So, I have never heard so many people say Thank God 2009 is coming to an end! I guess in many ways, our family feels the same way, however, we can't help to look back on a very difficult year and be thankful for the little angels that helped us along the way...our family and friends who helped to create some of the best times ever this year...and the magic of the Monk!
Though financially we took major hits this year, if you look back over our holiday celebrations, we did not need for food...our feasts were just that...feasts...so much food to go around...so fortunate as so many cannot enjoy what we have. Diana continues to bring joy and magic to our family day in and day out and we are now all living through her eyes during holidays which makes them even more special.
Grammy and Papa celebrated 50 years of marriage this year and treated us all to one of the best vacations ever...our entire family got to stay together at Old Orchard Beach for an entire week and we all agreed that we had not been able to relax that much or enjoy our time together in years.
Diana became healthier...anytime we compared her health..her weight...her demeanor to the same time last year, we thanked God. She really turned the corner and started catching up weight wise and feeling healthier and stronger.
She turned one in 2009! We had such a wonderful celebration!
Zack entered the very first Windham High School! What an exciting time this was. Not only is he part of the very first freshman class at WHS, he was a true leader from day one having been named captain twice for the WHS Jaguar Football team, making honors and then becoming one of the WHS Jaguar Freshman Basketball Captains! We are so proud of him.
Ally, as always, continues to make honors every semester at Salem High AND she entered the workforce. At first, she was horrified working at McDonald's (don't I remember those days!) but now she loves it...she has made a great group of friends there, who she also goes to school with and she continues to impress us with her strong work ethic, talent in the athletics and her love and caring for her baby sister.
Kayla entered UNH after being accepted to their prestigious Whittemore Business School. She is doing well and continues to enjoy her work at JCrew.
Bambi, our beloved Bulldog, continues to be a special part of our family...we all admit that we do not give her the attention we used to, since Diana came along and the kids often ridicule me for that...some day they will understand but now, I just humor them and say you are so right (ha ha)....
My parents have helped us so much this year....it is almost like they knew where we were struggling and what would help us...every time I think of it I cry...they take Diana one day a week for us and although they love it, we appreciate the help and could not do it without them...they also bought Diana's car seats for us...that includes car seats for our cars, their cars and my in-laws car...so thankful for them buying us meat to fill our freezer...to the little luxuries of a beautiful anniversary dinner in Boston...we are forever grateful.
and the economy? Well it is showing signs of hope. We think we are moving in the right direction...God willing. The housing market is showing signs of hope...the stock market is back over 10 and the jobless claims continue to slightly fall each month....please God help us out of this.
I am leaving you with pictures of food of course....food is love...well in my family it always has been..it is the way we show our love and gratitude. NYE was all about apps and cocktails. We got no pictures of us but have some videos we will upload later.
If you want any of the recipes you may see here, please email me at hbinda@yahoo.com
Here is to a FANTASTIC 2010!
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