New Year’s Quiz: 2009 In Review

I love the idea of looking back at accomplishments of the last year, and taking a moment to contemplate how far I’ve come.  This is becoming a tradition at Mom et al, one that I hope to continue for many years ahead.  Here is my quiz from last year.  I am happy to see that some things have remained constant (my weight) and others have improved (oh the joy of sleeping through the night).  Whether you blog or not, I encourage you to do this as well. 

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? We took a vacation with our best friends and rented a house in Virginia Beach.  We were five couples with a total of 9 children between us.  The house was like a mansion right on the beach; it was so amazing.  Man, I miss the kitchen.  I could get LOST in that kitchen. 

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I can say for possibly the first time ever that I kept a resolution for an entire year.  I promised myself that I would reach and maintain my weight goal.  I hit it in July and have maintained it since; it was a lifestyle change of which I am very proud.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, there were a few January babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die? We lost Grandpa this year.  He was 92 and lived a good long life.  Still, it was a tough blow for our family and we miss him.

5. What countries did you visit? HA HA HA HA HAAAA!!!! I’ve got kids. 

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? A maid.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?  Wow, it’s pretty much a blur.  Grandpa’s wake and funeral will be a time I will always remember, but I’d have to look up the exact date to tell you when that was.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?  Managing work life, which included a major change with the shut down of my office, and home life together without going completely insane.

9. What was your biggest failure? My biggest failure was my reluctance to wean my boy off his bottle. He loves it so, and I just haven’t wanted to deal with it.  That and the many times I lost my patience with an ever obstinate and independent certain little four year-old.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Despite retaining my title as Household Klutz, I did manage to remain injury free; for the most part.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Well, we just got ourselves a Wii for Xmas, which will be a lot of fun.  The drum set we got for our 4 year old daughter is just plain cool, and really doesn’t drive us all that batty. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? That award definitely goes the Boy, for FINALLY sleeping through the night on a regular basis.  Thanks, Little Man.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? I have a feeling a lot of bloggers who fill out this survey will have the same answer:  Balloon Boy’s parents.  Man did that tick me off, not only for wasting tax payer money and resources, but also for keeping me glued to the TV in agony at the thought of a young boy alone, thousands of feet up in the air, falling from sky to his death.  While I’m at it, there was also that Mommy Blogger that created an outrage by faking a story and posting on her blog and Twitter that the TSA took her son from her during a security check. 

14. Where did most of your money go? The same as last year…day-care.   That won’t change any time soon.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Verizon FIOS finally came to our area.  Yay!!!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? Probably that Romeo and Juliet song… is that by, Taylor Swift?  I choose this only because when I was on the Virginia Beach trip and went food shopping with the girls, I was the only one in the car who had never heard the song.  My Girlfriends knew every word.  I think I’m stuck in the 70s/80s/90s.

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

a) happier or sadder? Happier

b) thinner or fatter? Thinner

c) richer or poorer? Richer from a life perspective, but if we’re talking about finances, then I’m definitely poorer.  We need to stop asking this question right after Xmas.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Exercise. I’m still fairly fit, but I need to make more time for me.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stress.  I need to find my Chi again.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas Eve was spent with my husband’s father at my sister in law’s, Christmas Day was spent at home with my dad’s side of the family, the Saturday after Christmas we took the kids to see Disney on Ice, and the Sunday after Christmas we went back to my sister in law’s to exchange gifts with my mother in law. I’m still exhausted.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Yes, I never thought it would happen, but I think from a movie perspective I’m Team Jacob.  (YES I KNOW, he’s only 17)

22. What was your favorite TV program? Dexter.  Hands down best show on TV, and it was an AWESOME season.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No. My daughter used the word ‘hate’ towards an object recently, and it really bothered me.  It’s an ugly word, and I try never to hate.

24. What was the best book you read? If I got my act together I would have finished The Lost Symbol by now and perhaps I could report that it is the best book I have read this year, but alas I am still trying to get through it.  Instead I will choose Breaking Dawn.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? That “I’ll be there” by the Jackson 5 transcends many generations.  My kids stop what they are doing every time that State Farm commercial comes on TV to sing along.  Listening to my daughter sing, “Where there is love, I’ll be there” swells my heart to burst every time.

26. What did you want and get? The Wii Fit!!!

27. What did you want and not get? A raise, but considering I survived three layoffs last year, I’ll just keep my mouth shut.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Star Trek.  WOW, what an awesome movie.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 36 and I remember it as being one of the worst birthdays I have had in a long time.  Total suckage, although I do think there was cake.  I have much hope for 37.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A maid.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? Actually I was a little better this year on the fashion train.  I finally replaced the old baggy clothes I was wearing from before my weight loss, and made friends with Ann Taylor again.  Just call me Business Casual.

32. What kept you sane? Blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and my Husband.  Not necessarily in that order.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I still adore Michael Shanks, still miss James Marsters as Spike, continue to mourn Heath Ledger, and finally came out as a fan of Jim Cantore.  He’s my favorite Winter Weather Expert.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? I never talk politics.

35. Who did you miss? I still miss my friend Paul, I don’t think that will every change. I miss several coworkers that were let go this past year. It’s strange and sad when your work family is no longer with you every day, especially when it is not their choice to go.

36. Who was the best new person you met? There are a few very nice families that I met at Parent Group, but other then that I haven’t really met anyone new.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.

• Parenting is still really, really, really hard sometimes, but mixed with a whole boatload of awesome moments.  It’s important to take stock, and remember the awesome.
• If you’ve got a mystery smell in your car, and you’ve checked everywhere for the location of that elusive bottle you think is hiding under a seat…check the car seat upholstery, because your two year old might just think it’s fun to tip the bottle upside down so it can drip, drip, drip on the fabric when you are not looking.
• If you are cheesy on-line video game obsessed, and stuck on level 21 of Fitz for the past 6 months, apparently if you Google the phrase, “Is it possible to get past level 21 of Fitz” you will not only find MANY people as crazy obsessed as you who are also stuck on level 21, you will also find a rare privileged few who made it to level 27, and are now stuck.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I had a really hard time with a song lyric this year. So I think I have to go with an oldie.  By my own unintentional design, and at the unfailing request from my ABBA obsessed daughter, I have listened to this song just about every day for the past 3 months, lest ALL HELL BREAK LOOSE for that 10 minute ride to day-care.

I have a dream, a song to sing

To help me cope with anything

If you see the wonder of a fairy tale

You can take the future, even if you fail

I believe in angels

Something good in everything I see

I believe in angels

When I know the time is right for me

I’ll cross the stream, I have a dream.

On behalf of myself and my family, I wish you a very Happy New Year.  May 2010 be filled with joy, and wonder.