My New Years Revelations....

After a very busy day of shopping, laughing, walking, hand-holding, dining, drinking, and movie watching....Casey and I are ready to ring in the new year. We've got wine glasses in hand and eyes "propped open" in order to make it to midnight! But there have definitely been a lot of memories and experiences to be thankful for after a very quick, amazing and bittersweet year....
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This year was quite a whirlwind. It seems like just yesterday I was wishing Casey a Happy New Year and exclaiming “We’re getting married this year!”….we thought it was going to be one of the best, toughest, busiest, and craziest years of our lives. And boy, it didn’t disappoint!

It had seemed like a countdown until October 17th. That was THE date…..never really looked past it to what would happen after the date. Everything was focused on that day…..and sure enough, life slammed us in our tracks on October 4th when my dad died. Nothing else really seemed to matter, like the colors on the menus or the placement of the tables…..the priorities in life were totally different.

And after feeling like my life was perfect and invincible………that nothing would ever go wrong in my life…it sure did. I lost a person close to me without ever telling him how I really felt about him or say goodbye. And that now affects every aspect of my daily life.

If I have learned one thing from 2009, it is to not waste the life you have at this moment. Don’t take ANYTHING for granted. If there is ever something that you want to do, or say to someone…do it, because you never know if you will ever have the chance again. I look back at things that I should have done this year with family, but didn’t because we were so busy with other things—we really should have made the time. Because I will never get that time back that I could have spent with him.

Along with the crazy events and schedules, there were also many firsts this year.

2009 was the first time…..


I stuck to a new year’s resolution and actually accomplished it…and more!

I went to Disneyland for the first time!

We ate a ridiculous amount of cupcakes over the span of the year.

Casey and I stopped working together for the last time at University Art.

I understood what it felt like to lose someone.

I really started to enjoy and appreciate wine.

I got married and became a Maguire!

Casey and I took our first plane ride together.

I went to Las Vegas and had a wonderful honeymoon!

I learned how to play craps…..and throw dice CORRECTLY. Grrrr…

I owned a handbag that cost more than my monthly phone bill…..and that’s a lot!

Casey and I had sushi.

I went ice skating.

I realized how many people were affected by my dad’s life.

I found out what it feels like to have a loving husband and amazing family.



Casey and I have realized how much has happened and changed us in one year. We’ve grown so much and realize that this journey is just beginning, with so much ahead of us! It’s great to look back on what we have experienced and been blessed with……while realizing with hope and optimism that this next year can be even better than the last.

Happy New Year!

2009 Holiday Season is almost over!

As you can probably tell by my lack of posts, this has been a busy month. Decorating, xmas parties, baking and cooking..... shopping, packaging and wrapping..... schmoozing, drinking, eating, sleeping.....and currently, trying to fight a bad cold. Yeah, all the stress and lack of sleep has caught up to me yet again. I was sick before Thanksgiving, and now I'm sick before New Year's! Oh joy!

Needless to say however, this holiday was busy, yet different obviously. I was somewhat dreading it because of the changes and not being able to stick with tradition. But that was probably a good thing. Casey and I created a lot of new memories and experiences together with both of our families and friends.

We hosted 3 xmas parties and were able to use a lot of our wedding gifts for the first time!

Here is our beautiful table set with our new china, wine glasses, silverware, linens and vase.

I just love our china.

And with dinner parties comes a huge kitchen mess....in a tiny kitchen! Luckily for me, Casey was so sweet to clean this up (he felt guilty for burning my hand while we were prepping for dinner......damn gravy!)

So while it was great to host parties, it was nice to spend time with family as well and indulge in holiday treats and pastimes.

We were spoiled again by both families and received many wonderful gifts. Even a total surprise gift of a professional wedding album done by our photographer. It's absolutely stunning (even though I have already looked at these pictures like a million times.) It's still priceless.

Casey, Alisha, Mom and Jason on Christmas Day at the Maguires

Ice skating at Casey's work....the three of us couldn't stop laughing...or falling!

Hope you had a happy holiday with family and friends. I promise to blog more often this upcoming year.....there will be one more blog post in 2009. One full of memories.

Beginning of the holidays!

This last week was quite a busy one!

Got sick before Thanksgiving and spent 2 days in bed. But thankfully my hubby took quite good care of me. Got me plenty of videos to watch after hooking up a new DVD player in the bedroom......made me homemade chicken noodle soup........it was so very sweet!

Was finally a little better by Thanksgiving so we had a nice get together at Casey's aunts place. Lots of good laughs and great food!

Mom and brother came to visit for the next few days so they finally got to see the wedding pictures! Mom even watched the slideshow video 4 times! Needless to say she loved it!

Enjoyed a wonderful breakfast with them and the in-laws on Saturday morning. Great when families can enjoy each other's company!

So finally........here is one of my favorite pictures from the wedding!