solar squirrel

This year with the new jobbie and all Todd and me decided to lay low and stay in Akron for Christmas.  It ended up being a great time well spent with family and a few friends.  I’m so happy that this year is almost over; 2009 was pretty crappy compared to 2008.  2009’s major lows were the loss of my job at Philips and my IT band injury.  Then there was the incredibly stressful few months at my ‘transition job’ which ended up making me realize what it’s like to have an awful boss (never had one till then!) but also allowing me to find a great new friendship.

2009 also had some really great things - like the fact that I finally landed an incredible job with incredible superiors doing work in renewable energy - what I’ve ALWAYS WANTED!  There is also the completion of my MBA in 2009 which is pretty exciting.  It’s neat to have a graduate degree, and with a concentration in sustainability I might add!

I really think that 2010 may be the best year yet.  I’m going to try to make it that way, at least.

Todd and I got a real tree this year.  We didn’t have a tree last year since we were in Oregon, so this year we made sure to get one early!

Harnessing Christmas tree to the Subaru

We got the tree Thanksgiving weekend.  It smelled SOOOOOOO good in the house!  We got out all of the Christmas decorations (mostly animal ornaments from World Market - we buy them once they go on sale for 75% off) and put up the lights.  I thought it looked pretty cozy.  Todd’s parents mailed us a ton of gifts and when we put them under the tree it looked like a present explosion!

Christmas tree with presents!

Christmas day we had a nice afternoon filled with TONS of delicious food at my mom’s house.  Todd bought me a gorgeous bracelet from Swarovski (SOOOOOO SOOOOOOO SPARKLY!!!) and my mom got me the gift of fitness - a PINK TRAINER!  Wooo hoooo!!!

Todd on the PINK trainer. :)

We’ve been building a lot of fires in the downstairs fireplace.  I love having the basement room finished.  It’s crazy that we never used that room before this summer when Todd re-did it.  It’s sooooo cozy with the aquarium lights.

View of fireplace from another angle

Our new freshwater aquarium

Another shot to show the wooden base and top

Todd made the top for the aquarium and he stained the entire thing.  I keep wondering if there is anything that he’s NOT good at doing…

I’ve been meaning to post pictures of the new room downstairs.  I took the fireplace photos, but still should get some good one’s of the entire room.  If you’ve been to the house at least you’ve seen it!  We’ve had a few get-together’s so at least people know it’s real.  (I’ve had some friends ask me if Todd is STILL working on the basement whenever he doesn’t show up to something with me…he literally worked EVERY weekend and evening for a few months this summer!)

Here’s to an awesome 2010 to EVERYONE!  HAPPY NEW YEAR KIDS - LET’S MAKE 2010 A YEAR TO REMEMBER!

I went to the Dr. on Friday and the short story is that they think that I have an alignment problem that was aggravated due to my increased mileage and speed work.  They have ordered physical therapy to get to the bottom of the issue.  Two different Dr.’s spent about an hour with me moving my knee and leg, watching me do single and double-legged squats, comparing both knees, etc.  I was thoroughly impressed.  (I went to an Orthopedic sports Dr. based out of Akron Children’s Hospital.)  My first day of physical therapy is Wed.  They told me to bring in my running shoes so that they can also look at my wear patterns and also possibly do a gait analysis.  This is great!  I think I’m finally going to get over this dumb knee issue!

So what have I been doing since I haven’t been running?

Watching amazed as Todd transforms the old, hideous bathroom into a modern spa paradise!

New Shower

(More pictures to come soon in a post dedicated to our bathroom transformation)

Drinking WAY too much at Blues and Brews and then drinking margaritas:

B and me after Blues and Brews

Having fun with my intelligent, athletic, talented, funny, cute, all around AWESOME and HARD CORE boyfriend:

My cutie

Making yummy plates of food and indulging waaaaay too much:

Olives, cheeses, meats, breads, fruits and wine!

So yea, life has still continued and I’m getting by without doing my favorite pastime.  I’m sooooo ready to get back to running and I’m being hopeful that this physical therapy will work out.  In the meantime I’m going to continue doing my cross training to maintain a moderate level of fitness.  (Plus with all this eating and drinking, I’m going to be 500 lbs. by the time I get back to running!)  I miss hanging out with my running girls.  Worst case I go and have fun with all of them at Columbus.  (I’m signed up for the half marathon which I may or may not be able to run).  I sure do miss running with all of my SERC friends…

Today I woke up to this strange knocking noise.  I went out to the porch and saw Todd outside doing as he calls it ‘Man Stuff’ - today it’s splitting wood.  We had the park come and take down 2 dead trees and Todd asked them to just leave them so that he could use the wood for the fireplaces.  Earlier this week he did ‘Man Stuff’ using the chain saw.  Today he’s splitting it.  He cracks me up - when he’s doing ‘man stuff’ (anything involving a chain saw, ax, car parts, heavy lifting / moving, demolishing, or building) he is in his element.  He’s like a rooster standing tall with a big poofed out chest.  haahahhahaaaa!!!  He is going to kill me when he reads this…

Todd doing some 'Man Stuff'