Year end - a resolution and year recap

All of Christmas is packed up except for the actual tree and the star upon thar. The tree is nine feet tall so I can't reach the top until we pull the whole thing down, and I'm just not quite ready for that yet. Check that, I think that hubby isn't ready for that yet. When I was taking the ornaments off the tree on Thursday, he came in from cleaning his car and he seemed a little disappointed that Christmas was coming down. I think I am too, but I'm also excited to get the house fully clean again and things put away to start fresh next year (to be dragged out again five minutes later but still).

Here are last year's resolutions:

1) Spend more quality time with my kids. Play with them, even if I get frustrated that Spencer won’t play Memory correctly or Henry just wants to chew the cars.

This was at the top of my list mostly to remind myself. Sometimes I succeeded and sometimes I failed. This will carry over to next year's resolutions.

2) Lose 30 lbs (hopefully made possible by Jennie’s BiggestBloggingLoser competition and my running goals)

I ultimately lost 45 pounds, although some of it was sick weight at the end and went back on once I started keeping food down. My weight on 1/1/11 was 184.4. My weight this morning 12/31/11 was 143.6

3) Cut white pasta and soda from my diet and sweetener from my tea and coffee

White pasta yes, although I incorporated some in toward the end of the year in moderation. Same with soda, although I drank a little more than I'm comfortable with at the end of the year. I'd rather drink no tea than unsweetened tea but I rarely drink it anymore and most of it is too sweet for me. I now can't put sweeteners in my coffee and can't drink foofee coffee drinks either (syonara peppermint mocha). Give me a plain coffee with a touch of cream and I'm golden.

4) Run the Gasparilla 5k (February)

I did, as well as 6 other 5ks. I love the 5k length, although I think I've grown out of it a little. My PR was 30:33, and next year I'd like to break 30 minutes.

5) Run the Turkey Trot 10k (November)

I made the personal decision to skip this because I didn't have a running partner and didn't want to deal with the crowds on my own. Also, I had cooking to do and ... well, I did a boot camp and did a 10k the following weekend which I think I enjoyed much better. I still count this as a completed resolution. Ran a 10k.

6) See six movies in the theater (this is not so much for me, but my husband who loves the movies and we haven’t gone at all in 2010). Included in this, go on eight dates with my husband sans children.

We did really great at this. We saw our sixth movie yesterday (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and went on 15 dates. Sometimes they were not "dates" but I counted them as such depending on how we felt afterward. 16 hours of Black Friday shopping sans kids? We had so much fun, I call it a date. I think that I will carry this over to my next resolution list, as a reminder and an assistance in other resolutions.

7) Read 125 books (I usually surpass this, but with my other goals I don’t want my reading to go by the wayside)

I did not make this goal, but about halfway through the year I amended it in my mind to 100, given all my other goals. I made 108 (I think. I keep my list on a FB note and I can't find it now that Timeline is active. No, I'm not happy about this). I think next year, I'll just say 100. It was a struggle but reachable.

8) Hang up my clothes or put them in the hamper (this sounds simple, but I always throw my clothes on my dresser and then sort them when the pile gets too high or company’s coming … I know, I’m a guy).

I failed. I'll just put that out there.

9) Re-plant my front flower beds and keep them weeded and properly tidy (and alive)

My flowers and plants are doing great, but I failed at weeding. I think this coming year I'm going to look into ground cover instead of mulch.

10) Get the deck done and the backyard spruced up appropriately.

Deck is done, backyard is usable (we're out there nearly every day) but it could use some more work prettying it up. My flowers died except my major plants (aloe, rose, and this great yellow flowering plant that I don't know what it's called). Ongoing.

So there you go. I think that sidebar was a major reason I accomplished the majority of my goals, and next year it will be there too so I can keep myself accountable monthly instead of yearly.

Out with the old.

I'm pretty sure that I've done this meme in the past but I can't seem to find it so I grabbed it off Jennie's blog. Here's a year-in-review of The Year That Should Be Forgotten (although in this, it doesn't appear as bad)

1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?

I started running, and learned to love it, I lost weight and maintained my weight loss, I took my children on a plane and stayed with them in a hotel.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

This is the first year I have really EVER stuck with my resolutions, and I rocked them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

A cousin did, a beautiful tiny preemie boy named Jude. My neighbor, although we weren't close when she gave birth, we are now. An old friend who I'm in and out of touch with but got to see a few weeks ago at her older child's birthday party.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

A good friend's son passed away in February, which was heartbreaking, and my husband's aunt (the grandmother of above baby Jude) in September which blindsided the family. While others didn't pass, this was the year of the Diagnosis, with far too many friends and family beginning the fight against cancer.

