New Years 2011

Happy New Year!!
As the photo above obviously illustrates, we had a small New Years party at our apartment. :) Shane, Heather, Lauren, David, Hannah, Danny, Me & Seth. We had a lot of fun, for the most part. A few drinks here and there, guitar hero, poker (with funny money sacks!) and of course the ball dropping and whatnot. :) Good company, mostly.

The point though, of this post, happens to be that New Years is one of my favorite "holidays." I kind of want to explain why. New Years is my favorite because I'm in love with new beginnings, chapters and order. I love the "fresh-ness." And the anticipation. A New YEAR, A New Challenge, A New Goal, A New Optimism, A New Aproach, A New Mission, A New Resolution. I don't so much believe in "resolutions," but I do believe in optimism. I believe in learning from the past year and being able to qualify it as a learning experience and looking forward to the new year for the learning experiences and the happiness.

I wouldn't call myself an optimist as much as I'd call myself a realist. I look at both the past and future years as what they are and were to me, and I appreciate that. I'm not going to pretend 2011 is going to be all puppies and rainbows and flower petals, but I'm going to understand that it will be something worth experiencing. There will be many good things to happen this year, and I've got to admit, 2010 wasn't all that interesting. I have many things to look forward to, but I don't want to put them on a pedestal and be disappointed when graduation isn't all that exciting or when my 21st birthday isn't the greatest birthday ever or whatever it is that happens. But it will be an experience. A quantifiable experience that I need to have. I'm interested to see how it all will play out, see what surprises good or bad are in store for me this year. Things can change. And they will.

If I come back and am reading this in a year, I want to remember how much I was looking forward to the things that are coming. I want to remember that I was somewhat content, though not perfectly so. I had applied to graduate schools but had heard nothing back. I was counting down the days until graduation and my birthday. The puppies were healthy - Lucy weighs 49 lbs and Chevy weighs 29 lbs. The cost of their shots and exams shocked me - next year, be prepared for that! ;) We lived in our apartment we've been in for over a year, but we realllly want and need a yard. Rent or buy, we both want a house soon. Maybe by the end of this year. I'm not married or even engaged, but that may come later this year. :) My grandfather's 80th birthday is in 19 days and I feel like that is a hugely awesome milestone. I'm not thrilled with my appearance (weight) but I am loving growing my hair out! As much of a p.i.t.a. it can be to dry. My bfffff is Hannah Epps and my bffffboyfriend is Seth Massey. :p I feel old because my babies (brothers and sister) are going to reach some "old" sounding ages this year! 17, 7, 15. What in the heck!! That is how I want to remember this day, right now.


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We start back to school tomorrow. I'm excited, in a way, but mostly I wanted a few days to sleep in before going back. Oh well. That's life I suppose. I have four classes tomorrow - ugh!

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Here are some pictures from New Years 2011! Dinner at Osaka, the rest at the apartment.