And now… for your viewing enjoyment — the highlights of my recent vacation to Albuquerque. I had such a good time and really do think that I will go back at some point in the future. The friends I have there are near and dear to my heart… and I really would love to see the area in the summer time as well.

The Sandia Mountains on the eastern side of the city…

New Years Eve was a fun night of watching — and playing — various poker hands at Jenna’s friends house. I did very well when playing with someone else’s money… and not so well when playing with my own.

After sleeping for a VERY LONG (and well deserved) time on Friday morning. Jenna and I ventured out to the mall… as well as various other locations… to do some shopping. I found a cute sweater — and then Jenna {almost} made me put on this lovely ensemble. Faux fur sweater and black sequins pants. What a stellar look for me. NOT.

Saturday was an adventure… we took the Rail Runner from Albuquerque to Sante Fe! It was really a great and inexpensive way to get between the cities for a quick (and somewhat spur of the moment) day trip. The ride home was a *WEE BIT* crowded. We luckily got seats {and tried to nap} — but for some it was standing room only for about an hour of the trip.

While in Sante Fe, we went to the Loretto Chapel. This staircase is known as the miraculous staircase… if you want to read more about it — check it out here. It was pretty amazing to see.

Saturday night was filled with lots of fun… we went to a bar and hung out with a few of Jenna’s friends. Here is Jenna and Valerie doing Karaoke… something they would NOT have been able to talk me into doing. I did however get up and do the “Cupid Shuffle” with Valerie before this.

On Sunday we drove down Route 66 — just to say that I had been on it during my trip! I also crossed the Rio Grande more times than I could probably count. I thought it would have looked more “river-like”… not so much here in New Mexico.

We ate at The Standard Diner — a restaurant featured on Food Networks “Diner’s, Drive-in’s and Dive’s“. Now that I have my extended cable turned back on, I’m thinking of recording this show to check it out sometime.

After lunch we ventured to the Albuquerque Aquarium. We saw lots and lots of fish… sting rays… sea horses… enough that could really fill up the blog for days. But I will spare you. I promise. I only included highlights.

Here is the awesome shark picture that someday in the near future will be my new Facebook profile picture. Just to scare off the stalkers. Ha!

I took *WAY* too many pictures of the jellyfish. They were SO COOL.

If you are standing at a {mundane looking} tank looking at this fish (as well as others swimming -very quickly- at the top) at the aquarium, be prepared for a rush of water to scare you {nearly} to death. As we stood in front of this tank it happened and made me and Jenna jump — and a little kid standing there screamed. Seriously… there should be a warning on this tank.

I also visited my friend Dani and her family — but didn’t really get any pictures there to show us sitting on the couch… eating dinner… playing with her {oh so adorable} son… and working on how to use the Creative Memories software that I purchase a while back.

Hope you enjoyed my adventure to Albuquerque! And just like the title of today’s blog (and my motto for 2010) says — You’ve gotta live every single day — so that’s what I’m trying to do. I can’t wait to see what other adventures are in store for me this year!

*today’s lyric title is from Nickelback – “Never Gonna Be Alone”

I have been covering some random topics lately… and today is no different. (Oh, and you *WILL* want to come back tomorrow for a double blog post day. Seriously. It’s going to be HILARIOUS!)

Anyway… so after watching the Biggest Loser on Saturday (and Sunday), I was so inspired by what Matt had done that I looked into doing the IronMan in Kona (there is no way I would survive at the moment.) Why am I so hung up about Kona?

Well, to be honest… I have a dream job — and it belongs to someone else currently. Samantha Brown to be exact. She gets to travel around to fabulous places and see amazing things — then reports on them for her television show. I started watching this show a few years ago and my favorite episode was when she featured Kona, Hawaii. I think if I saw the episode again, it would still be my favorite.

I’ve never been to Hawaii. But I have a dream to go there. And I believe with all my heart that it is a beautiful and wonderful place to visit. I don’t know if I could live there — but I can’t say I wouldn’t mind trying though either.

So based on this thought… I started dreaming today of all of the places that I would *LOVE* to go in the next few years. There’s no way that I have the money or the vacation time to do everything in 2010, but I can try to get some of the items off the list… right?

• Disney World
• Kona, Hawaii
• Europe (minimally… The Netherlands, Belguim, Paris)
• Napa Valley
• Seattle
• Alaska
• Australia/New Zealand
• South Africa
• Brazil

Wow… there are my travel dreams written out before me. I wonder if any of my “dreams will come true” in 2010?? Can you guess that I *really* want to go to Disney??? Might just be the plan for the 33rd birthday if I can talk some fabulous people into going with me!

Interested????