Good bye 2009, Hello 2010

Its the last day of 2009. My one word that sums this year up is fast. The year just seemed to fly by. Every night before I would crawl in bed, I would think, and heres to another day..
Here is a summary of how our family spent this past year.
January, I was still stressing out because Chris did not have a job. I was praying that 2009 would bring us closer together as a family and some money to pay the bills.
February, My prayers were answered when within 2 days Chris was offered 2 jobs. We started off slow but by the end of March we were able to catch up all our bills from having no job for 3 months.
March, was a calm month, as I mentioned above we were trying very hard to catch up on our bills so we hung around the house and tried to save our money
April, Chris and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary. I also traveled to Florida with the 3 kids, my brother, his girlfriend and their daughter Kylee to visit my mom and stepdad...Chris couldn't go because he had a new job.
May, Hannah celebrated her 9th birthday, Alanna learned to roller skate and we took the kids camping for the 1st time. I also had my 10 year High school reunion, that I couldn't attend because we were out of town...But WOW 10 years already!
June, We made it through another school year and Hannah joined library camp. We looked forward to this summer so much because I was not prego and not working and could spend lots of time with the kids.
July, We celebrated Bens 1st birthday with a huge water slide in our front yard and it was worth every penny...It was so much fun. We will do it again! I also celebrated my 28th birthday.
August, we were sad to see the summer coming to an end, but also thankful. I took the kids up north to my dads cabin and spent a week. We seen 2 small black bears on the side of the road..Very neat! Took the kids out on the boat and Ben HATED every second of it.
September, my mom and stepdad came to visit..We LOVE it when they visit so very much.
October, carried over my moms and stepdads vacation with us. We got to do a fun corn maze and hay ride with them. Took the kids trick or treating and they had a blast! I also got back in touch with some friends from high school. So happy to have them in my life again.
November, flew by in a blink. We celebrated many birthdays this month including Alanna's 4th at McDonalds. Thanksgiving was delicious as usual!
December, we could actually afford Christmas presents for our children this year since Chris had a job. Watching the kids tear open all the presents was the best feeling in the world.

It really was a crazy year, since I wrote it out like that. It makes me realize that there were some goals we met and some things that never were touched.

• I need to relax more. Work on not losing my temper and keeping my patients longer
• To listen to the kids better, and not just say "No" because its the easy thing to say.
• To save money better. Chris is supposed to take his own taxes out of his checks and we were really good about it the beginning half of the year and not so good the second half...Now we owe for taxes. So saving money is a big one!
• I want to not take my husband for granted so much. We get caught up in the day to day that I forget how good I really have it. (he doesn't go tot he bar, he works so I can stay home, he doesn't drink, and his key to relaxing is playing his video games, he doesn't complain when I shop and we have no money, and he LOVES my cooking.) I think I have it pretty good. I tend to forget that when I am angry at him.
• I want to keep in touch better. Sometimes I feel like I am such a bad friend. I suck at calling, I stink at emails and I just plain forget about people sometimes. My goal is to try to call or email my friends at least once a week, or maybe every other week to let them know I was thinking about them.
• I want to get to Florida for a holiday this year. We were in Florida for Easter last year and it was so awesome being with my mom on a holiday that we usually spent with her before she moved...My ideal vacation would be Christmas next year. I guess this will go to the money saving goal so we will see about this one.
• Over all I want to be a better person: a wife, a mother, a friend and human.

Here it is again.

Somebody asked? (because I can't remember who)

Q: Do you kids still believe in Santa?

A: Well Hannah is a smart little cookie, and when she was 4, told me she knew where the north pole was. "You do?" I asked her and she replied "Yes in China, because thats where all my toys are made." Over the summer Hannah came to me and asked "Straight up mom, is there really a tooth fairy, Easter bunny and Santa Claus?" I started laughing at the straight up part and finally told her the truth...So Hannah does not, but we still try to make it special for the little kids.

Lindsey asked?

Q: What was your favorite memory from this Christmas?

A: The magic I felt inside. Being with my family and knowing that we are all healthy and happy and together. Watching Hannah's eyes light up when she opened a present she really wanted, Seeing Alanna understand that when she opens the present, she gets a toy, and hearing her devote her love for that toy in detail, until she got the next one, and just knowing that Ben was here to spend it with us. Those were the best memories of this Christmas?

Now for you...What was your best memory this Christmas. Leave a comment and let me know.

This is really long, don't say you weren't warned.

I know I have been totally MIA for a couple of days, maybe even a week. With the flu, Christmas, trying to make up Christmas with family, working, being pregnant and then New Years I have been extremely tired and overwhelmed. Last week I had a mini breakdown. I was so over being sick from the flu and being pregnant and tired that I broke down crying. I left work and came home and slept for hours. When I woke up I called the doctor and they told me to take some vitamin B6 to help with the tiredness and nausea. Well you know what, it worked. Not that I doubted the doctor, but I did wonder how one little vitamin would help me feel better and it did. I have been able to get back to semi normalness lately and its been really nice.

The couple of days after Christmas I worked and cleaned..thats about it. Over the weekend we had to make up Christmas with family we cancelled on. It was nice. We had my brother, his girlfriend, Kylee, my 2 step sisters, my uncle and my little cousin over for some Christmas pizza. It was so nice seeing everyone. One of my sisters is away at college 4 hours away, so we don't see each other often. That night we left the guys with the kids and us sisters went to the movies. We seen National Treasure 2. It wasn't as good as the 1st, but I really enjoyed it. The next couple of days we just hung out, and rested. New Years eve, I babysat and Kylee stayed the night. I figured since I can't even make it past 10 pm om a normal night, what fun would I be going out trying to ring in the new year. Chris, I and all 3 girls had a nice quiet night at home. Our friends Jon and Lane came over and Lanes son who is around Alanna's age, and we basically were couch potatoes and watched movies all night. It was FUN!

