A Year Later

Kind of interesting how you can start an online diary of sorts and then just fall off the face of the blog scene (ha!) for an entire year. While January is Month One with Eleven to follow...time will only tell how this year will go for me. The New Year was a bittersweet one for me as I lost a dear close pal, Dana. It was hard to get all jazzed up and sparkly when overcome with deep sadness and loss. Here's a picture of Dana, Jason and Abby's Easter visit while mom was here (won't ever forget it!)

Like I said, 2009 was full loss and heartache but it had its sweet moments too:

• Chilled to the bones Inauguration with Ann (January)

• Inaugural ball with Stevi, Ami et. al; Rhianna after party with Gov. Chet Culver (IA)
• TWO visits from BFF Mindy (February and December)Mindy, Trip #
• meeting my late friend Jay's wife Natalie and boys, JP and Jax in Florida (November)
• hanging with Dr. Mike in Cancun, Vegas and LA in April (trip to see Megs and Raf!)
• Vegas birthday trip with Dr. Mike (October)
• Thanksgiving turkey brining with mom
• Surprise Halloween visit from my brother BOB (and a killer Halloween party)
• Friend Stevi moving to DC and re-instituting walks and talks with her
• Jersey Shore addiction (sorry!)
• Figuring out how to use Google Reader
• Seeing Dana three times during Christmas week
• Second record snowfall of my DC history (first was in '03, second in '09!)
  

And, that's about all I've got right now. Here's a little StoryPeople blip to send you off with the hopes that this is not my last blog of the year!

I have heard some beautiful notes in my life, she said, but they were nothing without the rest of the music, too.

And, here are some select pictures from the lovely year:

I forced him to come to a work event of mine. He cleaned up well.

Saw my brothers a lot too in '09, thank god because they keep me sane.




I went to the white house, saw the Governor of Iowa, mom came for the Cherry Blossoms,
I BRINED a turkey (see outcome below)...
and...

Mel also graduated...from law school...FINALLY!