Saying Goodbye to 2009...

A few bloggers are posting their Top 9 of 2009 + 1. I thought I would join in.

#1. Most Memorable Moment: Holding my nephew, Mark Grayson, for the first time. My brother Brian and his wife Jenni had a beautiful baby boy in May. I love being an aunt! There are many other wonderful moments this cute little guy has given to our family. Like taking a bottle and then a nap on Jenni's lap in the stadium during Ole Miss games. Or smiling his big smile and laughing when his daddy says "Go Rebels!" He's a doll!

#2. Biggest Discovery: My love of kayaking. And I love that Chip and I enjoy doing it together.

#3. Biggest Mistake: Wow - this is tough. I make so many mistakes daily, that it is hard to pick just one! I'll pick something easy - we dicked around and never had our friends over for a cookout and pool party. Now that was a mistake!

#4. Biggest Accomplishment: Backpacking with Chip. I've been wanting to take Chip backpacking for the longest time. This year, I actually convinced him to do it, and we had an amazing time.

#5. Best Movie: I didn't see many movies in 2009 that I thought were great. My favorite was probably 500 Days of Summer or The Hangover. I obviously need some better movie recommendations!

#6. Best Song: ummmm... Don't laugh. BEST I EVER HAD by Drake. I freaking love that song and listen to it over and over. Some of my other favorites of 2009?

This Tornado Loves You by Neko Case.

Oh No by Andrew Bird. I saw Andrew Bird live at The Lyric in Oxford in March and it was phenomenal. He is such a fantastic musician!

Laughing with a Mouth of Blood by St Vincent... I love her voice, the strings, and the trippy sound of this song! I saw her on Austin City Limits. She's just amazing. We actually had a chance to see her play in London when we were there in 2007, but after a day of sightseeing, we were too tired to catch the train to the venue in East London. I really regret that now.

#7. Best Meal: This one is easy. The French Laundry was hands down the best meal of 2009 and the decade and probably the next decade. It is hard to believe that we actually ate there. The salmon coronets were divine. And I'll never forget how melt-in-my-mouth delicious the confit veal heart was, and I never knew I would even eat veal heart.

#8. Best Book: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. A beautiful love story set in my favorite place in the world - the Appalachian Mountains. I can't believe it took me so long to discover this book.

#9. What Made Me Laugh: Mark Grayson, of course! He is so cute and funny.

+1 for 2010... My Biggest Wish for 2010... is that I put more effort into making friends in the Jackson area.

Happy New Year, everyone! We're off to Dallas in the morning for the Cotton Bowl and some Tex-Mex. Go Rebels!

Blogger Book Boost: Christmas Gift Recommendations

Author Sarah Laurence has invited her reads to join a Blogger Book Boost, where bloggers write recommendations for books that would be perfect for holiday reading or holiday gifts. I've decided to join in. Of course, if you don't like my recommendations, you can always head on over to Square Books and read their Holiday Gift Guide.


Fabulous Fiction:

Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich
I loved this book. I read Love Medicine in college (Honors 201 maybe?), and I thought it was the kind of book I would enjoy if my professor had given me time to enjoy it. I picked up Plague of Doves from the "New" shelf at the library - I thought I'd give Erdrich another try. I'm so glad I did. Oh, and the linked title is to the New York Times Book Review because I'm not an English major and I just don't do book reviews.


Garden Writing:

Passalong Plants by Steve Bender and Felder Rushing
I received this book as a gift a few years ago, and finally read the whole thing cover to cover when it was a selection for the Garden Bloggers' Book Club. This book is a must have for any Southern gardener, and an excellent book for any garden-lover. Steve and Felder really know how to capture the spirit of a old-time passalong garden. The title links to the reviews by the Garden Bloggers' Book Club back in May 2007.



Cookbook:

Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook by Leslie Mackie
I picked this cookbook up after seeing Leslie Mackie on the Food Network. Some of my favorite recipes are in this book: Morning Glory Muffins, Cherry Almond Scones, Butternut Squash and Apple Galette, and Angel Thumbprint Cookies. Chip gets excited when I pull this book down from the shelf because he knows something wonderful will be coming from the oven.

For the Ole Miss fan:

The Blind Side by Michael Lewis
I don't generally read books about football - or any sport - but I liked this book. It tells the story of Micheal Oher, left tackle on the Ole Miss offensive line, and the evolution of the left tackle in the N.F.L. Lewis does a good job balancing football strategy with an excellent story about a lost kid from Memphis.