Oh My, THE Survey of 2009

I. Am. Such. A. Sucker. For. Surveys.

So I present to you The Best of 2009 Blog Challenge:

1. Best Trip: We went on several short trips this year, as opposed to one major vacation. I really enjoyed Atlanta because I got to experience the whole 'tourist thing' for the first time in awhile. This was also the trip where I discovered I was pregnant, so it will always stick out in my memory.

2. Restaurant Moment: From February to the end of April, John and I ventured out to a little Peruvian restaurant every Saturday night called Cuzco. The Picante de Camarones was my favorite dish. There was always a live band, and the owners cleared a space in the middle of the floor if anyone wanted to dance. John and I (and the friends we took each week) were always the only (born) Americans there. Almost all of the other visitors hailed from Peru, but they seemed to enjoy our presence, and the owners were really sad when we told them we would be moving to Florida. For the record, this restaurant is in the 'Boro if anyone wants to check it out.

3. Article: Honestly. . . I can't think of anything specific. Sad, I know.

4. Book: Little Women. John actually gave me this for my birthday a year ago, but I never actually read it until this summer (Yes, I do realize how pathetic that is). The chapter where Meg realizes the challenges of keeping a house in order along with other wifely matters was my favorite (because I could relate more than I expected). The copy I have (which is paperback) is practically in shambles, so I may see if John will buy me the hardback version; I'd really like to re-read it again in 2010.

5. Night Out: Probably the last full day/night I spent with my mom and sister in law, Jennifer before John and I moved. We did was we did on any other occasion (shop shop eat shop!), but knowing it was our last good amount of quality time together brought on a lot of different emotions.

6. Workshop/Conference: Ah. . . didn't go to any of those.

7. Blog Find of the Year: Probably SouleMama . I discovered it after I learned to sew and LOVE looking at all of the different things the makes, the material she uses, as well as reading her latest book, Handmade Home. I'd like to order her first book, The Creative Family once our kids are a little older.

8. Moment of Peace: When I finally became at peace with moving to Florida. Funnily enough, it was before we knew for sure whether or not we would. I did a lot of praying, and I remember finally having that peace and telling God, 'O.k. . . I am definitely o.k. with going if You want us to.'

9. Challenge: How ironic. Adjusting to life in Florida almost 400 miles away from everything and everyone I knew. There is very little to do where we live, any decent shopping is a forty five minute drive, I'm limited on which grocery stores I can shop at, etc. However, challenges don't come without their spurts of wonder and amazement. When you pretty much only have one person you know around (and you live with that person), you're probably going to go in one of two directions: you'll drive each other crazy, or you'll get closer. Thankfully John and I have fallen into the latter category. Not that we were ever distant from each other before, but this move has caused us to just. . . love each other more? Understand each other more? It's so hard to describe, but I have such an appreciation for John that I didn't have before, and I don't think I would have it had we not moved.

10. Album of the Year: I seriously never buy albums. Though I did get a copy of David Crowder's: Church Music, so I guess I'll say that.

11. Best Place: Barns and Noble. Sometimes, I'll just go here to walk around and take in the aroma of new books. I love looking at all of the different books, and a lot of the time I find myself in the children's section, reminiscing about the books that were read to my as a child. Mmm.

12. New Food: Have mercy, blackened grouper, forever and ever, Amen. Because of the high amount of mercury in grouper, I've had to abstain from eating it since September. I eagerly look forward to May, because as soon as we're home from the hospital, I'm sending John to get me a blackened grouper sandwich!

13. Change in the Place I live: HA. Since we're getting ready to move into our fourth home of 2009, I'm having a really hard time answering this. So I won't.

14. Rush: Seeing a positive pregnancy test.

15. Best Packaging: Hm, this one takes some thought. . . is it bad that nothing pops to mind?

Oh well.

So there are the first fifteen days of the month-- I'll probably do one or two more a day as I finish out the month. Which will be fun since, once again, I'm such a sucker for these things that I do them every chance I get!