2010

First, I have to say that there is nothing better than waking up to a new year with a clear head and healthy body, hangover free! Last night was a very low-key night. We left Prescott when Hank got off of work and arrived at my parents' around 8pm. Our family from New York was in town, and everyone was hanging out and eating yummy food, so we joined right in. We all played Catch Phrase and then watched the ball drop. Hank and I toasted with our family at midnight with Trader Joe's sparkling cider, and then I enjoyed 2010's first kiss with the man of my dreams. We were in bed by 12:30am. They say the way you spend your New Year's Eve is indicative of your upcoming year. If this is in fact true, then we couldn't have done it better. I was surrounded by the people I love most, enjoying fun games and great food. I hope this next year is just like that- full of family and happiness. Looking back, 2009 was a great year. It was full of laughter and happy hearts, traveling and friendship. It also included small disappointments, health scares and sadness. Like any other year, it had its ups and downs. I'm assuming that 2010 will be the same way, and I am definitely welcoming any and all of it with open arms. One thing I do have this upcoming year that I didn't have last is one more year of experience in handling those negative things. I feel like I'm at a place in my life where the bad things don't throw me as much; it's a good place to be. At the start of this decade I was enjoying my Senior year of high school, enjoying life but having no idea where I was going; I was a typical 17-year old. Who would have guessed that 10 years later I would be married to the love of my life, living in a dream of our own creation. It's mind-blowing. To me, this isn't just the end of a year, or a decade. This is the beginning of a new stage of our life. 2010 has promise, and I'm incredibly curious to see how this all pans out.

This year I do have 3 things I'm planning on working on-

1) getting healthier- I am definitely health conscious, and I work out a lot, but I would like to focus on mixing it up more and doing one thing in particular- going to the gym before work at 5am. I went off birth control because I felt that it wasn't healthy for me to have synthetic hormones in my body, and since going off I've gained a few pounds. Last time I went off I experienced the same thing and I hate it! So I'd like to get to my comfortable weight and then work on doing new and exciting things with my body like climbing, new dance/aerobic classes, etc.

2) saying goodbye negative people/talking- This past year I did a great job of ridding negative, rotten people from my life. I managed to do this without hard feelings...those people kind of just drifted away and out of my/our life and I am so happy about that. In 2009 I made the decision that I would only surround myself with people that made my heart happy, and with that decision I did lose a few friends. I am so much happier now though, and I feel so much more at peace. I have a little ways to go, but I feel 2010 will see the completion of this goal. Family and the few friends that are like my family are really the main things of importance in my life. Everything else is secondary, and if you are going to bring any sort of dramatics or negativity into my life, I have no desire to let you in. Furthermore, on the subject of negativity in general, I would really like to get to the point where I don't discuss anyone in a negative way. I am definitely guilty of this, and it's such an ugly trait. I don't do it a lot, but when I get with certain people this part of my personality comes out, and I hate it. I shared this goal with some of my girlfriends yesterday and they both said "You don't do that!" but I know I do. That feeling I get in my stomach after I know I haven't been the best person is horrible. So, with that said...I'm going to try my best to stop negative talking about anyone.

3) continue blogging- This year I've done the best job of really documenting my life. There's been times where I feel uncomfortable with being so public, and I feel odd about so many strangers being in my world, but at the same time it's really fun and I've met some awesome people through this little blogosphere, as well as kept in touch with faraway friends and family. I hope in 2010 I continue to be as thorough in my writing and photos.

So here we go 2010! I'm so happy to meet you.