For me, I'm going to have to say that 2009 was a pretty great year.

• The love of my life asked me to marry him in front of my parents on the front porch of their house on January 19th.
• I was then lucky enough to marry the love of my life on a gorgeous beach in La Jolla on April 7th.
• I started this blog shortly after our wedding. I never expected people to actually read it!
• We held our reception at my parents house on May 23rd.
• Kenai and Root Beer turned a year old in June.
• My wonderfully adorable nephew, Grayson, was born on June 30th.
• In July, we decided to throw out the birth control.
• I soon found the great community of bloggers, whom I love dearly.
• I turned 21 on September 1st.
• We celebrated our first Thanksgiving as a married couple.
• We celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple.
• Both of our mothers found out about us being off the pill.  Not so much great, but I'm glad that's kind of just out in the open now.
• We didn't get pregnant this year, but I'm hopeful for 2010.
• Tonight Hubs and I will get to share our first New Years kiss as Husband and Wife, and I couldn't be more excited.

I'm positive 2010 will be great. Have a great New Year!

Happy 6 Months, little boy! :)

He gets serious when the camera comes out.

And for a good laugh;

Yarrrrr! (For Busted Kate)

The Hubs has decided that we need to use his week of vacation time before it expires in June 2010.  So we thought an anniversary trip in April would be perfect.  We're not sure how much money we're going to have then, so we decided a small trip to see the Grand Canyon would be fun.  We've talked about doing the Grand Canyon Railway for awhile now.  We thought that would be perfect for a small anniversary trip.

Even though we would much rather see something like this;

But we just don't have the money for that right now.

Maybe someday...

My "nephews" from babysitting on Sunday

Aidan & Kaleb

"Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.  If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.  If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.  If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.  If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.  She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.  So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of shit."

I'm sure most of you heard about my weekend, but for those of you who haven't -- my house was broken into on Saturday afternoon while Hubs and I were out Christmas shopping.  No one was hurt and nothing was broken, thank goodness.  But whoever did it sure got away with a nice handful of stuff.

• My brand new laptop
• Our other laptop that was 5 months old
• Hubs Xbox
• Gun that my father gave me
• Backpack that Hubs had some stuff in
• Two jewelry boxes
• Watch I gave Hubs last Christmas
• Sapphire necklace and ring set from Hubs
• Pearl necklace and bracelet
• Horseshoe necklace from friend in Minnesota
• Sapphire ring from my parents
• Two dang pillow cases!

From just these items, the Police told us it amounts up to $4,000.

Those are the things we've noticed missing.  There could be more, but I can't remember every single thing that was laying around the house.  I'm not so upset about the stuff, because it's just stuff.  I just feel so violated.  Who ever it was came IN THROUGH MY BEDROOM WINDOW.  He had to have crawled over my bed.  Went throught my underwear drawer.  Now I always feel like we're being watched through our bedroom window.  I'm scared to be home by myself.  That's not a way for anyone to live.

I called my brother (who is a Phoenix Police Officer) once we found out we had been broken into.  He then called a buddy of his that works in my area.  They came out and made a report.  They actually fingerprinted printed this time.  (Last Christmas we were also broken into, but the Police then were not very helpful.)  They got quite a few prints, hopefully one of them matches someone in their database and we can catch the jerk who did this. 

We're going to get out of the neighborhood soon!

• Trying to find somewhere to sit before getting pushed out of someone else's way and into another person.
• Groups of 40+ children and adults going back to school from a field trip.  Really?  Who uses the local transportation for field trips?  I didn't even know that was allowed.
• Trying to avoid unwanted stares from creepy strangers, or multiples strangers at the same time.
• Crazy men yelling and cursing at themselves.
• Trying not to fall over when you get to your stop and your bus driver slams on the brakes.

Sometimes I wish we still had a second car.

December 18 Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

There's probably quite a few of these.  Shade Clothing earlier this year -- I bought a ton of undershirts from them before we left for California in April.  Target, most definitely.  Fry's Marketplace -- I mean, that's where I grocery shop about once a week.  Best Buy -- we bought two laptops this year.  I'm more than positive that there are more, but these will have to do.

December 17 Word or phrase.  A word that encapsulates your year.  "2009 was _____."

2009 was beautiful!

Yesterday I took my first OPK.  I'm not sure why I never got around to taking one the last few months since I've been off the pill.  I think I might have just been scared of the results.

Sorry about the poor quality.

