Sunday, January 2, 2011

I liked 2010

I have been watching a lot of end of the year shows... you know, the Top 10 Moments on Reality TV, Top 5 Worst Political Blunders, Biggest Celebrity Oops of the Year, and so on. Seems like a lot of these shows are writing 2010 off as a terrible year for everyone - financially, emotionally, and in every other way. I generally like to remember each year for all the good things that happened in the last 12 months. 2010 was no exception. I can count a lot of blessings this year. Also, the hubs and I had a lot of good moments too. Here is my list of the Top 10 Moments of My 2010.

10. I like to do good. That means, I love to volunteer and do charity work and donate my time and money to worthy causes. I am happy to say that this year we were able to do several more than the year before. I hope that every year we are able to do more and more and more. Selfishly, it makes me feel good about myself. I like to give back. Gosh, I am such a good person! j/k! Anyway, this year we were able to do the Susan G. Komen race, Run Fur Hope dog walk benefiting Union County Humane Society, Muddygras mud volleyball tourney to benefit people with epilepsy, and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk in Dayton. Again, next year, we plan to keep up on all of these, and add a few more to the list... Any suggestions?
This is the face that brings me to run at 8 in the morning for animal charities!


9. Getting promoted at work. This is completely personal and self-gratifying, but none-the-less, it is making the list. This was something I felt that I should receive (not to sound too egotistical, but I worked by @ss off the 3 years leading up to it). It is SO nice to get a little recognition at work when you feel like you worked hard. Even though, technically, it wasn't really a raise or anything, it was wonderful. The hubs took me to dinner to celebrate and I know that he was extremely proud of his little wifey. :) For a brief moment in time, I loved my job! HAHA! Do people in all positions have that off and on love with their work? I hope so.

8. The hubs and I completed our second 1/2 marathon! Or, as some people say, half of a full. That sounds better ;). Anyway, this year we trained through the winter - which sucked. The race was the Capital City 1/2 Marathon in downtown Columbus. The course was awesome and we totally rocked the run! All the training paid off and we were able to shave 15 minutes off our time! Mostly because I didn't wuss out and start walking and crying as I did last year during our first run, but I digress. We were very proud of ourselves and celebrated with a couple of slices of our favorite pizza - Hounddogs pizza on High Street in Columbus. Check it out. The jury is out on whether we will ever do a full or not, or even another 1/2. But it feels good to say we accomplished our goal for 2010.
EAT THIS PIZZA!


7. I got a new kitchen. We worked our tails off, while training, to complete the remodel of our kitchen/bathroom/mudroom. Check out the before and after photos. Yeah, we do good work. It sucked and we lived in ruins for months, but SO worth it!
Kitchen before :

Kitchen after :


6. My husband gave me an amazing birthday present that literally changed my life. It was a present that I have wanted for years and years, but would never have asked for it because it's a pretty expensive present. He got me a big kid camera. SO FUN! He also has been amazingly supportive of this new love affair of mine. I have taken 2 classes online and am starting my third tomorrow. Being a college student again rocks. And this time around I am doing a heck of a lot better. :) Anyway, my goal for the next couple of years is to do photography as a side job (maybe one day full-time), for weddings, family photos, baby pics, anything! You all can help... I will do your kids, your fam, your friends, anyone. Pass it along, I am ready to do business! :)

5. Going back to Cali! That should be edited to say, "Going to Cali for the first time ever!" We had a blast! In January, I generally start planning what our big trip of the year will be. 2010 was the same. We tossed around some ideas about going to an all-inclusive resort, Europe, or somewhere new and exciting. Then, I by chance ran into something on the Internet about a baseball game vacation through California. The trip wouldn't have worked with our schedule, but the idea gave us the idea (more to come on baseball). This started our California adventure. I LOVE TO PLAN TRIPS (or anything really) and had so much fun figuring this trip out. Ireland was planned out for us because we went on a tour, so I didn't get to do all the decision-making for that trip. This trip was completely ours! We went from San Fran to San Diego and hit all the hot spots in between! I won't bore you again with all the details... scroll back through some older posts if you want to relive our adventure. We liked it so much more than we thought we would. Not that we didn't expect to like it, but I just didn't realize how awesome Cali is. If you have never been, I suggest it. Such a great place to visit. And the people could not be nicer. We will be going back to Cali someday! :)







4. Besides Cali, we traveled to Pittsburgh and Baltimore, both for the first time. I LOVE TO TRAVEL! I love visiting new cities and trying new things while there. Its awesome of emerge ourselves in the atmosphere of each new place we go. In Pittsburgh I ate Primani sandwiches at the Pirates game - YUMMO! In Baltimore we went to 3 great restaurants. A Brazilian steakhouse, a Jewish deli, and an Italian restaurants where the portions were enormous! We also got to do some traveling with some of our favs. In Pittsburgh we met up with the best man in our wedding, Dave. And Baltimore was a sisters weekend! And the guys were drug along too... Next year we will slow down a little, but for good reasons. We will still fit in some new adventures and cities, but maybe in a more low-key manner!

