Friday, December 31, 2010

2010 Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? I came to peace about only having two kids. It doesn't seem like a big deal, but it is. I'm trying to look at it as a good thing, but it's still hard sometimes. On a lighter note, I took the kids to the zoo by myself, which is something I didn't think I could handle.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't keep them, but I want to do a better job of staying in shape. I feel like a lazy bum some days, and I'd love to be more physically fit.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Good friends of ours adopted a little boy who was born in March.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. Someone I used to work with and drove to work a few times passed away this fall. And one of my best friends lost her little baby when she was only 8 months pregnant.
5. What places did you visit? Nowhere fancy. We made it up to Wisconsin to visit my cousin, otherwise we kept to the state.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? Serenity. The ability to not think the worst in some situations. More patience. Being able to live in the moment.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? June 9 is when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. November 4 is when my friend lost her baby.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? One car is entirely paid off with the other not far behind. We've really stuck to our budgeting, thanks in part to a 13-week financial class I took early last year.
9. What was your biggest failure? Amazingly, I’m grasping to try and pinpoint anything I’d really consider a failure.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope (knocking on wood).
11. What was the best thing you bought? Our front-loading washing machine. I love it, as much as someone can love an appliance.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Most people I came in contact with. The kids for showing me the fun in everyday activities. The husband for going above and beyond making my life easier. The parents for being my sounding board. My friends for being there for me.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Our one neighbor for her lack of parenting abilities. And anything involving Sarah Palin.
14. Where did most of your money go? The mortgage. And hockey for Jeremy!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Christmas this year, because we were finally able to provide for so many this year. That and how excited and proud the kids get when they talk about church. The Blackhawks playoff run this spring into summer. And getting Jeremy involved in hockey. He only started skating in June and has moved up to level 2 of hockey already!
16. What song will always remind you of 2010? Anything by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. The kids love singing their songs.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier. It's been a relatively good year.
b) thinner or fatter? Probably a little fatter due to the overindulgence of Dairy Queen (not that I'm complaining...)
c) richer or poorer? Richer. We've done a great job at keeping track of finances and the second car will be paid off in just a few months!
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I would have loved to have gone on vacation, but we didn't have the money for it last year. I also wish I would've spent more time enjoying the moment instead of freaking out about what might happen.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Overreacting.
20. How did you spend Christmas in 2010? We actually had four Christmas celebrations--the first was with Phil's brother and family, followed by Phil's parents, then my extended family's celebration at my grandpa's and then my parents came over to do Christmas with them combined with our little family's. It was extensive and a tad exhausting, but it fulfilled everyone's wishes to spend a part of Christmas together.
21. Did you fall in love in 2010? No, but I stayed in love.
22. What was your favorite TV programModern Family and Community. Most things on Bravo, especially Top Chef and all its spin-offs. And all Blackhawks games and hockey in general.
23. What did you do for your birthday in 2010? The only really big thing I remembered is that I got Chinese food and one of our cats escaped from the house and we couldn't find her for an hour. I remember that because I thought how crappy would it be to lose our cat on my b-day! I also received a Patrick Kane T-shirt and a hockey stick, so Jeremy and I could play hockey in the driveway together.
24. What was the best book you read? There were three that stood out One Day, Winter Garden and Every Last One. All were great in their own ways and two of the three made me cry.
25. What did you want and get? I really wanted the new Blackhawk's book for Christmas, and my husband got it for me. Yea!
26. What did you want and not get? An MP3 player. That's OK, though.
27. What was your favorite film of this year? Toy Story 3. We took J to see his first movie in the theater, and he did pretty well, but he did keep asking toward the end if it was almost over! It didn't hurt that the movie was so touching and made me cry.
28. Did you make some new friends this year? Yes, some parents of kids in J's preschool class and his hockey class.
29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having more time to spend with C+D.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Comfortable. Not caring. :)
31. What kept you sane? Get togethers with girlfriends. One of my best girlfriends from grade school and I try to get together once a month, and we've done a decent job at sticking with it. It's nice to get out and commiserate about husbands, kids, school, and life in general.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Patrick Sharp. And he's totally hotter in person!
33. What political issue stirred you the most? Most issues involving gay rights.
34. Who did you miss? C+D. I wish we all lived closer and could celebrate holidays and birthdays together.
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. Sometimes it hurts to let go. But holding on even tighter isn't always the best solution.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Jeremy's Christmas Program

I was lucky enough to be able to attend Jeremy's preschool Christmas program, but unfortunately I couldn't make it to Riley's since it was in the afternoon and siblings aren't invited. Jeremy's class put on a wonderful performance, and since Phil couldn't make it, I took plenty of pictures and video.
Smiling for Mom.




They were singing "This Little Light of Mine".
Showing off his reindeer antlers.
I personally couldn't wait to give Jeremy's preschool teacher her Christmas present. She was the same teacher that Riley had, and she shares a similar love for the Blackhawks. In fact, she called Riley and left a message on our machine right after Riley "graduated" her class and the "Yuckies" (Red Wings) had beaten the Blackhawks in the playoffs. And once I told her that Jeremy was named after one, she was thrilled.


