By Staff
I believe my Christmas holiday has finally come to an end. Parties and family gatherings began Sunday evening, continued on Monday and Tuesday and my last gift exchange/dinner was last night with all of my girlfriends at Tippecanoe Place in South Bend. I get excited for Christmas, but man, am I ready to celebrate a new year.
What will 2008 bring? Well, besides a new president (and with our options, I'm not too thrilled), who knows. But I'm hoping it will bring some more new adventures my way.
Usually, I write a year in review of all the top stories that happened around the area. But this year, I am going to do things a little differently. I am going to highlight some of my most memorable moments from 2007.
When I sat down to think about some of the memories from this past year, I was shocked to think about how fast everything went. It seems like only a month ago I dusted off the golf clubs and hit the golf course for the first time. I believe that was back at the beginning of May. Now, they are dusting again, waiting to be used next year. Some of my favorite memories were the golfing trips to Plym Park. It's a small course, nothing too fancy, but it's a great escape after a long day at work to just unwind, drink a few cold ones and enjoy the weather. Great stress reliever as well!
Another great memory was the camping trip Memorial Day weekend to Jellystone Park. Three of my friends and I ventured to Plymouth, Ind., excited about a weekend getaway. Great memories came out of the trip, like riding golf carts all around the campground, fishing, playing volleyball and basketball, it's definitely a weekend none of us will ever forget.
Of course, my trips to Devil's Lake are always something to look forward to. I have been going there every summer for the past – well, I'm not even sure how many years it's been, but they are some of the best memories, not only this year, but year's past as well.
Devil's Lake is located in Manitou Beach, just five miles from Michigan International Speedway. When I vacation there, it doesn't even seem like I am in Michigan. We enjoy days of riding jet skis, great food on the grill and a whole lot of R and R.
A few years ago, I started my own little photography business. My love for the lense actually began when I started working for the paper. I never realized how addicting it was to capture pictures until I started doing it on a daily basis.
From that, I would occasionally take pictures for people I knew on the side, whether it was their children or family pictures. After only a few short months, I began receiving a number of phone calls from people who had seen my work. Now, almost three years, I am very thankful to have found my passion in life. This past year, I had the honor of photographing several weddings, engagement sessions, family and children's portraits and seniors. Business for 2008 is going to be even busier and I am hoping to open my own studio sometime next year.
Now for a memory that won't make my mother too thrilled!
After getting my brakes changed, (and being a woman), I had no idea you were supposed to pump your brakes. My step-dad had just finished changing my rotors and brake pads and he told me I was good to go. So, I started the car, put it in rev … well, I didn't even get that far. While shifting to reverse, the car automatically started rolling backward. And I'm not talking about just a one mile per hour roll. My car, for some reason, has a fast idle speed and before I could even think about anything, I slammed into my mother's Jeep.
Luckily, no one was too upset about the situation and we laughed more than anything. To all of the men – just be sure to always remind your daughter, wife, sister, or any women for that matter, that you have to pump your brakes before taking off. Sorry mom!
I think my hardest laughing moment of the year came just last week with my friend Erin.
We had to stop by her boyfriend's house to pick up a few things before going Christmas shopping. No one was home at the time, which meant the attack pet was roaming freely in the house. Her boyfriend's family has three dogs, but they are the least of the problems. The biggest problem is Paco – a bird. I have never been afraid of birds until I met Paco.
As Erin and I entered the house, she warned me to watch out for the bird. I honestly wasn't worried. Birds don't scare me. As I approached the staircase, there he was, chirping loud enough to give you a headache. Then, it happened. Paco came flying right for my head. Meanwhile, Erin was already hiding in the bathroom. She knew from plenty of past experiences that Paco means business.
I screamed to the top of my lungs, fell to the floor and sure enough, Paco was hovering over my head. He finally went away and I darted to the laundry room and slammed the door shut. Erin was laughing so hard she couldn't even stand up.
Eventually, we made it upstairs, but Paco still chased us throughout the house. A two-minute task ended up taking almost half an hour. We hid in bedrooms, bathrooms and closets – laughing so hard we couldn't even breathe – before finally making it outside.
I'm not even sure why the family has a dog – Paco would guard that house just fine.
My memory list could go on and on, but it's clear that 2007 brought some great highlights to my life. I've had plenty of great times with family and friends and I hope it continues to 2008.
I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year!