2011 Recap

My end of the year survey for 2010 can be found here.  Let's see how 2011 measured up.

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

• Carpooled to work .
• Performed the same job at the same place of work with my husband.
• Took a typing test and passed!`
• Slipped and Slid as an adult.
• Rented a house.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


• My resolutions last year were to be kinder to myself and those around me that deserve all the love I can give them. I failed miserably at this and am just now making efforts to improve my overall temperament and ways in which I cope with stress.  In the same way, I have not taken very good care of myself either...this is something that needs to change.
• Resolutions for 2012:
• Explore ways to cope with stress that are effective and healthy. Picking fights with your husband and losing patience with your children are not these ways.
• Find a way to include exercise into my week on a regular basis. This goal is more to improve overall health...I mean let's be real...I don't like to exercise, so anything I do isn't going to make my legs and butt stop jiggling, but if I can get my blood pumping faster and more often, that can only be good for me.
• Engage in more physical play with Harlie. 
• Read more books (aside from book club selections).
• Make more mix CD's.
• Find ways to spend more quality time with Scott. Romance on the cheap!  Any ideas?
• Bake with YEAST!
• Let go and let God.  Sounds cheesy...but dude do I need to loosen my grip and chill the eff out.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?


• Yes!  Autumn had a baby girl, Brandi in April. 
• Austin's Aunt Julie gave birth to a baby boy, Kyle in November.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?
None.


6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

• Dinner on the table by 6:00!
• More available sick time (I'm looking at you, Harlie!).
• A growing savings account.
• A vacation...a real one.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• January 14th, the day Scott started at BOE.
• Harlie's 1st day at Jessica's in May.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


• I can't really think of any any HUGE achievements.  Scoring high on the TTII test and being offered the OT job at BAR were things good things because it meant I had choices, which is something I haven't had much of these last 2 years.

9. What was your biggest failure?

• This is a repeat from last year, but the way I took my frustrations out on Scott and didn't work as hard as I could have to strengthen our marriage. 

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

• Just a cold or two

11. What was the best thing you bought?

• My laptop.
• Daycare
• Harlie's gymnastics tuition

12. Where did most of your money go?

• Food
• Daycare
• Insurance

13. What did you get really excited about?

• Summertime (in our backyard and with friends and family)
• Scott's birthday over-nighter and our 2 night stay in Tahoe.
• Trips to Napa and Livermore, and birthday dinners with the girls.
• Our day trip to Tahoe with the fam.
• Christmas!!!

14. What song will always remind you of 2011?

• That Adele song about the guy she loves who's married now.  It would always play in the car on the ride to and from work. Scott is the only person on the planet I know that cannot stand that song, and so we would always fight about changing the radio station.  It will probably always remind me of the year we worked together.

15. Compared to this time last year, are you:

– happier or sadder? About the same....once again after months filled with change, the end of the year brings a positive transition and sense of hopefulness
– thinner or fatter? About the same. Maybe a little fatter.
– richer or poorer? Richer, income wise. Poorer, debt wise.

16. What do you wish you’d done more of?


Exercising, Smiling, Laughing, Creating, Cooking for fun, Playing with Scott

17. What do you wish you’d done less of?


• Micro-managing and trying to control everything around me.
• I wish I'd eaten less $3 mini meals.

18. How did you spend Christmas?

At home with Harlie and then up the hill at mom's with Austin and the fam. Christmas Eve was spent at Florence and John's.

19. What was your favorite TV program?
Biggest Loser

20. What were your favorite books of the year?

Firefly Lane, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels and The Help

21. What was your favorite music from this year?


Gosh I am so out of touch with the kind of music I like. Since Scott and I carpool, we only listen to 107.9. Bleh. I don't even know why we do.  But I really really loved Rolling in the Deep by Adele.

22. What were your favorite films of the year?

Bridesmaids, Catfish, Just Go with It

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 33. I know I worked that day and then I think we came home and had Papa Murphy's.

24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
If we would have been able to buy a house.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

I have a fashion concept in my head and if I ever come across some discretionary cash, maybe it can materialize.