3. So baseball is religion in this house. As I have mentioned 100's of times, we are trying to visit every MLB park. This year we were able to cross off 6 more! Woah, we were busy. We also went to our very first opening day at Jacob's Field in Cleveland (I refuse to call it Progessive Field because it sounds dumb). In 2011 we may get to 1 or 2. We will see. I think 2010 was a record year for us! San Francisco, Oakland, LA Angels, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore were all so much fun! Now we only have like 19 left to visit.

Cleveland home opener = freezing!

Pittsburgh & PNC Park with Dave!

San Fran!

Oakland!

LA Angels ~ maybe my fav of all the Cali parks!

Last, but certainly not least was Baltimore... um... I forgot to take our obligatory picture! I know, I know, what was I thinking?!?! We had a few too many drinks before heading out to the game. Not a good excuse, but totally the reason! :)

2. My big sis got hitched!! We were so excited to welcome Red into our fam! He is awesome and I love them together! I now have a brother, which rocks. :) The wedding was beautiful. It was a perfect day all around. They said their vows in front of their friends and family at my parents house. The reception was also at the rents' house and it was awesome! The food was SO good and the company was outstanding. I heard the drinks (mimosas and bloody marys) were delish also, but unbeknown to everyone but Craig and I, there was a little baby growing in my belly that stopped me from partaking in any alcohol consumption. We didn't break the news about that until a month later...
The bride and groom!!


1. WE ARE GOING TO BE PARENTS! By far the best thing that happened to us this year! I woke up one Saturday morning and realized I was over a week late. No biggy, same thing happened the month before. I couldn't sleep, it was 7:30 in the morning (unheard of for me on my days off). So, I took a test. I DID NOT think I was preggers. The second line showed up immediately. (That meant I was pregnant). Husband was asleep and I knew it would be a while before he finally emerged from the bed. So, I sat by myself for what seemed like days! I told the Penny doggy and she appeared somewhat unconcerned. Go figure. I decided I needed to go for a run. So I strapped on the old running shoes, put on Penny's harness and hit the pavement. I thought it would help me calm down. I was wrong. When I returned home, thankfully, my hubs was awake. Not totally with it, but I needed to tell him immediately! I told him and he seemed to wake up as the words came out of my mouth! It was perfect. We then laid on our bed for a while and I admitted that I was petrified! We both were, but of course, we were so excited. The worst part was that we realized we were not going to be able to tell anyone for 6 more weeks! I am not a good secret keeper, but we did it!
Now, I am 19 weeks along and am (im)patiently waiting to find out what I am having. I have 22 days before they will tell me... totally unfair! But, we are finding out on my hubby's 30th birthday!! What an amazing present for him! (Which means I don't have to buy him anything, right?) Here is the only picture to-date of my little baby belly. I wish I knew why I wasn't showing much. But, hubby keeps telling me that this is a good thing. It is, but, I am just getting fatter everywhere else. That's no fun. :) I cannot understand how though... I workout still 4+ days a week, and that should cancel out the 15 lemon cookies I had at Christmas, the (1lb) bag of m&m's, the sodas (my only craving) and ALL of the other fattening things I have been eating as fast as I can shove it in my mouth! HAHA!! Oh well, pushing a stroller around and chasing a baby will make the pounds fall off... that's how that works, right? Right?
OK, please don't judge my picture taking capabilities on this photo. Here is the bump. Not much to speak of, but there is something there! And I know that it will only get BIGGER! I will try and keep you all posted. I am personally not a huge fan of the bump pics on myself, but for you, loyal followers, I will share!



Here is to a great 2011 to everyone! I wish you and your families the best year yet! Let's raise an imaginary glass to life, love and happiness!! Go us! :)
I love you all and hope that you continue to read my (admittedly) uncool blog! It can only get better as time goes on! :) And, fingers crossed, this will be the year that The Bachelor and The Bachelorette is CANCELLED! That is my one wish this year!

3 comments:

  1. Okay, I am going to try and keep this short, but I have a few things to point out...in order of your blog:
    1. I LOVE how in every picture at the ballparks, Craig is wearing the teams hat. Too cute!
    2. Your point #1 made me tear up. That is the cutest story...especially the part about Penny's reaction :)
    3. HOW DARE YOU WISH FOR THE BACHELOR and BACHELORETTE BE CANCELLED?! You're lucky I like you, otherwise you'd be a few notches down on my friends list.
    4. BABY BUMP = 2 thumbs up from me. You're adorable!
    5. In case you are wondering, I do stalk your blog...especially when I'm at work...and read every blog you post...and although I don't intend on commenting on every blog, there is always something that you say that I feel I should comment on. I LOVE IT...keep posting :)

    Yay for 2010, and here's to 2011!

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  2. I love your top 10 and love your little bump. Don't worry about it still being small. I didn't really start popping until my 3rd trimester, although I was eager to show sooner. In the end I was much happier being a smaller pregger (less time feeling "fat"). You are adorable and I can't wait to hear the gender news! Happy New Year!

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  3. Thanks, girls! I love that you guys actually read the blog... sometimes I write it and wonder if it will be seen ever! :)
    Katie, I apologize about the bachelor comment. I had a feeling that you would not be happy with that comment. I almost also wished for the canceling of DWTS and SYTYCD... by I thought that may permanently damage our friendship ;)
    Deb, I am with you for sure. It is super hard not to be showing, but it is nice to not be feeling fat right now. We had an appointment yesterday and the doctor complimented my flat stomach. That made me smile :)

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