Happy New Year!

You know, with the nightly news bringing a constant barrage of bad news and tragedy, it can be easy to forget about all the good things that go on in our lives.  Today being the end of the year, I felt like reflecting on some of the happier moments and memories from the 2009.

This year saw a lot of happy memories and times shared with my family.  The Wiflers' shared many happy times at our wonderful Lummi Island Cabin this year.  We spent time at the beach roasting dogs, and zuchinis (my veggie Mom.... Gotta love her!!!).  We lit off fireworks, shared stories and just had general good times with the cousins, uncles, aunts, children and friends.  So much joy and laughing shared with loved ones, it makes my heart full!  We had much to celebrate when Mom and Jim tied the knot this year, taking their long relationship to the next level!  Congrats to the happy couple!

Also this past year brought a closer relationship with the Spanglers too.  Through this tool, the internet, I've been able to share in the lives and times of family I'd long ago lost touch with.  Now the family is just a mouse click away.  Even better, I got to have a lovely in person visit with my Dad and Margy!  It's been a few years and it was heartwarming to reconnect on a personal level.

The Heredia family too made an impact on our happiness this year.  We had some wonderful visits with long lost family from Nevada.  I had great time meeting Ben's fateher, sisters, brothers, niece.  We enjoyed and appreciated their visits to little ole Lummi Island.  We're happy too to have the local family to share in some great life experiences.  We're all different, but love is the common bond!

This past year also brought a lot of new friends into my life. I've met a lot of really great people.  Some on our little island and others I've met through mutual friends and volunteer efforts. 

Speaking of volunteer efforts, another really happy memory from this past year is little Chitenango, the seal pup.  Little Chitty was a stranded pup on Lummi Island, who was rehabed and released into the wild this year.  He's the pup on the photo at the top of this blog!  What a great experience to see this little guy released to rejoin other seals in the wild after seeing him so skinny and sad when we found him.  So thankful to be a part of the Whatcom Marine Mammal Stranding Network

I'm also very proud of the progress at FatBottomBags.com.  This year we've grown by leaps and bounds.  My little kitchen recycle project has grown into a full fledged recycle program.  We're up to over 20 regularly contributing families and growing!

Ben and I have a lot of great memories from this last year too!  We converted our living room into a pool room and a lot of great conversations with friends and family have happened around a game of 8 or 9 ball!  We've taken many a drive around the island just to spend some quality time together.  We've added to our organic garden and enjoyed many times out in the company of eachother, our dog and our veggies.  Life is good when your partner is your buddy and best friend too!

Now with the close of the year, we're waiting for the newest addition to the family.  What a joy to celebrate a new generation along with the new year.

I hope you all are reflecting back on the GOOD times in your lives from the last year.  I wish you all a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous new year!

~Christi