2011 A Year in Review: Our Favorite Things
One of the things I thought I would do a bit different this year was along with doing a recap of the year was looking at some of the things Jenn and I enjoyed throughout the year. So if one day we ever wonder what TV shows we liked or music we listened to in 2011 we will have this to go back to. So without further ado here is a list of our favorite “stuff” from 2011.
Favorite TV Show(s)
Joel: I could probably list ten or fifteen but I will narrow it down. For pure thrills you can’t beat Dexter. For acting you can’t beat Season 4 of Breaking Bad. For the inner-nerd in all of us Game of Thrones is an incredible fantasy adventure. And who doesn’t like a modern day cowboy, that’s why I love Justified.
Jenn: Hmm that’s tough. Can’t choose one, so I will break it down by category. Comedy: Parks & Rec; Drama: Breaking Bad; Thriller: Dexter; Reality: Top Chef; Runner-Up: Mad Men (it definitely had its moments)
Favorite Movie(s)
Joel: Another tough one. I’m a sucker for a good romantic comedy and you can’t beat Midnight in Paris and Crazy, Stupid, Love. For action you can’t beat Rise of the Planet of Apes and Thor. I’ll have another!
Jenn: Something Borrowed, cuz I loved the book, and it was cute! But I also really liked Midnight in Paris. I am hoping next year there will be an awesome doomsday movie!
Favorite Meal(s)
Joel: After a lot of persuasion we went to London in New York and it far exceeded my expectations. I still have the receipt in my wallet to remind me of what may be the most expensive meal of my life. I can’t forget that we made it to Gaucho Sloane in London a restaurant we were supposed to hit 3 years ago when I proposed. Better late than never.
Jenn: I would definitely say eating at Chef Ramsey’s in NY. Close second? Joel’s Pot Roast!
Favorite Song(s)
Joel: I’ve probably played “Good Life” by OneRepublic more than any other song this year. I also love Paradise by Coldplay.
Jenn: We Found Love by Rihanna. Life song became “The Valley” by Jars of Clay.
Favorite Video Game(s)
Joel: My favorite category of course but here is my short list: Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception, NBA 2K12, Zelda: Skyward Sword, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and Assassins Creed: Revelations.
Jenn: Super Mario Kart! Duh! Although I am loving playing Mario with Joel right now.
Favorite Memory
Joel: Anytime we walked from our apartment down to PCH or around Fashion Island. I truly treasure those times.
Jenn: moving back to NB @ the Colony. But more so visiting CDM at night and listening to the sound of the bayou bell and the crashing of waves with Joel and looking up at the stars. Also loved our many walks to summer house or balboa; and lastly biking along HB with my dad…or should I say cruisin’?
Favorite Vacation
Joel: Although it took a lot of convincing to get me to go, New York, NY was incredible. Most fun I have had on a trip in a long time.
Jenn: Seeing NY for the first time w/ my boo
Favorite Purchase
Joel: Trading in the Ikea Couches for some slick new Modern Sofa and Chair. Mounting the TV and the new entertainment center weren’t too shabby either.
Jenn: hmmm…. I make so many. My VS luggage set. The perfect jetsetter look. Oh, I love all my clothes and makeup too…. And when I treat myself to facials or massages…. I can’t just pick one….
Favorite Electronic
Joel: As much as Jenn hates it my iPhone.
Jenn: My iPhone! What would I do without it?
Favorite Hotel
Joel: The Surrey in New York City, just a gorgeous boutique hotel nestled next to central park.
Jenn: The Wyndham in London. Great deal, great location, and continues to be my favorite place in the world.
Favorite Book
Joel: At this point I have listened to over 150 hours of the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin and am still only half way through the fifth book. Yes I love this series. My favorite book so far in the series is A Storm of Swords.
Jenn: My mother’s devotional; reassuring me every day God is with me, and her spirit is with me, and to remember the beauty in life.
Favorite Place
Joel: Our apartment. More than any place Jenn and I have lived our current place just feels like home. Whether we are watching TV in bed or I am playing video games until the early morning hours I just feel at home and you really can’t beat that.
