Best of 2009 Challenge

Since there are only a few days left of 2009, I figured I should get on the ball and finally start the Best of 2009 challenge. 

Night out
The greatest night of 2009 technically started in 2008 but rocked late into the first day of 2009.  Is that cheating?  Wait.  Never mind.  I don't care, because no night could have topped this night:


My Wedding.


I know.  Swoon.


As some of you may know, I got married on December 31st, 2008, and the reception raged late into the new year.  It was a night filled with my favorite people, lots of dancing, and so many memories that I know I will never ever forget.

Moment of peace
This one is simple:  My honeymoon in Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.  Oh.  My.  God. An amazing week in the sun at an all-inclusive resort.


THIS was the view from our balcony:

Yeah, our balcony with a BED on it!:

There were multiple pools that were only a few feet from the ocean ...

... and, of course, lovely swim up bars ...

... where we were got special "honeymooner" drinks in addition to all our other free drinks!

Yeah, and a waiter or waitress was assigned to you all day, and they would bring you anything you wanted, no matter where you were:

We had free 24-hour room service ...

... and they made us sweet desserts like these:

I wish we could have stayed forever.

Blog Find of the Year
Since I only started blogging this year, all of my finds are ones I lived without until this year, but I have found some real beauties.  I love Pilgrim Congress for her drawings in Paint and Jesus jokes, Live It, LOVE It for her general hilariousness and TMI Thursday, and Ex Hot Girl for her inspiration.

However, if you have read my blog in the last week, you know who my fave is: Hyperbole and a Half.  Imagine David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs.  Now make it a straight girl (not that there's anything wrong with that!) who did not have such a devastating childhood.  Add lots of long sentences and an out-of-control imagination and use of sarcasm, and you have Allie.  Go check her out!

Book of the Year
David Sedaris' newest, When You Are Engulfed In Flames, rose to the top of my list.  

If you are a Sedaris fan and haven't read this book yet, go buy it!


Album of the year
Well, since I am a LAME-O, I will leave this one to my husband.


He reports: "I have co-winners ...

Arctic Monkeys, Humbug

and Them Crooked Vultures, Them Crooked Vultures

TV show of the Year
The Office is definitely the one show I cannot live without.

Honorable mentions:  It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Hoarders, and 30 Rock

Film of the Year
Simple.  Inglourious Basterds.  

A-maz-ing.  So wonderful, interesting, funny, sad, moving, and inspiring.


Honorable mention:  The Hangover.  HI-larious.


Best change made to the place I live
We have not been able to make many changes to our home this year since we are renting, but we did make two purchases that really changed the look of our whole living room:

This TV stand makes us feel very "adult."


However, hands down, the best "new addition" to our home was our little sweetheart, Cleo.

She brings us so much love and joy every day, and she is such an important part of the family.


At first, MoJo wasn't too keen with the changes made to the family structure, but they are now buddies.

Or, they coexist somewhat peacefully.  Whatever.


Challenge. 
Well, that would have to be my job.  To make a long story short (which I am not so good at -- have you READ this blog?), I was handed a lot more than I signed up for this quarter.  I was happy (kind of) to step up and help when I was really needed, but it certainly made for a long and soul-crushing few months.  The positives were that I tested my strength, I made it out alive, and because I had to go "above and beyond" my contract last quarter, I will get a break in my schedule next quarter but still get the same paycheck.  Say what?!?  I am looking forward to that.  Big time.

The best place. 

Please allow me to be schmoopy and dorky.  Oh, wait, you can't stop me! Muahahaha!

Anyway, my favorite place is laying on my husband's lap on our big red couch.  

I had a million other possibilities, ones that made me sound more interesting, hardworking, driven, or artistic, but they were all lies.  My favorite place is being curled up, safe, and relaxed with the husband.

Word or phrase. “2009 was _____.”

Evolution.  I moved up at work, it was the first year of my marriage, and we got a dog.  Things were certainly happening this year, and I feel that it was a very natural evolution into my more "adult" life.

Resolution you wish you’d stuck with.

Well, duh.  I wanted to lose eighty trillion pounds, and eat much healthier, remember to take my vitamins every day, and exercise five days a week.  EPIC FAIL.

However, I think I have set some more realistic health goals for this year, and I am going to have a little checklist on my fridge so I can remember to accomplish them every day.  Here's what I have so far:

1. Eat one salad a day
2. Take a multi-vitamin, Calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C every day
3. Include a healthy lean protein in my lunch
4. Have two small snacks during the day to make me less hungry during meal times
5. Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and veggies in a variety of colors
6. If I don't do structured exercise, I have to walk Cleo for 40 minutes

Okay, so I didn't answer all 31 questions, but these are the ones that really apply to me and I will want to look back on 10 years from now.  

So, what are YOUR bests of 2009?