2012 In Review

1. What did you do in 2012 that you'd never done before? bought a house!

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? No, I didn't. But, I have a good excuse...I had a baby!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yeah, me! Besides that, my good friend Sarah had a daughter 9 days before Cecily was born and my friends Shanna and Mary had a little boys in March and October. Plus, my sister-in-law is due in February and my good friend Rachel is due in March. Not to mention several other college friends who are due in the spring.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Not anyone I'm close to

5. What countries did you visit? Just the US

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012? A family vacation with just Alan, the kids and I, more time to spend at the lake house

7. What date(s) from 2012 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

January 5: Ewan's first birthday

February 9: the day I found out I was pregnant     

May 29: the day we found out we were having a girl

September 15: baby sprinkle

October 21: Alan's birthday

October 24-25: wedding anniversary, going into labor with Cecily and her birth

December 5: My 31^st birthday

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? giving birth via successful VBAC

9. What was your biggest failure? Not paying off as much credit card debt as I'd hoped

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I was sick with colds pretty much all year

11. What was the best thing you bought? My daughter (hospital bills), house

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? All the people who have made it a priority to spend time with me and make things special

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Not anyone specific but rude people and those who try to make you feel insignificant

14. Where did most of your money go? new house, paying off debit, doctor/hospital bills for Cecily

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Cecily, buying a house

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2012? I haven't listened to much music, at least anything that sticks with me

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

i. happier or sadder? Happier

ii. thinner or fatter? definitely fatter...trying to change that though!

iii. richer or poorer? poorer

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? enjoying the little things instead of focusing on the big picture

19. What do you wish you'd done less of? being angry

20. How did you spend Christmas? We had Christmas at our house on December 22 so that Ewan could enjoy what we and Santa brought him before the madness in Louisville started. On Christmas Eve, we went to Louisville where we went to Alan's Aunt's house for dinner with extended family, then went to his grandparents where the kids received gifts. Christmas Day we had lunch with Alan's immediate family and exchanged gifts. We then left in the afternoon to make sure we got back home before the snow started. We will celebrate Christmas with my family in January when we go to visit them.

21. Did you fall in love in 2012? with my beautiful daughter

23. What was your favorite TV program? Revolution, Cupcake Wars, the Next Food Network Star, Downton Abbey, The Big Bang Theory

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No

25. What was the best book you read? I haven't read any books this year...actually since Ewan was born. I really should!

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Wolfgang Orchestra...it's so nice to play again!

27. What did you want and get? a house, a beautiful, healthy daughter via VBAC

28. What did you want and not get? less debt

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I didn't get to see many films, but probably New Moon part 2 of the ones I did

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I didn't do much. Went to the grocery store, my friend Rachel and her daughter Anya took Cecily and I to lunch, then went to Cheddar's for dinner with Alan, Ewan and Cecily

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? not worrying about debt

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2012? comfort, comfort, comfort

33. What kept you sane? lunch dates with my friend Sarah

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

35. What political issue stirred you the most? Stupid, thoughtless comments politicians make

36. Who did you miss? my family, friends that I don't see often

37. Who was the best new person you met? Megan, and she's not new, but I'm so glad I reconnected with my college friend Sarah

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012: take time out for cuddles on the couch with your kids...it's the best feeling in the world

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: I can't even remember a song, much less a lyric!

I Know I'm a Nerd...

...but I just wanted to share something I think is really cool. I'm the owner of several entries on findagrave.com, which is basically a cemetery database kept up by volunteers that go out and transcribe and photograph grave markers. If you're into genealogy at all, it's a really great website to check out.

Anyways...a few days ago, I received an email from someone wanting to give information about my great-grandmother. Turns out we're distant cousins and he's working on a book on this branch of the family. Well, guess what? I'm descended from a pre-Revolutionary War family that lived in New Jersey and Pennsylvania...and...a proven Revolutionary War soldier!

I know a lot of people probably are if you're able to go back far enough, but for an historian like myself, this is seriously cool. I'm really thinking about joining the local chapter of the DAR...if only I had known about this when I was in college...

At least my kids will be eligible for scholarships when the time comes!

December Cara Box Reveal

I was paired with Kristyn and Megan for this month's Cara Box. The theme is holiday sparkle and when I received my box in the mail I was greeted with festive packaging and when I opened it, I found several wrapped gifts and a card.

When I opened the gifts I found several holiday items from Bath & Body Works and glittery nails from Sephora. I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but I LOVE BBW! I'm actually not allowed in by myself ha.

I then found several marinades to use in the crock pot since I've started using it a lot more lately. I can't wait to use them!

Finally, I found my favorite item of them all. In talking with Kristyn, I had mentioned that one of my favorite holiday traditions was going to lunch, the movies and shopping with my mom on her birthday, the day after Christmas. We haven't gone in a couple years because we no longer live in the same town. So, Kristyn sent two movies with popcorn for each of us to watch together even though we live far apart. I think this is such a cute idea.

Thanks so much Kristyn, I love it!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

After getting 0.25" TOTAL last winter, we finally got a decent amount of snow today! (Although I think it's hilarious that the entire city shuts down for 6" of snow...you'd think I live in Mississippi instead of southern Indiana...)

