.

3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.

4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.

5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

My Birthday Toast

I was not present but I am sure happy they did it anyways. Jan 3 was my birthday and also the day Chris's moms side of the family had their annual Christmas gathering. We obviously could not be there since we live ALL the way in Boston, but they toasted me anyways and drank champagne in my honor. Glad I gave them a reason to toast and drink some yummy champagne. How could you not love all those crazy faces? Thanks to all of you for making my day and putting a huge smile on my face.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Apparently we thought it would be fun this year to put tinsel on Belle and as well as antlers and Santa hats. Somehow I don't think she shared the same enthusiasm as we did for any of those things. Regardless she is really cute so I am sharing the photos with you anyways as much as I am sure she would protest.We finally got snow about a week before Christmas. I was very very excited. However that excitement faded fast when it warmed up in the days leading up to Christmas and most of it was melted by Christmas morning and what was left was all brown and dirty. BOOOO!!Chris and I stayed home in Boston for Christmas this year. It was nice just the two of us but at the same time I was homesick for both Edmonton and Seattle. It is hard sometimes living so far away. We doggie sat for my girlfriend Georgette so we had her dog Madison for an entire week. Aside from her fur that she leaves all over my house we really love Madison a lot. Christmas day we opened presents, had a great breakfast, watched movies, played games, cooked a turkey with all the trimmings. It was relaxing and perhaps just what I needed. We were going to go to a movie that night but it was PACKED and our showing was sold out. The picture above is my amazing drawing of Chris's main gift from me, new roller hockey skates. Dicks sporting goods screwed up and so they were not here Christmas morning so I drew that picture for him. Don't be jealous of my amazing art work. New Years eve was very uneventful. That was our dinner, a really yummy BBQ chicken pizza from our new fav pizza place. We watched tv, drank champagne and watched the Oilers and Avs both lose. HOORAY!
That's right folks, 8.99!! That's how we roll.

I have become one of those bloggers that I hate. You know the kind, the ones who blog like once a month with a quick little update of what is going on and that's it. LAME! I used to have so much to say, I am not sure what has happened.

Anyways...

I am still trying to figure out how Christmas has come and gone already. It will be 2009 in like 3 days and my 31st birthday is less than a week away. How did that happen? Where did the last 30 years go?

I suppose I do have a lot to say about a lot of random stuff, especially at this time of year. So I guess keep checking back in the coming days for ramblings about stuff you could probably care less about ;)

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

Happy Birthday Mum!

My mum would have been 62 today! It is crazy to think how quickly and yet how slow at the same time it seems the last 12 years have passed. She passed away just 3 1/2 weeks before her 50th birthday.

I miss her! Her birthday it seems is the day I miss and think of her the most. It is a constant reminder every year that she is not here to celebrate with. Each year her birthday is a time for me to reflect on my own life the past 12 years. All the ups and downs and all the mistakes and all the joys I have experienced. I wonder what she would think, what she would say. What she would think of where I have been and the person I am today. It is hard sometimes, I think no matter how old you are you always need your mum. I miss that connection. I miss the everyday stuff. A phone call, a cup of coffee, a hug, the little inside jokes.

I wish she could have met Chris. I know she would have loved him and been so happy I found someone who loves me as much as he does. I wish she could have lived long enough to be a grandma. My brother has 3 healthy happy boys (10, 6, 6 months) that I know she would have loved them and spoiled them rotten. I just know they would have adored her. When Chris and I eventually have our own kids I am determined to make sure they grow up knowing who she was and how blessed we all were to have her in our lives even if it was for a shorter time than any of us would have liked.

Sometimes I struggle with understanding life. Why things happen the way they do and the reasoning behind it all. But at the end of the day some things just aren't for us to understand. As hard as it is sometimes to accept, God has a greater plan for all of us. If anyone taught me about faith and trusting God no matter what, it was her. She was a living example of what true faith really is. She loved and served her God with a passionate and content heart right up until the day she died. I honestly struggle with it sometimes but I always have her voice in the back of mind reminding me of what is important.