Jenn: Besides our awesome digs, and where we live (NB, Fashion island, etc), Disneyland; no explanation needed. In the world? Well anywhere with Joel, and still home, but London will always be my home away from home.
Most Thankful For
Joel: Jenn, without question. She is the light of my day, no matter what is going on she finds ways to make me smile, and push me to be the best I can be.
Jenn: Having God in my life, and having a husband I could only dream about when I was a girl: Joel, who has helped me realize that everything is going to be OK, and to re-find the love and laughter in life, and encouraging me to live my dreams. Also for the many years I was able to have with my mom, and that close relationship we had, for my dad, who continues to climb with me every day to a new life.
2011 Year in Review: Picking Up the Pieces
I remember sitting down to write my year in review in 2010 and wondering how I could possibly put into words the ups and downs of the year. There were a number of great moments but also many that if I could would never think about again. 2011 on the other hand was more about picking up the pieces of 2010 and trying to figure out how they all fit together again.
Jenn has this thing about New Year’s Eve; she thinks that there is a direct correlation between how the evening goes and the year to come. So we spent the day with Jake and Amy at the Newport Beach Marriott, enjoyed a great meal, had a few drinks, and just had a great time the entire evening. It must have done the trick because even through the pain of 2010, 2011 turned out to be a pretty incredible year.
Jenn Getting Her Ears Re-Pierced on New Years Day
We knew early on in January of 2011 that Jenn and I were going to need a change of scenery. Our main rationale for moving to a town-home in Irvine was for more space and better environment to raise a dog. Since having Bentley didn’t work out we decided that it was as good as time as any to start looking for a new place to live. We looked everywhere but our search ended abruptly when we set our sights back on The Colony. Since moving out in March of 2009 we had missed the close proximity to the beach and Fashion Island. With very little hesitation at all we made an appointment to view the available apartments, had a quick talk and signed a 15 month lease to move into a two bedroom apartment.
We got the keys for our new apartment on Saturday February 12th and were fully moved in the next day. I distinctly remember the feeling like I had arrived back home on the day we got the keys. I could even see it in Jenn’s eyes as we looked around our empty unit and unlike our Irvine Town-home we knew we had made the right decision. Moving in was a breeze, we ended up buying some new furniture, and Jenn managed to really make the place look incredible.
At the same time we were moving Jenn’s Dad also decided to take the plunge and move down to the Newport Beach area. After looking at a few different complexes he decided on Newport Ridge nestled in the hills of Newport Coast. The first few months of 2011 did involve a lot of moving around but we did manage to plan it out well enough to where it didn’t totally drain us.
During the first few months of 2011 Jenn and I used our Disneyland Annual Passes probably 5 times. Either going for the day, a couple hours or one ride we made use of our passes more in 2011 than any year previous.
Jenn and I Riding Splash Moutain Alone
In April we surprised Jake with an early birthday present. In fact we didn’t even give him a hint of where we were taking him just to meet us at our apartment and we would go from there. We ended up getting him tickets to go see Rain a Beatles Tribute Band at the Pantages Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Obviously not being old enough to see the real Beatles perform this is really the next best thing. It was an incredible concert.
On Our Way to the Pantages to See Rain
In late May things started ramping up for Jenn and I. We ended up renting a Ford Mustang Convertible to drive up to Sonoma, California for Ally’s College Graduation. We drove up to San Francisco on Friday the 27th in the morning to stay the night in San Francisco. We spent some time walking around the city eating a few good meals and turning in early.
Driving Up to the Bay Area for Ally's Graduation
Saturday we drove from San Francisco to Sonoma for her graduation. For the last four years I had heard so much about Sonoma and the surrounding area where Ally lived but never made the trek up. Maybe Sonoma just didn’t want Jenn and I to visit because as we made our way to her graduation it started to rain and didn’t stop until well after her graduation ended. We all tried our best to stick around for the entire graduation but it got to the point where we couldn’t see anything and all made our way to the car for some shelter from the downpour of rain.
