2011 Year In Review

1.  What did you do in 2011 that you've never done before? 

Jay and I met friends up in Montana for a ski vacation.  I don't even think I've ever skiied two days in a row before as I'm pretty much an exclusive Saturday skier with the occasional weekday thrown in.  But to fly, with a ski bag, to meet friends, to an unfamiliar ski resort was one of the most fun things we've ever done as a couple.  I hope to do it again.  I also went river rafting for the first time.  So much fun.




Our group skiing at Big Mountain/Whitefish in Montana.


Rafting with my boys and my sister, Jen, and her family






2.  Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions and will you make more for next year?  I dislike New Year's Resolutions.  I believe a year is just too long to say you're going to do a certain thing.  I wanted to write more thank-you notes but I crashed and burned on that big time.  I think I made it about a week.  If it's considered a resolution, I'd like to blog more in 2012 but I'm going to avoid calling it a resolution so that I don't automatically fail.


3.  Did anyone close to you give birth?  Me!  I feel like a lone wolf as most family members are done with their families as well as my friends.  I think about the women in my ward and town who are having newborns and can't imagine hanging out with them.  But you never know.



4.  Did anyone close to you die?  My uncle died.  It was wonderful to be able to go to his funeral and meet up with my parents and most of my siblings and see his children, my cousins.  I hadn't kept in close touch with them but we have a lot of family memories together and it was good to be there to support my mom and remember the life of an amazing man.




My mother and my uncle's wife, Doreen.



My uncle had 10 children.  This is his legacy:  all of his children, their spouses and children.  45 grandchildren in all.

5.  What countries did you visit?  I went on a carnival cruise with my sisters, Jen and Sarah, and my mother.  It was a seven night Mexican riviera cruise so we stopped in Puerto Vallerta and Cabo San Lucas.  I was not impressed with either city and don't think Mexico is my destination vacation of choice.




Getting fish tacos at a restaurant in Cabo.



Trying desperately to find a quiet place on the ship to relax.  We found this area, which was incredibly windy and thus deserted to be just the spot.  At least we weren't constantly reminded by Carnival that we were having the best party of our lives every minute of the day. And I guess it wasn’t too windy as I got this sweaty!

6.  What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?  Energy!  Kind of a lame answer and not wholly truthful as I felt great the first four months but 2011 (actually, more like only March as January and February were spent in mostly constant muscular pain and April had me perplexed with as of yet unexplained lethargy) will go down in my memory of being the year I was tired and pregnant.  I hope to be useful again and able to support my children and friends in their endeavors instead of being constantly....tired.

7.  What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory and why?   December 19th.  What used to be an important date because it is the day Jay and I got married fifteen years ago is now the birthday of my youngest son.



My dad with his youngest grandson.

8.  What was your biggest personal achievement of the year?  For sure it was the 36 pounds I lost in the Biggest Loser program during the months of January through March.  It should be the creating and protecting the body of baby Daniel, but I feel less responsible for that than I should.  Making the deliberate choice to wake up at five am every morning to go and work out for two hours, in the winter, and give up many of the foods I enjoy was life changing.  While I know it will be incredibly difficult to do again, I do know that I can do it.  Because I did it.


My final weigh-in picture.  

9.  What was your biggest failure?  I've been much too self-absorbed this year.  I hope to follow the advice President Hinckley's father game him on his mission this next year to "forget myself and go to work."

10.  Did you suffer injury or illness?  Lots of illness but no injury.  I'm so happy to be done throwing up.

11.  What was the best thing you bought?  Jay's truck.  It happened!  I love watching him drive up the driveway in his manly black truck instead of whatever beat-up lemon he always seemed to be driving before.




12.  Whose behavior merited celebration?   My children.  They have been endlessly patient with me and so, so, so helpful.  I appreciate them not only as good children but as my friends.  They have been there for me through it all all while continuing to excel in their own endeavors:  school, church, 4-H, scouts, sports and speech.  Specifically, I'm proud of Jay for achieving a goal of his: to run a marathon in under three hours.  I'm proud of Seth for successfully showing and selling his 4-H steer and for handling middle school so much better than his mother.  I'm proud of Sam for choosing to be baptized.  And I'm proud of Henry for working hard during speech.




