2008

2008: A Year in Review

Places I traveled:

Colonial Heights,VA
*saw my whole family play a Wii (especially TJ & Johnny boxing)
*surprised Em & E on their birthday
*enjoyed Christmas with my family

Atlanta, GA
*stayed at the Ritz
*stepped inside the Georgia Pacific headquarters and felt important
*ate at yummy restaurants like Ted's, Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles
*had a drink at the top of the Westin while overlooking the city
*toured the Coke Museum & Millenium Park...alone
*visited the Georgia Aquarium where I fell in love with a whale shark

New York City
*finally saw RENT (on Broadway that is)
*hung out in Greenwich Village
*had Pinkberry, and then continued to dream about it
*bravely went to the Bodies exhibit
*shopped, shopped, shopped

Galesburg, IL
*met my beautiful nephew Dimitri
*got to sleep in a room where Carl Sandburg once stayed, which just happens to be in my sister's lovely new house
*ate at a delicious Creperie'
*walked an Italian Greyhound

Greenville, SC
*stayed with Heidi & Spencer and went swimming
*had a delicious fried turkey
*ran my best time in the Electric City Turkey Trot 5K – 30:15

Spring Lake, NJ
*showed Em Ryan's old house
*saw the ocean
*ate 7 lb. Lobsters

Chicago, IL
*toured the city
*took in some improv at The Second City
*drank handshaken margaritas made with fresh squeezed lime juice
*picked up a copy of the November 5 Chicago Tribune

Napersville, IL
*shopped in the adorable downtown
*celebrated at Kara's wedding
*ate Chicago style pizza

Books I Loved:

The Book Thief
Shadow of the Wind
Moloka'i
Marley & Me
Kite Runner
A Thousand Splendid Suns
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Water for Elephants
The Other Boelyn Girl

Things I Learned:

Worry less about what others think of you.
Give thanks for your blessings – every day.
If you wake up and want to do something – then do it if you can!
Work is work – end of story.
Hug people you care about often.
Anything is better than watching TV.
I feel better when I write, and best when I talk about it.
Knitting something for someone else makes me feel happy.

Proud Moments:

*I have a wonderful marriage to an amazing guy (4.5 years!)
*I taught myself how to knit.
*I kept running even after I hurt my knee.
*I'm organizing a Pennies for Peace campaign for my school in 2009.
*My blog (Thanks Heather for getting me started again!)