2016 Year in Review
1. What did you do in 2016 that you'd never done before? Officially started homeschooling! Flew with an infant (it was amazingly easy with The Most Chill Baby). Spent non-airport time in Denver and surrounding areas. Attended a curriculum/method-specific homeschool conference. Joined a non-Baptist church. Knit a dress (most of the work was done in 2015, actually, but I finished it in March. It was for Emma.). Went to Washington/ the West Coast. Met my dear old pen-pal Samantha! Brought a child to a plastic surgeon (that's another post...). Attended a multi-day family reunion. Met my 7 year old niece, Josie!!
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I actually don't recall whether I made any or not. Where would I have written that down? I'm thinking of making some this year but am taking more time to think through things.
3. Did anyone close to you have kids? I know many who had babies this year (including our dear Jess, who several of you are also friends with <3)! I'll just mention one other because he's family: Brett Case, first-born of cousins William and Sara.
4. Did anyone close to you get married? My cousin Devin. Also, my old friend Ashley from the church I grew up in did! I didn't get to go to her wedding though. :(
5. Did anyone close to you die? No.
6. Did you travel? Yes! This was supposed to be a non-travel year, but it did not turn out that way. I went to Ohio, Colorado, Texas (Dallas area), the U.P. twice, and Washington state.
7. Did you move anywhere? Nope.
8. What was the best month? Hmmm. There were a lot of good ones, but I'll go with August and October this year. August was the Month of Fam: we spent three days with Stephen's ENTIRE extended family (okay, well, not quite, but all of his mom's sisters and their descendents. Even all the husbands came except one! There were 42 of us altogether.). The following week we spent a week with my family, where we got to meet Bill's daughter Josie for the first time. We also saw 6 of my cousins, including my cousin Becky's son Wyatt whom I had never met before. October is always wonderful. This year I was rather disappointed because we didn't get to go out much and the colors were astounding, but what I did get to see of the colors just puts the month right up at the top. Also, it's my birthday month, but I'll talk about that later.
9. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016? A clearer mind.
10. What date(s) from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 18, our first day of school. June 26, the day we joined New Hope Community Church.
11. What was your biggest achievement of the year? This question makes me feel so lame. Completing a major knitting project? Surprising Stephen with a big set of LEGO he had when he was a kid? Uuum, yeah.
12. What was your biggest failure? Living in my head too much.
13. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not really sure what to say here. :P Let's just say I've struggled mentally.
14. What was the best thing you bought? New flooring in half the house.
15. Whose behavior merited celebration?
16. Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed? The main presidential candidates.
17. Where did most of your money go? The house. We've been talking about replacing our carpet for years and we finally went ahead with it! But a week or two after we paid for it (still hadn't been installed) our septic field failed. Then mold was discovered in our bathroom and part of the subflooring had to be replaced. It was a little crazy here for awhile, but everything came together in time for Christmas!
18. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Stephen going to the Ambleside Online/Charlotte Mason conference with me! Also, finally going to WA and meeting Sam (that was a dream of ours since we were about 14 or 15. I'd concluded it would never happen, but now it has! And she is just as I expected. <3), and meeting my niece (something else I thought might never happen because of a complicated family situation.)
19. What song will always remind you of 2016? It's funny - I actually thought of a song for this about a month ago, but now I can't remember what it was. So I guess it won't always remind of 2016 anyway. ;) Maybe I'll say "Good Good Father" because for awhile it seemed like we sang it at our new church all the time so I joked Stephen about it in his Father's Day card.
20. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? About the same?
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. :{
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. Stephen started a new job with his sixth employer since our marriage which came with a pay increase. He still works from home, but occasionally has to travel to Dallas.
21. What do you wish you'd done more of? Quality time with God and Stephen. Getting active.
22. What do you wish you'd done less of? Being filled with anxiety. Wasting time.
23. How will you be spending New Year's Eve/Day? Eve - Home with the fam! LEGO and NYE questionnaire with the kids, and cookie baking! Day - Church and games.
24. What was a surprise? Stephen saying he'd go with me to the AO conference. Receiving a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas.
25. When did you feel loved in 2016? When Stephen said he'd go to the AO conference with me. ;) Also, when family members acknowledged that psychological issues are just as real as visible ailments.