I have to go back to work tomorrow and hopefully get things back to normal. Being off is so nice, but a nice routine is always good too.

Normally on New Years I do not do a resolution, because by the 5th, I have usually forgotten it or broken it and it never really pans out for me. I seen this on another site and even though this post is pretty long, thought I would share anyways.

Happy 2008:
1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before?
Get married

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't normally like making resolutions, like I said, but being a more patient mother would be nice.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, my handsome nephew Matthew and my gorgeous niece Kylee, both were born this year

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, not this year


5. What countries did you visit?
None...I don't get out much anymore


6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007?
A little more peace with myself, and not to jump to conclusions so fast.


7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 28

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Actually planning a wedding and pulling it off


9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being as patient as I know I can be

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
We all got the flu TWICE in 2007


11. What was the best thing you bought?
I can't really think of anything right now.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Alanna's, so far 2 isn't that bad, and I know I will regret that statement later, LOL

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Well not appalled, but I wish Hannah would listen better and not talk back as much


14. Where did most of your money go?
The wedding


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

16. What song will always remind you of 2007?
You Save Me by Kenny Chesney


17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?
Happier, skinnier, but not for long, poorer, but I wouldn't change anything.


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Family activities, we do alot with the girls, but I always want more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
bitching


20. How did you be spend Christmas?
In bed

21. Did you fall in love in 2007?
I fell more in love with my family.


22. How many one-night stands?
Kinda a funny question, since most of my answers have been about my wedding in one way or another, so NONE!

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Jon and Kate plus 8, LOVE IT. She inspires me!


24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No

25. What was the best book you read?
All 7 of the Harry Potter series

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ella, Ella, Ella, Umbrella, LOL!

27. What did you want and get?
A happy family

28. What did you want and not get?
More money than I can count, but maybe next year.


29. What was your favorite film of this year?
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I did nothing for my BDAY this year, I was 26. We had just had the wedding, so we were pretty broke and partied out, LOL.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having someone else pay for the wedding.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007?
Comfy

33. What kept you sane?
The thought of one day at a time and tomorrow will be better, oh and theres only 24 hours in a day.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Brittany Spears was pretty fun to watch this year, but I don't think I fancied her, more like worried for the babies.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
The presidential candidates, I'm not confident in any of them yet.

36. Who did you miss?
My mom

37. Who was the best new person you met?
Lindsey

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007.
Don't take anyone for granted

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Just another day in paradise

Nice matter

One of my BEST blogging buddies gave me this special award. I feel so honored that she would have such nice things to say about me. Some people say that the blogging world is just like high school and full of clicks, but I have never come across a person like that. Everyone that I have met, has made a special place in my heart. In return I would like to present this award to LindSEY, LindSAY, Lori, Noe, Drea, Jennefer and Melissa.





*If I missed anyone, I am sorry. I am at work posting and have a very short time to do so. So if I did in fact miss you, consider yourself an awardee of this Nice Matter's Award too.

So last night I had this great post about running into the wife of a college teacher I had and how he inspired me and made me feel like a better person. It was a great post if I may say so myself. Then I hit publish and blogger said error. It was like talking to Alanna. I tell her no and she does it anyway, you know what I mean right? I yelled no blogger not error, I said publish. Blogger threw his (her?) head back and laughed and went into the error mode and I lost the entire thing. I was so mad I got up and walked away for a while, while blogger thought about what (s)he did to me. When I came back I asked if (s)he was ready and (s)he agreed and that is how I got to write about me being mad at stupid blogger.

Last nights post went s little something like this.
Have you ever read the book by Mitch album, Tuesdays with Morrie? Its this book about Mitch when he was a young man in college and he had Morrie as a teacher. Morrie touched Mitch's life in a way he didn;t think was possible. years later he found out that Morrie was sick and every tuesday he would go to Morrie and sit with him, hang out and ask questions..Mitch continued on with this until morrie passed away.

When I was in college a required class was public speaking. I was less than thrilled to have to take the class since I have a fear of getting in front of large groups. I picked a teacher, not knowing anything about him and wished for the best. Little did I know this was the best decsion I made probably the entire time I was in college. I whized the class and some what became comfortable with speaking. A couple years later I had to take public speaking 2 and picked the same teacher. When I walked into class he said Good morning to me and asked how Hannah was. I looked up in amazement because it had at least been 2 years since I seen this man and he remembered me and my daughter. The 2nd class was even better than the 1st. The class became friends, we hung out together, we talked in the halls we even all went out to dinner once and then for ice cream. At the end of the class I had this feeling of emptiness, I was sad I would not get to see these people everyday like I was used to. I was not the only one..more people felt like I did, so we decided to put together a book for our teacher to show him how he touched our lives. We put together stories we wanted to share with him explaining why he was special to us. I told about the 1st day of class, how he remebered me. That was an important moment for me. he inpored me and made me feel like a better person. one of the books we had to read in class was Tuesdays with Morrie. To us he was out Morrie. (If you have read the book, you will understand.)

With all that said. I ran into his wife and 2 daughters last night while at dance with Hannah. Just talking with her about him...made me feel good. he was like that one person that will stay with you through out your life. I feel better just saying his name. Do you have anyone in your life like this? A teacher, a neighbor, a family member?


*Interviews for the nanny start up again tomorrow. Pray for me.