26. What kept you sane?

I don't know that anything really did. :-)  But maybe Harlie's daily log sheets from daycare and her sweet smile and hugs.  Having priorities helps organize the chaos.

27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.


Autumn was right. Just give it a little time and every change I face will eventually become the new 'normal'. Be less afraid, and have faith.

Peace Love Joy

A Visit with Mr and Mrs. Claus

Christmas in the Ranch

Egg Nog Pancakes

We've all been drunk on egg nog this week, and after drooling over Lenette's Facebook post about egg nog cookies, I decided to make some egg nog pancakes this morning by making some substitutions to my BHG cookbook's plain pancake recipe. Then I created an egg noggy syrup to go along with it. Scott loved it and said it needs to be our new Christmas morning breakfast, so I'm writing it down so I can remember what I did. I guess its time to be a grown-up and ditch the canned cinnamon rolls.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens pancake recipe:


Pancakes

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground flax mixed with 3 tablespoons water (or 1 beaten egg)
• 1 1/4 cups Egg Nog
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil

Syrup/Glaze

• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup egg nog
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture; set aside.

2. In another medium mixing bowl combine the flax/water (or egg), eggnog, and cooking oil. Add egg nog mixture all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just till moistened (batter should be lumpy).

3. For standard-size pancakes, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side or till pancakes are golden brown, turning to second sides when pancakes have bubbly surfaces and edges are slightly dry. Combine ingredients for syrup and serve warm with pancakes. Makes 8 to 10 standard-size pancakes.

On the Way Back From Tree Huntin'

Gratitude

Harlie came home with a stack of gratitude cards from preschool...what a wonderful idea!

Harlie's Birthday and Thanksgiving

Harlie, you are 3!

Dearest Harlie,

As I write this, we are supposed to be headed over to Nana's to celebrate your birthday and a Thanksgiving feast.  Instead, you are curled up in your newly converted toddler bed and brand new birthday Disney Princess bedding. I'm hoping when you awake, the Motrin will have kicked in and your spirits will be up. I've been really looking forward to spending the day at Nana's house.

Man, were you a grumpy monkey this morning. I had a feeling you were getting sick again. The chills you got after your shower and how you whined when I brushed through your hair, just a further indication that this grumpy monkey has a fever. What's new?

You've been sick a whole lot this past year.  And it's been a BIG year for you little snuggles.  Mama and Daddy are both back to work now and after spending a few months with Auntie Keri full time, you mostly spend your weekdays in daycare (oops, I mean preschool, sorry).  You've been learning so much at Jessica's...always coming home with new things to share. You have a best friend (aside from Horsey) named Emelia. Her favorite color is purple. I know this because every time you see something that color, you say it's for Emelia. :-)  But your favorite color in pink. You love pink EVERYTHING!  I wonder if once the princess and ballerina obsession has passed, it will still be your favorite color. 

Princess mania is in full force.  You love to dress up and demand that Daddy be your prince, dancing with him and twirling around.  When you say the word princess you spit the "p" and it makes me smile every time.  You also love to pretend that you are a ballerina and cannot wait for Nana to take you to see the Nutcracker. We tell you that once you turn 5, you can go.  I think Nana may give in and take you next year. We'll see.

Another passion of yours is matching - finding pairs.  You get so excited and have to show daddy or I every time you find a match.  You'll see a duck in one of your books and then run to get your beloved rubber ducky from the bath and put them together. "Match!" you say, as your eyes gleam with pride.  You love to group colors and sort things that are the same.  You also have an eagle eye out for any H's you might see. You know your name starts with one and whenever you see one you shout "H is for Harlie!", which also happens to be the first letter you've written.

Safety comes first with you when we're in the car.  Everyone needs to be buckled up and have "two hands!" on the wheel at all times. Red is for stop, green is for go and Orange is for "sloooowwwwww down!"  Another thing you are hung up on is water towers. Every time we pass one you ask "Does Santa live in there?"  I don't know where in the world you got that idea.  You are very talkative in the car now, always asking questions or making observations.  It reminds me of Austin at your age.  So much to know and so little time!

