Reflections on 2009

Hello everyone, this blog has risen from the dead. Many apologies to my loyal followers (kidding...all three of you). This post was intended to be posted on New Year's day, but that oviously didn't happen. The time was much better spent playing with my nephews and niece. Hopefully you will enjoy this post just as much several days into the New Year. It was fun for me to create! What a great way to start 2010 by remembering the best moments of 2009. Enjoy!

* New Year's 2009

* January 3, 2009: We adopt the Buttery cat (aka Butters).

Was he really this little?

Still the cutest cat ever!! My favorite picture of him...he loves us :).


* Adventuring to San Francisco and eating, eating, eating. We have yet to eat better food than at this restaurant below: Town Hall. Complimentary champagne? Yes please!
Hanging out with the Blakster and parents at Crissy Field.

A must in San Francisco: Pictures at the palace.

* Hmm, you just don't know me that well if you don't know I have developed a ridiculous love for cooking, baking and food. Check out my facebook feed: I do believe there are now more pictures of food than of people. Below: tempura'd broccoli - is there anything better? Especially when alongside katsu chicken? I think not. Thank you Sherrie for sharing your favorite meals and recipes.

Chili lime tequila shrimp fajitas (minus the tequila). Ya, there's no tequila, but doesn't that make the meal sound even more delicious? Hmm, an idea for next time.

* My first Suns game!! Yes, a Suns fan all my life and had never been to a game before this. Thank you Dad for taking us.

* VEGAS! Need I say more?

* ASU Racquetball Team. Eek I took a beating that day. Well that day and every other tournament I played. Such a fun sport!!

* The infamous cowboy party: "One Last Rodeo" - our last official college party with friends. Please ask the boys about the car ride home...most fun time ever! That poor McDonald's drive-thru girl.
And the cowgirls :)

* Z Tejas for Cinco de Mayo slash Cassie's 22nd Birthday. Mmm...delicious margaritas!

* Homemade fondue spread with apples, bread, veggies and all the fixings and a bottle of delicious wine.

* Cassie's Bridal Shower...almost married! Below with best friend Lindsey Lu.

All the girls.

* Cassie's Bachelorette Party!! This is the only picture that shall get posted.

* Back to the grind. Honors thesis to defend and finals to pass. Can you believe this note sheet for one of my three math classes? Two-sided! Two-pages. I did this for three different tests. Shoot me now.

* But it's over!! I am officially a graduate of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Barrett Honors College - ya baby!

A-S-U! A-S-U! A-S-U!

* May 23, 2009: Mr. & Mrs. Daniel and Cassie Nielsen

* HONEYMOON!!! Exploring cenotes, Chichen Itza, the rainforest and the Ocean in the Riviera Maya near Cancun, Mexico. AHHH what an incredible trip!!!

* Sadly, Dan moves away from me soon after the wedding and honeymoon for an internship with Goldman Sachs. So proud of him. I keep myself occupied with fantastic friends and take a trip to Lake Pleasant for some tubing and sunbathing.

* July 1st I begin working for LawLogix. I could to talk your ear off for an hour about how much I love my job. They let me take a bit of time off over the 4th of July weekend to visit hubby in Salt Lake City. The picture below is of a hike we took...breathtaking, isn't it?

* Then some goofing around in Park City on 4th of July.

* We met Dan in Vegas on his trip home from SLC. Any chance to hang out in Vegas, right? Can't wait to go again in March for the tournament!

* Lots of bowling. We're not very good, but we make the most memorable memories.

* Camping trip to the Mogollon Rim. So many funny stories and pictures.

The boys of the camping trip.

Then the eventful ride home with a flat tire, two broken jacks, and a very unsafe ride home in the back of a very full pickup truck.

From Fountain Hills to Tempe riding in the truck like this. We played music on Brock's iphone, sang songs and looked up at the bright stars. We know how to make the best out of an extremely frustrating, terrible situation.

Halloween 2009. Can you guess what we are?

* Holidays 2009...must decorate sugar cookies!

* It's my yearly tradition to bake goodies for friends like the good, little housewife that I am. This year everyone got caramel apples.

* Lindsey's holiday party!

* Celebrating our five year anniversary at our favorite Phoenix restaurant. If you have not been, please reserve a whole evening to wait 3.5 hours for delicious pizza, appetizers and wine. Worth every minute and penny.

So that's the gist of 2009. Perhaps the most eventful year of my life...at least until I start having kids (which is not for a long, long time for all of you that are hoping we start soon). New job, birthdays, wedding, honeymoon, graduation, thesis defense, hubby out of town, Miami/San Francisco/Vegas/Salt Lake City/Mexico...I'd say we kept ourselves busy and had a ton of fun along the way. Well adios 2009 and bienvenidos TWENTY-TEN! We are so ready for the adventures you have in store for us this year.

With Love!

Cassie (and kinda Dan)