5. What countries did you visit?

Just the U.S., but I actually traveled this year! Outside of Florida! I went to Pennsylvania and Delaware twice, on the second trip we also made it to Maryland, and then I made a third trip directly to Maryland.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you didn't have in 2011?

Less stress. Uh huh, sure.

7. What dates from 2011 will be etched upon your memory, and why?

No specific dates stand out. Early in the year I decided that I'd like to put a big black X over 2011 and people kept telling me not to count it out. Turns out I was right, for the most part.

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

I went from a 14/16 to a 6/8. I'm healthier, stronger, and happier than I've ever been. I don't sweat so much, I enjoy being outside even during the summer, I swear shorts, I bought boots that fit my calves. All the little things that come with becoming not a "bigger girl" for the first time in my life. I weigh less than I did since about eighth grade. Every run I did, every PR I made, every time I laced up my sneakers and stepped out the door (by myself for the most part). Every time was an accomplishment that I want to remember.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I can feel every parenting failure, even if I don't remember every one.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I had a health scare of my own which I still haven't taken care of specifically, but it was more my extended family and friends which suffered this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I bought a beautiful pair of brown riding boots that I never thought I'd fit (I have large calves). And I bought a new pair of running shoes for the coming year.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

I can't honestly think of CELEBRATORY behavior.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My sister's, particularly, as usual. Others, generally.

14. Where did most your money go?

Bills, daycare, food, supporting extended family.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My Delaware trips made me very excited.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Not necessarily 2011, but this song will remind me of Henry (we can always get him to dance by singing it in his ear):

and this one for Spencer (because he sings it CONSTANTLY):

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier: yes
Thinner: yes
Richer: about the same

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

Gotten up earlier (voluntarily)

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Stress and freak out

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Like this.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

I stayed in love with my family, and I fell in love with running.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

A lot - I found new shows to love this year. I fell for CSI again now that Ted Dansen is on, and Unforgettable, and Prime Suspect and Person of Interest and Suburgatory,and The New Girl.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

Nope.

24. What was the best book you read?

Faithful Place by Tana French, Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I don't think I had any musical discoveries. There were some great things profiled on NPR that I wanted to remember to check out but never got around to it.

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted a happy, healthy family. I think for the most part I have that.

27. What did you want and not get?

Abs! For next year!

28. What was your favorite film of 2011?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 - in 3D!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I turned 31, and we had a Fourth of July party on the deck to celebrate the birth of me, my husband (age 32) and the nation (age ... um, 236?)

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Unlimited funds so that we could worry about other things.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2011?

Jeans.

32. What kept you sane?

Are you believing that I'm sane? Dear, dear blog reader.

33. What political issue stirred you the most?

There are many, but I choose to rant about these with my husband in front of the tv instead of on social media where aunts can defriend me on Facebook for making comments about the fire-worthiness of certain Alaskan governor's books.

34. Who did you miss?

No one and every one.

35. Who was the best new person you met?

Did I meet anyone new this year? That person. The Best.

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Deep Breaths.

37. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

Gitchee Gitchee Goo Means that I love you.

The Yay Christmas! post

So really, Christmas was awesome.

We started out on Christmas Eve, by which time we had EVERYTHING done for Christmas. Purchasing, wrapping, grocery shopping. There was nothing that NEEDED doing, which was certainly nice. The kids and I met a very old friend of mine from elementary school (long-standing friend - not an OLD friend; she's the same age as me and I'M NOT OLD! ) ... I digress. We met up with Sarah and her husband and adorable son Brady.

We didn't have a ton of time together but it was awesome to catch up in person for the first time in probably 15 years and have the boys play together. And next time I see her there will be an addition to her adorable family! I should have taken a picture of the bump! Too bad there aren't any girls in the group - no one to follow in their mothers' Brownie footsteps (okay, not too sad; I wasn't on the Brownie bandwagon so much and quit as soon as I was allowed). We later had our neighbors over for cheese fondue. I made the dip and supplied the bread, and Mrs. Neighbor supplied fruit and veggies. It was delicious and fun and laid back - everything I wanted it to be.

After dark we headed out, Starbucks in hand (coffee for us, junior hot cocoa for the little one), in search of Christmas lights and WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED. What is up with the luminaries this year? They are BEAUTIFUL! Spencer was done after two hours but we had great luck finding beautiful lights until then, and then we headed home so Santa could come and go and we could get some sleep.