You still go to Auntie Keri's house one day a week and you are always so excited to go. I love it because it's easy getting you up and dressed in the morning.  You and Max are still thick as thieves and the friendship you have built with your cousin Mazzy this year is super sweet.  I'm so lucky that you have them.  You have become much more outgoing, making friends at the park and not hiding behind my leg as much as you used to. You will even look Dr Wang in the eye now. That is progress my dear.

There is so much that I look forward to as you get older.  You have a personality full of sparkle and sass, a smile that lights up my heart and a contagious zest for life. I laugh because you are clumsy just like your mama, but it doesn't stop you from trying. Although you may be cautious, you still climb that mountain, and if you trip and fall you just untangle yourself, stand up and go again. You teach me so much every day.

I love you with my whole heart and soul.  Happy Birthday, sweet girl.

Love, Mama

Harlie's 3rd Year

Brighter Than the Sun by Colbie Caillat

I need a hug

In the past 24 hours:

• Scott and I decide to make Harlie a doctors appt for her mysterious rash, which seems to be getting worse.
• Scott comes down with a fever and bad cough after recently getting over a pretty gnarly cold. I'm convinced he's come down with Pneumonia and beg him to call the advice nurse. He schedules an appt. for himself for 3:30 today but will later decide to cancel the appt. because his fever is gone.  As I hear him hacking in the bedroom this very instant I still think he needs antibiotics.
• Scott and I both had promotional exams early this morning, and since the testing was being done at headquarters we had to take two cars.
• Mom comes over to stay with Harlie and take her to the doc. After rushing to get out of the house on time and as I try to start the car, I can't get it out of park. Neither can Mom, so I chuck the carseat that was in the Civic into moms car, hoping she can get it installed and rush off to work in the Civic. I'm 3 minutes late getting logged on to the phones (which is a bigger deal than it sounds).
• After my exam which I think went pretty well, I call BounceU to finalize plans for Harlie's 3rd birthday party on Saturday.
• When I call my mom on my lunch hour she informs me that Dr. Wang has diagnosed her with Hand Foot Mouth disease.
• I then call Jessica to inform her that the two days Harlie was in her care with what I thought was eczema, was really a contagious virus that can cause mouth sores.
• 3:00 break - Call the doc to get more info, 4:15 break - call Jessica to pass on info from the doc and to tell her I'll be staying home with Harlie tomorrow.
• 6:00pm -  I meet up with Sara and Ariel for wine and cheese and some much needed chatter and comic relief, the absolute highlight of this craptacular day.
• Tomorrow I call BounceU and cancel Harlie's birthday party.

Technique, Technique

Harlie had her first Mini-Kinder gymnastics class at Technique in Rancho on Friday  (every time I hear or see the word "technique" I think of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun--is it just me?).  Jessica will be taking Emelia and Harlie to class on a regular basis (Tuesdays at 9:30) starting in December, but Scott and I wanted to take her for the first time to see how she liked it.  Emelia ended up joining her for the trial class and it was so cute seeing them together.  I wished the lighting was better inside the gym, because it was difficult getting clear photos, but man did Harlie have a good time. I love that she isn't afraid to try new things and climb and jump and swing and be active!  My girl is the clumsiest *almost* three year old you'll ever meet, but she will always pick herself up and keep going, which makes me so happy. My heart hurts a little because I wont be able to see her at gym class every week, but I feel so blessed that she has the opportunity to go.

XC, aka Cross Country

So cross country season has come to an end for Austin this year.  Cordova did pretty well this year and made it to sub-sections in Angels Camp (frog jumping country), but unfortunately they came in 10th place as a team and needed to come in 6th or better to make sections.  This was Austin's first year participating in XC and enjoyed it so much, preferring it over football for a few reasons.  He really felt like his coaches cared about him, he loved the individual performance element of the sport, all the while still being a part of a supportive team and making new friends.  Austin excelled this year individually and it has definitely boosted his self-confidence.  It will be fun to see how he enjoys track which starts later this year.