Well, I'm not sure what happened in January 2009 other than possibly busy season just jumped right in and kicked my ass, but I have NO pictures from January last year and no recollection of anything significant happening (other than, I imagine, trying to prepare for the next few months of busy season). So, we'll jump right into February 2009- when I had to go to Alaska for work and Tim joined me. He got to explore the beautiful frozen tundra and I worked. Of course we found time to play and explore some together too. It was a fun trip.
One of the things we try to always continue to do throughout the year is to take advantage of this gorgeous state we are in and hike! It's a way that we connect and it is so peaceful and serene in the mountains/outdoors out here. Plus, it keeps us active and healthy! Here is one of the hikes we went on in February of this year. Gorgeous.
Valentines day, 2009. I was definitely busy at this point and I remember being absolutely exhausted coming home on this day but my husband had flowers, a card, my favorite wine, and dinner all waiting for me. Not to mention, he looked pretty darn cute.
March 22, 2009. I had some crazy idea throughout January/February that I wanted a puppy...I researched puppy breeds, then found a breeder and next thing you know? On that day, we flew to Boise, Idaho (ON A TOTAL WHIM). And we got picked by Miss Bella Kaleigh Jones (not even the original litter we were going to look at! The breeder had decided THAT day that she was not going to keep her...and Bella picked us. So glad she did).
Still at the breeders (and already in love with Timmy), about ready to book it to the airport to try to get back to Seattle that night...and then proceed to panic because we were ABSOLUTELY unprepared for a dog and made it to petco in Seattle 5 minutes before they closed (thank god). 
A few weeks later, she is in puppy kindergarten, learning lots, loving lots, playing lots and just basically adjusting to life as princess Bella.
My 27th birthday cake- delicious!
We celebrated my birthday week by taking Bella on her first excursion to downtown Seattle- the crumpet shop and pike place. She slowed us down a bit because everyone wanted to see her/pet her. She was a star!
Bella looking around at Pike like, "WOAH. This world is BIG."
Also around my birthday week we ventured up to Vancouver, Canada for my birthday. Such a fun road trip!
We got to hike, explore, and play on an absolutely beautiful and warm spring day in Vancouver.
My birthday flowers...
During the month of May, Bella really broke out of her box and decided to show those kitties who is boss. Puppy kindergarten was still a learning process at this point...
Getting used to those silly kitty brothers and enjoying some warm spring sunshine. 
During the end of May/beginning of June, the weather was AWESOME here. We had lots of beach days. 
We all loved lounging in the warm sun after the winter.
May was also the realization that Bella had some sort of chronic tummy problem. We spent A TON of money between May-June on various vets, specialists, tests, foods, etc. trying to figure out what was going on. Not fun for her or us. (Happily, at the end of 2009, it is much more under control...though still costly as she is now on expensive food and expensive supplements for life). Oh and those test and "the specialist?" Complete waste of money. Here I am trying to get Bella to eat pumpkin. It was supposed to be good for her tummy but it really did nothing other than cause a huge mess.
Once the lake warmed up through June, we got to go swimming! (Bella's first time!) She is definitely excited as you can tell.
But she eventually got the hang of it...
And it always ended like this. I don't think swimming is her favorite activity.
She also learned that she LOVES to be social. We had many days like this of playing with her new puppy friends.
Those playdates always end like this.
Also in June, we went down to my cousin Patrick's graduation from the University of Oregon in Eugene. Fun weekend trip and we got to spend time with my brother prior to it and see my family during it!
At the end of June, we got to go to our friends' Holly and Justin's beautiful wedding in Wenatchee, Washington. We also made a day trip of this to explore the east side of the mountains.
This picture was taken during Bella's first experience with wind (after the ceremony). She was not sure what to make of it so she went nuts.
In July of 2009, Tim traded in his FJ SUV for a more eco-friendly prius since he has such a long commute.
We also moved to our new home on July 15. LOVE IT. Such a cute place and great neighborhood. A few days later on July 18, we went to our friends Rich and Stacies' wedding... it was another absolutely BEAUTIFUL ceremony/reception and we are so glad we got to be part of it. In fact, we were so busy talking and having fun the whole night, we didn't even take any pictures!
Our new place is right by a TON of parks- probably at least 5 or 6. Here is one of them where we take Bella to run at alot. In July, it was really dry.
We went to hike at the end of July on one of the hottest days of the year in Seattle (over 100 degrees). It was HOT (and miserable to be inside). I now know what it is like to live in Arizona without air conditioning.
