2009 - A Year In Review

I can't believe it's almost the New Year already.

A lot has happened this past year. LOTS!

Lots of home improvement.

Lots of travel.

Lots of work.

Lots of play.

Lots of ....

Some of these things I've posted about in depth. Some I didn't. I either didn't have time, couldn't find my camera to download the photos, or just didn't because...well, in the words of my boys when they were little - "just because...."

So, in NO particular order, things I want to remember from 2009....

Phillips 1st, but hopefully not last, trip to Indy 500. He got to meet and have breakfast with Rupert of Survivor fame. Had an ALL-ACCESS pass and used it to it's fullest. Had fun with the camera crew AND was within arms reach of the INDY 500 winner when he drank "the milk".

 

Our master bathroom remodel. No more sharing a bathroom with boys and guests! Privacy is a wonderful thing.

The new-to-us motor home and camping with friends.

Going to McMinnville to see the Hercules, most commonly known as the Spruce Goose. This plane is GYNORMOUS!!!! Can you see the guy up on the platform???

The "flattening" of the front yard. Well, it's not actually FLAT - FLAT, but it'll be a whole lot easier to mow in the Spring.

The small side of the garage all "dude'd" up. NO more sagging loft. No more gross, spider-web infested window. Newly poured, level floor (even if it cracked because the contractor did it wrong!) Painted floor and walls. Ceiling insulation. New lights & door. Shelves. New power. NICE!!!

Brunch on the Hellgate Boat Trip. Even though we ALMOST missed the boat, we made it - more like, they waited for us!!! Fun day together.

KILZ! Lots of KILZ....Kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, office, dining room, scrap room, entry room, hallways....Whew! No wonder my arms, neck and shoulders are sore....

Hallway closet shelves. At last.

The front porch. Still not finished, but a whole better porch than we NEVER had....

Aaaaah, yes! THE motorcycle. The first one I ever rode for real. On a real dirt/gravel, mountain road. THE motorcycle that I fell down on and skinned almost my whole right side on. THE motorcycle that is fairly easy to ride on pavement, and fairly easy to ride going UPHILL, but is very scary (for a first-time rider) to turn around on a dirt/gravel road whilst on a descent with a mountain drop off to the right - thus my nervous sweats (yes, girls do sweat!) and "herky-jerky" movements that caused the clutch to pop, the bike to die and roll downhill towards the drop-off, until, finally, I let it fall upon myself to avoid the embarrassment of scratching the bike the first time out. FIRST RIDE. LAST RIDE SINCE. I'll stick to the Automatic Honda Ruckus that does not require coordination of both feet and both hands. My mind just doesn't work that way! I can't dance either. Jr. High Aerobics was like watching Elaine from Seinfeld dance!!! Oh well.

Manx Dunebuggy rides. Lots of them throughout the year. TOO much fun. Yes, I can drive this baby. Clutch. Shift. Gas. NO problem-o. FUN, FUN, FUN! Like driving a street-legal go cart.

Stumpy-the-Rooster! A most unique Kauai bird. We saw LOTS of chickens in Kauai. Weird! But he was by far my fave.

Lots of fun with my girlfriends. Lots of creating. Fun retreats. Lots of laughs. Lots of good food. A good time was had by all.

Trip to Maui. Beautiful Sunsets. To-Die-For Snorkeling. Time Alone. Lots of Relaxing. Lots of Energy. Lots of Great Memories.

OMG. This car ROCKS!!! O.K., so Phillip bought it in 1993, and it was finally completed in 2001, but here it is with new, and I DO mean NEW (designed by a friend of ours) wheels. Truth is, this was for a test-fit, and the Classic CenterLines are back on it, but these wheels look awesome on the Impala.

We brought a TON, well, actually, SEVERAL TONS of stone onto the mountain this last year. These walkway stair slabs were so heavy, they required heavy equipment to move!

AND FINALLY, a little something that I'll always remember, in honor of my three boys. A three-sea-turtle tattoo. I got my first tattoo while we were in Maui this last Summer. I love it! Even if some people I know can't believe I actually got a tattoo. It was really easy and not nearly as painful as I always imagined. I may even get another, someday....

There were a TON of things that happened in 2009. Kyle moved to Idaho and back again. A.J. got his scooter license. Ty worked FULL-time at the shop all year! Went to Las Vegas for the SEMA show. Lots of home improvement. Lots of Treasure Hunting. Lots of work. Many adventures. Many firsts. Lots of Love, Happiness, and Goals Achieved.

Here's to another GREAT year. Welcome 2010!!!!

Now, I'm linking up to The Lettered Cottage. Go check out all the other links too!