We traveled to Martha's Vineyard for our family vacation. We vacationed with two other families that we are very close with and have kiddos the same age as Jack. It was tons of work, but so much fun!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I usually don't make New Year's resolutions because I believe you can set your mind to do something and achieve it anytime of the year. Last year my goal was to keep up with my blog (failed miserably!) and to keep up with Jack's baby album. I did keep up with his baby book, making note of all of his teeth and stats from his Dr. appointments, but I still need to tackle the huge job of starting his photo album. After much consideration, I've decided that instead of doing a paper album for him, I will do it digitally. I LOVE the paper version of scrapbooks, but I just don't have the time or energy anymore to complete this in a timely manner! So, I will renew my resolution from last year, and vow to complete his photo albums this year. I would also like to continue to update our family blog, so it's a new year, a new start, right? Well, we'll have to see how it goes! ;)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
With so many family and friends giving birth last year, 2012 was pretty quiet in this department. My cousin Brienne had a baby girl, Keira, in the fall and my friend Sarah had a baby girl, Izzy, in December. I do have a few friends and family members who will be giving birth in 2013!
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, this category was quiet for 2012. None that I can think of.
5. What countries did you visit?
2012 was rather quiet for us regarding travel. My Dad and step mom came to visit in January, right before Jack's 1st birthday. Corey and Makena came out to visit us in July, and Jon and Kathi came to visit us in September. For Christmas we traveled to Portland, OR to visit my family for the holidays. It was so great to visit with family and friends we haven't seen for a while. It always feels like our trips are so short, and there just isn't time to see everyone and do everything!
6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
Finding "me time" is still very hard. We haven't quite figured out the babysitter situation yet. Hopefully we can manage this in 2013. I do have a couple of prospects including our neighbor who has a daughter beginning high school in the Fall. We trust her and her family and it makes me feel more comfortable knowing that her parents are right across the street if she needed anything.
7. What dates from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Dad's visit in January
2-24-12 Jack's first birthday was such a special day for us. Not only was it a celebration of his first year of life, but also a celebration of our first year as parents! We had a huge family celebration at Joe's parents house, and then we had a friends party that I planned at our house. It was also my first birthday party to plan, and I made homemade cupcakes and frosting for the first time. All in all, it was a successful adventure.
4-15-12 Jack's baptism
6-1-12 Makena turns 1
7-1-12 Corey and Makena's visit
8-18-12 Martha's Vineyard--Jack gets hands foot and mouth
10-24-12 hurricane Sandy hits
12-14-12 Shooting in Newtown, CT at Sandy Hook Elementary School
12-25-12 Visit for Christmas with my family
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This year, my goal was to lose the weight I put on with my pregnancy, and also lose the weight I had put on before I became pregnant with Jack. In March I joined Weight Watchers again and really focused on my overall health and fitness. I'm so proud to say that I have lost a total of 23 pounds through my healthy eating and exercise. The major difference I notice is my strength. It comes in handy since my son is in the 90th percentile for height and weight!
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't really like to look at the world with the cup half empty, but I guess my biggest failure was not keeping up with Jack's photo albums or keeping my blog posts up to date. Hopefully that will change in 2013!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was pretty healthy in 2012. Jack had his first fever early in the summer and then had Hands Foot and Mouth while we were in Martha's Vineyard. Other than that, we've been super healthy!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
For me, it has to be my iPhone 4S. I was supposed to get it at Christmas last year, but I couldn't get out of my contract until June. I got my iPhone and I can't believe I waited so long to get a smart phone. It's so much easier to share photos of Jack with family and friends.
12. Who's behavior merited celebration?
I want to celebrate my friends again this year. I couldn't have made it through the year without their love and support. My sister is always a support for me as well, and I couldn't have made it through the year without her either. I am really blessed to have such special people in my life!
13. Who's behavior made you appalled or depressed?
I like what I had to say last year, so I will just re post it. " I don't want to go into much detail here, but I will say that after this year, I value people in my life that are honest, selfless and care for others. My time is much more limited now, and I want to fill it with people who truly matter to me!"
