My Christmas Letter

Can you even believe 2008 is just days from being over?

I've decided instead of mailing out a letter telling all about what I've done this year that I would just blog it and forward on the link. So, here's my 2008 in review.......

In January I moved to Salt Lake - Sugarhouse. Pili and I lived with Tabitha and her dog Timber and our non-existent roommate Kristie. We enjoyed finding new dog parks and routes for walks so Timber and Pili weren't terrors from being couped up all day long thanks to the cold, wet winter.

In February I went to Lava Hot Springs for a weekend with Jeremy, Wes, Kim, Staci, and Emily Call. Since that trip Wes, Kim, and Staci have gotten married. I'm so glad we had one more chance to explore and go on vacation before our lives made different paths later in the year.

In March my darling niece Jaylee turned 1. And what a party did we have for the Jaylee bug! It was so fun to be part of the celebration of her first year of life. There was also a weekend trip to the Sand Dunes to go 4-wheeling with Jeremy, Wes, Clay and Staci. Pili came with us and was so worn out from roaming around all day. She didn't want to sleep, only wanted to play and chase the 4-wheelers and the bottle of sand we would throw around. When she did finally fall asleep, she slept nearly 12 hours! That kid loves to play and doesn't always know her limits!

The warm weather in April brought on the fun! I went to Bryce Canyon the very first weekend of the month with Jeremy, Cindy, and Wes. I changed the first flat tire I've changed in my entire life and did great. I proved I CAN do boy jobs! BirthdayStock 2008 was a couple weeks later. This was the combined Birthday party for Jeremy, Wes and myself. I turned 29 wearing a fro and celebrating with friends. Also in April I tried out for Deal or No Deal. I never did hear back about being on the show. To me it was a great accomplishment to have the courage to go alone with 10,000 strangers and stand in line for 5 hours to get 15 seconds to talk to a producer. Courageous!

In the middle of May our roommate Kristie moved out and she was replaced by Emily. Two weeks later Tabitha moved back home and Anna took her place. I also moved downstairs at our house. This gave me a lot more space and the master bedroom and bathroom. I LOVE our house! Its located in a great neighborhood. Its an old home that has so much charm. Its the house and neighborhood I wish I'd grown up living in.

June was a month of enjoying the sun. Pili had a wading pool in the backyard that she enjoyed while I would lay in the yard. June also brought the weddings of Kim to Spencer and Staci to Clay.

I spent 4th of July with Emily and Brady and Jaylee and a couple other members of the Bouwhuis family at Bear Lake. We rode 4 wheelers, painted Jaylee's toes, rocked Guitar Hero, played on the wave runners and the boat, and got lots of sun. I also found out that my dear friends were moving to Arizona the beginning of August. In July I also attended the Pioneer Day parade with Cherisse and her family. We cheered and were so proud of the float Cherisse's dad had been in charge of chairing. Their float won several awards and was really a fantastic piece of work! I made one more trip to Bear Lake in July with Jeremy, Tricia, Kristen, Eric, Wes, Joanne and of course Pili. It was a camping weekend. We enjoyed time on the beach in the water and sun. Oh, and in the middle of July I cut my hair for the first time in my life to above my shoulders. Its was a very daring but fun decision. There was also a wedding in July - Jodi to Blair. I just found out that they are expecting their first child next year. Congrats to them!

The adventures kept coming in August. I said goodbye to my friends Emily and Brady and Jaylee who moved to Arizona and are loving life down there. I went to Jackson Hole for our annual river rafting trip with friends. This was my 3rd Summer going. I brought Pili with us and she hated her life jacket but she LOVED all the time in the water. I also got to go to Flaming Gorge with my singles ward. It was my favorite trip of the summer! It was so beautiful there. The water and the sun felt so good to play in. I even got the chance to go cliff jumping for the first time in my life. It was such a rush! We had another change in roommates in August. Emily left and Sarah joined our house. And I decided to color my hair dark. So now its short and dark. I'm not sure I'll ever choose to be blond again. I also had some unplanned visitors in August. My step mom had a death in her family and I was able to visit with my Dad and Carson and Rebekah. I only get to see them at Thanksgiving or Christmas so it was nice to be able to have an extra visit this year.

