The Norbs made one of my all-time favorite meals last night during our ritual Saturday Night Dinner ... pork tenderloin with red wine mushroom sauce, spinach with a little onion and bacon, baked potatoes, and salad with a hint of raspberry dressing.
Holy moly, it was gooooooood!
(Between Norbert's gourmet meals, Kay's home cooking, and Alex's homemade "special-secret" Italian sauce, I am so food-spoiled ...)
Sherlock Holmes was good ... then again, I don't think I have ever seen anything with Robert Downey, Jr. that I didn't like. He has this very assured air about him ... I enjoy it quite a lot.
Speaking of, my mom gave me the entire Ally McBeal series on DVD for Christmas, and I am looking forward to the season(s) in which he played Larry. Of all the men on that show, he was the one Ally should have ended up with. And, come to think of it, I think David E. Kelly once said that was the initial plan ... then he got arrested, or went back into rehab or something. Alas, no Larry and Ally. In which case, it should have been The Biscuit.
Now I'm just rambling ...
I was feeling very crafty one day and decided I should make our stockings this year by hand. Mine is just like Alex's, only with an "SK" where his "AJ" are. 
My niece, Corinne, is the cutest little girl I have ever seen. Seriously!
It was her first year to actually "open" presents, as last Christmas she was only one month old.
We had a White Christmas!
It was Kimber's first time to be in snow ... she obviously loved it.
And so did I ... because ... 
It was the perfect opportunity to wear my pink fuzzy boots!!!
And to build friendly little snowmen.
Courtni stopped by with her new baby, Lilli ... who is sooo precious! Look at those blue eyes. 
In general, it was just a really nice and relaxing holiday.
I know I left you all with a cliffhanger yesterday that probably kept you up all night.
And the answer is (drum roll, please) - Golden Twilight! Yesss ....
Happy New Year! Hope you didn't forget to eat your black-eyed peas! :)
(And, tomorrow, I am putting up a fence. Lord, help me!)
Well, another year is a-comin'! Can't believe we are already saying goodbye to 2009 ... it's been a fast year. I always heard that time speeds up as time goes on (nicer way to say, "as you get older"), but I never could have known it would pass this quickly.
It's been a good year, though. I have nothing to complain about in my life - I am truly a blessed person. I have a great partner, a great family, great friends, a great puppy, and in general just a really nice existence.
I pretty much gave up on resolutions when I realized the start of a new year means little else than the end of one chapter and the starting of a new. Sure, you can aspire to change your life, or yourself, or your situation ... but resolutions are not going to be the ways to do those things.
January 1st is nice because it kind of does feel like a new slate, with one year in the past and whole new one to look forward to - but January 1st doesn't have to be "the day." Usually, for me, it isn't. Mine usually come before that specific day in any given year.
My point is, don't use the first of a new year as a scapegoat for not doing what you should have done before then. And I'm not saying that to anyone in particular, just a random pouring of thoughts on the last day of the year.
I always feel nostalgic around the holidays. I'm not sure why, but today could have to do with the snow. I also find Christmas lights mighty enchanting, and mine are all lit up nice and bright today. I think I'll start taking them down tomorrow ... I hear it is tacky to leave them up much longer than this.
So, what did I learn in 2009? Hmmmm ... I learned a lot about commitment and how fantastic it can be with the right person ... I learned that I can successfully put together a desk that is in a hundred tiny pieces all by myself ... I learned a puppy doing a happy dance can literally make my day ... I learned how to cook ... I learned that skiing is not as easy as it looks, nor is raking and bagging leaves ... I learned that quality time is not the same as all the time ... I learned how to take a compliment ... I learned how to make the most awesome blueberry muffins I've ever tasted ...
I'm sure there is a ton more, but that's all I can think of at the moment.
And, what do I know about 2010? I know I will still have the best partner, family, puppy, and friends anyone could ever hope for, and I know that I be teaching 11th grade English at Monterey.
The rest is a complete and total mystery - just as it should be.
As for right now, I have the very daunting task of choosing between Onyx Rush, Golden Twilight, and Bolting Blue ... nail color for my New Year's Eve dinner, of course! I feel a little game of "inny meeny miny moe" in my very near future.
Hope everyone has a delightful New Year's Eve! Be safe out there.
I can't believe it is already Christmas week! Where in the world has 2009 gone?! I feel like last week was last Christmas. Golly!
I am just happy that my entire family is either in town now or coming into town very shortly. My cousins (Melanie & Crystal) and niece (Corinne) and aunt (Charlotte) came into town on Sunday and will be here until the day after Christmas. My other cousin and his girlfriend (Mark & Chrissy) and my cousin-in-law (Scott) will all be here a little later this week.
The holidays are fabulous for me for that reason alone ... family!
