Welcome To A New Year

Happy 2011 everyone! I'm not at all sad to see 2010 gone. It has been a great year and I am looking forward to another.

New years eve has never been a big event in my life. My parent's never really made a big deal out of it and neither do I. I do stay up to watch the new year arrive.

The one big thing about ringing in the new year is that it is a special day for Ryan and I. On January 1st we have been dating for 3 years.

On Friday, I took the day off. Woo hoo! Ryan only worked till noon so after he was done we headed to the city to get my anniversary present from Ryan. He bought me two new bathing suits for our trip to Cuba. They are very nice and I can't wait to wear them on the beach in 2 short weeks!

After shopping, we headed downtown Ottawa for a romantic supper at The Keg Steakhouse. This is one of our favorite spots and we were not disappointed! We were stuffed with such yummy food and in great moods as we drove home to visit some friends.

Two groups of friends were gathering for New Years Eve. We decided to stop by both places to say "hello" and wish them a happy new year. We wanted to get home and ring in the new year together, alone.

Well, that plan kind of went down the drain because as soon as we got home Ryan fell fast asleep! ha ha I woke him up right before midnight but we went to bed right after that.

Saturday is what I like to call, the day of nothing! Our idea of the perfect anniversary is just being together and that is what we did! We relaxed at home all day and watched movies together.

That night we went to a garage party at Lisa and Luc's where lots of friends were gathering for a few new year drinks!

Sunday was a big day for both Ryan and I. After a church service where Jill and I sang a duet (crossing #45 Sing on stage off of my 101 list) the whole family headed to the city.

For the last three years Ryan has only met a hand full of my family. On my dad's side we have a lot of cousins! In fact, the family got so big that we started hosting Christmas at a hall instead of a house.

Ryan was finally going to meet the whole family! First, we went out for lunch with Mom, Dad, Jared, Holly and Faith! We had a yummy meal at our favorite family restaurant, Swiss Chalet!

Once we arrived it was swarming with people there for my Auntie Ruth's 65th birthday! A few were neighbors and friends but most were family!

It was so nice to finally introduce Ryan to everyone! Not to mention getting to see loved ones that we don't get to visit with often.

Cousin Lizzie and Ella

Me and Sheila (cousin) (Hi Sheila!)

Sheila, her husband Mike and son Ryan

Grand kids with the birthday girl

It was a great visit that went by too fast!

I love holiday Mondays! They are the most productive yet relaxing days for me. I feel like I get so much accomplished. Not to mention, I was all by myself.

Ryan had to go into work on Monday but that allowed me free time to get groceries, put away Christmas gifts, clean and take down Christmas decorations.

Taking down Christmas decorations is always a sad thing. The house looks a little empty after all the fun Santa's and snowmen are put away for another year. I definitely have a growing collection of decorations, I even had to buy an extra storage box this year.

How was your weekend? How do you spend New Years Eve?

xo

A Year In Review

I know most people are saying right now, "wow, where has the year gone?" However, for me, it's feel like it's been two years since I have done my last year in review. I take this as a good thing however because I don't want the years to race by. I like to slowly take each day in and enjoy it.

Even though the year didn't speed by, I still want to review it, to remember all of the great things that happened this year.

January

I loved January because Ryan and I took our second trip together and it was a big one. Hawaii! We couldn't wait to get going. Even though the plane riddes were long it was all worth it to be on that beautiful island! Between island tours, Luau's, relaxing by the water and even seeing a whale, Hawaii will always hold a special place in my heart.

February

Ryan and I started doing this "cheap date" thing. Basically, who's ever turn it is, has to come up with a $20.00 or less date! The first one we did was skating on the Rideau canal (hot chocolate and beavertail included!

We also celebrated a low key Valentines day.

Canada won the gold metal in hockey!! I will never forget that moment!! I happened to be in Toronto on business and got to take part in all the crazy celebrations!

March

Back in March I couldn't believe a year had passed since my beautiful niece, Faith, was born! Jared and Holly threw a great party for her!

Later that week, on St.Patricks day, we celebrated two other March birthdays. Jared and Ryan's.

April

April brought on Easter and a special little bunny hopped around Nana and Grandpa's.

Another "cheap date". A hike and picnic on the top of the Luskville falls.

May

Mother nature laughed in our faces after we thought spring had sprung. We got hit with some snow on May 9th.

Some ladies and I went out to celebrate one of my best friends, Amanda's birthday!

Taylor Swift came to Ottawa to perform and I got to go with a group of friends!

June

The first wedding of the summer and I was so excited for Ryan and Natasha, who are now expecting their first child! Woo hoo!

Ryan and I hosted our second annual pool party!

July

I finally took the plunge and chopped off all of my hair! It was big change but for a great cause!

August

Summer holidays, woo hoo!! Ryan and I both took a week off in August and started off by celebrating the wedding of Ryan's cousins, Will and Amy!

We toured North Bay, Algonquin park, did the 1000 island's boat tour, Upper Canada Village and golfing.

