The End.

This morning while I was driving to work the radio announcers were talking about the top rated songs of 2010 and it dawned on me that I have not seen, on TV, any 2010 year-in-reviews! I love those shows. I feel the need to watch those shows to properly pay my respect to the previous year before ringing in the New Year. So, I began thinking about MY 2010.

2010 was a roller coaster, filled with highs and lows. Keeping my fingers crossed, the year is already ending better than 2009 ended. 2009 ended with me getting admitted to the hospital and Dave losing his job.

Yea, UGH.

So, since the television networks have failed me in providing a 2010 year-in-review, I decided that I am going to do my own year-in-review…but, I am only going to focus on the highs of the year…lucky you! And, because I'm so long winded, I'll do the first half of 2010 today…and the second half tomorrow! Dang, I must love you guys to give you an honor like that!


January- Started off rough with the doctor telling me that I was going to be out of work for a month; but, turned out great. Dave and I had almost an entire month to spend together! We watched movies; he made omelettes and I discovered that Dave is a Master Omelette Maker!

February- The month the impossible happened! My friends surprised me! Truly, truly surprised me with a limo bus for my birthday complete with chocolate Martinis! We were walking in Old Sac, the bus drove past us and our friend Josh, Mr. outgoing, announced, "I'll get us on the bus!" The rest of the group trotted on behind him like a school of fish. I, on the other hand, hung back with Jennifer, Mr Outgoing's husband, because she does not like to bring attention to herself in public and that sounded good to me. Then, Jennifer suddenly exclaimed, "Let's follow him!" I stopped dead in my tracks, shocked that Jennifer was going to talk to strangers…STRANGERS! I did an about face, ran back to Dave who was bringing up the rear and tried to hide. (Have I mentioned before that I am shy…but, I forget I am shy until I am in social situations and then the shyness hits me like a blunt force trauma? Yea, it's a good way to be. NOT!) Somehow, I got pushed to the front of the group, my memory is a whirlwind, somehow they got me on the bus and the rest...I can't tell you fore I was told what happens on the bus, stays on the bus and if anyone accuses me of flipping off the capital building when we drove by, I will vehemently deny it!

March- *sigh* I was introduced to Mr. Bon Jovi. Well, I didn't actually get to meet him but I got to stare, gaze, gape, gawk, and ogle at him and Richie Sambora while they rocked the stage…and our hearts! Ha, just kidding, it wasn't our hearts they were rocking! OH FOR SHAME, MISSY! If Mr. Bon Jovi's concert was not enough to win me over, him playing Frank Sinatra at the end of his concert did the trick!

AND, in March, my step-dad turned 60! To prove to 60 that he still had 'it', my step-dad conquered a bottle of Jameson that day AND still managed to cook dinner. MY HERO! In the interest of still being welcome at my step-dad's house, I'm going to leave this synopsis at that!

Last, but definitely not least, my Grandma and I met Frank Sinatra Jr…AGAIN! I learned that it is OK to push your Grandma when one sees Mr. Sinatra Jr. walking towards oneself in a casino! That's probably the only time it's OK to push one's Grandma!

Mr. Sinatra Jr. told me, ME, that I was a, "VERY beautiful young lady." OH! I died and went to Heaven right then and there folks. Mr. Sinatra Jr…I love that man; he's kind, nice, generous, talented, smart! *SIGH*

April- Dave's birthday AND our friend Andy's birthday! We had two really fun, epic, kick a** parties at our house in April…this non-cook, non-domestic diva was quite proud of herself! Turns out, music + alcohol = F U N

May- It was an adventurous month for me. For the first time in my lil' ol' life, I cooked chicken in the frying pan! Wait! It gets better! No smoke alarms went off during the chicken fry!

June- June was a…a…a 'month' to say the least! Three GREAT things happened in June.
FIRST: My BFF flew all the way from the great state of Missouri to visit. The trip got off to a rocky start as we could not find each other in the airport! She got off the plane, went to baggage claim, and I was no where to be seen. Meanwhile, I was very excitedly waiting at the bottom of the escalators for my dear BFF, who never appeared! Thank goodness for cel phones! It was the greatest weekend, it was the shortest weekend, it was the fastest weekend…it was pretty cool.