26. What was the best concert you've been to this year? Sadly, the only "concert" I attended this year was a ballet. But it was great! Emma and I went to see Sleeping Beauty at Interlochen. Taking one of my children to a cultural event has been something I've been waiting years to do!! Emma was disappointed that Eden couldn't come with us, though - she thought it was going to be an all-the-girls date.
27. What were your favorite TV programs? I didn't watch much tv this year, and no current shows at all. Stephen and I started watching Stargate SG-1 though because he likes to joke about how that is the show that first brought us together. :) We enjoy Dick Van Dyke and Leverage once in awhile, too.
28. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year? No.
29. What was the best book you read? Middlemarch by George Eliot.
30. What was your greatest musical discovery? No discoveries. :(
31. What did you want and get? Meeting Josie, Wyatt, and Samantha! New flooring!
32. What did you want and not get? More dates with Stephen.
33. What was your favorite film of this year? I don't think I watched any movies that came out this year.
34. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 33 and MY WHOLE FAMILY CAME TO VISIT!!! Yes, it's that big a deal! Of course, if it hadn't also been Eden's first birthday this might not have taken place, but it did and it made me feel loved even if it wasn't all for me. ;) It was the first time since our wedding 8 years ago that all seven of us were together and I was determined to get a picture, but...it didn't happen. :'( We have the memories, at least! They came in two batches, so before the others arrived I (and Stephen and the kids) took Dad, Jason, and Bill to the treasure chest that is Blue Vase Book Exchange, then in the evening Bill made a scrumptious dinner of buffalo chicken dip, kielbasa, sour kraut (which I have never liked at all, but he dried it all out and made it tasty), Irish something or other (basically caramelized onions), and Vollworth's brats. There were other things too, but those are the main dishes, and definitely not something I would have put together on my own. I felt pretty spoiled!
35. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not being plagued with anxiety and the resulting depression.
36. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016? Comfy: Tending toward a lot of tunics. I even have tried leggings, which I never thought I would.
37. What kept you sane? Stephen, and finally talking to my doctor about what's been going on inside me.
38. What political issue stirred you the most? The election.
39. Who did you miss? My family and far-away friends.
40. Five things you want to do in 2017:
1. Be more present.
2. Go to more concerts/similar events.
3. Become a more out-doorsy family.
4. Begin planning a UK trip for 2018.
5. Start playing the piano more regularly.
2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I actually don't recall whether I made any or not. Where would I have written that down? I'm thinking of making some this year but am taking more time to think through things.
3. Did anyone close to you have kids? I know many who had babies this year (including our dear Jess, who several of you are also friends with <3)! I'll just mention one other because he's family: Brett Case, first-born of cousins William and Sara.
4. Did anyone close to you get married? My cousin Devin. Also, my old friend Ashley from the church I grew up in did! I didn't get to go to her wedding though. :(
5. Did anyone close to you die? No.
6. Did you travel? Yes! This was supposed to be a non-travel year, but it did not turn out that way. I went to Ohio, Colorado, Texas (Dallas area), the U.P. twice, and Washington state.
7. Did you move anywhere? Nope.
8. What was the best month? Hmmm. There were a lot of good ones, but I'll go with August and October this year. August was the Month of Fam: we spent three days with Stephen's ENTIRE extended family (okay, well, not quite, but all of his mom's sisters and their descendents. Even all the husbands came except one! There were 42 of us altogether.). The following week we spent a week with my family, where we got to meet Bill's daughter Josie for the first time. We also saw 6 of my cousins, including my cousin Becky's son Wyatt whom I had never met before. October is always wonderful. This year I was rather disappointed because we didn't get to go out much and the colors were astounding, but what I did get to see of the colors just puts the month right up at the top. Also, it's my birthday month, but I'll talk about that later.
9. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016? A clearer mind.
10. What date(s) from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 18, our first day of school. June 26, the day we joined New Hope Community Church.
11. What was your biggest achievement of the year? This question makes me feel so lame. Completing a major knitting project? Surprising Stephen with a big set of LEGO he had when he was a kid? Uuum, yeah.
12. What was your biggest failure? Living in my head too much.
13. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not really sure what to say here. :P Let's just say I've struggled mentally.
