Happy 2011!

I stole this from Fran. I no longer have original thoughts.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?

Drove Interstate 10 alone from Houston to Lake Charles during rush hour traffic.
Left my kids with a babysitter for two hours to see a movie.
Had a biopsy.
Became a room mom.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't even remember last year's resolutions. I will make more this year and will post them. Eventually.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My good friend Meg had a baby boy in April. Her third. She is very tired.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thank goodness, no. But a high school friend died of cancer in August and I am thankful to Facebook that we were reconnected through them before that. With FB I'm sure I'd have never "spoken" to her again or even known about her illness/death.

5. What countries did you visit?

USA

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

I'd like my husband to come home from work before 10 pm and actually help out with the child-rearing this year. I really do feel like I did it all myself in 2010.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

August 21, when Adam started kindergarten. September 1 when I started my job with actual kids there. Who knew three year olds could throw chairs? Each of the kid's birthdays.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Landing a job without an application or an interview just having the director like me and think I'm a good mom. I still get a chuckle about that. If she only knew....


9. What was your biggest failure?
The whole took-Jacob-to-doofus-psychiatrist-and-switched-his-meds thing. I am still pissed at myself about it. And I better never run into that guy. Ever.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Geez. We've been sick the past two weeks. Eleven day virus my ass.


11. What was the best thing you bought?

My Crocs sandals and the eight 75 cent Christmas dresses I bought at the resale shop in January last year. Guess where I'm going today?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Elizabeth potty-trained herself in a week, Adam learned to read, Jacob went from getting fifteen demerits in a week to about three after switching to yet another medication we like much better.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Those same bitchy school mamas. I still don't get how grown women could find pleasure in slandering children. Their bully children disgust me as well. I was also pretty upset just watching the dynamics of the school and some of the teachers and the administration getting a good inside look since I work there now. I will post about that more later.

14. Where did most of your money go?

School tuition and taxes and in 2011 my entire paycheck will go to pay our huge increase in health care premiums. Thank you Mr. Obama.


15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Our Woodlands vacation until we got there. My Christmas bonus. Every Tuesday there was a new Glee on. The WVU game we went to in October.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

"Part of your World" from Little Mermaid. Nothing like hearing Elizabeth sing that all day long.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
b) thinner or fatter?
c) richer or poorer?

a...about the same.
b....FATTER! I've gained 30 pounds since last year.
c....poorer! More taxes, higher health care premiums, more medications we can't afford. Thank you again Mr. Obama.

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

I wish I'd kept up with the Friday home-schooling and our Monday afternoon outings. I think I'm going to try fix that in 2011.

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

Yell at my kids (mainly Jacob) in the mornings.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

With a temperature with my kids, husband, and parents and then most of the day I slept while the kids enjoyed their new goodies.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

I fell in love with my 14 preschool students. I adore them. It makes getting up and going so early worth it. I love my job.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Glee, 30 Rock, The Office (although who else thinks it's really slow this year?), Mike and Molly, The Middle

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

Now, we shouldn't say hate....but I really hate dealing with Jacob's bullies. I know they are children, but I don't get a warm fuzzy when I see them.

24. What was the best book you read?

I am currently reading The Five Love Languages of Children and hope it helps some. I love me some Kindle. I have fifty books downloaded and ready for the new year. I read a lot of Jodi Picoult last year and I loved them all.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I got really excited when I downloaded Learning to Fly by Pink Floyd onto my IPod. Does that count?

26. What did you want and get?

A kindle.
A semi-sorta maybe resolution in the bully situation. We'll see how that pans out.
A tube of Crabtree and Evelyn hand lotion


27. What did you want and not get?

Some friends for Jacob. The ability for him to fit in with his peers.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Toy Story 3

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

I was 42 on my birthday. I took my dog to the vet and had chicken wings at BW3. Woo-hoo!

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

If my husband would've spent some more time with us and actually attempted to enjoy us. It's hard living with an unhappy person. My hope for him in 2011 is that he realizes that although he works hard to give all his money away, that it isn't his whole life.


31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

Minimalist...no make-up, no fancy duds, sandals every day.

32. What kept you sane?

I think the new job, although time-consuming and tiring, has helped me have a greater perspective on my children's behavior.

And Frontierville. And Treasure Isle.

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

I was sad when Elizabeth Edwards passed, but that was it. I didn't really fancy her.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I don't do politics, but after seeing how much we have to pay so our next-door neighbors can get free health care, that pissed me off a little.

35. Who did you miss?

My friends in West Virginia

36. Who was the best new person you met?

My boss. I knew her before as a parent at the school, but in this new capacity I realize she will be a huge blessing in my life. I can learn a lot from her. She adores my children and is so accomodating to our needs at work with them.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.

You are in control of your own happiness. Do not rely on others to make you happy.

Be frugal and save as much money as you can. You never know when the rug is going to be pulled out from under you.


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

"Don't stop believing...hold on to that feeling..."