Up in Sonoma for Ally's College Graduation
We ended up going out to dinner as a family and Jenn and I were left with a decision. Did we want to drive home from Sonoma (8 hour drive) or stop somewhere along the way for the night? I drove the first 4-5 hours down and we quickly realized at that point that we wouldn’t be able to stop until 2 hours outside of home so we pushed through to the end. Looking back it was not the best of decisions; we were both exhausted and should never have driven that far being that tired. Luckily the story had a happy ending and we made it home safe and sound.
It was only a week later that Jenn and I along with her Dad went on a 9 day trip to London England. Jenn’s parents had won the airline tickets on a radio giveaway the previous year and we needed to use them before they expired so we all after much debate decided to go to London. Since we all have been to London before we decided to rent a car and see what the surrounding area in England was like. I drove us to Stonehenge, Bath, Dover, and Windsor in our rented VW Golf. It ended up being a fantastic trip and we got to see a lot of sights we really never expected to be able to see.
Jenn and I at Stonehendge
One of the highlights of our new apartment is that instead of looking at other units (which was the case in our past two units) we have an open landscape of Newport Beach and Irvine. One of the highlights of the year was being able to stand our balcony and literally see 5 or 10 different fireworks shows in all directions not to mention one only a few blocks away.
Fireworks From Our Balcony in Newport Beach
For most a nine day excursion to London would be enough traveling for one year, but not for Jenn and me. After years and years of debate, Jenn finally got me to break down and we took a week trip to New York, NY. I can’t even begin to count the number of times Jenn has wanted us to go and somehow this year was the year she convinced me, and boy am I glad we went.
Dinner at Chef Ramsey's London Restaraunt
It was some of the most fun we have had on a trip in a long time. From eating at Chef Ramsey’s London restaurant to going to the top of The Rockefeller Center at night, to walking the streets of New York there were so many great memories made during our week vacation. You would think with temperatures reaching the mid 90’s that it would slow us down but we literally saw all of the sights and did everything we wanted to do while still saving time to relax and take it all in.
Jenn and I On Top of the Empire State Building
After New York it seemed like the rest of the month flew by and we were already at our 2 Year Wedding Anniversary. We had a really incredible celebration dinner at Flemings and just really enjoyed a nice weekend together. It is amazing how fast time has flown by. It feels like just yesterday Jenn and I started dating and now we have been married for two years and together eight.
One of the big kicks I have been on this year is buying Groupon, Living Social, Travelzoo deals. Basically they are deals on food and services that you buy online. My focus has been buying these deals for restaurants. My favorites are the ones that you buy for a flat price and get a 3, 4, and even 5 course meals for two. In 2011 Jenn and I have tried out probably fifteen new restaurants because of these deals. Not all of them are winners but a lot of them have been amazing date nights. In early October we ended up using our free night at the Marriott and a Living Social deal to a restaurant called The Bungalow on PCH. It was such a relaxing and incredible evening of great food and even better company that it just stands out as one of those great moments of the year.
October came and went and in late November Jenn and I went on our last adventure for the year. Jenn got invited to go to the BECC conference in Washington DC for work and being the supportive husband I am I agreed to come along for the ride. I ended up flying in a day later then Jenn and met her at the Hyatt on Capitol Hill where the conference was taking place. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, it was cold, but crystal clear. During the day Jenn would be at her conference and I would lounge around and in the late afternoon to evening we would head out and explore the city. We did have one full day left to sightsee around the city. We ended up seeing a play (Much Ado About Nothing) touring the city using the double decker tour bus, and walking around the city.
Jenn and I In Front of the US Capital Building
We flew home from DC on Sunday and came straight home to decorate our apartment for Christmas. Each year Jenn gets better and better at decorating, she definitely has a lot of her Mom in her who was notorious for decorating each room of the house with its own Christmas tree. Jenn hasn’t gotten to that point yet but she definitely stepped up her game this year. Needless to say in a few hours our apartment was literally transformed and looked gorgeous. From the dangling lights on the balcony (which I was unable to do) to the two beautiful trees the place just said we were ready for the holidays.
December as it normally does flew by with all of the normal holiday activities. Since Jenn and I spend Christmas with our families we have designated Christmas Eve for the two of us. This year we went to a local restaurant Pizzeria Mozza which is new this year and is a place we have wanted to try for a while. We split a pizza and wine and came home to watch Charlie Brown’s Christmas (a yearly tradition) as well as Christmas in Connecticut. Our original plan was to stay up until Midnight to open gifts but by 9PM I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to make it so we got up at 5AM instead. All in all it was a great Christmas; we had far too many gifts for the two of us but I guess that’s also what makes it so much fun.
