Top 10 List 0f 2009

A month late, but here you go... my top 10 list of 2009. In no particular order:

1. History seminar in Philadelphia at the U of Penn. Civil War and Reconstruction from totally new angles, fun roommates, and unofficial field trips. Woo!

2. Trip with Mom after the history seminar - Hershey, PA - Palmyra, NY - Niagara Falls - and back to Philadelphia. It was fun to have a Mom-n-daughter trip, and fun planning it without her knowing about it (even though she claims she knew - ha!). Dad cashed in his coin bowl for her plane ticket, Holly made sure she got through security in SLC (no easy feat when you have a bionic, er, titanium knee!), and I picked her up and took care of everything else. It was fun to show her Palmyra and the Pageant. Even though she's been to some of the places we went, it's different with the Pageant going on. It was fun to show her where Holly and I have been and what we do during Pageant time - now she knows a little better what we're talking about. We've got plans also to all apply for the Pageant in the next few years - how cool would that be?!

3. History cohort trip to Boston. Freedom Trail - Lowell - Plimoth - Quincy - Lexington and Concord. Plus more unofficial field trips, shopping, and yummy restaurants.

4. Getting my daughter, Tippy. What a cutie. Good thing 'Grammy' thinks she's cute, too - she can be pretty mischievous.

5. Vegas trips with Holly - spring and fall break. Utah vs. UNLV, Bellagio gardens, the Apple Store, and the Cheesecake Factory. Too bad Holly wasn't old enough to do anything fun!

6. U of U football tickets. I'm so glad I got them! It was so fun to go with Joee, Mom, and Holly to the games. It was like the old days when the fam had tickets. Just wish they weren't so close to the top! (oh well - I'll move down next season). It was also fun to text Dad, Karen and Charlotte during the games. "Gr8!" "Cheer loud!"

7. Taking classes - crochet, crafts, technology.

8. Timpanogos Cave - 3 times! Once with my class, once a day later with Ryan's class (who wants to be on top of a mountain when your wife could be having a baby? Not Ryan...), and a week later with Holly. I think that's plenty. For a long time.

9. Wendover on the Fun Bus for Holly and Mom's birthdays. Finally - we're all old enough to do something fun in Nevada!

10. Thanksgiving weekend. It was such a blessing to get to spend one last good weekend all together as a family before Dad died. We went to the movies on Thanksgiving - New Moon and Blind Side. We had popcorn, nachos, and sandwiches - the perfect Thanksgiving dinner. We came home that evening and watched Up! Friday night, it was Dad's idea to go out to Kayesville to go to "Wade's" - Benjamin Franklin Crafts. It was such a great ride, such a beautiful day. We went to Jake's Over the Top for dinner - yum. Sunday we were all at church together. It was a great weekend. We are all so glad to have that last memory all together.