14. Where did most of your money go?
This year, we spent most of our money on Jack. We also put the finishing touches on our basement including carpet, hardwood floors and finishing the bathroom and shower. There's always a project around here!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We were really excited to visit Martha's Vineyard. Even though Joe grew up in MA, he had never visited the island so it was really exciting to do that together as a family. We were also excited to have a vacation with our close friends. We have been wanting to vacation with them for a very long time, so it was so awesome to finally do it! It was so fun!
16. What songs will always remind you of 2012?
Home by Phillip Phillips (2012 American Idol Winner). It was featured on the Olympics this year as well as everywhere else. Jack loves this song too! Carly Rae Jepsen's song "Call Me Maybe", GOTYE "Someone That I Used to Know"as well as "Wide Awake" by Katy Perry. Another fad for 2012 was Psy's Gangnam Style. It was a silly song with a silly dance, much like riding a horse!
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? thinner
c) richer or poorer? poorer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I would have kept up with my blog more since I have a lot of catch up to do! I also wish I would have started Jack's baby album because it is easier to maintain something as you go rather than go back and try to remember all of the special things. I'm very happy I took so many notes!
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
This will probably be my answer every year, but I wish I would worry less. In the end, it doesn't make anything better or change the outcome any. I need to try to internalize a quote my friend Krista gave to me in college, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” This is very true!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
This year we flew out on Christmas Eve to visit my family. Because of our trip we had a wonderful Christmas celebration with Joe's family the night before we flew out. We arrived very late into Portland, and for the most part, Jack was a great traveler. He met a little boy named Landon in the Chicago Midway Airport, and they bonded over their love for Lightning McQueen from the movie Cars. Landon was a few months older than Jack, but they shared their cars with each other and did great! It was such a blessing for Jack to be able to play with a friend while we waited 3.5 hours for our connecting flight. When we arrived, Jon and Kathi met us at the airport to help us with our luggage. Jack was so excited to see them. He had the best time running back and forth in the rental car garage. He kept shouting "Oooh! Blue Car! Red Car! White Car!" He didn't want to leave to go back in his car seat to head to my sister's house. On Christmas morning, my sister made a wonderful brunch and my dad and Sandy came over. Jack and Makena got reacquainted with each other. At first, they didn't know what to make of each other, but we let them be, and pretty soon they were on their tummies laying in front of each other and having a ball. We had a relaxing morning opening presents and visiting with each other. The kids really got into Christmas this year. Jack loved ripping the paper off the gifts and got excited for anything that wasn't clothing. He basically threw the clothes aside. I don't blame him, toys are way more exciting than clothes to an almost two year old! My sister left to visit her in-laws house to celebrate Christmas, so my Dad and Sandy went home and brought back a yummy dinner for us and we had a great time visiting together. Some favorite gifts this year include: Large Dump Truck(from Mommy and Daddy), Police Car (from Vovo and Vovo), Bucket of Cars (from Grandma and Grandpa Steve), Matchbox Cars or as Jack calls them "Yellow Car", "Blue Car" (from Grandpa Jon and Kathi) and the book Good Night, Good Night Construction Site (from Corey and Tommy).
21. Did you fall in love in 2012?
I did! I fall more in love with my little boy every day. It is such a blessing to be able to be home with him each day to watch him learn and grow. He is like a little sponge and is learning so much everyday. He amazes me with everything that he knows and understands. Being a Mommy is a true blessing!
22. What was your favorite TV program?
These are the same as last year: Parenthood, So You Think You Can Dance, Modern Family, Revenge and Bachelor/Bachelorette. I have to say, Parenthood is by far my favorite show! (I also watch lots of other shows too, but these are my favorite!)
23. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn’t dislike this time last year?
No.