Jenn's Beautiful Christmas Decorations
Going into 2011 all I can remember praying for is that things would somehow get better. I didn’t know what that would look or feel like, but I knew it was possible. When I look back on the year I can’t help but smile, we accomplished a lot, and did a lot of things we wanted to do. I can’t help but be excited for what is to come in 2012 because from my perspective it may be one of the best years ever.
A Look Back at the Year That Was 2010
“And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days” - Goo Goo Dolls
2010 was a year unlike any other I have ever experienced; and in many respects hope not to experience again. To classify the whole year as a “bad year” would be far from the truth because it wasn’t all bad, in fact much of it was great. However there were moments in 2010 that all we could do is pray for better days.
2010 started off exactly how 2009 ended which was great. Jenn and I were in a groove, she was working close to home, we both were doing well at work, and were enjoying married life. Of course it didn’t hurt that Jenn was cruising around town in her new BMW which to this day she still loves.
I will never forget a night in mid-February. I was playing a video game in the family room, and Jenn was on her laptop in the bedroom surfing vacation deals online. I remember Jenn yelling to me saying “you have to check out this deal I found”. Within an hour, maybe two, we had booked an entire week vacation to Barcelona, Spain through an amazing British Airways deal. This was the sort of vacation that Jenn and I always talked about before we got married. Booking last minute trips and just going wherever we decided to go.
We left for Barcelona on March 3rd and came back on March 10th. It was truly an amazing trip. We stayed half of the trip in a beautiful hill top hotel, and the second half in the city. We were fortunate enough to be in the city during a snow storm which was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. Barcelona as a city wasn’t our favorite European destination but had a great time taking in all of the beautiful landmarks and enjoying the amazing cuisine.
Barcelona Trip 2010
Right after we got back from Barcelona we went with Jake and Amy for a full day Disneyland adventure. It's one of those places that's near impossible not to have a great time at. Plus living within 10-20 minutes of Disneyland makes using an annual pass even better.
Disneyland Trip 2010 with Jake & Amy
One of the big decisions we made in 2010 was to get a puppy. To prepare for this we packed up our stuff and moved from our 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in Newport Beach to a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom town-home in Irvine. The move was as smooth as you would hope and the transition to the townhome was seamless.
We picked up our puppy (Bentley) in late March. At the same time Jenn’s job moved her from 10-15 minute commute to an hour plus. We realized within a few days that our current working life was in no way going to allow us to take care of our adorable Bentley. We returned Bentley to the kennel which we purchased him from and found out a week or so later that another family had purchased him. Since then I have talked to the new owners and hear he is doing great. It was an extremely tough decision, in some respects devastating, but the right decision.
Jenn & Bentley the Puppy
In mid-April my whole family went up to San Louis Obispo, California for a huge surprise. My dad arranged a rather elaborate plan to take my mom up there for the weekend to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. What my mom didn’t know was that the whole trip was actually a surprise renewal of their vows. It was a really awesome experience, and pretty incredible to see my parents make good on something they told us they were going to do growing up which was renew their vows on their 25th wedding anniversary.
My Parents Renewing Their Vows
May of 2010 was sort of the calm before the storm. It was really a pretty normal month. We went down to Pasadena with Jenn’s parents to the Gold Class Cinema which are these high class movie theaters with loungers and food service. Jenn and her mom saw Sex and the City 2 and her Dad and I saw Prince of Persia. In all honesty the food was better then the movies, but the experience was pretty incredible.
Later in the month we said goodbye to one of our favorite shows on TV, Lost. Jenn and I were late to the party; we watched the first five seasons during the time between the Season 5 finale and the season premiere of Season 6. We were hooked. We of course said goodbye to the show by throwing a mini finale party which was fun. If your curious I loved the finale, Jenn liked it but wasn’t as thrilled as I was with it.
