year in review.

it's already 2009!  What?  I'm sad 2008 is over...it was a great year...not to mention I had been looking forward to it since 2004.  (I graduated high school in 04, so the next big milestone for me was college graduation, hence me looking forward so eagerly to 2008.)

I wrote this in my journal sometime in January, before my birthday:  

"Anyways, 2008 is my year, I decided it and there is no going back...I'm going to be carefree, smart and have fun and have adventures, not just on my birthday, but for the whole year."

As I thought back on this, it has turned out to be so true...more than I thought it would be when I wrote it.  

Being carefree: check.  I went on a spontaneous roadtrip to Disneyland during spring break, where I pumped a tank of gas for the first time in my life (hey, I do live in Oregon, where we have people do it for us.  We aren't lazy, we are enabling people by providing jobs!).  I essentially lived out of my car during the summer, commuting between 3 different cities because of my jobs...which meant I spent at least an hour and a half in my car almost everyday...but I loved my jobs and it was a great summer, work-wise.

Smart: I suppose that's subjective.  I graduated from George Fox cum laude.  I read a lot of books.  My group's kitchen design/remodel was chosen and is being used in a house in California.  I learned a lot from working at a bridal studio in Portland about how to deal with fine fabrics and couture sewing.  I made my first bridal dress that I designed from scratch.

Having fun/adventures: check.  Let's see, there was exploring of various secret passage ways at Fox with Alison, camping out at REI, I went to New York on the basis that it was an informational trip about the fashion industry in NYC (and it was, we just got a lot of

 time to play), I reconnected with old friends that I hadn't seen in years, there was a bounty of weddings, I randomly was able to see Obama's campaign speech in Albany, camp was pretty stellar this year, and oh yeah...I'm living in a foreign country.  

Conclusion:  2008 was stellar.   2009 better be just as good.

And just for kicks, here is a review of the year in pictorial form...unless otherwise noted, they are mine...

Birthday with Kayla, just like when we were little!

I think this was birthday round #3, but had to put this one in here, since she's celebrated pretty much every birthday with me in some form or another.

yes, the Disneyland Castle during the fireworks show.  Disneyland fireworks are the best, I am not joking.

Christi, me, Mandi and Alyssa at the happiest place on earth.  

 Jacky and Gongey dyeing eggs at Easter.

Danae and Andrew got married!  It was lovely!  Andrew is somewhere, but we had to get a shot of the four of us (former counselors at camp).

me with Heidi and Mandi (oh how we loved living in LeShana 16 junior year!)

Mandi and I's last adventure at Fox.  We tend to document everything.  

Mood!  So I went to NY in May and Lisa and I trekked over here to see the place to buy fabric in the city.  (This is where Project Runway people go!) (picture by l. mensonides)

 We also got to meet with Cynthia Rowley (a designer...) (picture by j. takekawa)

 then later in May, I went with Lew and Will to see our future president speak during his campaign trail.  Needless to say, it was awesome.

 and camp was fun this year...it was so fun teamming up with Merv, Mike and Marla again for the program/activities staff.

jared and tonya finally got married!  (and I was once again a bridesmaid).  It was wonderful!  I would put Jared and Tonya's version of them, me and Danae, (like we did at Danae's wedding), but this one was just too cute.

 then I journeyed on to Chicago for Radical Journey orientation...

...and met some super cool people.

then I voyaged on to England.  I love going to London.  This is the London Eye, which I am determined to go on sometime.

I love snow.

and finally, Rachel and I celebrated Christmas in London and spent about an hour trying to find this 38 ft tree...

congrats if you actually made it through this very long blog.  I apologize for the length!