24. What was the best book you read?
Well, let's be honest. I don't get much downtime to read for fun anymore. I did read 50 Shades of Gray over the summer, and enjoyed them. I have the Hunger Games trilogy but I haven't cracked them open yet. Maybe they will be my favorite in 2013!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I am a person who loves all types/genres of music. I will get bored with one type and move onto another for a while. I pretty much love it all except for rap and really heavy metal. This year I have discovered Contemporary Christian Music. My favorite artists include: Tenth Avenue North, Kari Jobe, Colton Dixon, and Needtobreathe. I have listened to this genre before this past year, but I've really found a new interest in it.
26. What did you want and get?
My i phone. I love having a Smart Phone! I had to wait 6 months because of my contract, but I'm so glad I have it now! The thing I like most about it is I can take it with me and have a camera and video handy whenever/wherever I go. You never know when Jack is going to do something that needs to be captured! I also got a new camera for Christmas this year from Joe. I love that as well, and it's small enough to take with my anywhere! (Did I mention it's a Canon? Seriously the best brand of camera out there, in my opinion!)
27. What did you want and not get?
I've been really wanting our guest bathroom to be finished. It has been at the top of my list for our home since we moved here in 2003. It is now 2013, and our guest bath still looks the same as it did when we moved in. I'm hoping that this next year we can get it finished. It always seems there is a new project that takes priority over the bathroom, so I'm hoping 2013 will be the year!
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I watched a few movies this year, but I wasn't really wowed by much. I just looked back in my Netflix Queue and decided The Help was the best movie I saw this year. I've really been disappointed in movies lately, so I'm hoping 2013 will revive my love for movies.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This year I turned 34. I don't think I did much of anything this year, because nothing is ringing a bell as to what I did!
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing really. I seem to be pretty satisfied with life and the ups and downs of it all!
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012?
I think I've been able to step it up a bit since Jack is a bit older and I'm no longer nursing him. Instead of gravitating towards yoga pants and T-shirts, I enjoy wearing jeans and T-shirts. If I am going out, I will dress this up with some nice jewelry now that I know that Jack isn't going to pull it off my neck! I don't really have to tote around a diaper bag too much anymore, so I now can use my purse that has been hanging in my closet for a year or so!
32. What kept you sane?
Play dates with my mommy friends and my conversations with my sister.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
These days, I don't really pay much attention to celebrities. I do however get addicted to the Bachelor, and rest assured that if there is a story in People magazine about the Bachelor and or Bachelorette, it will be sitting on my coffee table!
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I don't usually get stirred up about anything unless it's about education. But this year I was a bit stirred up about what happened in Newtown, CT and what that will mean with the future of guns in this country. I do believe that people have the right to own and bear weapons. I don't believe taking guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens is going to change gun violence in this country. The "bad guys" will still be able to get weapons and use them, legally or illegally. Making it more difficult for the law abiding citizens isn't going to make the violence go away. I personally do not want guns in my home, or anywhere around me. That being said, it isn't for me to say whether you or anyone else should have guns in your home. That's your decision. I still believe that people kill people. Guns may be a way for that to happen, but guns do not sprout legs and shoot themselves. I saw an interesting quote that makes a lot of sense to me. "When a bomb goes off, we blame the bomber. When a gun goes off we blame the gun." This is an ongoing issue for sure, but I hope that the people in this country can find some peace.
35. Who did you miss?
Hands down, my Mommy. Having Jack has made me so much more appreciative of everything my mom did for me as a child and I wish I could have talked with her to tell her that. I also wish I could ask her the million questions I have each day, knowing that she would have the perfect answer. It's so hard not being able to share these moments with her and I hope she is watching from above and is proud. I will miss her forever!
36. Who was the best new person you met?
While I didn't meet anyone new, I did get lots closer to my friends Pam and Melissa. Our play dates have kept me sane and I truly enjoy sharing Mommyhood with them. I'm looking forward to many more in the years to come!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
What I wrote last year rings true today so I will repost it: "When all else fails, your family is always there for you, no matter what!"
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