HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WOW, 2010! I remember back in the 80's when I was thinking...gosh...the year 2000 is going to sound so weird!

Work last week and the week before was a piece of cake -- I was initially dreading it, but it was so nice to be able to sit and get stuff done without being interrupted 20x. I'll have to remember this for next year. No need to save a ton of vacation for end-of-year...save it for the warm summer days!

Not a whole lot else is new. My favorite family, the Monaco's, moved away. They are in Denver right now but will be completing the move to Australia shortly. I adore them and think of them often. I have never taken a trip outside of North America...so I told Liz my goal is to save up for a trip to Australia to visit them! That would be so awesome. I'll have to sign up for some flight-watchers to just get an idea of how much something like that would cost. I wonder how long the plane ride is. Would I be able to handle that, even if I could afford a flight? Gah. Liz...if you read this...let me know. I could barely handle the flight to Mexico...heh. I hate being "trapped" on that plane.

I spent Christmas Day with my family in Pine River. I wish I would have been there on Christmas Eve, but my emotions got the best of me (long story) and I made the huge mistake of deciding to stay home that night. Dumb. My first Christmas Eve ever not with my family, and I can never take that back. I shouldn't take things for granted like that. Anyway...lesson learned I guess. :( Mom, Dad, Heidi, Ellen, and Jared all got me such nice presents....Marsha, Dorald, and Bear were all up there that day too, and left me a movie gift card which rocks. Good food, lots of snuggly dogs, my awesome family....oh the love. My heart could burst. <3 Mommy and Daddy got me, among mannnny awesome things, a new beautiful ski jacket which I so desperately needed - a cool cocoa color. They got me a size or two too small, so we went online and did an exchange, and it should be coming any day now. I'll have to post a pic of the whole ensemble! One thing I have to remember to get....the game Catch Phrase. We played w/ the family w/ Ellen & Jared's game, and it was HILARIOUS! My Mom and Dad were priceless trying to play...I wish like hell I would have gotten some of that on video. :)

I had a great New Year's Eve last night w/ Elliot. He came over around 6:00 p.m. and made me dinner...spaghetti w/ cut up chicken breast pieces, and cheesy garlic bread. And we had a few glasses of sweet red wine and some berry sangria...YUM! Also played some Wii bowling (and I kicked his ass I may add). Just simple. I like that...it was perfect for me and relaxing, just spending time with someone I get along with and laughing about silly stuff. Certainly beats going out to a bar and getting wasted. I am so beyond that.

Tomorrow is only Saturday! (well today...since it's almost 2 a.m.). Gotta love long weekends. And oh yeah, since it's the new year, my vacation has reset! Four weeks and 2 days, baby!!