At her funeral we played a song called See You in Heaven by a christian rock band called Guardian.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwAQUHeA9vU

( I realize the video quality is bad and the bands hair is AWESOME, but you get the idea)

It's hard to say goodbye, my friend

But this waiting can last forever

Sooner or later the sun must set

Ending this time together

I wish that I had one more chance

To spend another day with you

And even though I know I can't

I'll see you in Heaven

I'll see you in Heaven

CHORUS:

The only thing that hurts more than losing you

Are all of the years, living without you

I wanna run back to you

And show you the life I've lived without you

Cause living without you is the only thing that hurts more than you

I see a picture of a little child

Standing alone, wondering where you are

I can't believe how this child has grown

Living this life, Sometimes so alone

Wishing I had one more chance

To have you hold me once again

Now even though I know you can't

You'll hold me in Heaven

You'll hold me in Heaven

CHORUS:

The only thing that hurts more than losing you
Are all of the years, living without you
I wanna run back to you
And show you the life I've lived without you
Cause living without you is the only thing that hurts more than you

I've let so many years of life go by

Thinking it's all worked out

Now I realize I do know how

To say that it's over

And let you go for now

Still I wish that I had one more chance

To say I love you one more time

And even though I know I can't

I'll say it in Heaven

I'll say it in Heaven

We all miss her a lot. But thank God we have that promise of being together again one day. I know she is in a much better place but it doesn't make missing her any easier.

Happy birthday Mum! I miss you everyday. We all love you more than we could ever put into words. You truly were a blessing to everyone who was honored to have known you. Thank you for sharing 19 amazing years with me!!

Mad Libs

Dear Georgette ,

I don't really know how to tell you this, but I dislike your eyelashes. I think I realized it that night you picked your nose outside of your office and sit on your ‘My Little Pony’ collection. I'm sure you're high enough to understand that I get turned on only by garbage men. I'm returning your nose hair clippers to you, but I'll keep your credit cards as a memory. You should also know that I get sick when I think of your feet and you should stop picking your nose.

Warm tingly sensations,

Evey

My sister in law Alicia posted this on her blog so I thought I would join in on the fun. Now it's your turn. Here are the directions...

Dear (someone),I don't really know how to tell you this, but (1). I think I realized it (2)(3) and (4)(5).I'm sure you're (6) enough to understand (7). I'm returning (8) to you, but I'll keep (9) as a memory.You should also know that I (10) and (11).(12),(Your name).

1) What's the color of your shirt?
Blue - I'm in love with your dog
Red - Our affair is over
White - I’m joining the ConventBlack -Our romance is over
Green- Our socks don't match
Grey - You're a leprechaun
Yellow - I'm selling myself for candy
Pink - Your nostrils are insulting
Brown - The mafia wants you
No shirt - You're mean
Other -I dislike your eyelashes

2) Which is your birth month?
January - That night you picked your nose
February -When you smacked my ass
March - When your dwarf bit me
April - When I tripped on peanut butter
May - When I threw up in your sock drawer
June - when i quoted forest gump
July – when you put cuffs on me
August - When I saw the purple monkey
September - Last year when you peed your pants
October - When we skinny dipped in the bathtub
November - When your dog humped my leg
December - When u finally changed ur underwear

3) Which food do you prefer?
Tacos - In your apartment
Lasagna- In your car
Pasta - Outside of your office
Hamburgers - Under the bus
Salad – As you were eating Kraft Dinner
Chicken - In your closet
Kebab - With Jean Chrétien
Fish - In a clown suit
Sandwiches - At the Elton John concert
Pizza - At the mental hospital
Hot dog - Under a street light
Annat- With George Bush and Stephen Harper

4) What's the color of your socks?
Yellow - Ignore
Red - Carve your initials into
Black - Hit on
Blue - Knock out
Purple - Pour syrup on
White - Put whipped cream on
Grey - Pull the clothes off
Brown - bit of
Orange - Castrate
Pink - Pull the pants off of
Barefoot - Sit on
Other - Drive over