SECOND: My Grandma's birthday this year was celebrated by starting the COOLEST tradition. My Grandma is a fan, just a little bit, of Mr. Frank Sinatra; so, when my Uncle's wife, Trish, suggested we all wish my Grandma a happy birthday by taking turns and singing a line from a Frank Sinatra song to my Grandma we, the family, jumped at the chance! Then, as if perfectly on queue, after everyone had sang their line, the whole family erupted in the same Frank song. I tell ya, families that sing together…ring-a-ding-ding together!

THIRD: Biggest surprise #2 this year! One of my other BFFs deserted me to move all the way around the world! Sheesh! This BFF's mom and I have stayed in touch since Michelle moved; so, when Michelle's mom called me to meet her for dinner, I though nothing of it. As soon as I got off work, I headed to the restaurant where we were meeting. Sandy, Michelle's mom, was waiting for me in the lobby. I followed her as we made our way to a table. We were almost to our table when what to my wondering eyes should appear?!?! But, a BFF and eight tiny reindeer! HOLY COW! I started screaming…right there in the restaurant…all shyness and public awareness just gone! That, my friends, was an epic surprise!


Wow, what a cool 6 months! Wonder what the next 6 had in store?!

Christmas Missyism

I was walking around Target the other day, doing Christmas shopping. I had just come from breakfast with my Mom and Grandparents. My Mom just had a hair appointment with my sister-in-law. Like any responsible daughter would do, I asked my Mom if she knew what my sister-in-law and Dave got me for Christmas. Like any responsible mother would do, she didn't answer me! Being the great detective that I am, I deduced that my Mom knew what I was getting for Christmas. So, as I'm walking through Target this thought crossed my mind: (Please insert whine because that's how it went through my head) "It's not fair that everyone knows what I'm getting for Christmas but me!"

You need not worry. As soon as the thought left my unconscious and entered my conscious I realized the silliness of it all.

I would like for you to sympathize with me, though…I live with a man who does not believe in giving Christmas or birthday or any gift hints! He doesn't even like to talk about what we got each other. He acts like it doesn't even bother him that he doesn't know what he's getting. Ha! Rubbish!

I'm a kid at heart. I love Christmas. I love it for all the right reasons…and I love it for all the wrong reasons! I know I'm going to get a present this year; so, I just embrace it. I want to talk about it, I want to guess, and I want hints…what it all boils down to is I'm just a girl who says she loves being surprised but really hates being surprised because I'm NOSY…like Rudolph!

I like to know what's going on and I like to be involved. Sometimes I have to force that upon others, thus ruining my surprises. It's a sacrifice; but, someone's gotta do it!

If you'll remember, this year for my Birthday, my friends and Dave surprised me BIG TIME with a limo bus. As you may have gathered after this post, it's kind of hard to surprise me. I LOVED my birthday surprise! I was so... so... so…SURPRISED! That is so unusual for me because I look for surprises everywhere…not to be a pest…but because it excites me!

Last night at dinner (because I just can't help it, folks), I asked my Mom and step-Dad what they had gotten me for Christmas. It really just comes out of my mouth before I have a chance to talk myself out of it. My step-Dad immediately began playing along and then, I think he dropped a real hint. He told me they ordered something and it's being shipped to my Grandparent's house! Whaa-haa-haa! An answer! A real answer!

The look of shock and horror that flashed across my Mom's face was priceless, folks! She immediately tapped my step-Dad's arm and began saying, "NO! She's the girl you can't tell ANYTHING to, you can't say ANYTHING to her, NOTHING at all!"

Ahhhh, my reputation precedes me! Now, off to my Grandparents house I go!

(Just kidding!)

4 Things

1. I take care of the family finances; so, naturally, money is on my mind quite a bit. One morning while I was brushing my teeth, I had an epiphany. It dawned on me that in 7, 15 or maybe even 50 years from now I am going to wonder why I ever worried about money so much.

2. This is my favorite Christmas ornament; I've had it since 1985!

3. This ornament pretty much sums up my feelings; it reads, "I'm not cooking dinner tonight!"

4. What's that behind the door?

Who says you can't have a little bathroom humor on the Christmas tree?