The line was a little darker in person than it was in this picture.  But this gives me hope for this month.  Actually seeing that line and knowing that I (hopefully) ovulated is a good feeling.

Yesterday I also decided that I would start charting my temps.  I purchased the digital basal thermometer from Fairhaven Health.  To my surprise it was on sale from $11.95 to $8.95 and I found a 10% off coupon online!  A few months ago when I bought Fertility Facts from Conceive Online, I also bought The Fertility Journal.  It has areas where you can chart everything, so once I get my thermometer I'm going to start using that as well.

I'm about to enter into my 2ww, so that should be a fun time.  I'm definitely going to need something to distract me!  Good luck to other 2ww ladies!

December 16 Tea of the year. I can taste my favorite tea right now. What's yours?

I'm not a huge tea drinker, more of a Dr Pepper gal.  But when I do drink tea it's generally Arizona Green Tea w/ honey or some raspberry tea.

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

This one honestly stumps me.  Packaging is something that always catches my eye, but for the life of me I can't think of any great packaging.

December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

I'm going to have to say when we got married.  I was happy, nervous, scared, excited, thrilled, anxious and so many other emotions.  But it was a great rush and I was so happy!

December 13 What's the best change you made to the place you live?

Going from this:

To this:

Then to this:

And finally this:

December 12 New food. You're now in love with Lebanese food and you didn't even know what it was in January of this year.

Eggs. Steak.  Not much else, but lately I've been trying to leave my comfort zone -- my food comfort zone, I mean.

December 11 The best place. A coffee shop? A pub? A retreat center? A cubicle? A nook?

For me, the best  place is being right at home.

I stole this from Natalie at Hope Springs Eternal.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? - Wrapping paper.  I love putting my own bow on with cute ribbon!
2. Real tree or artificial? - Artificial.
3. When do you put up the tree? - I usually put it up the day after Thanksgiving, but this year I was a slacker.
4. When do you take the tree down? - Day after Christmas.
5. Do you like eggnog? - Yuck!
6. What about Fruitcake? - I have never tried it.
7. Favorite gift received as a child? - I've always loved Barbie's so I'm sure those had to be my favorites or when I got my own TV for my bedroom!
8. Do you have a nativity scene? - Nope.
9. Hardest person to buy for? - Everyone!
10. Easiest person to buy for? - Myself :D
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? - Probably some awful clothes when I was younger.
12. Mail or email Christmas cards? - Mail!
13. Favorite Christmas movie? - I don't really have a favorite. I'll just go with A Christmas Story.
14. When do you start shopping for Christmas? - End of November, beginning of December.
15. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? - No.
16. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? - Ham!
17. Clear lights or colored on the tree? - Depends.  This year white.  We got a little tree. Last year it was colored.
18. Favorite Christmas song? - Jingle Bell Rock.
19. Travel for Christmas or stay at home? - Stay home.
20. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? - If I thought about it really hard, maybe.
21. Angel on the tree top or a star? - Star.
22. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? - One on Christmas Eve and the rest on Christmas morning.
23. What is the one present you want most this year? - I already received it from Hubs. My laptop!
24. Most annoying thing about this time of year? - People.  And having to spend money.  I'm always worrying that we're going to run out.
25. What I love most about Christmas? - I've started to love everything about Christmas in the past two years.

December 10 Album of the year. What's rocking your world?

I haven't been listening to much music this year.  I'm hardly ever in the car (I take the bus to work) and when I'm at home I'm usually reading, watching tv or on the computer.  I hardly even know the names of the bands and/or songs that I listen to on the radio. But I do still enjoy music.

My sweet babies:

Kenai & Root Beer

December 9 Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

I guess I'll just go ahead and pick to obvious challenge I've had this year -- marriage. Even though to me it doesn’t particularly feel like a challenge, more like a blessing. I feel blessed that I’ve found someone who loves me and who wants to spend the rest of their life with me.

But it’s still a challenge. You have to make the relationship work. You have to communicate. When you fight, you still have to talk it out and resolve the problem. It’s always worth it though.

December 8 Moment of peace. An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there?

La Jolla, CA

Merry Christmas from my family to yours! :)  I hope everyone has a wonderful time spending time with all of their loved ones!  It's been really great finding out how large (and in charge) the blogging community is this year.  And I'm really glad I've met all of you!  Merry SITSmas!

About six or so months ago I decided to buy one of the First Response® Fertility Tests.  When I brought it hope and read the instructions it told me that I had to be off hormones for at least two-three months, so I knew at the time I couldn't use it.  So, I put it in a drawer in my bathroom and decided I would use it when I was able to.

