It now sits atop one of the big square bookshelves in the living room.

Yesterday morning for one reason or another I found myself thinking about what our home says about us; what conclusions would a stranger come to about our lives if they walked through our front door?

These thoughts led me to begin to ruminate on how and what I define myself by. I had previously written about how I too often define my life by how it compares to others’ and I’m working on correcting this, I really am; but what do others see when they glance into my world?

If you step through our front door there won’t be anything that immediately gives us away (except maybe that we’re obviously not into clutter). A solitary table/chair is all you will really see. But walk a little further and you’ll see bookshelves, the photographs on the wall, and all of the movies shelved above the television. You will make assumptions based on those items, and they will probably be correct.

If you travel into the kitchen and perhaps pull open the fridge you will notice that it is a little bare, indicating that we’ve gotten a little busy over the past couple weeks. You may find my binder full of my favorite recipes and deduce that I enjoy cooking.

If you wander up the stairs you’ll notice empty rooms just awaiting the family that will certainly grow over coming years. You’ll spot my work area and camera equipment, the stacks of photographs lined up along the wall – a dead giveaway. You will find the drums and guitars and all of the sheet music belonging to my husband and quickly understand where his passion lay. A quick glance at the wall of shoes and a look into our closet will surely give away my love for clothes.

But my question is: does any of this actually give you a sense of who we really are? And if not – is that a bad thing?

I promise you: I wouldn't mind forfeiting a few things to have a life that I can be proud of. I wouldn't mind passing up some things for others, one moment for another, or one day for the next; as long as you promise me that you will do the same for your dreams, and we will live happily ever after.

xo,

rdg

For the majority of my adult life I have been envious of the lives of others. I began following blogs at an early (and probably very impressionable) time in my life and I believe that this has caused me to get wrapped up in how my life compares to others' lives.

I can't even begin to tell you how many problems I have with this, and yet I can't stop myself.

I'm drawn to blogs that contain beautiful pictures and descriptions of every day life, because this is what I enjoy blogging about, but I can't help but see all the differences between us all. Perhaps the problem is that because we don't yet have children, or that my husband and I tend to be home bodies, I have this awful habit of somehow thinking that this diminishes our existence. Actually, this has so little to do with the new life I have built here in Las Vegas with my husband. It has to do with these ridiculous insecurities that I have with myself; that I'm not as exciting as the next person, not as artistic or interesting or talented. If I feel this way about myself surely others must as well, right?

....

I'm reading all of these blogs and studying their photos, and wanting their lives. But why would I want anyone else's life? I can't compare my life to these other lives because they are in different stages. They already have children, or perhaps they still have the time and money to focus on travel and leisure. They all have different priorities in life.

And so I realized this past weekend is that my life is beautiful, and it deserves to be documented just as much as all the others. So this week I'm going to focus on documenting my every day life, just as it is: simple and sweet, just the way I like it.

There are moments where I miss my hometown so much that my throat closes up and all I can manage are a few wheezes before falling into a fit of tears, wrapped up in my irrational worries that what if it doesn’t get easier? What if time doesn’t heal my open wounds?

I missed watching as the city moved from summer to autumn; from green to red, orange and yellow; from warm and humid to nights spent wearing sweaters and light scarves.

I miss the quiet mornings, the wave from kind neighbours you’ve known for years, and the memories created all over town. I miss the possibility of meeting up for coffee with friends I have had since grade school.

I miss my godson and that smile of his. Every day I think about how much of his life I am missing. I have missed and will miss the birth of three of my friends’ children in 2011-2012. I try not to think of how I will feel after my niece or nephew enters the world this March and I am 2,200 miles away.

Some days are easier than others. Today is not one of them.

2011 was the year that I finally took the 50 Book Challenge seriously, and yes, it didn't hurt that I had made the move from Canada to Las Vegas in January and wouldn't be able to legally work for months until my immigration process was complete. With all that time on my hands I managed to complete my goal of reading 50 books that year. Actually, I read 58 books in all.

I'm a huge bookworm - always have and always will be - and I'm really not embarrassed to admit that (some of my favourite people are the same way!). I love when people ask me for book suggestions; evident by my sudden improved posture and the silly smile plastered all over my face. I once handed over a handwritten list to a friend here in Las Vegas and was intrigued by her surprise that I had written it all out instead of typing it up. Yeah, I'm still that girl that loves to write letters to people and mail it to them (come on. it doesn't get much better than receiving a personalized letter like that!)

So without further adieu I give you a list of some of the funniest, most touching, most I-couldn't-put-this-down books that I read last year in hopes that some of you might fall in love with them the way that I did.

And just for fun, my disappointments included:

1. The Bedwetter: Stories of Courage, Redemption and Pee by Sarah Silverman
2. The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg
3. Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs by Kaira Rouda
4. Things my Girlfriend and I Have Argued About by Mil Millington

Did you read any great books in 2011? I'd love to hear from you!