September was a month of going to work and no travelling and getting to know Sarah. She has fit right in at our home and Anna and I have enjoyed getting to know her. Tabitha's mom had a foreign exchange student who loved spending time at our house. it was fun having the Japanese visitor. Oh, and Tabitha and Timber moved to California where Tab got a teaching job. I can't wait to get Pili and Timber together when they come home to Utah at Christmas!!!

Miss Pili celebrated her 2nd Birthday in October. I love that dog and I'm so grateful she is such a great companion and friend. I dressed up for Halloween for the first time since high school. It was fun but I'm not convinced I'll do it again. Halloween has never been my favorite.

I ran my first 5K in November! And I convinced Sarah to run too. It was also her first. Since it was a 5K sponsored by the Utah Therapy Animal Association Pili got to run too! She and I spent October training and have continued enjoying early morning runs in the neighborhood since the 5K. Just before Thanksgiving I got to go to Chicago and South Bend with Jeremy and Kristen. We explored Chicago and Notre Dame University. That was a fantastic trip! It was a dream come true for me because while we were there we just happened upon Harpo Studios. Being at the building of Oprah was almost as fantastic as getting tickets to a taping of her show. The weekend of Thanksgiving I got to see my Dad and Rebekah and Carson. Sarah and I decorated our house for Christmas and Carson was our big helper. I'm not sure who was more excited about hanging the lights - me and Sarah or my 9 year old brother! The lights we hung are icicle lights. They are so beautiful! I've always wanted to have icicle lights at my house and this year it happened.

And that's it for the year. Lots of firsts. Lots of taking risks. There's just 15 days left of 2008. Should anything wonderfully exciting happen....... I'll be sure to blog it.

Don't Look Back

Alright readers- I need to get something off my chest!!!

I made a post at the beginning of December that I have since deleted. I felt it was fraud. I offered my grandmother a giant amount of forgiveness and I was so ecstatic at how I felt. However, she is a liar. And we will no longer have contact. Let me explain....

She has a debt with my thanks to a choice by my mother. You see my mother gave her and my grandfather money to buy a home 12 years ago. The money was mine and was not to be loaned out as she saw fit. There has been all kinds of legal issues with my mother. She and I have not had a relationship for 8 years partially from the money situation but mostly finding out all the lies she told me and my siblings our entire lives.

My grandfather died 2 years ago and my grandmother refused to pay me what I was owed after his death even though it was specifically outlined how and when I was to be paid. She and I haven't spoken since Summer 2007.

My grandmother and my Uncle contacted me claiming they were going to pay the debt owed to me in the beginning of October this year. I thought of course it was legitimate and was thrilled to be resolving this outstanding issue. Not just for the money, but to me the situation was done. I've been fighting and dealing with their lies and manipulations as well as my mother's my entire life. It was an immensely peaceful feeling to really be done.

Once again, my family has lied to me. They contacted me. They came to me offering the full payment. And then the plan changed. My grandmother suddenly has issues at her home to deal with and quote per her "She can't get a job and work like I can'" and "she can't have no money if her health was to fail."

Still wanting to settle the situation I offered 2 resolutions. For her to pay half the debt owed to me and a promise to consider the debt paid in full or that I would have my attorney pursue her for the entire amount owed to me.

My grandmother contacted my Uncle and he emailed me making some pretty strong statements about me and my character and informed me my grandmother is changing her phone number and desires no further communication with me. I'm letting my attorney handle them from here further. I don't care if he just lets the case sit. I'm so done with this. I'm considering it over. Its money I will never see. And as long as they aren't around to torture my life, its a loss I'm glad to take.

And I say AWESOME! I have no need for ill people in my life. After nearly 30 years of their BS, I am exhausted from dealing with the cancerous relationships I've had to endure with my mother and several members of her family. There comes a time when it is ok to eliminate unhealthy relationships and go on with your life with no regret nor guilt. This is one of those times for me.

I am not mad or feel any sadness from the culmination of these events. I feel great peace. These people who are supposed to be family and have lied and deceived and misled and wrongfully used me are no longer part of my life. I'm going on and not looking back.