Seth and Buddy.






Henry "crossing the bridge" at preschool graduation.



Jay at the Seattle Marathon.  He also ran at Boston and in Georgia.  I hope I'm not forgetting one.  He filled the in betweens with several half marathons and other races of various distances.  

13.  Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?    I was pretty much annoyed at the world this year.  It's hard to single any one person out.

14.  Where did most of your money go?  Even though the people who seem to have the time and resources to hang out in parks all day don't think it's enough, we gave the biggest chunk to the government.  Again.  But, the new truck, paying to clean up our flooded basement, replacing our computer and dishwasher and the medical expenses of having a baby and another surgery for Henry add up as well.

15.  What did you get really, really, really excited about?  Not exactly a year filled with giddiness but I got pretty excited seeing my body change early in the year.  I was very excited to find out I was having another boy and that he was born so healthy.



20 weeks along and just found out I was having a boy.

16.  What song will always remind you of 2011?  "Someone Like You" by Adele.  I love her entire album, 21, and have the best memory of crooning it out with Sam on the way to piano lessons this year.

17.   Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?  a) I'm not sadder but I think it's a stretch to say I'm happier than I was this time last year.  I'm hopeful for lots of happiness this next year.   b) amazingly, a little bit thinner.  I got on the scale today and I'm actually about five pounds down from where I started the Biggest Loser program last year.  But that's still 30 pounds heavier than I started pregnancy so I've got a lot of work to go.  c) the same.  Happy that we are blessed with a good job and simple tastes which keeps us from wanting fancy stuff:)

18.  What do you wish you'd done more of?  I definitely wish I had tried to keep more fit.  I haven't been in touch with my trainer since May!


19.  What do you wish you'd done less of?  Whining.  Are you sensing a pattern here?

20.  Did you fall in love in 2011?  I did.  His name is Daniel.




21.  What was your favorite TV program?  I only watch SYTYCD and Amazing Race on TV and neither is really a favorite.  My sister, Sarah, bought me the PBS series Downton Abbey to watch in the early and most ill part of my pregnancy and I loved it.  Can't wait for season 2 to start on January 8th!

22.  Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?  Not a hater.  Thankful I didn't turn into one.

23.  What was the best book you read?   Best classic: Angle of Repose.  Best Non-Fiction: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.  Best Children's Book: On the Night That You Were Born.  Best YA fiction: &nbrFX3BMatched.  Best Parenting Book:  The Anatomy of Peace.  Best Historical Fiction: Jayber Crow.  Best Memoir: Bossypants.  Best Fiction:  Crow Lake (even though it was a re-read). Definitely not my best reading year and an even worse review year.

24.  What was your greatest musical discovery?  I think the rest of the world and I discoved that Adele can be heard all. day. long.

25.  What did you want and get?  Unbelievable support from my family while I worked to lose weight.  They adapted to me being gone every morning with grace and selflessness.


26.  What did you want and not get? A LBD in a size 12 that I buy off the rack.  I'm going to get one in 2012!

27.  What was your favorite film of this year?    We rented the movie, Buck, from Netflix and I was mesmerized.  It's kind of a slow documentary but I loved it.

28.  What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?  Due to my horrible blogging, I am not 100% sure what I did on my actual birthday.  I think I took my boys to the fair and carnival.  I turned 36 and if it was like most days, went to bed between 8:30 pm and 9.  Pretty exciting.




29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? It's not really worth wishing, because it's passed, but I would have really liked to experience pregnancy without being sick all the time.  I wish I could have enjoyed it.

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept for 2011? Easy.  I proudly chose more fitted clothes as I lost weight and then stretchy maternity skirts for six straight months.

31. What kept you sane? Ear plugs to help me sleep.  Tylenol PM to help me sleep.  Diet Coke to soothe my stomach.  Tums to help with heartburn.  My family who reminded me that I'm not always a self-absorbed depressed person.  And the love of my life, Jay, who put up with me all year long.