As for her present, I started it over the summer after finding the pattern on eBay. I was really hoping that she'd still be his teacher and not decide to retire. Well, we lucked out and got her for another year. And we couldn't be happier. J and I stuck around after the concert and snacks, and we made her open the present before we left.


She almost started crying right then and there. I said that now she won't forget us when Jeremy is done, and I said not that she would, but now she can't. She was so touched. I know it will be something she'll treasure. She's a wonderful teacher, and I cannot say enough wonderful things about Miss Betty.


My pride and joy--it's counted cross-stitched.
I wish Jeremy wasn't looking away, but this is Miss Betty.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours: We wish you a very merry Christmas!



 

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Christmas Tree and Church Program


Earlier this month, not only did we spend a Sunday picking out our Christmas tree, but we watched both kids perform in the church's Christmas program.

First we scoured for quite awhile to find a tree. A whole five minutes! I think this was a record. The kids enjoyed throwing snowballs at each other, and I enjoyed finding a tree that quickly so I could go inside and get warm. We brought it home and decorated it that afternoon.

Our festive tree.

Kids and the tree.


The kids were in their church attire.


Then we had the kids' Christmas program at the church. Riley was asked by the music director to play Mary in part of the play, and although you can't tell, Phil was able to get it on video. I had to take her back to get dressed, and I took the camera with me. But you can enjoy pictures of both kids and video of Riley singing. This was the first year the kids participated in the program, and they did such a great job. We're so very proud of them.

Jeremy was up first--he's in the middle in the back.

Riley with her class.



Saturday, December 18, 2010

Riley's Birthday Festivities

This was Riley's first birthday where we opted to not do a family party. I knew the time was coming, as she was getting older and all. But it was still bittersweet.

We did have a kid party for her school friends, and we opted to have it at a make-your-own pottery place. The kids had a great time painting their own creations and laughing with each other. We also asked the kids and their parents to donate food to the local food pantry, just like we did last year. A week after the party, we took all the food to the food pantry, and we donated more than 120 pounds of food! There were high school kids there helping out, and several of them commented to Riley that it was such a wonderful thing she did by asking for food from her friends. I hope she realizes that what she's doing helps so many.

Baby Cam and his dad.

Beautiful Isabella and her mom.

Cheesing it up for the camera.


The kids painting away.

More painting.

And more painting.




Then there was cake. All over his face.

A few days later, Grandma headed out to celebrate Riley's big day. That was followed by Riley's actual birthday, where we had a meal of her choosing and headed out for ice cream. Then Papa and Nana came out a few days later to cap off the week-long celebration. It's crazy to think that tiny little girl is now a sassy 7 year old!

Opening gifts with Grandma.

Reading her cards.

Checking out her MP3 player from the family.

Opening her present from C+D.

Reading her cards.

Enjoying ice cream with the family.

Dad and his girl.

Happy birthday girl.

Opening her scooter from Papa and Nana.

Trying on her Blackhawks jacket.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Thinking of C+D

The kids have had their moments of late. We've had a very busy few days, with festivals, church programs and Christmas decorating. But they both said some cute things this weekend that I thought were important enough to post.

Both kids were pretending to go on vacation yesterday. They had backpacks and stuffed animals ready for the trip. I asked Riley where they were going, to which Riley said they were going to a water park, Lebanon and Boston. I'm not sure there are too many kids (or adults) nowadays who would say they're going to Lebanon for vacation!

Today Jeremy and I were running some errands, and he was spelling signs of stores that we passed. Then I asked him to spell his name and Riley's. I asked if he knew what our last name started with, and he said a C. I said, here's a tough one, how do you spell Uncle D's name?

He had a puzzled look on his face and said he didn't know. I said "D. But do you know what his real name is?

Jeremy's response? "Uncle."

So C+D, we're thinking about you two and how warm you must be as we braved the negative wind chills this morning at the bus stop. :)

Friday, December 3, 2010

Toothless

A mere five days after turning seven, Riley lost tooth number four. It was on the bottom, and she lost it at school. Seeing as this is a pretty popular occurrence at an elementary school, the school nurse had a typed-up letter stating that Riley lost a tooth at school today, and she placed the tooth in a sealed envelope so she wouldn't lose it. We had a feeling it wouldn't be long for that tooth to come out, seeing as it had been holding on for dear life for a few days.

But we were shocked when, just two days later, she lost another! This time it was one of the top ones. And I have to admit, this lost tooth makes me a little sad because she lost her first of the baby teeth up top. The tooth came out during dinner, and let's just say that after it came out in her food, she had no interest in eating any more food! Not that I blame her. And, no, she didn't swallow it either.

Later that night, the tooth fairy left Riley a note under her pillow along with the money. The note read:

Stop losing teeth. The tooth fairy

Riley thought it was hilarious. I was just grateful the tooth fairy had money left!