Bring On 2009!

2008 flew by faster than I can really comprehend. For the most part I feel like it was a really good year for our family and for me personally. Here is a list of a few highlights:

Obama won! I really could not be more optimistic about the direction he wants to take our country in. For so long I have been a little embarrassed by our false bravado, our selfishness, our disregard for the rest of the world, our "bigger is better" mentality, and "Mine! Mine! Mine!" attitude. We finally have earned some respect from the rest of the world and we finally have a rational, intelligent leader who understands the reality we are in and has a plan to begin to rememdy the disasters we have created. I am behind this new administration 100%

R and I came to some agreements on what we needed to do for the health of our family. We have realized where we need some outside help and acquired it, we are making sleep a priority for all of us, we are focusing on wholesome foods, and are being very selective about the quality and quantity of media in our home. I will readily admit that we slip up often, but for the first time I really feel like we are pretty much on the same page with our parenting.

Z started Kindergarten! We are officially past the "pre-schooler" stage. I have really enjoyed moving on to big kid type activities. We went to Lagoon in October and Z pretty much was able to ride everything he wanted to. He is a whiz at math. A dynamo builder and making progress with his reading. He's an absolute sweetheart and loves to help out. He is willing to work hard and is determined to master the skills he associates with being a man. And we finally made significant progress with his encopresis. What a relief that has been for all of us! Z played soccer this year and really is amazing! He just has a natural talent for sports.

M started 3rd grade. So far we really like both his teachers, Mrs. Mitchell for homeroom and Mrs. Olsen for reading. Speaking of reading, M has read 4 Harry Potter books this year as well as 2 Fablehaven books along with a ton of books in between. He has made significant strides with his anxiety and OCD which makes me very proud. He has become very considerate and understands the consequences of his actions. He and his brother have improved their relationship significantly. They still fight like crazy, but there are periods of fun and calm in between. M also received his orange belt in karate and began to take a weapons class. He is really dedicated to his karate lessons and it has been fun to watch him progress.

We got our new kitty Freddy! What an awesome cat! R was so against getting another pet but is just as in love with him as the rest of us. This cat has certainly added some spunk to our house! I am constantly laughing at the stuff this creature does! This brings the total of pets in the family to 4; Pepe our lab, Freddy the kitty, and 2 beta fish.

R had a successful year with his real estate business. It has been a crazy year for the market but R has been solid and committed to following the systems Keller Williams has created for its Realtors and it has paid off. We've seen many agents quit and have somehow managed to soldier on and keep me home with the kids. All in all, his total sales wasn't much lower than last year. Pretty amazing considering the economic meltdown this country has experienced!

I have lost 31 lbs. this year. While much of this I attribute to coming to terms with the fact that I do have ADD and getting the appropriate medication which happens to have the not so horrible side effect of reducing my appetite, I have also improved my diet and done a lot of walking! I feel so much better physically, mentally and emotionally. I am really proud of myself!

We finally cut a "window" in the wall between the kitchen and the living room and cut a door to have easier access to the storage under the stairs. What a difference these two minor projects have made! Our home feels so much brighter and open with the window. And having access to under the stairs has enabled me to finally declutter my kitchen and organize our food storage. I am so glad we finally did it!

In November M had his tonsils removed. What a champ this kid is. I couldn't believe how brutal it looked in the back of his throat, but he never complained and had a stellar attitude about the whole thing. And now he is sleeping better and hopefully he won't be getting sick as often.

We have 3 new nephews in our family. In April my sister and her husband had their 3rd child and 1st boy, R. This kid is so cute! Lucky for her he is such a good baby and our entire family has really enjoyed having a baby around. In July R's brother and his wife had their first children. Yes, plural, they had twin boys K and S. They are darling! I can't even imagine having twins, but they are handling it all with such an amazing calm. I have been having so much fun with all these babies!

Speaking of babies, R and I decided that we were really, truly done having them. In December we took the plunge and R had the ole snippy snippy. So glad to have that taken care of. He was super grumpy and whiny for a few days, but we survived.

Our boys have become proficient snowboarders this year. It really makes me proud to watch them shreddin' up the slopes!

And to end the year we had a fabulous holiday season. Usually the holidays are stressful and difficult for our family. This year was really pleasant and fun. We spent time with all our favorite people, including my sister L and her husband S who are currently living in Philly. I hope all our future holidays are as great as this one has been.

So that was our year in a nutshell. I'm sure I've missed something important, but this is what has come to mind right now. Tomorrow I will post about my hopes and resolutions for 2009. I've got quite a year planned!