Happy New Years!!

Can you believe that the year is almost over?? There are only a couple of hours left until we are ringing in the new year. As I look back I think of all the fun things that I have done and I just hope that I can make 2009 just as great.

I think the most fun that I had this past year was planning and going on a cruise with my closest friends (Spencer, Heather, Jackie and The Chad). Who knew that the five of us would travel so well together? We spent about 10 days together and went to Disneyland and Mexico. It was so much fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat!! See how much fun we had!! (I did find that other cultures could not tell the age difference between Jackie, The Chad and I. Our waiter thought The Chad and I were married and Jackie was our daughter...so many good times came from that trip).

My friends and I had so much fun this year. We had tons of parties, with lots of food and usually around a specific theme. We celebrated Groundhog's Day, the Chinese New Year, St. Patty's Day, Halloween and many more. We went to rodoes (which were so much fun), and they supported me with Citrine (the Celtic singing group I am a part of). We had two major fun cabin trips (one in summer and one in fall). Watching movies at Heather's (inside and out) and just hanging out. I was also a bride's maid to my friend Brittney and that was so much fun. It was a blast (even when one of the groom's men teased me and my aisle partner and the DJ dedicating a song to me...all my close friends know who it was!!)

My family had so much fun too. Jamie went on her mission to Halifax, Canada and will be home at the end of July 2009!! Time went by so fast with her gone, but I can't wait for her to come home. Madi and Emmie helped me celebrate my 26th birthday by going to the zoo. We had a new addition to our family in June (Brynlee) and she is so cute, and her sisters take such good care of her. Jessie flew into town from AZ and we went to the cabin and zoo. It was so much fun having her come into town. We celebrated the 2nd Annual Wilson Family Olympics at the family cabin and had a blast with that.

I am sure that I missed something (my short term memory is not good), but all in all it was such a great year and I can't wait to see what 2009 brings to me and those I care deeply about. Life is an adventure, and I look forward to the adventures that are out there.

Here are the fun moments of the year that I have in pictures!!

Breaking Dawn came out!! Going to the zoo with Madi and Emmie

Participating in FHE People Scavenger Hunt (I look like Luigi)

Fall Cabin Trip

Citrine (this is an old picture...there have been changes since our St. George performance)

The Institute Halloween Party

Having fun in Cabo San Lucas...CHARGE!!

Holiday Survey

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot Chocolate. Egg Nog is just gross and can’t warm you up on a cold winter’s night (unless you have a little something special in it)
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa has all presents wrapped by the time the first week of December is over, delivered to our house where my mom and dad keep them in their room until Santa comes on Christmas Eve when he puts the presents in a pile by each child’s stocking. I think he does that so they don’t get lost.
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White lights on the crystal tree in the living room and multi on the family room tree (that has everyone ornament of every size and shape on there). I like both white and colored lights on the house, but Scrooge, aka my dad, won’t put lights up anymore. He says he is too old, and he doesn’t want me to do it.
4. Do you hang mistletoe? Yes, but oddly enough when we have hung it, it has been under the dining room chandelier. So for all you holiday table-dancing hussies, our dining table is the best place for you to get some holiday action. (Sorry, it was not put up this year...it was out last year)
5. When do you put up your decorations? Earlier and earlier every year. My mom likes to have it done by Thanksgiving so she can enjoy the holiday shopping.
6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I love plain old Ham and homemade rolls
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Someone doing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” for my family when my dad was down and out with a staph infection in his leg. (Probably 5ish) I also cherish those years that we spent Christmas Eve at Grandma and Grandpa Wilson's home. Oh...and there were those many Christmases that Christie and I would pretend we were Santa's elves and we would see a star off yonder (the one on the tree) and go in search of it (more like dance in search of it) and find one of our dolls under the tree. We did this all while listening to the soundtrack to the claymation version of Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? The truth is…you don’t believe, you don’t receive!!
9.Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes. It is a new pair of jammies to snuggle into.
10. What's your favorite stocking stuffer? Whatever 'Santa' decides to put in it each year. It is always different, never the same.
11.How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? Well, after I haul all the crap from downstairs I then go about setting up both trees and stringing the lights on both trees. After that my mom decorates her crystal tree and makes it look very beautiful, and then the family room tree has ornaments from throughout our whole lives. (Each child gets a new ornament every year, so by the time they move out they will have enough for their own tree. My mom and I also collect ornaments from places we travel to…good thing Jamie is gone, otherwise we would not be able to put all our ornaments on).
12. Can you ice skate? I can go forward, but have never mastered the backwards.
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? The year I got my first kitten. I believe it was our first Christmas in the old Bluffdale house. It is where I found my love for cats. Oh...the cat's name was Millie.
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with my family and friends.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love them all, but especially Pumpkin Pie Cake
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? On Christmas Eve going to Italian Village for Pizza Benders and then walking around Temple Square.
17. What tops your tree? A multi-lighted star on the family tree (which we have had since I was two) and then an angel on the crystal tree
18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving is so much fun.
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas but only if sung by Judy Garland…it always makes me tear up.
20. Candy Canes? I like them, but only in moderation
21. What is your favorite Christmas movie? Miracle on 34th Street (the newer one) and He-Man and She-Ra’s Christmas Special. I watch that every year (since I was 5)
22. Do you feel Christmas is too commercialized? Absolutely I do.