Small Gratitude

The new year is upon us. This year, the boy and I are just keeping it a quiet night at home- it was the most appealing option after a late night last night. Plus, this end of year I'm feeling like the start of a new year is just the start of a new calendar. Every day is a new day and every day people have the chance to start over and make something better of themselves, the year doesn't have to change for those things to happen.

Yes I have goals and desires for myself for 2009, and sure a new year is bigger, or at least longer, than a new day, so it seems more distinct. But I hope that in 2009, and always, I can appreciate each day, not just January 1st, as opportunity. An opportunity to grow, to do and be things I dream of doing and being, to continue to try and learn my purpose. I hope that I can continue to create wonderful memories with my husband, my family, my friends. I wish to strengthen my faith and my relationship with God.

In 2009, as I have been trying to do in the recent past, I hope to focus on the simple things in life, the things so many people in this world fail to recognize on a daily basis. I want to be grateful for those small things and I hope that others will learn to be grateful this year too. Times are tough and people can be so greedy. I think that focus on the small things, rather than let-me-have-it-in-a-bigger-size, would cause great improvement in our country especially.

Now what do I mean by "small things"? Well, really, they aren't that small, but are made small by lack of gratefulness. Things such as moments with loved ones, sunshine, laughter, kindness, giving without expectation of receiving, life itself. These are the things I hope to not only experience to the fullest in 2009 and in all my upcoming years, but to remember to be thankful for.

I hope that everyone has a safe New Years Eve and that the celebrations continue throughout all the days of 2009 and beyond. Celebration for life and the opportunities that come with it. Be thankful and find joy in the small stuff.

Happy New Year!

Top 100 Books

For years I have had the desire to read classic books and books that have been chosen for top/best book lists. I have sporadically looked at lists and chosen books to read, but have only completed a few. One of my goals for 2009 is to get serious about this desire by choosing a list (the one I'm using can be found here and will also be posted on my sidebar) and reading as many of the books on the list as I can throughout the year.

My plan is to start at #100 and work my way towards #1. The #100 book on the chosen list is called Midnight's Children and it was written by Salman Rushdie. Rushdie is a highly honored author, but he has also faced some great obstacles in his writing career- including death threats after the publishing of his first book, The Satanic Verses (#55 on the list). It looks like an interesting book to start with and I'm looking forward to seeing what else the list has to offer.

I don't know if I'll finish the whole list in one year- that would mean having approximately three days per book- but I'm going to get through as many as I can, as well as reading The Shack, which is the book I chose to read with my Grama this year. My library card will certainly get a work out... finally! I mean, I've only had it for like two years and haven't used it yet... I just hope it works tomorrow when I go to check out #100!

Join me if you'd like, keeping it to yourself or letting me know in a comment.

Tonight Hubs and I are going to a Lil' Wayne/T-Pain concert. Lil' what? I know, but the boy excitedly bought these tickets pretty much as a combo birthday/Christmas gift for himself. I just hope we aren't out too late.

What? How old am I? I'm twenty four, but dang it, I like my sleep!

Ha! :) Happy Tuesday!

Six Christmases...

Hubby and I gave Vince and Reese a run for their money this holiday season. We celebrated Christmas through the exchange of gifts six times, but over a period of eight days rather than one. I wish I had shared more as the time went by, but here is glimpse into the awesomeness of our Christmas festivities.

Our first Christmas was at our home in Virginia on Friday the 19th. It was our first Christmas together as a married couple. We had our third annual Christmas dinner, complete with steak and potatoes, and gift exchange. This year we kept it light with stocking gifts plus a few that wouldn't fit. Hubby did way better than me, in my opinion, with two very special gifts: a photo snow globe with a picture of us from our wedding and a framed copy of our vows. He can be such a sweetheart!

Our second Christmas was on Christmas Eve at my Meme's house. We shared this time with my parents, my sister, my Meme & Grampa, and my dad's brother and his wife and three boys. We received some great gifts and especially enjoyed playing pool with the boys on their new kid-size pool table... as well as the stuffed deer that danced and sang "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" that Meme got Grampa because he was unlucky this year in his hunt for the big buck.

Our third Christmas was Christmas morning at Hubby's parents' house. This was another small Christmas, with stocking gifts plus a few. We got some awesome "first Christmas" ornaments, as well as the beautiful joint stocking.

The fourth Christmas is without a tree photo. We went to my Grama's in the early afternoon on Christmas day to spend some time with her and open some gifts from her and Scott (her husband and my Godfather).

The fifth Christmas was also on Christmas day and was at my parents' house. After opening gifts my sister made some delicious manicotti and then we all (my parents, sister, Hubs, and I) played games. It was a lot of fun and the winners must have only been because it was Christmas- I won the first game and my Mom won the second. That pretty much never happens, but it was lovely!

The sixth Christmas was Family Christmas, an annual tradition of my Mom's family that happens the Saturday after Christmas. This year it was at my Aunt Beth's. They had a great tree that they went out in the wild (not a tree farm) to cut down! This Christmas celebration consists of a yummy meal and two gift exchanges : one (names drawn at Thanksgiving) amongst the cousins (and any significant others that want to participate) and the other an exchange between Godparents and Godchildren. This year we also added on some Rock Band. It was a great time and I look forward to it every year.

After a great week in Vermont, it was really hard to come back to VA. I love being able to spend time with my friends and family and the time is never enough. I cherish each moment though and look forward to the next visit, whenever that might be.

But for now it's back to the daily grind. Work was pretty quiet today and probably will be until after the new year starts. I got a good start on getting back into the routine of "regular" life, including getting a lot of stuff unpacked from the trip this afternoon rather than letting it sit for a few days. What's left will have to sit a bit though because I'm going to bed early tonight (I did not sleep well last night), we have a concert tomorrow night, and Wednesday night is New Years Eve so no doubt we'll be out celebrating. But I have Thursday off, so as long as I don't decide to be a total bum that day, maybe things will be cleaned up in time to enjoy the weekend.

I hope everyone had a great Monday after the Christmas festivities. The next few days will probably be filled with thoughts of what's to come in 2009- including a book reading goal.

Happy Monday! Less than three days until 2009!

Playin' in the snow...

I still haven't gotten my camera from my husband, so I can't share about our Christmas together yet. Well, I could, but I'd rather wait to have the photos.

Today my sister and I, as well as our three younger cousins, enjoyed some play time in the snow. We all went sledding and the boys enjoyed some snowshoeing with the new snowshoes they got from Uncle Mike, aka my dad.

After playing in the cold, we all came inside to dry our wet clothes by the wood fire and drink some hot chocolate... oh, and also play some Atari.

It was a good day.

Happy Tuesday and Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

Winter Wonderland...

We arrived in Vermont on Saturday evening. The snow was falling then and continued to fall all day Sunday. My sister and I got up late Sunday morning to go get a tree with our Dad.

This is the view going down the driveway.

The road going up to the tree place.

The tree place.

Searching for the perfect tree.
You have to be a "tree aficionado" to pick a good one out of all the snowy lumps.

Sister found the tree she'd live in if she were an animal.

Home of the owners of this tree wonderland.

View from up by the pond.

The main road on the way back home.

View from my parent's house on Monday morning.

We certainly don't have to worry about whether it will be a white Christmas here in Vermont this year. It's beautiful... though kind of hard to travel in with a no-snow-tire car. The roads will clear up though, as the snow has stopped today... for now.

I hope to share about my Christmas with Hubby tomorrow, but it depends on whether I get my camera from him or not. He has it at his parent's house and I haven't been able to get it yet.

Happy Monday! Just 3 days until Christmas!