Reflection Questions for 2011

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

Finally figuring out what I was good at (professionally) and deciding that I LOVE going to work. Love it, really do :)

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

Helping my kids and husband deal with my FIL's passing. That was hard. I miss him too :(

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

The work thing. I knew it was time to sort this stuff out but I really didn't think it would be this much fun. I look forward to going to work and when I'm there, it's just go go go. All of a sudden, it's time to go home.

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

Other than my FIL's passing, probably the effort it took to keep the weight off that I lost last year. That was harder than losing it, definitely. And to be completely honest, I don't think I was successful :(

5. Pick three words to describe 2011.

I will pick 6 words because 3 draws me to focus only on the hardships, and I don't want to do that.

Sad. Mourning. Tears. FIL's diagnosis and then his death happened within 3 months, such a whirlwind.

Happy. Love. Respect. FIL's passing also reinforced that I married a wonderful, caring man. I respect him more now than I ever did, for how he took charge of many situations and stepped up to be the rock his mother and children needed. I love that man.

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2011 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).

Fulfilled, pirates, zombies. He had a Neo Citron before he went to bed and that makes him loopy haha.

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2011 (again, without asking).

Sad, change, family. (I hope 2012 is good to him.)

8. What were the best books you read this year?

Why on earth would I read ?!? Honestly, I'd rather mend socks. I love mending socks.

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

My Scotty, my kids and my mom.

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

I went from being 'Susan the stay-at-home-mom' to 'Susan, the Medical Office Assistant'. That's cool...this was always the way it was supposed to be. The seasons of life :)

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

I have no idea what that question means. Next.

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

We had a lot of spiritual discussions in our household over the last 6 months. I think we left the kids with more questions than answers, but that's a good thing (I think). If I knew all the answers to that stuff, then I could solve a lot of world problems. I'm trying to teach my kids that they will never know the answers to a lot of life's spiritual questions, and that's ok. It's good to have something to think about. Anyone who thinks they know it all doesn't know squat, really.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

Well, my ass is still growing apparently...

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

My relationship with my husband. I thought after 19 years together, I would know him inside and out.  It was just really cool and very powerful to rediscover what a great guy he is.


15. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?

Contributing substantially to our monthly income. We always said, we would live off of what Scott brought into the home and then whatever I made would be gravy. Well, I have to tell you it's really awesome to have that gravy sitting there when you need it. Like, not swimming in gravy but just being able to say, "Hey, lookit that gravy sitting there". That reminds me, I made a turkey last week because it was so cheap and I made the tastiest gravy to go with it. From scratch and everything...mmm, gravy. I've never done that before so that was a great achievement, as far as sauce-making goes. Speaking of sauce, I'm out of sauce. I mean wine. So I guess I wasn't speaking of sauce, but of wine...am I sauced? It's only 11:00. Where's that other darn bottle of wine?

16. What was your most challenging area of home management?

Balancing chores with working 25 hours a week, as well as carting my mother all over creation...and driving the kids everywhere, making sure someone is available to pick up Jake from his after-school things, finding parking downtown 4x a week. And there is no way I'm paying for parking. Easing the big kids into helping more with laundry and cleaning...Scott taught Kylie how to do her own laundry last week. I have the cutest little laundry area, I swear it was the only place in the whole house that was just mine and now I have to share it haha.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

I can't decide, it's a 3-way tie: Facebook, Pinterest and Free Cell cards on the computer. Do people really watch tv episodes and movies from start to finish? I can't remember the last time I did that without being on the laptop at the same time. So I can tell you how an episode of Big Bang Theory starts, but I usually can't tell you how it ends. Or the other way around.

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

I normally start work at noon (3 weekdays) so I can cram a lot of junk into the time period from 830am - 11am. Cleaning, meal planning, pre-cooking, etc. Sam likes to help me with all that stuff.    

19. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year?

That I am who I am, and if someone doesn't like it...then they can get bent. I am fine explaining my introverted personality to others without defending it, because I don't think I have to. And because I am fine with the way I am, that helps my introverted child to see that she is ok too. She doesn't have to be like everyone else to be happy.

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2011 for you.

That's stupid. I'm not doing that. Maybe in the morning when I sober up. Ha ha ha...

Happy New Year!!! Whoooo!!!

It's only 1030...not exactly New Year's just yet. As usual, we spent it at home. I can't imagine facing the crowds tonight, be it at a restaurant or at the movie theatre that we thought we may go to. Jacob was invited to a sleepover, Kylie is on the couch with her phone and her laptop, Scott is watching the non-stop 90s video marathon on Much and Sam is in bed. We counted down the New Year while watching Toronto's fireworks on TV at 10pm and then we all yelled, "Happy New Year!" followed by lots of kisses. That was fun...I remember doing that with Kylie when she was little. So cute to see a little one's first New Year's countdown. Then I stuffed her in bed so I could have a glass of wine :) .

This is the video we are watching right now:

...a minute ago, we watched "Good Vibrations" by Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch and tried to explain to Kylie that it's the same guy from the movie "The Italian Job" but she didn't believe us. Ha ha...that was pretty funny. 

Scott is going to bed now, he's not feeling well. Poor guy, he always gets a sinus cold around New Year's...I don't know how he manages that.

Happy New Year's!! Best wishes for a great 2012, from our house to yours :) .

Tales from My Crypt

Jake got his hair cut, by his own choice and I *love* it. The old lady in the background was chatting away to herself and waving at us after I took this picture. I have no idea what she was saying lol.

Sammy Sunshine started at a brand new playschool today and I swear, she told me to get out when I dropped her off. Ok, well maybe she didn't go that far...I got a quick kiss on the cheek before she bolted for the new toys. Have I mentioned how hard it is to have a very outgoing, social child when you are anti-people? I don't understand this.

What else...I did some Christmas shopping online the other day, first time for that...it arrived yesterday and looks awesome. I will have to do that again. Online shopping=no people in checkout lines to irritate me. Score.

I think we may put the tree up this weekend, but just because Jake is asking to and since he is confined to the house I may as well let him do it (he is sick with a strep infection). We are trying a new thing this year: I bought silver and black ornaments in January of last year so we will see how that looks. First year without the macaroni or pirate ornaments...but I'm sure they'll be back next year. 

Scott should be home any minute, as it is his last day at his current job and he really just went today to clean out his desk. He has accepted another offer with a different company and will start on Monday. I don't even think his current manager said goodbye/good luck/kiss my arse/nothing. Jerk.

Well, I should go clean something before I have to pick up Sam. Work this afternoon...assisting with a biopsy for the first appointment. All that means is that I have everything ready for the doctor in the treatment room and then stand around in case he needs me to grab him something out of the cupboard. Then I get to look at the hunks of suspicious flesh as they swim around in the vials of preservative, before sending them off to the lab. I'm actually really looking forward to that haha. 

We had a tapeworm in a vial of preservative that sat on our desk by the phone for nearly a year at our old office. I don't know why it was there. Every time I answered the phone I would pick it up and shake it...watch it dance...put it back down. Just wanted to share that with you.

Later :) .