2011? BRING IT ON!

I don't need to tell most of you that this year has been an absolute rollercoaster. I know a lot of people say that about every single year, but for me it's the only way it can be described. I have had some of the best moments of my life, and some of the worst in these past 12 months... here is my 2010 Year in Review. A reflection on the good and the bad that have happened this past year. To all of my new readers (holy cow, I can't believe I have hit over 200!!) welcome, and I hope you enjoy this years end recap.

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January 2010

I started out the year 2010 with one of the most important moments of my life! I was newly engaged to my best friend (Christmas morning 2009) and had begun all the crazy planning of the wedding to make sure we snagged up all of our favorite vendors. We set our date for October 23, 2010. I also started the year long quest to change my life, become healthy and lose the "Freshman 15" and the "Cubicle 20"! I planned to start kicking my own butt! A few of my favorite posts from January which are not linked already were...

Spencer + Jenni = ♥
the story of how we met.
Resolution Time 
My 2010 Resolutions...which I did almost all of!
I am a Rockstar! 
I finally parallel parked successfully!

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February 2010

February is a bit of a blur for me. Time seems to have stood still for awhile as I pushed through this difficult month. Work was starting to really get to me as moods were low and layoffs were starting to happen around the company. I had many days were I was in a less than stellar mood. In addition to all of it, my school wasn't that great, the smelly kid always sat by me and our little pups became women... MESSY.... I did have some really great moments though. Spencer and I had a wonderfully sweet Valentines Day together, and spent many nights cuddling up inside while it snowed outside...including one hilarious night involving Betty, and "chocolate". Some other favorite posts this month...

My Girl Crushes
We all have them...

The Secret
All you need is a little bacon (just for fun)

A Little Bit of Love
Things I love about my best friend.

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 March 2010

March was the beginning of a very bad time that made me question who I am, and what I have to offer. On March 3rd, I was laid off from my job. I had been there three years, but was the last one hired into my position, and they shaved from the bottom. I was flooded with support from  fellow bloggers when I announced the layoff, and never have I been more flattered with kind words and prayers. I was truly amazed, and it helped me to begin seeing the bright side of things. I look back on those first few weeks as a time of growth, and a time when Spencer and I became closer. One of my favorite posts from that time I wrote this paragraph...

I walked up to Spencer, I hugged him and I said, "I have no purpose. I have no reason to get out of bed... I need a purpose" Spencer hugged me and told me he would be my purpose. I told him that it wouldn't work because he made me want to stay in bed and cuddle with him...so he said he would be my "porpoise". He'd be cute and make me giggle. He is my "porpoise."

I got a membership to the gym and began exercising every chance I got. I also picked out my wedding gown! I began to make the decision to not let things get the better of me, to persevere and to see this big life change as an opportunity. All of my mornings were like the photograph above...me searching for work, being watched closely by my little fuzzballs. :) This month, I took away these life lessons.

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April 2010
The beginning of April brought a wonderful surprise. My mom and now step-dad decided to invite a justice of the peace to the house and get married! They had been planning a ceremony for June, but decided to just get married at home with close family and then take an awesome honeymoon to Hawaii together. It was a very sweet ceremony with just their kids, grandkids and parents present. I took some photographs and then we went out to dinner together. I also got my very first interview to become head of marketing. I got through two interviews and though I didn't get the job it did help build my confidence just to get the interview. Spencer and I decided to do some spring cleaning, and plant some pretty flowers in our front yard. I also kept on hitting the gym, and keeping myself accountable with weekly weigh-ins! And probably the best thing of all was at the end of the month when we booked our honeymoon!!! 8 days in Riviera Maya Mexico! 

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May 2010
May started out ok. I had my first horrible interview, which left me asking why I even woke up. It was a freaking cattle call! Before the interview even started I wanted to walk out. I found my very favorite summer drink recipe, and started making them in the afternoons while I read and laid outside to tan. Then one of my greatest nightmares came to life, and on an evening late in May I had to rush my puppies to the hospital due to poisoning. By the time I arrived our little Mia was barely living. She was weak, had a heartbeat of only 20 bpm and if I had been 5 minutes later may have died in my arms. We left them at the hospital overnight and I fell asleep crying in Spencer's arms. Betty was home in 24 hours but Mia was there for 2 whole days. When they finally came home I wanted to spend every moment with them, and not leave their side. We rested for days... We did eventually leave the house however, and I ended up helping all of my bridesmaids pick out their dresses! I also pondered the fine art of "driving ballet".

