2008 in Review

Sorry for the delay in posts, we've had some technical difficulties that I'm still working with but missed writing so here we go again! Here is a little Q&A that was sent my way- A Review of 2008"


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
I went to Las Vegas with Andy, my business partner (Carolyn) and her husband (Paul) in March for a photography convention. It was a great week but I don't see myself going back there again.


2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No, don't make them. So at least I didn't break them!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yeh, I was standing next to this lady in line at Lowes and Whoops! This is a funny question but I guess the real answer is no- no one in my immediate family had any babies.


4. Did anyone close to you die?
We had a really bad year for this and attended 5 funerals and about four other calling hours.


5. What countries did you visit?
We're getting ready to visit Italy, France, Canada, the UK, Norway and several others- of course they are all at EPCOT at Disney World-will that count?


6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A cleaner house

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
I'm not good with dates. I had a minor in history but exact dates elude me.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Opening our studio in Baltimore.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Man did I gain some weight!!!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Torn meniscus. Click here for the story

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Well, I guess it depends on who you ask: I bought some Utz Pub mix at Sam's and it was the best gift I ever got Andy. Doodle and Mator got some light up princess shoes that they were pretty excited about. I bought Muffin a Tom Sawyer comic book that she really like. I'm kind of partial to our new video camera.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
Mator - She is getting really good at pooping in the potty which is always followed by a rousing rendition of this song:
Mator went poopy in the potty, Mator went poopy in the potty,
Mator went poopy in the potty, And now she gets a ho-bag!
Click here for that story.


13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Probably my own. I can be so selfish and impatient sometimes.

14. Where did most of your money go?
I think that if I analayzed our every expense, a good bit went towards fruit snacks and yogurt tubes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I got really excited when I saw the way God moved so many things to allow us to go to Las Vegas. Not enough room here for the whole story but suffice it to say, He moved proverbial mountains!

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2008?
This is a tough one. This is a song I LOVED this year. Click here to hear it. It's called "Mighty to Save."


17. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier/sadder,thinner/heavier,richer/poorer?
happier, richer, probably a little heavier even though I lost 10 pounds last spring-no fair!!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Playing with the kids, teaching them stuff.
Talking to Andy.
Exercising

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
driving around, cleaning (I guess that wouldn't make my house any cleaner next year would it?), eating junk food

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Chrstmas Eve Day and night-Andy's family.
Christmas Day- My family.
In both cases celebrating the birth of our Savior with the people we love the most

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with?
Carolyn and my mom. I talk to both of them at least once a day.


24. What was your favourite TV program?
I only watch two-Survivor and Amazing Race but I have found that I really like the reruns of the Office so maybe we'll watch it.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Uh, no. I'm pretty sure I haven't HATED anyone since the 7th grade.

26. What was the best book(s) you read?
There's book I love and must have read it 150 times this year. It starts out like this, "In the Great Green room, there is a telephone. And a red balloon, and a picture of..."

Also, although it wasn't the first time I read it, a great book I read was, "Sheppherding a Childs' Heart" by Tedd Tripp

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm pretty sure this isn't what the questioner had in mind but... Mator has one of those books that have 4 buttons on the side and it plays the songs that you read in the book. I have
"discovered" that with my foot in the middle of the night while Mator is sleeping on several occasions. I have also "discovered" it in bed with her when she was supposed to be going to sleep. Finally, on more than one occasion, I have "discovered" that someone in my house likes to play with the volume dial on my alarm clock radio. Unfortunately, I usually don't "discover" that until it goes off at 6:00 in the morning.

28. What did you want and get?
a point and shoot camera

29. What did you want and not get?
A whole lot of sleep

30. What were your favourite films of this year?
Let's see, have we gone to the movies this year? I did take Muffin to see the American Girl movie and it was very good.


31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
OK, not fair. My birthday was in February and I was 34. That's a long time ago! I'm guessing that since it was a Wednesday: I took Doodle to preschool, picked her up, took Mator and Doodle to Pop & Sue's, taught art to three classes of first graders at FCA, picked up the kids, ate dinner, went to church and taught AWANAs to 1st and 2nd graders, came home and fell in bed. This year Wednesdays are a little slower, thankfully!

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I would descibe it as "What Not to Wear"'s nightmare! Jeans and t-shirts are the most common, occasionally a pair of khakis sneaks in.

34. What kept you sane?
Well, that is debatable. I think I would say caffeine and a sense of purpose.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I think the whole Sarah Palin thing was interesting. I wasn't a huge fan of McCain or Palin but I think she did add some interesting discussion to the election.


37. Who did you miss?
I haven't seen my friend Libby in a long time-Does she even read this?


39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Here are a few:
* Don't leave Mator alone for more than 3.5 minutes.
* Your children's potty habits are not that intersting of a dinner topic (but since this is MY blog, it will probably continue to dominate the discussion here).
* Just because something costs lot of money does not mean it is worth a lot of money.
* Andy REALLY likes that Utz pub mix from Sam's club.
* A torn meniscus will not heal on its own- side note: I may be too old for bounce houses.
* If the world and the media (or my flesh) are telling me something is great, there is a good chance that it violates some scriptural command. Examples might include: divorce, no interest mortgages, fame and Big Macs.

There we go, 2008 wrapped up in a nice little bundle- now, I really must get started on those Christmas cards...