I was so excited because I miss northern winters...I couldn't wait to go shovel snow! Since Alan worked from home today, we took the kids out briefly.

Our backyard

Cecily did not like being out at all

So excited!

He wasn't so sure about walking in it

Two Months!

Smile Baby!

Happy Christmas

Christmas Decorations

You've seen our tree, but I thought I'd show you a few of the decorations that are around the house. Since Alan and I have been together, we've always lived in an apartment until this past summer. It's not a lot...yet... but I'm so excited that I am able to actually decorate now!

1. The wreath on our door. When I was young my grandma used to make wreaths, and I've always wanted one for each season when I had a house. I saw some springtime ones at Joann a few days ago...I can't wait. Now only if I was crafty...

2. The centerpiece of our dining room table.

3. Some of the Christmas cards we've received...notice how they're above toddler height :-)

Our Christmas Elf!

Pretty Lights!

After our company holiday party on Friday we took the kids to the Fantasy of Lights and Santa's Workshop at the county 4H fairgrounds. I had heard about it from one of the bloggers I follow and since Ewan loves Christmas lights, it was perfect.

He was so excited because we let him eat dinner in the car as we drove through the light display. We actually drove through twice because he kept saying "the lights, the lights! pretty lights!"

Afterwards, we stopped at Santa's Workshop, where there were different trees decorated and beneath each, you could donate to the organization that decorated the tree. There was also a train running around the ceiling and Ewan kept pointing at it yelling "all aboard!" I just love that kid!

pointing at the choo choo train

We tried to get him to sit on Santa's lap, but he wanted nothing to do with it. We did get a photo of Cecily with Santa, but it's on Alan's camera since my batteries died.

Here is the last photo I got.

I'm so glad we went and I can't wait to continue this tradition in Christmases to come!

Sharing

Ewan is obsessed with spoons...I mean has to have one at all times. So, imagine my surprise when he told me he let Cecily have it!

Rollerblading

Last night I rollerbladed for the first time in over four years.

Here's proof

It's great exercise and I love it. Back in the day I used to rollerblade all the time. I would go for miles along the Rivergreenway in Ft. Wayne and then when I moved to Muncie for grad school, I would go on the trail there.

Then we moved to PA and where we lived it was hilly so I stopped. When we moved to Evansville, I was excited to go out again, but the trail system isn't that great here and the apartment complex where we first lived wasn't conducive to rollerblading. So, when we bought our house, I was excited to actually have a place to rollerblade again. Execpt there was one problem...

I was pregnant!

Now that I've been cleared by my doctor to exercise again I can't wait to get out there again and get my rollerblading on.

Who's with me?

Downton Abbey

If you know me at all, then your know my affinity for anything and everything British and my love of period drama.

With that said...WHY have I not been watching Downton Abbey until today?!

WW: 1 going on 16!

Ugh...UGGS!

So I've been reading several blogs I follow this morning and people have been posting about what they want for Christmas...and almost every one of them have said they want UGGS.

Now, I know I'm not the most fashionable person in the world...but I really don't understand the appeal. In fact, I think they're quite UGGly. And way expensive.

 I don't get it!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Wednesday was my 31st birthday...holy cow...I'm 31! It still blows my mind that I'm in my thirties. It feels like it was yesterday that I was celebrating the end of the semester at Harlaxton and getting ready to go to Italy for a week...oh the memories!

31 wasn't nearly that cool. Cecily and I had ridden along with Alan and Ewan to Louisville so Alan could go to Lexington for work Tuesday and we wound up leaving super early (like 5AM) to get back to Evansville so Alan could go to work here on my birthday. My big plans for the day were to go grocery shopping and treat myself to Starbucks. Lame, I know, but I had planned on going Tuesday and since I wound up going to Louisville instead, I didn't get a chance to go. My friend Rachel and her daughter Anya also took Cecily and I out to lunch at Panera, which was really nice.

Alan came home from work early and surprised me with a dozen red velvet cupcakes, my favorite. We then picked Ewan up from daycare and went to Cheddar's for dinner. I love that place and have been wanting to go to the one here in Evansville since it opened over a year ago, but we've never been since it's always packed. The kids were really good too, which was awesome since we had to wait a bit to be seated. It wasn't a too eventful day, but it was a nice one!

Decorating the Tree

So excited about the Mickey ornament

Cecily has discovered she has arms

So pretty!

Christmas Pictures

Yesterday Alan and I took Ewan and Cecily to JC Penney's for their Christmas pictures. I had bought a really cute tutu and hair bow. I had a grandiose idea of how their photos would be...yeah...they didn't turn out that way! I should've known when Cecily had a blowout before we were supposed to go back to the studio. By the time we got back there, she was hungry and not cooperating and Ewan didn't want anything to do with the camera. She got a few decent shots of each kiddo, but we didn't even bother trying to get them together, which is what I really wanted. We have a photo membership thing there that expires in July, but I think that the next time we do pictures we're going to have someone do it that can go on location and get candids because the posing thing definitely didn't work out this time!

Christmas Photos