2009 Year in Review

It seems so weird to me that it's New Year's Eve and tomorrow it's going to be 2010. I know I haven't updated in a while so I thought I'd do a special "Year in Review" post for today. I don't remember every single thing that happened in each month but I'll do my best to remember all the highlights. 2009 was definitely one of my best years.

January -
A year ago today I was in downtown Chicago with my (not then) boyfriend, his brother's and a few friends from college. It was also the first time that the bf and I kissed. Not at midnight, thankfully (although we did kiss at midnight), it was a few hours earlier that day. We were still in our awkward, beginning relationship phase, but it was definitely a fun night. I also started my last semester as an undergraduate student!

February -
I was anxious for Valentine's Day to arrive because I wasn't sure where I stood with the bf. Was he looking for me to be his girlfriend? Was I just a friend who he occasionally kissed? I didn't know! And I'm sure I annoyed the hell out of my friends with my CONSTANT over analyzing. The bf and I hadn't made any plans for Valentine's Day, actually, I don't think we even mentioned it to each other. He eventually told me that we were going to go visit his brother in Chicago for the long President's/Valentine's Day weekend. I thought ok, but wasn't banking on it being romantic or anything like that. I ended up making him red velvet cupcakes and bringing them to his house before we left. I guess I made the corner to fast and ended up sending the cupcakes flyging and ruining all of them. I was more than bummed. Anyways, I thought we were heading to his brother's house and he ended up surprising me and had gotten a hotel downtown Chicago for us instead. We ended up walking downtown, going to eat at Ditka's, and spending Valentine's night at a cute little wine bar that I can't remember the name. They even had Spanish guitar players and flamenco dancers.

March -
I spent a week with some of my best friends at an all inclusive resort in Cozumel, Mexico. It was amazing. I did nothing but sit by the pool all day long and eat nachos and chips and salsa. My roommate and I would be so tired by the end of the day that we'd be asleep by 9pm. Much to the annoyance of some of our other friends who wanted us to go out with them in the evenings.

April -
April drop the last month of my undergraduate experience. It was also my brother's 18th birthday and the first time the bf officially met my parents (and the rest of my over sized family) at his joint birthday party with my cousin. Thankfully it went well. The next day my dad's side of the family had an Easter gathering where all of us cousin's had an easter egg hunt like we did when we were little children. Except now we're all in college. Let's just say it was HILARIOUS.

May -
I graduated with my BSW on the 3rd. I also started the oh so fun job search for the summer. I clearly didn't put as much effort as I needed to because I didn't end up getting anything so I instead spent the summer dicking. Which I was totally fine with :). The bf also graduated graduate school with his MBA and and got hired as a full time employee at a place he had been working at during his college experience. I got him a massive grill he had wanted for a while as a present and he got me my Nokia phone.

June -
The bf turned 26 that month. I bought him a birthday cake that had his name on it with balloons (he's not a fan of box cakes unfortunately). We ate cake, and then that night we went out to a really nice sushi (the bf's favorite food,....unfortunately) restaurant and then went to see a movie. It was a pretty low key day. I got him a really nice dark wood box that was engraved with his initials and inside were matching silver and black leather bond flask with his initials, cigar holder, mini flask, lighter with his initials and cigar cutter. The bf got himself a little birthday present and bought an 8 week old german shepherd puppy

July -
I don't remember a whole lot from this month, it must have been slow. I do remember that for the 4th we went to the bf's brother's house for the weekend. We took the puppy for a walk and looked at all the fancy apartments and walked the Boston symphony fireworks on the television.

August -
This month brought the end of the summer and the start of graduate school. I also got the internship that I had been waiting to hear from and started at the end of the month.

September -
Labor Day weekend the bf, his brother's, their girlfriends/wives and a few friends went camping.....behind the bf's brother's massive house. We waited to long to make reservations at regular campsites and ended not finding a place that had availability. So we said screw it and set up tent's in the backyard. It ended up being extremely hot that weekend so it was nice to be able to go inside and be in the air conditioning. And to have TV, hehe.

October -
I turned 24 this month. My birthday fell on a Thursday which happened to be my super long day at internship so I was a little less than excited. However, my bf actually set me flowers to my office which was a huge surprise and something that no guy had ever done for me before. We ate lunch together and I went to his house that night. He had gotten my favorite pizza and made me my favorite cake. Two cakes actually. I love that boxed white cake with the confetti chips in it with the matching frosting. He made two cakes and had one with the white sprinkle frosting and one with the chocolate sprinkle frosting. I loved it. And then we watched The Office.

November -
The semester had been pretty rough for me so I was really looking forward to Thanksgiving break. It was also the first Thanksgiving that I would be bringing a boyfriend with me. So I was excited.....and extremely nervous. My parents had gone down to Chicago the day before and my brother and the bf went first thing Thanksgiving Day. It went well. It was a crazy house and everyone ate way to much. The bf and I left that evening and went to his brother's house to stay the night. We got up early the next day and headed downtown to do some shopping.

December -
This month has been crazy. I finished my first semester for graduate school and all A's!!! I was so ecstatic when I looked online to see what my grades were. I have one semester left and I'm feeling really good about finishing up. This past semester was really rough and I'm not taking as many classes so I know I'll be fine. Christmas was really good and I ended up with a lot of loot. I got a new Sonicare Toothbrush, over $3oo, more candy than I know what to do with, socks, a sweater dress, a new mini compter (from the bf!!!!!!), Super Mario Brother's for wii, and concert tickets to the Black Eyed Peas. Yeah, I did real well. The bf and I headed up to his dad's house in for a long Christmas weekend. It was really fun and nice to get away and relax. We were supposed to head out west to spend New Year's with some friends but we decided to just come back and spend New Year's here. After being away for so long we were kind of ready to come home and have a low key night. Per the bf's request, I'm making a steak dinner with a mushroom cream sauce, macaroni and cheese and roasted garlic mashed potatoes. I'll update on how that goes....hehe.

So like I said, 2009 was a really good year. Especially considering the mess 2008 was. Here's to hoping 2010 is the best ever! I hope everyone has a safe and great night!