After the Festivities are Over - a Year in Review

So here we sit and its the 26th of December, 2009. Wow what a Christmas we have had and what a year it has been.
Looking back on the year 2009 all I can say is "Holy Cow!" It started off with a bang as my hubby and I jetted off to the Dominican Republic for a well deserved break. Just the 2 of us - no kids! (Thank you grammas and auntie!!) We spent a wonderful week at a gorgeous resort and it has left me wishing we could do it again in January 2010 only with the kids this time. But alas that is not in the cards. That's ok though.

Now here's a bit of history... Brian and I didn't love where we were living at the beginning of 2009. Not that our house wasn't a home or anything like that but we had some neighbours that we weren't too fond of and it made living and playing at our home uncomfortable with our children. We had been looking on and off for houses that could be our new home for about 5 years. While away we decided to wait until March to start looking again and just enjoy the next few months after our trip with a post vacation glow and rose coloured glasses left from the holiday.

Now here's a bit of reality. We got home from our fantastic trip and about 2 weeks later I started looking at MLS and other listings for houses. I should NOT have done that but boy am I glad I did. I found a house that I really wanted to look at immediately. It was out of our price range by $10K but I thought we could always low ball an offer and see what happens. So I sent Brian the listing and he hummed and ha'd about it but after looking at the pictures said ok we should go take a look at the house. Well by February 11th we were taking our second look through the house and putting in an offer! By the end of day on the 12th the house was essentially ours!! With the low ball offer and all!!

So on our daughters 4th birthday (Feb 14) we listed our house. The MLS listing went up on the Internet on the 16th and by the 18th our house was sold! Obviously the new house was meant to be ours or things would not have worked out the way they did. It was a crazy time but we packed and moved by the end of March, beginning of April (we had a 1 month overlap so I could paint and clean a bit). We finally had our true "HOME". The picture here is of our eldest running around in the empty house that was soon to be ours. Both kids loved the space.

We've spent the time since moving in renovation the basement and then putting new floors in the living room and dinning room. We've worked hard but this house is really OURS now and boy do I love it! I think I must tell Brian about once a week that "I love our home." I appreciate all of the hard work he has put into to improving the house and making it ours. I appreciate the fact that he appreciates the work I have done too. Our children seem so happy here too. I know the move was hard for them both but now my 4 year old says that she doesn't really remember the old house. But she does remember Christmas at the old house... but she likes this house better for Christmas. Kids say the darnedest things.

I May we celebrated Miranda's second birthday in our new home... we had 18 people sitting, comfortably, in our new kitchen for a meal. WOW! I love my house! And my baby turned 2! Yikes! She's a little peanut but man she's feisty! She's going to give me a run for my money when she gets older. Not that she isn't already.

During the summer we went to the park across the road a few times... yes the park is ACROSS the STREET from us! WOW! I love my life. We didn't have any problems like we had with the old neighbours. No calls to the police reporting violence or other nonsense like in summers past. How fantastic could that be? We actually enjoyed our yard at our home instead of having to stay inside or go to the park if we didn't want.

September came and Talia started school, Junior Kindergarten!! AH! How did my first born get to be so old?? She loves her school and her teacher and is doing very well. Oh ya did I mention that the school is right ACROSS the road... and down a bit but still!!

After finishing the renovations in the basement we decided to go ahead and do the upstairs before Christmas. So speedily we painted and floored the dining and living rooms. Making this house even more ours! Then I started decorating for the holidays! I didn't care that it was not even mid November. I wanted to decorate my new home. So I got started with the small things like finding my holiday table clothes and towels and things like that. Nothing major - yet. But we did have the trees - yes trees - up about a week earlier than my historical norm.

Now with the turkey cooked, cookies baked and gifts exchanged I am certainly ready to face 2010 with my family at my side. We have a wonderful family and a wonderful home and we all are loved by so many. We are very lucky people and we need to be sure to remember that every day. Everyone should be as lucky as I am and have all of the joy and happiness that I feel when I look around at my life.

All the best for 2010! May it bring fewer major life changes but just as many wonderful feelings and as much love.