With all of the holiday craziness, I almost forgot about the mini-shoot I caught with my dad’s dog, Shiloh!

We snuck him out during Thanksgiving dinner, and Josh, Holly, & I gave my stepmom a canvas of this shot for Christmas.

Can’t you tell?

Now with bigger images!

I love year-end questionnaires, because they force you to take a moment and reflect on the chunk of your life that the last 12 months have occupied.  And oh, 2008.  What a complete PILL you were at times.  Of course, you had your lovely, beautiful moments as well, and regardless of how completely patience-trying certain parts of the year were, I wouldn’t trade 2008 for anything.  It was a good year.

(Thanks to Sundry for the questionnaire!)

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

I hit a deer!  With MY CAR.  Let’s make that a once-in-a-lifetime event, shall we?

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I actually kept a resolution!  Amazing.  I resolved to quit my grilled-cheese unhealthy breakfasts, and I totally broke myself of that.  My other resolution, which was to drink more water and less Coke Zero?  Totally a FAIL.  We’ll try that one again for 2009.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Hoping I don’t offend anyone by forgetting an important birth, but…I don’t think so?

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no

5. What countries did you visit?

Stayed stateside this year, no globetrotting for me :(

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

Stronger willpower!

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Hm, we didn’t really have any major, life-changing events this year, so no dates are really jumping out at me.  I did spend Halloween driving home from South Carolina, completely tense because someone told me to watch out as we went under overpasses for punks who might be out throwing pumpkins over the side.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I got a new job!  That was exciting.

9. What was your biggest failure?

There were a lot of jobs that I tried to get before the perfect one came along.  Those rejections stung.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I got hit with two rounds of Barfapalooza over the summer.  Pretty much the worst thing ever.  Queasy just thinking about it.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

We finally caved and got a flat screen.  We love it.  Runner Up:  though I didn’t technically buy it (it was a gift), my GPS is one of my single favorite possessions.  I don’t know how I survived without one!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Holly!  She is such a good dog.  Better behaved than some people, for sure :)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Seems like there is a new headline every week, but how about the Wal-Mart shoppers who were heartless enough to complain about the store closing after they STAMPEDED a man to death on Black Friday?

14. Where did most of your money go?

Bills, where else?

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Vacation, new job, weddings

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Probably that Kid Rock song?

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?

happier, for sure

b) thinner or fatter?

um, about the same.

c) richer or poorer?

again, about the same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

traveling

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

stressing!

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Hopping around from one family gathering to the next.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

I stayed in love, does that count?  I fell in love with Asiago cheese bagels :)

22. What was your favorite TV program?

probably Lost, though I have lots of favorite shows

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don’t hate anyone, such a harsh word!  (can’t say I wasn’t tested this year though, lol.)

24. What was the best book you read?

Hmm.  I read a lot of good books.  My most recent favorite was The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.  I also loved A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini.  (Much better than the Kite Runner.)  I re-read an old favorite, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and it was even better the second time.  Guilty pleasure reading included the Twilight novels (though Breaking Dawn was a lot to take, and the movie was a total stinker,) and the Harry Potter series (much thanks to Katie, who finally broke me down and got me to give them a chance.)

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I didn’t discover anything, though I enjoyed a lot of different songs :)  The music snobs will not appreciate my totally pop tastes, but here are some of my favorites from 2008:

Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It), Beyoncé
I’m Yours, Jason Mraz
Fall For You, Secondhand Serenade
Anthem of the Used, Vayden
Love Is Noise, The Verve
I’m Not Over, Carolina Liar
Beating Heart Baby, Head Automatica
The Pretender, Foo Fighters (definitely the best concert I’ve been to)
Stop!, Against Me
Bleeding Love, Leona Lewis

(I’m surprised to admit I totally got in touch with my country side this year!)

Don’t, Billy Currington
Chicken Fried, Zac Brown Band
Just Got Started Lovin’ You, James Otto

26. What did you want and get?

a vacation, (which I was not expecting, thanks to my mom and stepdad.)

27. What did you want and not get?

A new camera, though Josh gave me the go-ahead to upgrade in 2009, so my patience is paying off!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Ooh, tough.  Though it certainly isn’t for everyone, I got a huge kick out of Pineapple Express.  Burn After Reading and The Dark Knight were great, too.  (Though Christian Bale’s ridiculously gruff voice made it harder to watch.  Tone it down for the next one, guy.)

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

We had dinner with some friends and then we tried to go to a bar, but they carded me, and I had forgotten my wallet!  I told them it was my 26th birthday, but they still wouldn’t let me in.  I guess it is a good thing that I still get carded, but it was kind of inconvenient!

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Unlimited funds, ha!  Honestly, I’m pretty satisfied.  Things took a turn for the better during the last quarter of the year and have just kept improving ever since.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Comfortable!  (Well as comfortable as you can be while dressed in Business Casual-wear.)

32. What kept you sane?

Josh!  And my friends/family.  I have such a supportive group of people around me.  And of course Holly!  Even after a crappy day, coming home to a dog who is super happy to see you makes it all better.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Can’t really think of any…

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I get pretty pissed about some of the local politics–but, I have a rule about discussing politics:  I don’t.  It’s totally a personal and private thing, so just let it be.  No one has to agree with my politics, and I’ll never force my opinions on others.

35. Who did you miss?

I miss my friends who live far away!  Seeing them over the holidays made me realize just how much!

36. Who was the best new person you met?

I met a lot of new people this year, I can’t just pick one!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

I learned that I need to trust that things will all work out, in their own time.  It’s not worth stressing over!  (easier said than done.)

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

It’ll work itself out fine
All we need is just a little patience

See what I did there? With the— Okay, fine. No more puns this year. I really wanted to use “Feliz Navi-dog”, but I guess I will restrain myself. How about some shots from our holiday card instead?

I swear I don’t only do doggie shoots!  (Though I can’t say I mind them, who wouldn’t want to play with puppies all the time?)

These shots are from a Christmas card/mini-shoot that I did a few weeks ago.  Aren’t all three just cute as can be? The puppy was a brand new edition to the family–she’d only been there a week, but seemed to be fitting in just fine :)

Thad did a lot of puppy-kiss avoiding, lol.

Isabelle, on the other hand, didn’t mind the puppy-snuggling. I can’t say I blame her!

Up next: Our holiday card! (Plus outtakes!)