Christmas came and went, was successful and fun and not nearly as stressful as it has been in past years. The grandparents all came over, all eleven of us had sit-down breakfast of biscuits and gravy and pastry and bacon and breakfast casserole and then the present opening began! It was all a-flurry but the kids were very happy with their loot as were mommy and daddy.

I brought these sprouts to Christmas dinner at my in-laws' house and they were delicious. Delicious. I did burn the heck out of my arm in making said sprouts, but I'd venture to say they were worth it. We had much much much more food and many many many more presents and went home exhausted and happy.

And then this happened.

But I'll choose, in the future, to remember this instead:

What started out as the Christmas post

We had a fantastic Christmas! I hope yours was also great. I planned on posting this a little closer to Christmas, but sickeness has plagued and overrun the house in post-Christmas terror. Monday, Spencer woke up throwing up which I chalked up to an insane amount of junkfood that his body wasn't equipped to handle. But then it didn't stop, and there were poop issues ... all day. We still thought it was related to the junk food though, and he was mostly acting like he felt fine so we went to lunch with my dad's family. By the time we got there he was acting like death, so he laid on my lap through lunch and on the way home ... Henry started throwing up.

It's impossible to keep a 16-month old still even if they are throwing up, so he did so a few more times around the house until bedtime, but he slept through the night and felt much better in the morning. Spencer also felt better in the morning, so we figured it was just a 24-hour bug.

And then. I. Got. It.

On the way home from a day of spending my Christmas money (post on that later) I started feeling bad. I don't do well with GO GO GO, so we thought maybe I was just getting a little motion sickness.

WOO BOY. It turns out that the throwing up for this bug is not related to something trying desperately to get out, it's because your equilibrium is off so every time you move, or run to the bathroom, you get motion sick. Trust me, I've had a lot of time to think about this.

Also, at about 12:45am, hubby went to bring me some water and COLLAPSED on the floor, and started snoring. He has no recollection of this. I pleaded with him to wake up but he didn't for nearly a minute, and then I pleaded with him to crawl into the shower which he did and spent the next hour in there not being able to move. He has it too.

This morning I was actually going to call someone to pick up the kids and take them to daycare but it was just going to take so long so I gathered all of my strength, got them dressed and drove them to daycare to get them out of house. I touched them as little as possible, and I did not feed them. Someone without a plague can do that.

So this started out as a Yay Christmas! post. Sorry, it didn't end that way - I'll have to start again.

Oh, but hey! I lost 7lbs in 12 hours! That's good, right? No?

Fall Into Reading – the final wrap-up

I wish this could be longer but I just don’t seem to have time for anything these days. You can find my intermittent posts here and here and here and here and here.

So? I wanted to read 19 books. I finished at 25 and a half. Good? Good. I didn’t read everything on my list, but I read other things and SOME of my list. I still having finished Just My Type but it’s still in my purse. I read another Rachel Caine book (Ghost Town, I have a problem).

And what did I learn?

I don't know that I really learned anything, but it did help me keep on track to finishing up the year strong. It helped me structure my reading resolutions for next year. It helped me make a list of books and then be strong enough to not follow it when I really didn't want to.

A few of the books I didn't read these three months will go onto January's list:

Swamplandia! Karen Russell
Someday This Will Be Funny, Lynne Tillman
Diary of a Mad Fat Girl, Stephanie McAfee

So there's my reading! And still, I'm hoping to finish reading Just My Type by the end of the year. That's not asking much right? I swear I'm enjoying it!

Fall into reading - almost the finale

I’m obviously so behind in my FIR updates that it feels silly to update today right before the last week. BUT I have done a fair bit of reading since my last update so here’s where I’m at:

Untouchable: This was my book club book a few months ago and I read half but not all. I finally finished it, and I really enjoyed it.



Beauty Queens: I tried. I really did. But I could actually feel my brain cells dying so I called a day. Officially off my list of ongoing things to read.

Lords of Misrule
Carpe Corpus
Fade Out
Kiss of Death: all by Rachel Caine. More of the Morganville vampire line. Fun reads, not exactly brain food but enjoyable.

Boo: this was a light Christian romance. I think I enjoy Rene Guttridge – doesn’t beat you over the head with the Message. Light good read.

City of Ember: I wanted more, so I guess I’m glad there’s more in the series but I thought there wasn’t enough meat to this first book. I’m interested enough to keep going though, so here’s to my future reading of People of Sparks!

