2008 - Year in Review

A quick Q&A session for 2008's year in review....

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’ve never done before?

Um, continued raising twin toddlers!

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

I can’t remember the resolutions I made a year ago, but I’m I'm working on them for this year.

3. Did anyone close to you get pregnant this year and/or give birth?

Oh wow, yes! A few friends…Alisa, Jennifer, Amy.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No.

5. What countries did you visit?

None. I am hoping to change that in 2009 and hoping that Paige & Taylor come along too. (Gotta’ get their passports…I see a warm, sunny South of the Border beach vacation in their future).

6. What would you like to have in 2009?

A lot less stress.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

May 3 – My five year wedding anniversary! A moment of reflection here…Five years of marriage and look at all that has come to pass…a move from the East Coast to the West Coast, buying a new home, buying two new cars, starting a family (and, at the time, thinking we’d just have one baby and getting 2), raising twins, on and on and on.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Being a good mommy to Paige & Taylor.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Because I’ve been focused on being a mommy to Paige & Taylor, sometimes that has come at the expense of being a really GREAT wife to my husband.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I won’t answer that. Sorry.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Ok, weird question, but I'm going to go with the twins Paige & Taylor.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and frustrated?

Doesn't take a genius to figure this one out, but it’s the same answer as in question #12.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Bills, twins, bills, twins, bills, twins, bills, twins, bills, twins.

15. What did you get really, really, really bummed out about?

Easy one. The lost campaign of Presidential candidate John McCain.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Most of the songs I sing now involve nursery rhymes, sing-alongs for kids, so I think I'll have to go with those.

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

a) More happy or more sad? More happy.

b) Thinner or fatter? Exactly the same - thin.

c) Richer or poorer? Richer for the love in my life and the experiences of being a mom and wife. Poorer only in material things…come on, this should be obvious, we're raising twins and I'm a stay-at-home mommy, the most IMPORTANT, yet most underpaid job that exists. So, I may be poorer but only because our beautiful daughters lives are richer!

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

Hung out with my friends, made "me" time more of a priority, and work out harder and more often at the gym.

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

Less reality-show t.v. watching at night after the twins have gone to bed.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

I spent Christmas with my favorite people – my husband and my daughters. We opened presents, then took a little family getaway to Monterey Bay.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Oh yes, times two, all year long in two ways everyday – Paige & Taylor.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

The Unit

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don't have time or energy to hate people.

24. What was the best book you read?

Oh goodness, I read SO many books this year. But I'm going to go with Dr. James Dobson’s “Dare to Discipline”. It’s a must-read for every parent in my opinion!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

That two toddlers who totally sing loud and off-key really is music to my ears.

26. What did you want and get?

To pay off our Jeep Grand Cherokee and we did. Up next, our BMW 3-series…yeah, only 5 more months to pay on our BMW, and then we’re totally car payment free!

27. What did you want and not get?

An uneventful year, and that just didn’t happen this year.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

The Traitor

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

Well, on my actual birthday I had to clean house, make meals for Paige & Taylor, wipe bottoms, do laundry, etc. so in that respect it was just another typical day in the life of, but only turning one year older. Mike did however let me escape for a little bit of “me” time to get a nice, relaxing pedicure and I did get some nice presents.

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

Let’s see…if I had my ultimate wish list…I guess winning the lottery. Oh what else, maybe some plastic surgery….nothing major, just a little nip, tuck here and there. Ha, ha.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

Jeans and tank top/t-shirt wearing mommy in flip flops mostly.

32. What kept you sane?

My family, friends, and fellow moms of multiples who give really good advice on raising twins!!!!!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

My girl crush on Edward Norton has not faded.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Listening to uninformed, disillusioned people talk about the election. Ugh. But, to be fair, I know that others found me to be also uninformed, disillusioned about the election. I guess that's just how it goes with politics.

35. Who did you miss?

Old friends and family members I've not seen in a long time, especially from the East Coast where I grew up and lived for 20+ years.

36. Who was the best new person(s) you met?

Well, some of the medical specialists who manage the care for my daughters, and there are a lot of them. I really appreciate each of them in my life and in my girls' lives.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Things definitely don't always go as planned, but that is okay. It keeps life interesting.

38. Quote a favorite thought or expression that sums up your year.

Adversity introduces a person to him/her-self; and it's how a person responds to such adversity that is the measure of a man/woman.