2k10

On the heels of my 2k9 run down, I will share a few of my goals for 2010. I have a feeling it's going to be a good year.

• Successfully complete my first full marathon!
• Try snowshoeing.
• Go on another fun vacation, even though I'm not sure Hawaii can be beat.
• Take more yoga and hip hop classes. (I miss them both!)
• Make the trip to Portland to watch my nephew school all the kids in basketball.
• Cook more homemade meals from the best cookbook ever.
• Go on even more fun weekend trips. (Umm, Corvallis with Kimbie and others?)
• Win a trivia night.
• Celebrate someone's "21st birthday" (I'm so sorry I missed the first one. I hope this "birthday" coincides with a heckling session with Officer Newsome in Belltown. Just sayin')
• Win the lottery.
• Climb Mt. Constitution. (I missed the fun last time.)
• Take an actual lunch break with my coworkers more often.

Ok, so that's a start. More goals to come. Maybe I should also bring back my "Goal Project"?

In the end, Happy New Year, my friends!

via

2k9

Maddie inspired me to do a little 2009 in review post. (Even if her post could nearly be copied and pasted in mine because there was a lot of overlap...)

La Vida de Petes has seen its twists and turns of spectacularness this past year.

Here's how things went down.

• Brought 2009 in with a bang with Karen and Maddie. (Literally, 20 minutes of fireworks for Alisa's wedding in Montana. Incredible.)
• Took my post as sisterhood advisor for the lovely Chi O chapter.
• Had a 21-day working streak. Followed by several new business proposals that kept me in the office until the wee hours of the night.
• Likely due to the above, I got promoted!
• Moved to my new hood of Ballard. Or as some might call it, Frelard. (Fremont + Ballard = Frelard)
• Floated like it was my job. Green Lake, Lake Chelan (see pic above), Lake Washington - you name it!
• Became obsessed with running. Thank goodness for running buddies! Yes, I'm talking about you, you and you. (The last 'you' is Kathryn who still needs to start her blog!)
• Also floated, got 2nd degree burns, hiked a volcano, surfed 7-foot waves and more with Steph in Hawaii!
• Went a little Pitch n' Putt crazy.
• Attended not 1, but 2 birthday beer pong tournaments. (Seriously? What are the odds?!)
• Earned my antlers from beer hunting at the Duchess. Also welcomed Danielle to the elite club. And left my credit card there for 2 weeks after Ryan and Drew's birthday. The Duchess loves me and I love the Duchess.
• A surprise weekend trip to LA to visit Suze. (If only you could see the shock on her face.)
• Hosted an entertaining party for the girls where I learned how to properly decorate cupcakes (among other things). Thank you, Straube!
• Two Broadway plays with mi madre - Rent and Cats.
• The 5th Annual Leavenworth Oktoberfest extravaganza!
• Continued to work on my poker face. A lot. And even successfully sometimes.
• Another classic Samish Island 4th of July parade.
• Met the real-life Superman!
• "The man" joined the Man Upstairs. (He's very missed.)
• Drank a lot of cups of joe, started reading this Cup of Jo, blogged about Cups o' Joe and met a Hot Cup of Joe.

Santa Claus stopped by on Christmas Day

See? It's the real Santa Claus.

Sittin' with my cousin's adorable little girl,

Isabel and Grandma Pete.

(Isabel is one of the smartest little 2-year-olds I've ever met!
I was blown away.)

The duck decoys went over very well.

I think Kam liked them just as much as my dad!

Auntie Erika is training him early.

Mark my words: He's going to play UW basketball.

Then I'll buy season tickets.

A couple of my leading ladies.

The bows.
The oversized Santa hat...
Being cradled like a baby.
Typical Christmas Eve Eve with Stephers and Suze!
(next stop was the Train Wreck to see Joshie.)

Do you want to play this forever?!

These words actually came out of my nephew's mouth tonight. He really likes Big Buck Hunter. My parents got him the kind that plugs into the TV and we're having a straight-up tournament. It's intense.

I've also played a couple games of Guess Who?

Shooting at a target we put on the door with a Nerf gun.

And am wearing matching PJs with my sister.

I feel like I'm 5-years-old. I love that.

Merry Christmas Eve!

Triple Strike

aren't bowling shoes just so stylish? :)

Ok, no I did not get a triple strike, but I got like 3 strikes in 3 games? That counts for something, right?

A couple weeks ago, I went bowling with some friends for the first time since college. My game was a little rusty, but I managed to bowl a couple good games. (I'm no Maddie D, bowling 130!) Last night, I went again and did slightly worse. I broke a hundred 2 of the 4 games, but it was still not a pretty sight. I had a pattern - either get 1 pin or all but 1 pin. It was a curse. But overall, it was really fun!

I'm thinking that a trip to the West Seattle Bowling Alley is in order. Maybe paired with burgers at Zippy's and an after party at the Hawaiian sports bar? Any takers?

At laaaaaaaaaaaast

At last

My love has come along

My lonely days are over

And life is like a song...

(My plea for the return of Creepy Caroler paid off this weekend. She returned. In my garden. In all her glory. I could not ask for a better Christmas surprise. Well, maybe I could, but I'll take this for now.)

Not surprisingly, Creepy Caroler once again, got around.

First stop, the Newsome's.

"Umm, how did this creepy b*&%$ get into our bed?!"

-Santa Newsome

Even puppy Zeke was suspicious of this creepy character.

The only thing that brought him within 4 feet of her was a milk bone that Erin strategically placed in her hand and even that was a feat.

We thought she looked particularly creepy right outside the sliding glass door.

Oh, welcome back, Creepy Caroler... welcome back.

Thank you, Josh

For sending me this picture at midnight last night. It took some squinting and time to gain consciousness from my deep, deep, restful sleep (where I was dreaming about puppies, cupcakes, mistletoes and Christmas morning) to decipher what it actually was... When I realized that it read: "Poop on everything", well, I guess I'm still speechless.

But I understand the sense of urgency - sometimes at 2am your time, you just gotta send this important message. (Or at 5am your time, you gotta let me know how frickin' uncomfortable women's high heels are. Or at 3am your time, you gotta let me know that there is a hot Brazilian you're flirting with in the bathroom. Just remember, I'm generally not coherent until five minutes into the conversation.)

So, I'll see your "Poop on everything" and raise you this.