Thursday, December 31, 2009

Farewell 2009

I'll end the year the same way I did last year, with a shot of our discarded Christmas tree.
I was looking back at all my blog posts and reflecting on 2009. I'd have to say I'm most thankful to Medtronix, who manufactured the internal defibrillator that saved my dad's life this past summer. I know health care is a mess, but I'm so grateful that modern medicine has allowed me to spend more precious time with my dad. Unfortunately, my parents each lost a best friend this year, and we hope for a better 2010 for those families. Here at home, Cam turned 16 and got his license, then smashed up the car on icy roads three months later (no injuries, thank God). Delaney turned 13, so we became 'parents of teenagers'. We were able to take two family vacations this year, to New York City and to Canada. In October we welcomed some family members back to Maine after eight years away. I sold some photos. We got a new puppy.

Looking forward to 2010, we'll be welcoming two more nieces/nephews into the family. We thought one might make her appearance before the end of the year, but she has other plans. In 2010 Delaney will start high school, and Cam will be a senior and apply to college. My husband is going back to school to get a Certificate in Public Health. I'll be here, taking photos of flowers and dogs dressed up in silly outfits. Whatever else God decides to throw our way, we'll do that too.

So this is the second year in a row that I posted every day, with only one day this year without a photo. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to do it again in 2010. I'll see where the New Year takes me...

Happy New Year!!!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Vera Bradley Christmas Stockings

Is it going overboard with your love of Vera Bradley when you buy your daughter a Christmas stocking and your mother buys you one? If so, don't care.
So I made the chicken fried steak from Pioneer Woman's cookbook for dinner tonight. I've never even eaten a chicken fried steak, never mind cooked one. Most of my "chicken fried" fell off the steak into the pan, and I oversalted the gravy, but it was still pretty good. We're just sitting around listening to our arteries harden now.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Kindle love

Thank you, Santa, aka the best husband ever!

He also satisfied my yearning for glossy, full-color photos:

I love my new Kindle! I'm reading Stephen King's latest, Under the Dome, and have downloaded free samples of approximately 3,245,978 books on my wish list. You might not hear from me until next Christmas.

Monday, December 28, 2009

2009 Ornaments from my mom

Every year my mom attaches an ornament to our Christmas gift as a clue to what it is or who it belongs to. Even the dogs get presents from Nana :-)

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Candy

Before being sprinkled on our gingerbread tree:

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Gingerbread Tree

So much easier than a gingerbread house and therefore more enjoyable.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas

I was trying to capture one of those adorable "puppy in a Christmas stocking" photos. Things didn't turn out quite like I'd hoped: