All in for Al Ain: Top 10 of 2010

Here they are my top ten most memorable events in 2010:

10. Surprise surfing trip with Taylor and Christine- when a trip to Nantucket for the weekend was cancelled Taylor told me and Christine to be ready for 6am one morning with our bathing suits and a change of clothes. He picked us up and then we all headed to Hampton for a surfing lesson! It was so fun to start learning to surf from Phil, a family friend of the Arruda's. If you are ever in New Hampshire and need some summer fun you can take lessons with him at Cinnamon Rainbow's Surf Shop. After surfing we went to lunch with Edith and hung out at the Arruda's it was such a fun and relaxing day!

Surfing in Hampton

9. Driving to Sugarloaf, Maine with Whitney in the middle of a blizzard and living to tell!

In Febraury of last year after I had decided that I wasn't a good snowboarder I still went on a weekend ski trip. Although the snow was quickly falling Whitney and I decided to drive up to meet the rest of a group of friends who were already at the cabin. Whitney's slow and steady driving, a few stops and Deane and Taylor pushing the car in the driveway and we made it. It was a fun weekend and a good reminder that winter in New England is a force not to be reckoned with.

Whitney and Taylor clearing Taylor's car before we all headed out

8. Saying goodbye to Annie and Nikki as they head out west! Annie moved to Minnesota at the beginning of 2010 and shortly after Nikki moved to Chicago. When they made those decisions to get moving it reminded me that I needed to pursue things I really wanted. It was a huge part of me getting to the UAE! It was sad to see them go but, it was fun to have them come back and visit me while I was still living in Boston.

7.The 326. Everyday I rode the bus and train to work with Sarah. I loved riding the bus and seeing the same people on our commute each morning, it's one of the simple things that will stick in my mind from 2010.

6. Monday night dinners. Every monday night rotating the house we ate dinner at with our old roommates! It was something I looked forward to every week.

Here is the crew minus a few

5. My families Sunday afternoon visits. During the late summer and early fall my family was driving out to Eastern, MA for a kicking camp for my little brother. Most of those Sunday's they would stop and see me too- it was a fun time for them to be part of my life in Boston. And, it helped for Jared to have a great Senior Year football season.

Mom and Dad

Jared "doin his thang" at the first football game of the year

4. Road Trip to Philly/D.C.- In the spring a group of us girls went to visit Dani and Meg. It was so fun to see them and it felt a little bit like we were back in college and that's not a bad feeling.

Christine, Kendra, Dani and Kristen in D.C.

3. Mardi Gras 2010- This past year I went to Mardi Gras with a bunch of friends and my family. We all stayed at my Grandpa's house and we had a blast. My favorite part was getting to spend time with Andi, a friend from college who was just newly married and living in GA and really getting to know her best friend from CA. My new roommate also joined in and I think it helped seal the deal that Sarah and I were destined to be real friends! It was a long time dream that my family would get to experience the fun that my mom grew up with in New Orleans and we finally did despite a snow storm which forced Jessica, Christine and I to drive the 24 hours instead of fly. That's a car ride I won't forget!