A picture of me on that same hike. Pictures were taken with phones so they are really small, not sure why.
Shortly after that hike, we headed to Missouri to see my family where we got to experience "Seattle weather" for most of the week (mid-70s, sunny). However, on the day we decided to golf, it ended up being over 100 degrees...hence the flip flops and tank top. So great to see family even though it was a fairly short trip.
In August we made the day trip to Mount Rainier. It did not disappoint. Absolutely stunning.
Tim in front of the mountain range at Rainier.
After exploring all day we went on a 5 mile hike....and found this cool little mountain lake. Bella was such a trooper!
Also in August, I said goodbye to little Winston, my 2005 mini cooper.
But hello to my new little spicy Alfred, a 2009 mini cooper.
In September, we did the North Cascades drive. It did not disappoint either and was just breathtaking.
Also on north cascades drive...Gorgeous, gorgeous scenery.
At the end of September, our breeder flew in from Idaho and we got together with her and all of her boxer puppies that live in the area. So much fun!
In October, we headed back to the beautiful islands of Hawaii for a week.
During our trip, on October 20, 2009, we celebrated....
....the one year anniversary of this (October 20, 2008).
When we got back from Hawaii, it was almost Halloween and Bella was exhausted from so much time at her "puppy hotel." But we made her get in the Halloween spirit anyway. It's more than we did...Tim had to work on Halloween and I took it easy (meaning stayed home and handed out candy to kids). Yes, totally an old married couple.
During the first part of November, we started having fall fires to combat the cold nights. Bella and her buddy Calvin the kitty LOVE THEM..jpg)
At the end of November, we headed to Phoenix over Thanksgiving for a long weekend.... we got to hike, see many good friends, go to a comedy show, lay by the pool, eat and just generally had tons of fun!
Thanksgiving 2009- totally the way to go. No cooking, no cleanup, all relaxation. Perfect!
Tim's birthday, 2009...we celebrated by cake, a couple of dinners, lots of presents after I returned from my annual December Alaska trip.
Luckily this December, we had no snow in Seattle but we DID have a white Christmas in Kansas City- blizzard, actually!
Christmas, 2009....a perfect ending to a week filled with family and friends. And now we are here. Almost 2010. Lots of ups and downs in 2009 as in every year...laughter and tears, joys and sorrows, beauty and wonder... but mostly, looking back, it's only the joys, laughter, beauty and good memories that ever stick. I am amazed that it's already 2010. I'm not quite sure how the past ten years have flown by so fast... and then, thinking about it, although they have seemed to fly by, I am taken by how much has happened in those ten years. The person I was ten years ago is totally different than who I am now... not the "core" but I'm shaped and transformed by all of these "years in review" from the past ten years. There are some years that wouldn't have a year in review. Like 2006 or 2005...dark, dark years for me. But at the end of the day? It's made me who I am now: a person so utterly thankful for all that I have in this life...for knowing true, real love; for realizing my full strength and potential; for understanding that I will never be afraid to do what I know is right and to stand up for those beliefs; for having a good job and loving that I am good at it; for having supportive family and friends that I know without a doubt will always be there for me. And mostly, I'm so thankful for my little family that I started with the guy that walked into my life in December 2006 (or, more like, I passed out into his...) I'm so excited to share this next decade with him. I know there are such exciting things to come for us...and that some of these things are going to bring tears- not only tears of sorrow, but tears of joy, tears of knowing how HARD you are working to be the best you can be...as parents, as people in the community, as partners. But I welcome the tears just as I embrace the laughter... through it all, I cannot wait to see what the year in review for 2010 holds for us. And 2011. And 2012. And 2013...
I don't do resolutions. Never have. Never will. I don't believe in them. I personally think they are overrated and stupid and set people up for failure. I don't want to do a top ten list of things I want to do or who I want to be as we enter this next year. I already KNOW that stuff. I want to be healthy, I want to always make time to slow down, to not let time zoom by me, I want to be a good mom (even if it's just a puppy/kitty mom for now), I want to continue to grow and learn in life/my job/my community, I want to be a great friend, I want to be a loving sister and daughter, and most importantly, every day I want to wake up and I want to make sure that every person that means something in my life knows how much I love them, support them, cherish them and that there is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for the prescense and impact that they have in my life. The things that help me fill in that list will come... But through all of those things, I will always come back to those core values of just wanting to be the best person I can be for all people in my life. And year after year, that will be my "life resolution." The constant that never changes, the goals that I always strive to fulfill. Happy 2010 to everyone out there. Cheers!
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