Well, turns out I failed to use it the past two months.  But I finally used it this cycle!  I wanted to share my results with you.

Here's what the results mean:

Please click to read.

And here are my results:

Sorry about the awful quality.

So that should mean that my FSH levels are in the normal range.  I'm going to take the test again next cycle, since they give you two in a box, just to double check.  I'm not really sure how accurate these things are.  Has anyone else tried this test?  What were your results?

December 7 Blog find of the year. That gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year.

I can't really pick ONE blog.  I'm going to have to say it's almost every single blog I've found this year.  It's the entire blogging community.  I started my current blog in April of this year and didn't really expect to get much out of it.  But I've actually found a great community of women (and an occasional man).  I had no idea how large the blogging community was until I actually got into it.  I've actually made some great friends.

These women are there for eachother.  Whether it's during the two week wait, or trying to pick out a gift for their husband or boyfriend, or trying to pick out a new tattoo.  They're there!  Ask them for help, and you'll get at least one willing person to help you.  It's great.  I haven't had many friends lately, in real life.  So it's wonderful just chatting with these women.  They're all remarkable.  I'm glad I've found each and everyone of them. :)

Happy 8 Monthiversary, Hubs! <3

It's amazing how quickly time passes.  In four short months we will be celebrating our year anniversary, and I can't believe it!  We are going to start planning a mini vacation for it.  Most of it will be spent at home since we're short on money, but it will be a great time.  As long as I'm with him. <3

December 6 Workshop or conference. Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?

I honestly don't have one.  For my work we don't have to go to workshops or conferences.  The only worked related thing that I leave the office to go to are client lunches and they're pretty boring.  I mainly end up sitting around the entire time because I'm the youngest one there and can't relate to anyone. 

Yesterday I actually decided to get some Christmas spirit and put up a Christmas tree and some decorations.  My tree is 4 feet tall and doesn't have many decorations.

My cute little Christmas tree.

Our 1st Christmas ornament from my mom.

I need to take a picture of our entertainment center to show you where I put our stockings.  I also put our ornament there, since it's too heavy for the tree.

December 5 Night out. Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that rocked your world? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night?

The best night that first comes to might was my "Bachelorette Party".  I wasn't 21 yet, so drinking was out of the question and my house wasn't available because Hubs was having his bachelor party with poker, beer pong and a keg.

For my party we went to Olive Garden for dinner then to Castles N' Coasters for some goofy golf (putt putt, whatever you'd like to call it).  Then afterwards we went to Sonic for some drinks.  When the night was over we went back to my house and crashed the boys bachelor party.

It was a great night.  I got to hang out with my best friend (at the time), mom, sister-in-law (Nicole), family friend (Nanette), and soon to be mother-in-law (Marie) and sister-in-law (Krysten).  We had some good laughs.  They gave me a crown, sash and some necklaces that I got to wear all night.  At Olive Garden they gave me some naughty gifts, which made people at the resturant laugh.  Golfing was great, until I got HIT IN THE HEAD WITH A GOLF BALL.  Yes, you read the correctly.  I got hit in the head with a golf ball that a little girl hit.  Her parents were more concerned with finding her golf ball than apologizing to me.  THEN they tried to steal my golf ball.  Even though that was the worst thing that happened that night, it was definitely the highlight.

The rest of the night went by pretty well.  No more golf balls to the head, which was nice.  When we got back to my house I was showing off the huge knot I got in my head from the golf ball.  Everyone found it pretty humorous.

I know it's not your typical bachelorette party, but then again I'm not your typical girl.

December 4 Book. What book - fiction or non - touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies?

There are two books that I've read & I fallen in love with in 2009: 

I read both of them mainly on the bus and on the way home from work.  But occasionally when I got a chance I would read some from home.  If you have some spare time, ever.  I suggest you pick either one of these books up! :)

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen was actually recommended to me by a friend I went to high school with.  I'd never even heard of it before, but I'm really glad I decided to read it.  It's one of the best written books I've ever read.  I literally could not put it down.

I can honestly say that I am in love with every single one of Nicholas Sparks' books.  Realistically all of his books are the same.  They meet, fall in love, something tears them apart but then they always end up together -- for the most part anyways.  But I guess that's just the hopeless romantic in me that loves these books. 

I didn't give out multiple copies of either books.  But I did send Water for Elephants to Whitney in Missouri and I let my sister-in-law, Nicole borrow The Lucky One.