A not so Merry Christmas but a very Happy New Year

This past holiday season was quite different than most. For the very first time since I've been in school and have worked, I did not get to experience the glorious two week break for Christmas/New Years. This doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed myself, though. The office was pretty empty for a couple of weeks, which I thought was great. One day, I even snuck in my favorite little furball for a couple of hours after lunch.

Take your dog to work day! Not really, but hey, he was great company, and the co-workers loved him.

Anyway, while not stuck at work, I've been spending my time cruising around with the top down (I apologize in advance to any Midwestern/Southeastern friends who are freezing and snowed in while reading this post). 

Here are some pictures from Alfredo's first convertible ride. I don't think he quite gets it yet.

Okay, so the holidays...I'm going to avoid the details as to why my Christmas was not so merry because after all, the purpose of writing this blog is to reflect on the joys of life. This certainly doesn't mean Alfredo wasn't spoiled this year, though. I guess we'll start with grandma's toys...

Notice his paw on the blue pig. He ended up loving that pig so much, that he refused to let him go, even while running around like a maniac outside...

                                

Then of course there were the treats from grandma Brandi that he absolutely loved.

Kudos to Auntie Arletta who gave him this cute little gingerbread man without stuffing (this is a huge deal!) 

And finally, as much as he loves birds, I just had to get him Woodstock from Snoopy, among a few other items.

FYI - Woodstock's foot and wing were detached within seconds!

Now,  fast forward a week. The ironic thing about having the worst Christmas ever was that I in fact had the best New Year's ever. I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year than by doing my absolute favorite thing in the world, so that's exactly what I did. I put on my cowboy boots and danced the night away with my favorite. The following day was a continuation of greatness. Day 1 of 2014 was spent on a hike at South Mountain. Alfredo was a champ...

                                   

    (It's a great situation when you have a dog who simply follows the trail without having to be corralled much.) Lead the way, Alfredo!

I just love this picture, for several reasons. 1. If you look closely, you can see downtown Phoenix in the background. 2. This picture was taken randomly. I'm not necessarily posing for it. 3. I'm incredibly happy in this picture. You can read it all over my face. 4. I'm incredibly happy in this picture because of the amazing photographer who took this picture. 

Needless to say, 2014 is off to a fantastic start! It's going to be a magnificent year!

Full of good vibes! YES!