2009 Year In Review

I'm still in shock that it's 2010, so I'm just now trying to summarize 2009.

TRAVEL--I traveled a quite a bit last year for work and for fun. Here are some highlights:
FLORIDA

Work Trip to Florida--found some time for fun!
Coco Beach

VEGAS

Another Work trip to Vegas--went to a BYU game during the Mountain West Conference Tournament on our time off.

David Cook concert in vegas

DISNEYLAND with the family

Doesn't a moment like this happen whenever you take kids to Disneyland--all the fun wears them out. Luckily it doesn't last long!

SAN FRANCISCO

Had a girls trip to SF with my good friends Shannon and Heather

Alcatraz--my favorite place

LONDON & PARIS--with my friends Barbara, Camille & Zach

Big highlight for me--driving on the other side of the road and car! SO scary!

Can you spot the crazy guy climbing on the outside of the Eiffel tower? He was throwing flyers down until French military pulled him down!

We were in Paris on Bastille Day--very exciting!

FLORIDA AGAIN

I had to take a quick work trip, so i brought Clark along and we went to Disneyworld.

BIGGEST REGRET OF THE YEAR

Letting the flu keep me away from my little brother's biggest football game of the year.

He's the starting center on his high school's football team

OTHER FUN TIMES

Running the 4th of July 5K for the 3rd year in a row

Attending most of the BYU Football games--but more importantly capturing this moment with my friend Barbs in cougar blue. Normally she prefers another team....more Crimson in nature...
I'm just glad i have this photo to document her her true blue roots!

Purchasing my first home!

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

It looks like i was helping cook, but really my mom was making me do all the dishes. I'm not much of a cook, but I'm really good at cleaning up after the real cooks!

My folks

My niece Emily with our Thanksgiving table.
My dad and grandparents right before our Thanksgiving Feast.

Christmas morning!

A little gem from YouTube

Not quite the latest, but the best pest pictures I have...

I think there is something cool about this waterheater. Apparently no freezing cold shower blast when someone flushes!

The future kitchen and dining room

1 of the 3 bedrooms

The garage and covered balcony

My bathtub!

I think the sheetrock is up now...I'm getting so excited for my new house!

The Perfect Version of 'O Holy Night'

Not to jump the gun on the season....I know we still have Thanksgiving coming up this week! I love the fall and am not anxious to hurry it along. But I just had something on my mind about one of my favorite Christmas songs!

Last year my friend Barbara and I were so sick of the crazy versions of O Holy Night we were hearing on the radio. In my own iTunes, I have versions of this song from everyone like Charlotte Church to N'Sync (ok, i love this one!). But we came up with the formula for the perfect rendition that we wanted to hear:
1. Needs to be sung by a power-house diva, female singer--somebody with serious pipes!
2. Should be simple and true to the original version
3. Not too many runs, but enough to remind us that a diva is singing the song.
4. Mainly piano accompaniment, but adding in strings and orchestra are good too.

We searched all over the place (well, ok, just iTunes again) for this perfect version. Would you guess the one we found to fit all our criteria: MARTINA McBRIDE! It's the most beautiful song.

Do you agree with our conditions for the perfect song?