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June 2010

June literally brought with it, a TON of crap. After a week of heavy rains, our basement flooded. Not with water, but with 5 feet of sewage! It was absolutely disgusting and involved lots of documentation, LOTS of bleach and an incredible gag reflex. I hope I NEVER have to go through anything like this again. Thank goodness we had some great help digging ourselves out of it, but due to all the clean-up I posted very little... The few times I did it was about getting through the flood, playing with the puppies outside and wedding details.

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July 2010

July started with a little bit of leftover crap, and then got MUCH better. At the beginning of the month I was dealing with insurance from the basement, and that can make anyone have a bad day! But then things got much better! I started doing P90x like crazy, and the puppies LOVED to play every time I pulled out my yoga mat! I found my mind constantly wandering off to Mexico and our vacation, I did LOTS of wedding stuff and I turned 26! It maybe wasn't the most eventful month, but after all of the things happening lately, it was a much needed break from the craziness!

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August 2010
August for us was over almost before it began! It was 2 months before our big wedding day so we had all of the invitations to get addressed and into the mail. I was so happy and excited with the way that they turned out, and couldn't wait for people to see them! I also found perfect little wedding shoes for the reception and we got our engagement photos taken! They turned out BEAUTIFULLY and the girls even behaved themselves throughout the whole thing! The wedding was really starting to come together!

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September 2010
September was an exciting month. Spencer and I started dance lessons! We wanted to feel confident at our wedding and went to class once a week all month long. It was so much fun as we learned to foxtrot, waltz and rumba! I also decided that the time had come and started, "Created By Jenni", my graphic design and photograph business by posting a fanpage on Facebook! I kept on working out and had my first bridal shower! Everything about this month was just so much fun! AND I fit into a size 12 jean!!! Something I haven't done in a LONG time!

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October 2010
It finally arrived! Our wedding month!!! It was crazy this month, and I didn't post much leading up the wedding. There was just so much to do! I had my bachelorette party, started going to Zumba classes (a now obsession) began day-dreaming heavily about Mexico with my soon-to-be HUSBAND and before I knew it the big day was here! My very sweet, amazing friend Summer posted on our wedding day with a sweet message filled with love, and each day after was another beautiful post from all kinds of very special bloggie friends as we honeymooned on the beach.

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November 2010

We came back from our honeymoon rested and well relaxed! It was an AMAZING adventure and I can't wait to take many more together just like this one. It was strange to come back home to the Holiday season and cold temperatures after spending a week in paradise, but we adjusted. We both got Kindle's for our honeymoon, and became reading fools! I re-read the last 2 books of the Harry Potter series, The Hunger Games series, and 3 Dan Brown books before we saw the end of November. I reflected on our wedding ceremony in THIS post, decided to start training for a 5K in April, Zumba'd my heart out and finally our photographs came in!!! (more photos here and here)

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December 2010
December came just recently, and with it brought new hope and excitement with an interview! Followed by another interview, and a scheduled final interview on January 5th. The job? The midwest Corporate Photography trainer for Our365 baby photography! I am so nervous and so excited for this final interview! However, it's been difficult to keep my mind busy, so I turned into a little Christmas elf! I made a wreath for our front door,  designed our holiday cards, helped my sister-in-law build 10' trees!, made a Merry Mickey wreath, and redesigned my blog! We celebrated an AMAZING Christmas with our families and I reflected on this past year through the ups, downs and sideways moments only to realize I really am a very lucky girl. I  am so excited for what 2011 has to offer and I can't wait to walk into it with my head held high and hopefully a new path to wander down. Life has a strange way of working out!

I hope you all had a wonderful year, and can look back at the past 365 days

as a time of learning, growing and loving.

Happy 2011!

 ♥

Jenni