Looking back at the last decade.

Tonight is the last night of 2009. The decade is almost over! I for one am thrilled that 2010 is coming!! 2008 and 2009 were my worst years!. I am so ready for a new decade and all it has to offer!! Below are what I consider high points of each year.

2000: Perfomed at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Discovered my second favorite city! Competed in my first 500 (20 Laps) race; discovered that this was my event. Vote for first time- the presidential elecitons. George W. Bush (son of George H. Bush) takes office. :)

2001: January- had my first knee surgery. Enjoyed my last swim season :( Graduated high school!!!!! Second generation in my family to do so :) Adopted Phantom Menace from Vet- first pet of my own- my complete responsibility. Was the Day Shift Lead for B-Flats (Brittania Flats, Area 2) which consisted of Highland Fling and Grand Ole Carosel at Six Flags St. Louis.

2002: Attened Meremec Community College, join SAC and meet incredible friends who will impact my life. Mark graduates from high school!! Witness two miracles, stregthens my faith in God. Have second knee surgery- this time on the left knee.

2003: Transfer to University of Missouri-St. Louis and join my father's fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega- a National Co-Ed Service Fraternity. Meet more incredible friends who impact my life. Forever Remembered: my best friend and cat, Sparkle- mi angel.

2004: Attend first Regional Conference in Omaha with my fraternity. Attend first Sectionals. Begining of my obession for all conferences and all things APO. Attend first National Conference in Denver, Co. Visit and see my Uncle Milton, Aunt Angie, and Cousin Duke for first time in 13 years. Have 3rd and 4th knee surgery (both knees). Go on Carribean Cruise (best vaccation ever) with amazing friends from Six Flags St. Louis and see Cozumel and Costa de Mayo, Mexico, Belize and the Grand Cayman Islands. George W. Bush is re-elected :) Republicans have control of the sentate :)

2005: Announce my minor in Spanish. Attend 2nd Sectionals :) See my all time favorite artist in concert: Carlos Santana. Mom and I agree it is the best concert of all time. Start blogging :) Hurricane Katrina devestates and destroys New Orleans. Good friend Liz welcomes son Andy to the world! Hurricane Rita devestates Texas. Enjoy a white Christmas!

2006: Attend second Regional Conference in St. Louis. Best friend Froggiegirl marries her sweetheart Gimlet, acted as one of her bridesmaids :) Graduated college with double major in International Business and Managment, with a minor in Spanish. Become second generation in family to attend and graduate college. Attend 3rd Sectionals. St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series for the first time since I was born in 1982. Pittsburgh Steelers win Superbowl!! Mom and I both have our gall bladders removed with in months of eachother. Mom retires from teaching after 33 and 1/2 years!! Forever Remembered: beloved Grandma Lorraine Noel and my first dog, Shadow. New puppy Loki makes grand enterance into Noel family- I learn first hand what it takes to train a dog.

2007: Get first "real job" at Wolfgang Puck Catering- only part time, but its a job. Attend sectionals again -anyone noticing a pattern here :) Help pick out new living room furniture, new kitchen table and chairs, new carpet for living room and new tile for kitchen. Forever Remembered: my first pet, Climber aka King Tut.

2008: Get first "real full time job". Get laid off for first time. Kitchen floods requiring new kitchen cabinets, floor and trim. Inside house- living room, hall, entry way, kitchen, and living room re-painted. Repaint office and garage door. Also get new siding for house and new gutters-whew! Another best friend Veronica marries her sweetheart Kyle, get to be an attendent!! :) Barak Obama becomes the first African- American President- big moment in U.S. History :) Pittsburgh Steelers win their 6th Superbowl :) Have 5th and 6th Knee surgeries.

2009: Another good friend Suzanne marries her sweetheart Marshal. Dealt with unemployment most of the year. Learned new computer system: Worldpsan at new job as domestic travel coordinator. Enjoy first White Christmas since 2005. Mark moves into his own apartment!! Good for him!! Forever Remembered: My (personal) first adopted Cat and best friend, Phantom.

To all those friends and family I have lost and gained: I love you all and thank you for beinga part of my life. I look forward to spending the next decade with you enriching my life! Looking forward to the next decade and what it may bring!! Happy New Year everone!!!!

Colts win the Superbowl!!

Congrats to the Indianapolis Colts! 2007 Superbowl Champions!! I was actually cheering on the Colts mainly to tick off the parents who were cheering for the Chicago Bears. I really didn't care who won, but it was cool that the team I was cheering for won. Chicago struck first scoring a touchdown on the kickoff. Then Indy scored. Indy gained the lead berfore the half, and kept the lead for the rest of the game. The entire game was played in the rain, but that didn't stop the Colts from becoming the champs! Colts beat the Bears 29-17. The game was great. The commercials were great! Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was named MVP for the superbowl. Click here for the exact recap of the game.

Steelers are Superbowl XL Champions!

Congratualtions to the Pittsburgh Steelers!!! My team won the (extra large for me and froggiegirl) Super Bowl and I couldn't be happier! The first half of the game wasn't impressive, but the game really came to life in the second half. The last five minutes of the game was when all of the crucial plays happened. Quaterback Ben R (really long last name) #7 did a great job. Jerome "the Bus" Bettis announced his retirement from the AFL following his teams victory- what a way to go out! An estimated 90.7 million people watched the Steelers trounce the Seattle Seahawks, apparently this is the largest Superbowl audience since the Steelers played in the last title game in 1996. This year's audience was 5% larger than last year's Super Bowl. Well, duh. This year a really good team was actually playing in the Superbowl! (New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles). After the game, after the presentation of the trophy (given to team coach Bill Cowher who then presented the Vince Lombardi Trophy to 73-year-old owner Dan Roone) and MVP (Hines Ward) award, the post-game show came on with three broadcasters dressed in awful tweed (or something equally icky) sports jackets and mock turtlenecks. What I want to know is: What mook told them that they looked good? At one point, after returning from a commercial break the guys had to be told "GO" to actually start their speil! The guy in the middle, I forget his name, looked like a walrus- so we will call him Walrus man. He looked bored and out of it- totally unaware of the world around him. What I need a pic of him and photoshop two walrus tusks and then you will get a better idea of what I'm talking about. Then one idoit had to mention that Mike Martz was "haunting" the Seahawks. What the?! This comment came out of nowhere, I wonder if somebody dared him to do it.

Steelers

Congrats to the Pittsburg Steelers, AFL Champions!!! C'mon Steelers, win the superbowl!!

Football!

Okay, it is that time of the year again, Football is back!! The St. Louis Rams are at it again. Their record it 1-1, but the season has just begun. The Pittsburgh Steelers(my other fave team) are 2-0!! Watching football and baseball at the same time is hard. I still do it, flipping back and forth. Shouting at the umps for a bad call (Umps are famous for not giving the right calls for the Cardinals) or trying to predict the reason why the yellow flag was thrown (I know offsides, false start, facemask, holding, and I think illeagal formation) Now that the Cards have clinched the central division title (GO CARDS!!), my dad feels we should watch the Rams instead of the Cards and if we are losing or Ray King is pitching(what the heck was he doing the other night??? He shoulda been behind Molina they so coulda thrown Dunn out! He had to go back and tag the base. Had King been where he should have been, Dunn woulda been out!)- then I agree. However, baseball is far from over and I am not willing to miss one moment. Oh yea, the Blues are back. Big deal. Postseason playoffs are rapidly approaching, and we must watch the Cards win! I love Sports!!
Lets Go Cards!!