On the first week of June I found out that I was being promoted to a Business Analyst 2. Jenn and I went out and celebrated the same way we did when I first got the job by having an amazing dinner at Ruth Chris Steakhouse in Irvine. It was sort of surreal that a year and half after getting the job we got something to celebrate again.
Later in the month we spent two nights down at the Hyatt Grand Champions in Indian Wells, CA in a one bedroom casita. In 2008 we had stayed in a 2 bedroom casita and I had posted a YouTube video on our room. Hyatt contacted me and thanked me for the video by giving me two free nights to come back and enjoy the resort again. We used this time to unwind and enjoy the very hot desert sun. We ate some great food, saw Toy Story 3, and lay by the pool drinking pina coladas. It was a perfect quick getaway.
I have always been a big fan of water parks, but no one else seems to share my enthusiasm. I did however get Jenn, Jake, and Amy to accompany me to Wild Rivers in Irvine for a day of water slide enjoyment. If it was my choice we would have stayed all day, but the three out voted me and we spent a good 5 hours enjoying the many different slides the park had to offer.
Later in the month we took a road trip out to Arizona for my Grandma’s wedding and also to R&R once again in the desert sun. We had a nice time out in Phoenix/Tucson, outside of the wedding we spent the majority of the time just relaxing and enjoying our surroundings. If we thought it was hot out in Indian Wells, it was even warmer out in Arizona.
Phoenix Trip 2010
Something Jenn and I have always loved is going to see plays. When we moved out to Orange County we kind of got away from it, mainly because we weren’t sure where to go. That all changed in August when we got the theater bug again starting with In the Heights at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. By the time the year was done we saw a total of 5 plays by the time the year was out and I would predict just as many in 2011.
Off to See In The Heights at OCPAC
From this point to the New Year, it feels like everything was going 200 mph. On Labor Day weekend we decided to once again take up the idea of just getting up and going somewhere, but this time we were off to Las Vegas. We spent two nights out there at the Trump hotel. This was by far the most fun “mini vacation” we have had in our short married life. We saw The Beatles Love Circus du Soleil at The Mirage which was incredible. We also gambled a bit, ate some great food, and spent time at the pool.
Vegas Trip 2010 @ The Trump
It was only two weeks later Jenn and I hit our first big milestone as a married couple, our one year anniversary. We celebrated it at the Terranea Resort in Ranchos Palos Verdes, CA which was a gorgeous resort. I had done some pre-planning for the big day so I got us dinner reservations at The Chart House which was great. When we got back from dinner I had the concierge decorate our room with rose pedals, chocolates, and a big Happy 1st Anniversary sign in the room. We had a wonderful time at the resort and celebrating our first amazing year as a married couple.
Our 1 Year Wedding Anniversary at the Terrenea Resort
October ended up being a crazy month. The month started off with great news, Jenn got promoted to a Project/Program Analyst 3 which was great. We went and celebrated at Pascal’s a French restaurant down at Fashion Island. It was a very well deserved promotion and it was something we were both super excited for.
A few days later I was fortunate enough to launch the newest version of Darkstation.com, which was a much needed upgrade. The system is now running on the very reliable WordPress and just looks a lot cleaner then the site ever has. We have already started to see a huge improvement in visitors and in the feedback from fans of the site which has been great. The transition to the new site wasn’t perfect, but I can happily say that we are now up and running at 100% and doing great.
The New Darkstation.com
It was only a week later that I got a call from my parents while eating dinner at Panera by our townhome that my Dad had been diagnosed with a tumor in his brain and they were going to need to do emergency surgery. The next week or two was literally a blur. Jenn and I rushed down to Riverside and only a day or two later he was in an all day surgery. It was an extremely stressful couple of weeks but the good news is that as of right now he is on the road to recovery and doing really well.
With all the stress we were even more excited to take a break from it all and spend a week out in Cancun, Mexico. We stayed at one of the nicest resorts I have ever stayed at in the Excellence Playa Mujeres. The resort was all inclusive and we really used up as much of it as we possibly could. One of the best moments of the trip was when we went ziplining and off-roading at an adventure park called Xplor. It was so nice to just sit back and let loose again.
