Hello 2012...

Well here we are yet again, starting the year new and refreshed and redefined. At least that's what it is to me. Last year I vowed to just accept what came to me which was the UNKNOWN....and accept it as it came I did.I honestly had no idea what to expect in 2011...I knew I was letting go completely of a big part of what my life used to consist of and I was ready to take on the world in a whole different light.  And trust me I did, however at the end of every path was a bit of a disappointment followed by laughter. I stepped into a new life filled with new experiences...I traveled more, I planned less, I took on more workloads, I built walls and took chances on people who attempted tear them down......one of which actually succeeded only to prove to me why I built walls in the first place......end result? Walls went right back up immediately. But I'm glad I took the chances I took, without taking chances, you avoid risk and disappointments yes, but you also avoid the good in the situation and of course the possibility of something amazing. I wasn't about to let something "amazing" pass me by and while it turned out to be anything but amazing I learned more about myself and this thing we call life.

Something else amazing happened in 2011...my best friend gave birth to the sunshine in my life. Words can't express what little Benjamin Randall does for me...he is just a breath of fresh air.  His smile lights up my life and the love I have for him is beyond what words can explain......he makes life so much better :o)

 

So, as I say good bye to 2011, I say hello to 2012. I say hello to the things I haven't encountered yet, to the lessons I haven't learned yet, to the people I have not crossed paths with yet....I hold on tight to those most important to me who have helped me get through the past couple of years....making me laugh and helping me to realize that through every dark moment comes a light at the end of the tunnel. This past year I learned to laugh at the things that go wrong..life isn't perfect, and it never will be.  It's just an amazing thing we have every day that allows us to make the most of what we have and not care about what we don't have. I look forward to many more memories with friends and family because 2012 is going to be an amazing year.....I'm ready.....are you?

No stone left unturned...

Well I'm a bit rusty here since it's been over 2 months since my last post, and trust me it's not due to laziness. The last two months have been very busy with work, and the invitation business, plus the usual holiday festivities have occupied much of my time as you can imagine and can most possibly relate to.  So since I last gave you something to read about, I gave thanks as usual with my family up in freezing cold Big Bear Lake, California. This year proved to be quite the party with about 30 people in attendance, while it was a good time, I definitely prefer it to go back to the usual 15-20 :o)

In addition to Thanksgiving another one of my beautiful friends married the love of her life. Stephanie Gall became Mrs. Matthew Dante in early November, another beautiful celebration that goes down in the books!

So the month of November flew by and before I knew it I was decorating for Christmas....something I chose to completely depart from last year due to my scrooged mood ha ha. But this year although most would think even 2011's experiences would get me down in the dumps, I chose the higher road. I decided to host my annual girls Christmas celebration which in turn FORCED me to decorate and partake in the typical holiday cheer. So I hung my stockings and put up my pathetically fake Charlie Brown of a Christmas Tree, hung my lights and enjoyed the touch of Christmas I pulled together. I had 4 of my closest girlfriends over the following weekend for a potluck, gift exchange, wine and laughter. I don't believe we've laughed that hard in a long time. And of course the more the wine poured down the pipes, the looser the conversation flowed, spilling "secrets", sharing stories: the best of memories with one another. Was definitely one of the best of times, from the outside I'm sure we sounded like a bunch of cackling chickens, however only we are to understand our own language talking over one another and laughing.....nothing else seems to matter in these instances. I enjoyed Christmas celebrations with my godparents and even slipped in a quick Vegas trip....sometimes you just can't pass it up especially when you come home with this:

Christmas was upon me before I knew it, my shopping was done early this year which was a relief, I even chose to wrap as I bought which seemed silly to some. But they sure weren't laughing when I had nothing to wrap and they had saved all their gifts to wrap at once only days before Christmas Eve ... HA HA HA I say! So Christmas eve was a bit different this year, spent with my parents and brother. The last time it was just the four of us was about 16 years ago and to be honest it was probably the best one in a long time! We enjoyed eachother's company, laughing, reminiscing, playing games, enjoying a delicious meal at Lazy Dog along with little Oscar of course. Chrismas Day was another intimate day just the 4 of us enjoying brunch and a lovely surf and turf dinner.....sorry if I make you hungry right now:

 

It was as delicious way to end the holiday...to say the least!!! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and as the new year approaches take a moment to think about 2011, the good, the bad, the lessons learned, the friends made, those we let go of.....think about what you want to do in 2012 differently, or what you want to accomplish....and do it! It's a fresh start,  a fresh year to make things happen.....

So make it happen!