Top 10's of 2010

Top 10 places

(it was a big year for travel for us)

1.       Disneyland (Happiest place on earth tops the list – I still wish I could live there)
2.       San Diego (Coronado / La Jolla / The Zoo / Homewood Suites Liberty Island)
3.       Tustin OC – good friends / patio dining
4.       Palm Desert – lucky not to have melted
5.       Joshua Tree National Park
6.       Beaches (Doheny / Huntington / San Clemente / Jericho )
7.       The Duffy Lake Road via Whistler (aka the Truck Adventure)
8.       Legoland, Carlsbad California
9.       Hollywood LA – a girls dream come true
10.     Dallas TX
11.     Grant’s Pass – It’s the Climate and the Cousins
12.     Seattle – never gets old for me
13.     Steveston  (especially the patio at the Blue Canoe)
14.     The Richmond Olympic Ozone - dancing to great music!
15.     Vancouver during the Olympics

(OK I can count – but it’s my list – get over it!)

Walk of Fame Hollywood

Huntington Beach

San Clemente

Legoland

Joshua Tree National Park

San Diego

Happiest Place on Earth

Top 10 Happy Moments

1.       Turning 40 (ok I am happy NOW)
2.       Discovering Jazzercise and watching my body come back (s l o w l y)
3.       Being downtown Vancouver during the Winter Olympics when Canada won a GOLD medal
4.       Driving to California with my family – I will never tire of walking towards the gates and hearing the music
5.       JFK memorial museum in Dallas – truly moving
6.       Watching some great Cambie kids and their fabulous teacher achieve so much at World Robotics Championships in Dallas TX (and exploring a new City on my own)
7.       Seeing my beloved daughter turn 13 – teenage years here we come (please, please be kind)
8.       Having a good friend visit and showing her our “hood” (and her returning the favour ….twice)
9.       Watching Miss Lindsay graduate from Elementary School
10.     Canada Day in Seattle with the cousins on the twins birthday – Seattle Ducks!!
11.     California Summer – SO many happy moments (I could bore you with a whole list just on this but I won’t  - you're welcome)
12.    David choosing to be baptised at ECC - a big, brave step!
13.    My Dad beating Cancer with amazing humour and fortitude and my Mom cheering him on through her fear – amazing parents I have
14.   Celebrating 19 years of marriage to my sweetheart – a testimony of amazing grace
15.   Not being the greatest contributor to my therapists practice (although now I seem to be the biggest contributor at my children’s orthodontists practice)
16.   A God who doesn’t give up on me… ever….
17.   Soup tonight tonight (no, that is not a typo) and all the peeps big and small and to come (and the amazing soups Chef Allan produces week after week because he loves us all)
18.   Baby girls – to cuddle and buy clothes for and a godson who wears a new red jacket every Fall
19.   2 pieces of original art – Yay Jodie Blaney!
20.   A case of Ruby Tuesday Wine
21.   All A’s and B’s on both kids report cards – great, smart kids
22.   My new blog
23.   Friends …… so many wonderful friends who make life so interesting and enjoyable!
23.   A family to love and cherish and be EVER grateful to walk this lifes journey with

(So… it was a happy year…. lucky me)

Olympic Opening Ceremonies Party

Olympic Light Display on our house

Burton and Byres in Seattle on Canada Day (also Nate and Luke's 10th birthday!)

World Robotics Championships!

Lindsay is 13

Grad

David is baptised by Pastor Gary

Would-a / Should -a / Could-a.........
1.       Worried less (although I do maintain this is a valid stress management technique )
2.       Printed more photos
3.       Been a better step mother
4.       Been a better mother
5.       Walked to the dyke more often
6.       Made vacation decisions more quickly (it turns out reading 10,000 reviews on every hotel in Palm  Desert is unnecessary – but if you need any hotel info for Palm Desert or San Diego I am your girl ;)
7.       Paid more attention when Allan was making soup – I have 1 down but one cannot live on Corn Chowder alone
8.       Been less critical
9.       S l o w e d down – ok who am I kidding – I like things moving at a fast pace – it just got a bit crazy at the end there
10.   Been better with the sunscreen at the beach
11.   Trusted my new body and ditched the fat jeans sooner
12.   Had dinner with Kim more often - call me…. we need to make a date (yes – this is a test;)
13.   Done more of the home improvement projects on THE LIST
14.   Sulked less
15.   Read more (turns out student assignments don’t count)
16.   Written more (instead of just thinking it all in my head – keeping myself up for hours at night!)
17.   Been more thankful

What’s up for 2011

1.       Keep up the blog – and maybe write some other stuff too
2.       Jazzercise forever…. Ok ok …. But at least 3 times a week
3.       Speak the truth more often
4.       Walk the talk
5.       Learn to make another soup recipe
6.       Walk to the Dyke more often
7.       Trust
8.       Choose tile for the kitchen backsplash (already!!!!!)
9.       Remember God will always love me
10.    Try not to freak out about sending my gorgeous daughter to France (without me – a school trip)
11.    Celebrate the goodness of my 11 year old son  - let him be who he is (and enjoy the cuddles while I    can still get them)
12.   Don’t take anything for granted
13.   Try not to be sad that Disneyland isn’t on the list (and try and figure out what vacations will be without driving Allan completely mad).
14.   Pray more often
15.   Quiet the pessimistic and anxious voices in my head (yes I have voices in my head and you do too even if you won’t admit it).
16.   Love
17.   Be bold even when I am quaking inside
18.   Laugh, a lot
19.  Spend more time with my godson
20.  Practice an attitude of gratitude ….. even for the stuff I don’t ask for or want……

Looks like 2011 will be a great year……… May it be so for you and those you love……. Thank you for whatever part you played in my 2010, I appreciate you.

Happy New Year!