Year in Review 2012

December 1 Trip. What was your best trip in 2012?

I went on two trips this year.  One was a weekend away to Park City with Doug which was very fun and relaxing and the second was to AZ to see my parents all by myself just for fun.  It is so unlike me that as soon as I got off the plane, my dad asked if everything was alright with my marriage and if I was leaving him.  I assured him that I when you have six kids, a fun weekend away for mom is good now and then.  We went out to eat, shopping, movies and even a concert.  Plus, I introduced them to Downton Abby and they've become hooked.

December 2 Restaurant moment. Share the best restaurant experience you had this year. Who was there? What made it amazing? What taste stands out in your mind?

I think this would have to be a moment that happened just last week.  Doug, his mom and I were at Tucano's, a Brazillian restaurant where they bring you meat on swords and we were enjoying our dinner when we discovered that Louis VanAmstel was at the table next to us.  He is a dancer on Dancing with the Stars and a choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance, both which I love watching.  

December 3 Article. What's an article that you read that blew you away? 

This is a tough one because with my PhD program I've read a TON of articles but I'd have to say that my favorite one was about preschool boys and how they view manhood through the children's books they read.  I used that article to research further and write a lot of papers on how girls react to the feminine portrayals in children's books.  Apparently I'm a feminist and never knew it!

I also really liked what I read about Big Families earlier this year and posted it HERE

December 4 Book. What book - fiction or non - touched you? Where were you when you read it? Have you bought and given away multiple copies?

I really enjoyed reading Stephanie Neilson's book "Heaven is Here" about her plane crash, recovery and motherhood.

December 5 Night out. Did you have a night out with friends or a loved one that you enjoyed? Who was there? What was the highlight of the night?

Well it was not a night out, but a night in.  My brother and sister were in town and we stayed up very late talking, laughing and sharing secrets.

December 6 Workshop or conference. Was there a conference or workshop you attended that was especially beneficial? Where was it? What did you learn?

I did not attend any conferences this year but did watch a very interesting speech on TED about cochlear implants that a friend's father gave in Logan, UT.  It showed the difference in hearing and speech for deaf children who use the implants.  Very interesting.  

December 7 Blog find of the year. That gem of a blog you can't believe you didn't know about until this year.

I heard from a few people that blogs are "on their way out" which I disagree with because I still love them.  If I didn't have one, I wouldn't have any history of my own family, I think.  The new one I discovered is one I heard about from a friend's blog about a family in Australia who lost a son and their father early this year and have been following up on her blog http://lisajking.blogspot.com to see how they are doing in their healing process.  I love checking in to see how my friends and blog friends are doing.  I like it better than facebook.  

December 8 Moment of peace. An hour or a day or a week of solitude. 

I find that when I am up with Max in the night, I love the quiet.  It is hard to get back to sleep if it is 4 or 5 in the morning and I feel very creative at that time of day.  All sorts of ideas are floating around in my brain.  I think I should start writing then. 

December 9 Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. 
Having gestational diabetes this year was a challenge.  I had to go to the hospital often to check on the baby and also take injections of insulin into my stomach four times a day.  There were a few times when I had very low blood sugar and it is scary to see how my mind would go blank and I couldn't put two thoughts together.  The family was very helpful for when "mom wasn't feeling well."  It all turned out okay but did offer challenges with this past pregnancy.

December 10 Album of the year. 

I enjoyed the songs of Adele and My Band Perry.  We usually get Itunes cards and just pick the songs we like.  I can't remember the last time I bought a whole album.  

December 11 The best place. 

I have been exploring bakeries this year.  I found a french one in Provo that was a disappointment, Kneaders is always good, Honey and Grains which we like, Harmons bakery which has good artisan bread, and one in Logan.  I'd be terrible at a "no bread" diet.  Other husbands buy their wives jewelry for a surprise.  Mine brings me home a baguette or a chocolate croissant or a loaf of sourdough.  Yum!

December 12 New food.

I go through weird cravings where I have to have it till I get sick of it.  This years cravings were kettle corn, chips and quac, chicken chili and BLT's.  I think I've been in a salty phase.

December 13 What's the best change you made to the place you live?

We started a garden this year which was very fun.  We spent a lot of time out there this summer.  Plus, I loved having endless corn and fresh veggies for dinner.  Oh... I also love our new shelves in the garage, food storage room, bedrooms and the utility closet.  

December 14 Rush. When did you get your best rush of the year?

Hhmm... Rush as a good thing.  In that case, I think my heart raced the most when I was on an airplane in very turbulent air and felt extremely nervous.  I usually love to travel, but hadn't flown in a plane for a while and I was surprised at my fear.  

December 15 Best packaging. Did your headphones come in a sweet case? See a bottle of tea in another country that stood off the shelves?

I have a bottle of Mexican Vanilla in the cutest bottle that I bought at a furniture store of all places.  It is very cute though not cheap.  It smells and tastes so good!