Gap Creek: I read most of this. I’m not sure I care enough to finish it.

Just My Type – a book about fonts: I love it! Still about half way through, but really enjoying.

My goal for the final week is pretty simple – I want to finish Just My Type. I have a couple more Rachel Caine books from the library that I’ll read if I have time, but I definitely read the AMOUNT of books that I wanted to read. I didn’t read all the books I put on my list, but I read the important ones and I feel good about how I’ve finished the year. It has made me think about what kinds of reading resolutions I’ll put on my list for the coming year. Stay tuned for that!

My goal for FIR was 19 books, and I've read 25. Anything else is just gravy, right?

In the blink of an eye

The title of this entry is amusing to me, because I’m having a problem with my eye and it itches and it’s an angry red color. Better amusing to me than annoying, and that’s what this eye issue is. But anyhow.

It seems like it’s been no time at all since my last post, but evidently it’s been more than two weeks. I’ve started a couple posts but they just seem so JOURNAL. This is what I did with my Thanksgiving vacation. So here’s the run-down: T-day morning boot camp. T-day: family, good. Black Friday: serious shopping, new winter coat and a new DISHWASHER and nearly all the kids presents. Other odds and ends: busy, busy busy.

So there, you’re caught up. There were lots of other things, and I might do posts later about them but at least I don’t feel like I’m just ignoring this blog which is what sometimes happens when I feel like I’ve missed too many days. I know it’s silly – you don’t know what you’ve missed. But it just seems like SO MUCH.

Again. Anyhow. My dishwasher! I’m so excited. Hubby installed it on Saturday (which I didn’t think was that big of a deal, but every time I mention that my husband installed it people are all, “he did it himself? You didn’t need it professionally installed?” so yes, evidently my hubby is cool like that.) and last night we ran our first load. I know, I’m obviously “old” because this morning I thought about the fact that a) I left laundry in the washer and will have to re-wash when I get home and b) I can empty the dishwasher and see how clean my dishes are! This is also mind-blowing because one of my least favorite chores in emptying the dishwasher. But clean dishes! Amazing!

I’ve finished my shopping for the kids, hallelujah. Henry’s main gift is this loud huge Chuck the Truck, and Spencer’s main gift is some wooden Thomas trains and set pieces to add on to his train set. Henry’s also getting a soccer ball and some clothes and books, and Spencer is getting books, clothes and … oh, I know there’s something else in there but I can’t remember. For the stockings, Henry has some talking animals and Spencer has some of those finger skateboards, as well as flashcards and some other odds and ends. Not an extravagant Christmas, but not bad either. I’ve also gotten all the presents for all the children in our life, and we did a gift exchange/secret santa for our mommy’s group and all the kids got a present.

We also decided to do a couple needy family things this year. We adopted a child from the Angel Tree (which is mostly online now, which makes me a little sad) and bought some clothes, shoes and toys for a local 2-year old (he requested a drum set, so this is my apology to the mom ahead of time), and we went in with some friends to adopt a family of three children for a holiday party. We bought for the boy – Ironman action figures and a big talking/walking robot (again, sorry mom. Kids love noisy toys!) and we’ll bring some non-perishables as well. We also have a couple extra toys that we had bought for the holiday party before we found that cool robot, so I think I’m going to take the kids to the Ten’s Toybox holiday Toys for Tots drive.

Obviously, I’m working on teaching the kids to give, rather than get. Spencer is now at that age that every single thing he sees on tv, he wants. (Except the girl toys. Nora (a girl at daycare) wants those.) It’s really one of the most grating things for me. Spencer has never wanted for anything, and I really want to curb any feeling of entitlement he feels. Fortunately, he has no problem giving. Unfortunately, he doesn’t understand why he’s not “getting” too.

I’m nearly done with my Christmas cards – I lost my Excel spreadsheet with all the addresses on it, so I’m now waiting for all addresses from friends and family, but the majority of things are done. I found a friend who wants my Size 10 jeans, so I’m mailing those off to her at the same time. I’m sadly lacking on the rest of my gifting – I seem to have no inspiration this year. A lot of people might be getting gift cards. Is it uninspired if you get gift cards that you really think they’ll appreciate? Like, I’m thinking of getting a gas card for my mom. And my dad wants one to Home Depot. And I always get his girlfriend one to Michael’s. The one person we ALWAYS get a gift card for, I think I actually have an idea of what to get that’s not a gift card. Ack!