A Nice Year

Over at Operation NICE they have NICE Assignments from time to time, and I really liked the idea behind this one:

Today's Assignment: Celebrate 2008!
I know how you folks are a bunch o' list-makers out there, so let's try it one last time this year. I want you to make a list of all the wonderful things that you've done or have happened to you in the last 12 months. It could be events you attended or awards you received or priceless moments that will help you recall 2008 with great fondness. Or maybe even silly things that might seem trivial to someone else! (e.g. Buying a Wii is totally on my list!) Either way, the more items, the more smiles you'll find!

Here is my list of 2008:

• Going on a cruise with my family to ring in the New Year - getting to explore Carribbean islands and relax on tropical beaches
• Surviving the bus crash
• Getting close to the fantastic people in my CYW class
• Using tools to make and open drinks with Stace, more than once
• Cousinly weekends with a St Patty's Day parade
• Going to the ROM and taking silly pictures there with Stace
  
• Thunder Kitty's first birthday
• Movie dates with Stace
  
• DMB CONCERT
• Getting to spend time at home in the summer with Mom relaxing on the porch in between camps
• The drives to and from HD camp in the summer, cruising with the windows down and the music up
  
• Finding a placement that I really loved
• Growing closer with my family during tough times
• Weekends with the camp girls - multiple
  
• Nuit Blanche avec Mel
• Starting to blog again and the wonderful new bloggy friends I have met
• My 23rd Birthday and Thanksgiving
  
• MOM BEATING CANCER!!
• The support from my family and friends I have received throughout the cancer ordeal
• The Twilight Saga (nerd alert!)
• Finding the courage to take a shot on the online dating thing
  
• Reuniting with first year roomie
• Spending Christmas with my family
• Finishing my CYW program (with honours, I might add!)
• Getting a job at the placement I loved
• Learning that I am stronger than I ever thought I was
• Feeling that I am kinda sorta grown up, living and working on my own in the big city
• Becoming more self aware and self reflective as well as more self confident
  

I think writing this list was important. The events that have happened this year were pretty sucky at times, so much so that my family and I have been joking that 2008 was pretty much the worst year ever. But even though so pretty major bad things happened, a lot of good things still happened. And, I suppose, if those bad things had to happen, I'm glad they happened the way they did. Not only was it the best possible outcome for all events, but it also showed me that I have family and friends there to always support me, and that I am much stronger than I thought.
So, thanks, 2008, you were tough, but we made it. Here's to an easier 2009, with some things changing and others staying the same. Wait and see I guess!

My Christmas in Photos

I should be unpacking my stuff and tidying my apartment, but instead I'll blog about my Christmas highlights.

I got a new camera, so clearly the first thing I went to do was take pictures of the cat. Everyone loves Thunder Kitty and me photos!

This is our Christmas tree on Christmas Eve after a busy day at the store and the Christmas Eve service. We always open a present each (pajamas) as a family and sit around the tree.


I took a close-up of one of the ornaments I got at 10,000 Villages for my sisters and myself last Christmas. At 10,000 Villages everything is fair trade, it's a pretty cool store.

At Grandma and Grandpa Button's house (Mom's parents), I got to be Santa. The tradition of having one of the grandchildren play Santa started when we were little. We made it all the way through all of the cousins, and the youngest, Maddy, had to do it many many years. When she finally decided that she was sick of it, 3 years ago, Grandma did a random draw to decide who would be Santa, and Jenn (2nd oldest grandchild and 1st oldest unmarried grandchild) got stuck with the job. The next year, Mel, the next oldest, did it, and so this year it was my turn. Grandma asked if I wanted to wear the hat and I replied with something along the lines of heck yes.


On Boxing Day morning, we have lunch at Aunt Christine's and Uncle Richard's. Our oldest cousin and her hubby always come to this part, so now we do our cousin picture there instead of on Christmas Day. Besides the hubby, we only have 1 guy cousin, who I always try to make do things that nobody wants to do using the fact that he is a boy as the reason. This photo was totally my idea.

And finally, on Boxing Day, we go to Aunt Jane and Uncle Mark's house (on my Dad's side). This year, we had a kids' table again for the first time in years - note: kids =14-25. Apparently my sisters and I wear the dark clothes, and Justin is the classy cousin with his mouth full of food.

So, after over a month of waiting, and after selling diamonds at Mom and Dad's store for nearly 2 weeks, I had my traditional family Christmas. It was nice. Not very relaxing, as per usual, but nice all the same. There's always comfort in tradition, I think. No matter how many other things change, some things always stay the same.

The Ghost of Christmas Past

And now a look into my Christmas Past...

Here is me and lil' sister (I have brown hair) in our Christmas dresses made by Mom, with our brand new dolls in their matching dresses, also made by Mom. Pretty sweet, eh? We are also sporting our brand new bright haired dolls that we kept to play with in the bathtub with our mermaids. We're at Grandpa and Grandma's on Christmas Day, and I think maybe the best thing about it is that I currently have that love seat in my apartment, beautiful pattern and all.

I hope you all have a fantastic holiday season, readers, whatever it is that you celebrate. Take some time and remember years past. And please, please cherish the time you have with your loved ones! Nothing lasts forever, so celebrate every moment.

Christmas is Almost Here!

Want to get me a last minute Christmas gift? Here's some ideas!

Kitty no.26 by penguinandfish

Tree Print Green Jersey Scarf by PrettyRaccoon

Happy - A stained glass star by PamelaAngus

Monster Cat Loves You (Large Moleskin) by nowvember

Alphabet Soup Necklaces by taprobane

The Dinosaurs Deserved It T-Shirt @ Threadless

Good News, Ladies!

Everyone's favourite fictional vampire, Robert Pattinson (or RPattz, as I lovingly call him) no longer looks as though there may be a small family of woodland animals living in his hair.
Remember this?

Much better, RPattz, I am a fan of the early 90's grunge revival look minus the actually dirty hair. And the fact that you're carrying a guitar just made me swoon a little.

Via The Superficial.

December Carnival

The 20SB December Blog Carnival is up, and this month, I have decided to participate. You get 3 choices, and I have chosen to write about: A wishlist of 5 items, one for each sense (that's an item for sight, one for smell, etc). Here we go.

See: Matt & Nat Jorja Small Purse - I'd like to see this under my arm! I love Matt & Nat, a lot. The Jorja Small Purse looks like it would hold all of my belongings and fit perfectly under my arm.
Or, possibly, I'd like to see the world through the lenses of a new camera, something like this one:Smell: Vera Wang Princess - It smells really pretty, I think it may be the next addition to my perfume collection.
Taste: Tim Horton's Breakfast Sandwich - Seriously. I could eat one of these things daily, or even multiple times a day, for the rest of my life. Now if only they weren't so so so unhealthy.
Touch: iPhone - I know I don't need a new phone, but the iPhone is pretty and has so many useful apps! Please? I promise to use it!
Hear: DMB concert - Unfortunately, the tour they just announced doesn't come anywhere near me (NY being the closest). I really really want to see them in concert again. I saw them last June and then once a few Decembers past. DMB honestly puts on the BEST live show, I wish I could see them again and again... I would be an awesome groupie.

Two of My Favourite Things

Urban Outfitters + Free Stuff!

Y'all need to go and get yourself a free year's subscription to Nylon Magazine!

Amazing!