December 16 Beverage of the year. What's yours?Lately hot chocolate and of course, my poison, Dr. Pepper.

December 17 Word or phrase. A word that encapsulates your year. "2012 was _____."Busy.  I hate that word.  When people use it, it bothers me.  But I did feel that with two in school, four at home, school, work and a new baby that our year was logistically busy.  This holiday season was so nice to not have a schedule, no activities, no drop offs or pick ups and just do whatever we wanted to each day.  I want 2013 to be "simplified."

December 18 Shop. Online or offline, where did you spend most of your mad money this year?

I don't know if we had any mad money but I am very happy that we bought a couch sectional for our TV room.  We'd been sitting on the floor for two years and it is nice to snuggle up with a blanket and a show.

December 19 Car ride. What did you see? How did it smell? Did you eat anything as you drove there? Who were you with?

We took no road trips this year but I did get to travel around to different schools to observe teachers.  I hate to drive and not talk to people so I usually make my calls then.  Don't worry, it's on speaker phone.    

December 20 New person. She came into your life and turned it upside down. He went out of his way to provide incredible customer service. Who is your unsung hero of 2012?

Doug has been very supportive this year during the pregnancy and health issues, and also as I went back to school.  Always ready with a pep talk and good advice.  My rock.  

December 21 Project. What did you start this year that you're proud of?

I was proud to finish a four year project of my grandmother's history.  She gave them away for Christmas.  Other than the typo's I missed with the small font, I'm happy with the finished product.  

December 22 Startup. What's a business that you found this year that you love? Who thought it up? What makes it special?

I like my sisters vinyl letter business.  http://mypeachyteachy.com  She did some of my lettering this summer in my house.  She is much more crafty than I am.

December 23 Web tool. It came into your work flow this year and now you couldn't live without it. It has simplified or improved your online experience.

We have made lots of technological improvements this year as I went back to school.  I have now become a "junior researcher" instead of binders of hard copies everywhere.  I do my lectures on powerpoint now instead of overheads.  We got an IPad and a new computer too.  I haven't transfered and organized my photos yet but we'll get to it.  I have plans to get Creative Suite from Adobe to help me add notes to pdf's and also photoshop.

December 24 Learning experience. What was a lesson you learned this year that changed you?

I gave a presentation and heard someone mumble "pseudo-science" and also received feedback from the professor that "correlation is not causation."  In fancy terms this meant that I was doing a lousy job.  I'm not used to getting negative feedback and don't take it well.  I did learn from it though and my next presentation was better.

December 25 Gift. What's a gift you gave yourself this year that has kept on giving?I have no idea about this one but I think the KitchenAid Doug got me for Christmas will be one that will be put to good use this year.  Two of the kids got glasses this year too which has been good.  We just can't figure out where they get their eye issues from.  

December 26 Insight or aha! moment. What was your epiphany of the year?

I realized that one of my missions in life is to lead my husband towards good things.  I introduced him to the church, towards marriage and fatherhood, and towards his best self.  When I was about to have a baby this summer and worried for my wellbeing as I always do in life/death situations, I remember thinking that nothing can ever happen to me because he needs me.  

December 27 Social web moment. Did you meet someone you used to only know from her blog? Did you discover Twitter?

I refuse to do Twitter but have had some success with my teacher blog.  I have more of an audience and some of my posts have had viewers in the thousands.  I am hoping in 2013 to figure out how to get it to make money for me.

December 28 Stationery. When you touch the paper, your heart melts. The ink flows from the pen. What was your stationery find of the year?

I didn't get stationery but I did get a new writers notebook for my thoughts, notes, lists and ideas.  I've had the last one for two years so I'm on to my next one.  Choosing each notebook is a big deal and this one says "Create" on the front.  I love it.  

December 29 Laugh. What was your biggest belly laugh of the year?

I think that my kids are hilarious and find moments everyday when they bring me joy and make me smile.  The kids also discovered the Muppets which has led to lots of movies, toys and Muppet fun.  

December 30 Ad. What advertisement made you think this year?

I honestly can't think of one because I DVR everything and fast forward through commercials now.  I do remember one night an infomercial came on for an 80's CD set and I sat and watched the whole thing for 30 minutes saying, "Oh, I love that song, and that one...and that one."  I am a sucker for infomercials.

December 31 Resolution you wish you'd stuck with. (You know, there's always next year...)

I had a bunch of resolutions I never even got to.  That's bad.  I'll just add them onto this year, I suppose.    Here's what I hope to get to in 2013:

learn cello
write and submit five children's books
publish my other grandma's history into a book
transfer my dad's slides to jpegs
kids piano lessons
carter guitar lessons
gymnastics for haleigh
horse lessons for haleigh
transcribe my great grandmothers journals
my momshell goals
less TV/ media for household
get family trust and will
be debt free
redo wood floors
present at one education conference
submit two articles to education journals
family trip to the beach
express my spiritual thoughts better