The Year That Was....

So 2009 was one crazy year!! I can honestly say I’ve never had a year to match it. I had my doubts that I’d actually make it thru but I did! So here it is my year in review!

We all know what January through May consisted of so let’s not re-visit it. All that needs to be said is that in all my 30 years of living I’ve never been as unhappy as I was in those few months & my hair was falling out as a result of it. Hereafter this time period will be referred to as The Unmentionable. However, it was in these months that Team Dunbar was formed & it was my saving grace. I would not have made it through this time with out them! Dear Team Dunbar I love you with all my heart!

Team Dunbar in full force:







In May I moved to my new apartment & marked this event with my Emancipation Celebration! It felt good! I have not regretted my move not one single day!

Me & my best girls at my Emmancipation Celebration



After that it was full speed ahead & I had prolly the busiest summer of my whole life! We spent A LOT of time outside this summer & man we got tan!!! It looks good on us!






What a great summer! It was just what I needed!

In early June I made an important life decision. I got rid of my cable!! WHAT?!?! I know it’s insane but it’s true! I no longer have Tivo & only about 5 local channels to speak of & seriously I don’t even notice it! How is that possible!? I haven’t watched any of my shows at all this season. The only time I really watch any of them is when they happen to be on when I’m at the gym. I’m too busy with other stuff to even miss them! This is monumental-my shows were my life! I’m really growing up!

In July my dearest, most special friend Jenny left me & moved to Ohio. That was ROUGH let me tell you! I just figured we’d always live near eachother. We had a whole plan of living next door to each other with our hooligan children. Well we can’t very well do that when she lives all the way across the country now can we!? RUDE!!! We had quite a tearful goodbye & I don’t wanna do that again!! I miss her. Dear Bo(red).




In August my beloved Grandfather passed away. I was ready for him to move on but it was still so incredibly hard. I did the life sketch at the funeral & it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in life. I was once again reminded of how much I love my big, crazy family & how grateful I am that we are all sealed together. And how there’s just no other family quite like us. Who else would have Kentucky Fried Chicken & cans of Pepsi for an after funeral lunch?! I came off my soda sobriety & drank a can of Pepsi in honor of my Grandfather! Dear Grandfather I love & miss you so much & hope that I’m making you proud of me!



As if that wasn’t enough my Grandma Gail (my dad’s real mom) passed away 2 weeks later. Now while she’s not as near and dear to my heart as my Grandfather I do still love her & I was so sad that she passed away and really sad for my dad to lose both of his parents in the space of 2 weeks. It was a rough time for my family. But I saw us all really come together in this time to try & take care of each other especially of my dad & I was really impressed with us!

In September I turned the BIG 3-0!!! It was a momentous event to say the least! I had been counting down all year for it! I made a list of things I wanted to do by my 30th & not one single thing got checked off my list! But I was fine with it cuz I had had the busiest, most fun summer in years & really at that point all I wanted to have accomplished was that I was feeling better after earlier unpleasantries. I can honestly say that I was happy for my 30th! it was a great day & I was surrounded by all my favorite people (except my Precious but we won’t get into that!!)

Me at the strok of midnight! I'm 30!!!



A few days after my 30th I had another momentous event take place. I made my Temple debut!!! I had originally planned to make my debut when I was getting married but that wasn’t happening & I felt like I was denying myself a lot of great opportunities & blessings so I decided the time had come! It was quite a day and once again I was surrounded by some of my favorite people! I’m an official Mormon now!! No going back!!!





In October I flew to San Diego to witness THE event of the century (so far)!! My Johnny got married! It was a blessed event & I had such a great time with the Turners in San Diego!!




In early December I got a clear bill of healthy hair from my stylist! Go me!!! she said my hair was no longer falling out & that it was really growing in nicely! And somewhere in the months since I moved I found my forgiveness for what had happened to me in the past year. Not that it’s completely behind me (so don’t get it twisted!) but it’s a start.

I really wanted to end this year with something totally awesome & to be able to cap off such a crazy, tumultuous year with something really great. At 1st my plan was to buy a house before the year was up. After going through the process with 2 different houses & being only days away from closing I ultimately decided it wasn’t the right thing for me to do right now. I decided not to buy my little hacienda & to just stay put in my apartment for right now. Now while I felt totally fine about not buying a house I was a little fussy that I didn’t have something great to cap my year off with but I soon found it. My cousin Danielle had her Temple debut on December 30th in the Salt Lake Temple. So I drove down to attend & almost didn’t make it due to the CRAZY weather that day. It took almost 4 & a ½ hours to get down there when it normally would’ve only taken 3. I just wanted to make it down there in time! I managed to get there & get to the session barely in time. Why was this such a great year ender you ask? 1st of all the Salt Lake Temple is amazing!! I had never been in there before & was just in awe of the place. I was touching everything! And 2nd because me & my sister Kristy & my cousins Courtney & Danielle all grew up together & they really are my nearest & dearest relatives so for the four of us to be in there all together was one of the single greatest moments of my life! We had this tender little group hug in the Celestial room that had us all tearing up & I knew that Grandmother & Grandfather were there too & that they were so proud of us!! That was the happy ending to this year that I needed!



So now it’s 2010 & it can only get better from here on out. It’s just got to!! I made a few goals for the new year. stuff that’s all about me & for me & things I really want to accomplish not just the usual “I wanna lose weight” stuff we all usually spout off! this year I do want to turn myself into a runner (yeah that borders on the whole “I wanna lose weight” thing but it’s a good goal!”), I want to read at least 5 books (crazy I know since I hate reading), implement my new savings & budget plan , to work more on my family history & to be happy! So let’s kick 2009 to the curb & wash our hands of it!! Happy New Year everyone!!