Jenn and I at The Excellence Playa Mujeres
When we got back from Cancun we settled in for the holidays. We went to go see Peter Pan in a theater in a round setup which had rave reviews but we didn’t care for it all that much. We spent Thanksgiving morning with Jenn’s parents and the afternoon with mine. It was really nice to spend the time with family and to be able to just relax.
It was only a week later that we all found out the worst news of our lives. On December 3, 2010 Jenn’s mom passed away at home in her bed. As you may remember reading from last years “year in review”, Jenn’s mom has been battling lung cancer for the past two years and had been winning the battle. She was an amazing lady. My fondest memories of her were anytime we were doing something competitive. I remember the first time I played Monopoly with Jenn’s family and her dad bowed out quickly and Jenn and her Mom trying to team up to eventually beat me. In fact now that I think of it I don’t think I ever beat her in anything, that’s probably why she wrote “winner” on any e-mail or card she sent me.
She was an extraordinary woman, full of life, full of hope, and full of joy. From the moment I met her we always clicked, and she always made me feel like part of the family. She was always an amazing supporter of both Jenn and I and rooted us along the way. I look back at the 7+ years I knew Jenn’s Mom and I just look back and know I am a better person for having known her and been around her. I know I speak on behalf of both Jenn and I when I say we miss her deeply but cannot wait to see her again in heaven.
It was only a week later that the load continued to build as we had to put down Jenn's parents dog Sparky. There was a day or two where it just didn't feel like things would ever get better.
The year ended out kind of as you would expect after reading about our last few months, a bit numb. It’s one of those feelings where there is so much grief, so much emotion, that it’s hard to even know where to begin. We celebrated Christmas at my parent’s house which was a lot of fun, and enjoyed the rest of the day at our town-home, concluding it with the family tradition of watching National Lampoons Christmas vacation.
Decorating the Christmas Tree in 2010
This year had a few of those days that you pray never happen. We all know we are going to have those days but no matter what you do you’re never prepared for them. When it's all said and done there is nothing we can do but look forward to a much better 2011.
2009: A Year in Review in the World of Joel
"Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed." Corita Kent
If there was ever a year where I was going to have difficult time writing a post recapping a year, it would be now. The year of 2009 was one of so many great highs and at the same time some lows. The year didn’t start out all that exciting. I was just getting my feet wet at my new job at Southern California Edison and Jenn was enjoying her last few weeks of freedom before she too started work at SCE on February 1st.
The beginning portions of the year felt like the beginning of yet another transition period for both Jenn and I from students to full time employees, from a dating couple to eventually becoming husband and wife. We started taking our pre-marital classes in early 2009 at The Grove in Riverside. It was a six week class that at times was helpful but for the most part seemed like just yet another hurdle to go over before the big day in September.
Jenn and I spent the majority of the first few months of 2009 really ramping up for what was to become a very up and down 2009. Some of my favorite times in the beginning of 2009 were when I would go pick up Jenn from work on Friday nights in Rosemead so she wouldn't have to take the train home and we would go on date nights. Often times we would go to furniture stores (my favorite IKEA) and just start to think about getting our own place, furnishing it, and just what life would be like with just the two of us. I remember the drives home talking with her about our future not caring about traffic, or the long drive, but just enjoying the prospect of what was to come.
We ended up taking a mini vacation in March of 2009 to Indian Wells, CA where Jenn scored us a great deal on a 2 bedroom casita. A video we posted on YouTube for that stay actually scored us two more free nights at the hotel that we are going to use in 2010. This was the first mini-vacation that Jenn and I had taken alone, and although we couldn't make it to the tennis tournament it was a wonderful quick trip.
In late March, Jenn and I decided it was time for us to get a place of our own. We knew the day would come where we would know it was time. Of course then came the decision of where to live. Originally our plan was to move to Orange County but our work locations at SCE really didn't call for us to move to Orange County. So we decided to look in Chino, kind of in the middle of where Jenn and I were working at the time.
I remember the drive to Chino, Jenn and I were on the edge of our seats, excited for the prospect of our own place. We looked at some really nice communities in Chino and felt like it might have made a good starting spot for us. After we left the community we decided to drive around Chino to see what was around the apartments. We drove around and I remember stopping in a parking lot and looking at Jenn and knowing we both were thinking the same thing. Without really saying anything we drove straight from Chino down to Orange County and the rest is really history. We ended up signing a lease a week or two later at our current place in Newport Beach and haven't looked back since.