5) What's the color of your underwear?
Black - My boyfriend
White - My father
Grey – The Catholic Priest
Brown – The Montreal Canadian’s goalie
Purple - My corned beef hash
Red – My knee caps
Blue - My salt-beef bucket
Yellow - My illegitimate child in Ghana
Orange - My Blink 182 cd
Pink – Your ‘My Little Pony’ collection
None – My prized statue of Michael Jackson in the nude
Other --The elephant in the corner

6) What do you prefer to watch on TV?
One Tree Hill - Senile
Heroes- Frostbitten
Lost - High
Simpsons- Cowardly
The news - Scarred
American Idol - vexed
Family Guy - Open
Top Model - Middle-class
Other - Slutty

7) Your mood right now?
Happy - How awful you are
Sad - How boring you are
Bored - That I get turned on only by garbage men
Angry - That your smell makes me vomit
Depressed – That we’re related
Excited - That I may pee my pants
Nervous - The middle-east is planning their revenge on you
Worried - That your Ford sucks
Apathetic - That you need a sex-change
Ashamed - That I'm allergic to your earlobes
Cuddly - That Santa doesn't exist
Silly - That there is no solution to you being a dumb kid
Other - That your driving sucks

8) What's the color of your walls in your bedroom?
White - Your toe ring
Yellow - The cut toenails
Red - Your Hannah Montanna underwear
Black - Your pet rock
Blue - The couch cushions
Green - Your car
Orange - Your false teeth
Brown - Your nose hair clippers
Grey - Our matching snoopy underwear
Purple - Your old New Kids on the Block blanket
Pink(ish) - Your love letters to me
Other - The pictures from Vegas

9) The first letter of your first name?
A/B - Your collection of butterflies
C/D - Your photo with the mustache drawn on it
E/F - Your neighbor dog
G/H - The oil tank from your car
I/J - Your left ear
K/L - The results of that blood-sample
M/N - your virginity
O/P - My common sense
Q/R - Your mom
S/T - Your glass eye
U/V - Your criminal record
W/X – Your sucide note
Y/Z - Your credit cards

10) The last letter in your last name?

A/B - Haven’t showered in a month
C/D - Always will remember the pep talks
E/F - i hate your cooking
G/H – am better off without you
I/J – Mocked you behind your back constantly
K/L - Will tell the authorities that you did not steal that whale in the back yard
M/N - Told in my confession today about the moose poaching
O/P - Was interviewed about the car you stole
Q/R - Always wanted to break your legs
S/T - Get sick when I think of your feet
U/V - Will try to forget that you broke my heart
W/X- I told my psychiatrist about the bruises
Y/Z-bought tampons from winn dixie

11) What do you prefer to drink?
Wine- Our friendship is ruined
Soft drink – I’m off to lead a new life as a lemon
Soda – I will haunt you when I’m reincarnated as an Eskimo
Milk - The apartment building is on fire
Water – You should get that embarrassing rash checked
Cider– I have a passionate interest for mice
Juice – You ruined my attempts at another world war
Mineral water – I'm scratching my butt as you read this
Hot chocolate – Your Cucumber-fetishism Is Weird
Whiskey - I love Oprah Winfrey
Beer – you should stop picking your nose
Other – Thanks for the Cocaine

12) To which country would you prefer to go on a vacation?
Italy - Warm tingly sensations
Australia - Best of luck on the sex change
France - Love always
Spain - With tears of sadness
China – You make me sick
Germany – Please don’t hurt me
Japan - Go milk a cow
Greece - Your everlasting enemy
USA - Greetings to your frog Leonard
Egypt – Kiss my butt
England - Go drown yourself about the bruise

Photo Fun

Photo fun! I saw this on my friend Becca's blog Joyfully Hand-Picked.

Here's the rules:

1) Choose the 4th folder where you store your pictures on your computer

2) Select the 4th picture in the folder

3) Explain the picture

4) Tag 4 people to do the sameNO CHEATING! (cropping, editing, etc!)