We finished off the week by going to my first ever drive in movie!

September

The month of September always means 1 thing around here, fair time! Which to me means, beavertails, derby's, music, and visiting!!

A very special little girl was born on September 21. Charlotte was born to friends Sara and Graham and we were all so excited to meet her!

October

The days started getting shorter and the weather started getting cooler so Ryan finally harvested our first giant pumpkin!

I hosted the very first craft night at my house! Making spooky Halloween decorations!

I turned 23 and had a very special helper to blow out my candles!

A group of friends and I went on the haunted walk of Ottawa!

Halloween brought a very busy month to a close with my new cookie monster costume and very special Minnie mouse being my first treat-o-treater of the year!

November

The beginning of November Ryan surprised me with a belated birthday trip to the city for the weekend! We had a great time touring, shopping and of course, having a beavertail! :-)

In the middle of November we went on another weekend trip to my old University town of Guelph! It was great showing Ryan all the spots that are always in all my stories!

The end of November was our annual company Christmas party which brought the season to a close.

December

After a great first year of book club we got together for our Christmas/end of the year potluck!

Ryan and I went away to Kingston with friends Evan and Josee, to see the Cirque de Soliel.

In celebration of her upcoming wedding in Cuba, a group of girls loaded a bus, to party with the bride to be, Kerry Lynn!

The best part of December, Christmas!

Wow! What a year, so many activities and I am sure I left out 100 or more things as well! It is so nice to sit and reflect on the year past. Goodbye 2010, hello 2011!

Talk to you next year!

xo

Part 2

After a very busy Christmas Eve I slept very well that night. I even slept through Santa's sleigh landing on the roof! Now, that's a deep sleep! I sprung out of bed on Christmas morning and Ryan had just arrived!

We were both like very excited little kids, the only problem, we had to wait for my parents to wake up! How did I fix this? By sending in a Chihuahua to attack!! Tucker loves my parents. He was part superman on Christmas morning and jumped on their bed, with them still in it.

That got them up pretty quick, not to worry, they weren't mad. I had started the coffee after all! :-)

First thing, stockings!! We have this old tradition in our family that stocking presents are opened on the parents bed. We all got some really neat stuff in our stockings and had fun opening them!

Finally, it was time for the big show, the presents under the tree!

Do you remember being a kid and asking for toys? I remember asking for barbies, a doll house, even moon shoes. I would be so excited to play with all of my new toys. Now? I ask for and get excited over a toilet bowl cleaner. How things have changed.

Tucker must have been a really good boy this year because Santa brought him a new toy and a snuggie!

I got Ryan this custom painted sign for the basement to hang near the bar. He was pretty excited.

My big gift was a new camera! I was so excited, for the last two years I have been duct taping my old powershot camera in order to make it work. Duct tape really does fix everything! No more tape for this girl nowthat I have a very functional Canon Rebel T2i! Woo hoo!

Once all the gifts were open we had a quick breakfast and then loaded up everything to head back to my place. We relaxed for a while, then got ready to head to Ryan's parents house for Christmas dinner (turkey, YUM!) with his family!


I couldn't wait to get there and visit with them! His family is really awesome and have always made me feel right at home, ever since I have met them.

While waiting for supper we all decided to exchange gifts. Again, both Ryan and I were spoiled rotten by the generous gifts from his parents!

I had a huge laugh at Ryan's cousin, Katelyn's reaction to her new Justin Bieber shirt! ha ha!

At dinner time, Bev (Hi Bev!) got everyone Christmas poppers full of goodies. We all tried on our crowns.

It was a great visit and when we got home we were so sleepy after the long day we headed straight to bed!

Sunday meant boxing day, which also meant boxing day sales. Here, in Canada, boxing day is a pretty big deal. The sales are suppose to be amazing. I had never actually taken part in this but decided to wake up at the crack of dawn and try it out.

NEVER AGAIN! It wasn't even the crowds that bothered me, or the early morning, it was my expectations that I had set way to high. I assumed that every store would have every item on sale. WRONG. It is only on selected merchandise. We did manage to get some things we needed at great prices but I don't think I would go again.

The rest of boxing day was spent watching movies and putting away (playing) with Christmas gifts.

Monday was a glorious holiday! No work! Woo hoo! Ryan and I decided it was the perfect opportunity to take the snow mobile out for it's maiden voyage of the 2010-2011 season!

Friends, Andrea and Curtis, came too. We all drove up to Fort Coulonge for a great lunch and then through amzing trails to Black River.

On the way home, I was starting to get a bit chilly but I wanted to learn how to drive. So, Ryan let me drive part of the way home. IE: The safest part for me to drive, where I won't hit anyone. Remember, I'm very clumsy!

This adventure was the perfect way to end our Christmas holidays!

We are so fortunate to all be healthy and get to spend it with each other this Christmas.

I hope that everyone had a safe, memorable and merry Christmas!

xo