April 2009 was the month where everything seemed to go from calm to crazy. On April 4th we went down to Newport Beach to sign our year lease on our apartment, which was one of the most thrilling and scary things we had ever done. Jenn and I were on top of the world, we spent our weekends moving our stuff from Riverside to our apartment in Newport Beach, and we had started shopping for everything from a paper towel holder to furniture and art work. At the same time we had Jenn's Mom that only a few weeks after getting the keys to our apartment was diagnosed with cancer.
In May of 2009 I ended up buckling down and got LASIK done at TLC Laser Eye Center in Newport Beach. I have been kind of hot and cold on the idea for the past few years but with SCE paying a good amount of the cost I couldn't help but go get it done. The procedure was as easy as they come, less then three minutes from start to finish and I never really had any major irritation from it. To this day I am seeing perfect without glasses and loving it.
There was a time during the summer of 2009 that Jenn and I seriously thought about pushing up our wedding to a small ceremony to ensure her Mom concentrated on getting better. But in the end those thoughts passed and we pushed forward with our September 19th wedding date while Jenn's mom went every few weeks for her chemo treatments.
As summer moved along it seemed like every weekend had something to do with the wedding. Whether it was picking out the flowers, Jenn's wedding shower, meetings with our Pastor, picking out tuxes, buying the rings or whatever else comes with planning a wedding it seemed like every weekend was something. As September grew closer and closer I think Jenn and I finally had the chance to sit back just for a few moments and finally grow in anticipation for our big day.
When September 19th finally rolled around it so far exceeded my expectations of the day I cannot even begin to describe it. Jenn looked absolutely phenomenal, she was just stunning. The day could not have been any more beautiful. My groomsmen were great and Jenn's bridesmaids did a great job as well. It truly was the best day of my life. What is funny however is that I had gotten so much wedding advice from everyone leading up to the day and one thing that everyone said was that it goes to fast, and boy does it! From the moment I rushed my "I Do" to the next day sitting at LAX waiting for our plane to London it felt like everything was moving at 1,000 MPH. The wedding and reception were amazing and I wouldn’t have changed a moment of it. Our Honeymoon was spectacular, the weather cooperated from start to finish and the trip itself was both relaxing and enjoyable.
When we got back from our Honeymoon everything seemed to fall into place. Jenn's latest rotation at SCE put her only 10 miles away from our apartment which let us spend a lot more time together. Jenn and I started to really work out a nice routine and to be honest had an amazing start to our married life. Jenn's Mom got great news that the cancer that they had found earlier in the year was all but gone. We spent a lot of great weekends with my brother Jake who got us
into Jenn and my latest addiction the TV show "Lost" which we are now on Season 5.
Jenn and I took a great mini-vacation in November up to San Francisco, our first as a married couple. It was the type of mini-vacation that we had talked about wanting to do for years and it finally came to fruition. It was such a surreal experience to just wake up one morning book a hotel and head out. We had a great time up in the bay area and look forward to all of the quick trips we can do in the future.
The final few weeks of the year were fantastic. Jenn and I got to decorate our apartment for the first time, bake cookies that turned out to be some of the worst Christmas cookies on record, and celebrate our first Christmas together. Jenn did an amazing job getting our place ready for the holidays and that mood was set throughout all of December. We had a great Christmas, to some it might even seem a bit crazy, but all in all it was a fantastic first Christmas as a married couple.
The year didn’t end without any slowdown as Jenn’s car a Toytota Celica started to have some mechanical issues. We ended up buying Jenn a White Certified Pre-Owned 2007 BMW 328i and sold her Celica to CarMax. It was actually a great car buying experience and we finally got Jenn a new car, something she has needed for a while. All in all 2009 was an amazingly crazy and exciting year. I got to marry the woman of my dreams and now look forward to spending the rest of my life with her.
Goodbye 2009 what a year you have been, and Hello 2010 I cannot wait to see what you have in store for me!