This picture was taken on August 6, 2007. We were headed to Baltimore, Maryland and Washington D.C for a week to take in some baseball games and see all the sites in D.C. I took this pic at some point on our drive down there and clearly Chris was REALLY happy about it.

I tag...

Jodi, Andrea, Kirsten, Tammy

CUTEST DOG EVER!!

Linda, my mother in law took this pic above of Belle while they were here visiting back in November. LOVE IT! And while we are at it, here are a couple more....

Halloween Surprise

Chris and I decided to stay home on Halloween this year. I was sick and s we figured it just better to stay home. We also decided not to hand out candy so we were sure to close the blinds and leave most of the lights off so the little trick or treaters wouldn't bother us. Little did we know... Around 9:30PM I decided to take some Tylenol PM and go to bed. Not long after I got into bed I received a text from Chris's mom asking if we had any trick or treaters. I sent her a text back saying no that we were in the dark and that I had gone to bed since I wasn't feeling well. A few minutes later my phone rang and as I fumbled with my phone to answer it I accidentally hit the ignore call button. Then Chris's phone started to ring so he answered it. His mom told him to go look outside at his work van so he did. Much to his surprise there was his parents standing in front of his van with wigs and masks on waving to him. He comes in the bedroom and says "Evey my parents are here!" As I tried to gather my thoughts which were now foggy due to the Tylenol PM I had taken I replied in this order...

"do they want to come in?"
"oh my gosh our house is such a mess"
"i don't have a bra on"

LOL! Chris says to me "I'm pretty sure they want to come in."

What a great surprise. They had originally planned to just come "trick or treating" at our door but had the wrong house number. They thought we were 22 and there was no 22 (at least no number on a house) and so they wandered up and down the street looking for 22. Can you just imagine what my neighbors must have thought about these two crazy people wandering the streets with these silly masks!?

So Chris's birthday was on the 2nd and a few months back his sister Alicia had called me about her and Paul coming here for a few days as a surprise for Chris's birthday since they were going to be out east for a wedding anyways. So Chris's parents thought it would be fun to come out as well and surprise Chris and Alicia since they didn't tell Alicia they were coming. SO I had to not only keep Alicia and Paul a secret from Chris, I had to make sure they didn't know Chris's parents were here. It was hard for me to keep it all quite, I almost slipped a few times.

On Saturday we took Chris's parents for a drive up north a bit to try and find a good spot for some nice fall pictures. We found a great area up in Andover and got some great pictures.Afterwards we took them for dinner to one of our favorite restaurants The British Beer Company.

Sunday we took them to Harvard Square and then to the Bunker Hill Monument. We headed back to our place since Paul and Alicia would be arriving soon. Paul and Alicia showed up around 4pm and we had Chris answer the door and he was very surprised. Then PandA were surprised to find John and Linda in our kitchen. Fun times!

We had plans that night to meet friends at the Sail Loft on the waterfront in the north end for Chris's birthday. There was 13 of us and it was really nice for Chris to have his parents and PandA there. Monday we went into the city and did the Duck Boat Tour. It was fun because we were the only ones on our boat. It was a little chilly and was the second time Chris and I had been on the tour. It was fun though and we got some great pictures. We spent some time shopping and had lunch at Faneuil Hall. Chris's parents had to head to the airport around 4 pm. Once they were off we stayed in the city with PandA. We walked around Boston Common and took them to Cheers to get a couple of pictures. Chris had a softball game that night so we headed home and Chris and Paul went to the game and Alicia and I stayed home and just hung out and watched TV.Tuesday was PandA's last day here so we thought we would take them over to Martha's Vineyard for a little change of pace. I have only been once before but I totally loved it. It is really pretty and lots of cute shops and restaurants etc. We thought it would be a great idea. Well it WAS a great idea till we got over there and found out the almost everything was closed for the season. Suckage! Oh well. We made the best of it.

Thanks to all 4 of you for an awesome 6 days. We had a great time and Chris had a great birthday weekend. We love you guys!