14. What was the best thing you bought? New flooring in half the house.
15. Whose behavior merited celebration?
16. Whose behavior made you appalled and/or depressed? The main presidential candidates.
17. Where did most of your money go? The house. We've been talking about replacing our carpet for years and we finally went ahead with it! But a week or two after we paid for it (still hadn't been installed) our septic field failed. Then mold was discovered in our bathroom and part of the subflooring had to be replaced. It was a little crazy here for awhile, but everything came together in time for Christmas!
18. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Stephen going to the Ambleside Online/Charlotte Mason conference with me! Also, finally going to WA and meeting Sam (that was a dream of ours since we were about 14 or 15. I'd concluded it would never happen, but now it has! And she is just as I expected. <3), and meeting my niece (something else I thought might never happen because of a complicated family situation.)
19. What song will always remind you of 2016? It's funny - I actually thought of a song for this about a month ago, but now I can't remember what it was. So I guess it won't always remind of 2016 anyway. ;) Maybe I'll say "Good Good Father" because for awhile it seemed like we sang it at our new church all the time so I joked Stephen about it in his Father's Day card.
20. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? About the same?
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. :{
iii. richer or poorer? Richer. Stephen started a new job with his sixth employer since our marriage which came with a pay increase. He still works from home, but occasionally has to travel to Dallas.
21. What do you wish you'd done more of? Quality time with God and Stephen. Getting active.
22. What do you wish you'd done less of? Being filled with anxiety. Wasting time.
23. How will you be spending New Year's Eve/Day? Eve - Home with the fam! LEGO and NYE questionnaire with the kids, and cookie baking! Day - Church and games.
24. What was a surprise? Stephen saying he'd go with me to the AO conference. Receiving a Kindle Paperwhite for Christmas.
25. When did you feel loved in 2016? When Stephen said he'd go to the AO conference with me. ;) Also, when family members acknowledged that psychological issues are just as real as visible ailments.
26. What was the best concert you've been to this year? Sadly, the only "concert" I attended this year was a ballet. But it was great! Emma and I went to see Sleeping Beauty at Interlochen. Taking one of my children to a cultural event has been something I've been waiting years to do!! Emma was disappointed that Eden couldn't come with us, though - she thought it was going to be an all-the-girls date.
27. What were your favorite TV programs? I didn't watch much tv this year, and no current shows at all. Stephen and I started watching Stargate SG-1 though because he likes to joke about how that is the show that first brought us together. :) We enjoy Dick Van Dyke and Leverage once in awhile, too.
28. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn't dislike this time last year? No.
29. What was the best book you read? Middlemarch by George Eliot.
30. What was your greatest musical discovery? No discoveries. :(
31. What did you want and get? Meeting Josie, Wyatt, and Samantha! New flooring!
32. What did you want and not get? More dates with Stephen.
33. What was your favorite film of this year? I don't think I watched any movies that came out this year.
34. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 33 and MY WHOLE FAMILY CAME TO VISIT!!! Yes, it's that big a deal! Of course, if it hadn't also been Eden's first birthday this might not have taken place, but it did and it made me feel loved even if it wasn't all for me. ;) It was the first time since our wedding 8 years ago that all seven of us were together and I was determined to get a picture, but...it didn't happen. :'( We have the memories, at least! They came in two batches, so before the others arrived I (and Stephen and the kids) took Dad, Jason, and Bill to the treasure chest that is Blue Vase Book Exchange, then in the evening Bill made a scrumptious dinner of buffalo chicken dip, kielbasa, sour kraut (which I have never liked at all, but he dried it all out and made it tasty), Irish something or other (basically caramelized onions), and Vollworth's brats. There were other things too, but those are the main dishes, and definitely not something I would have put together on my own. I felt pretty spoiled!
35. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not being plagued with anxiety and the resulting depression.
36. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016? Comfy: Tending toward a lot of tunics. I even have tried leggings, which I never thought I would.
37. What kept you sane? Stephen, and finally talking to my doctor about what's been going on inside me.
38. What political issue stirred you the most? The election.
39. Who did you miss? My family and far-away friends.
40. Five things you want to do in 2017:
1. Be more present.
2. Go to more concerts/similar events.
3. Become a more out-doorsy family.
4. Begin planning a UK trip for 2018.
5. Start playing the piano more regularly.