A Year in Review, 2010 Edition

I do this every year, and it's always my most favorite post. I love to look back on what I've done, what I've accomplished and how much I've progressed and the changes in my kids. (I, uh, whine a lot. I now see what my New Year's Resolution should be.) I'd love to hear if any of these posts were favorites of yours, or if I left one out that should have been included.

So, without further ado - 2010, in review.

In January, I wondered at the lack of empathy in one of my kids. (I still see it.) I resolved to say No. (Ahem. I still need to do this. Drat.) We lost a dishwasher in the Great Kitchen Flood. I created a category for migraines. I had an endometrial ablation. I discussed Why I cook. And I wrote a Not So Anonymous Note to my family. My husband turned 55.

February saw me lamenting snow. (Hmmm, I see a pattern in my life here.) I took part in the Momspotting campaign. A REALLY skeevy guy tried to pick me up at the gym. My Inner High School Girl made an appearance when I spoke at Blissdom. I discovered that love is what happens when you are busy living your life. I made a decision to choose happiness.I wrote a letter to my children. I decided to spend more for better customer service.

March meant answering the phone for Smitty. I began my review of books read. We had a brief warm day.I plotted my revenge.We had some massive police excitement. My son Gabriel made a horrible day much better. We tried desperately to get rid of a woodpecker. I wrote a post that ended up winning me an award. I was a millionaire for about 5 minutes.

In April, I wrote Riley's spectrum story. I took some really funny Easter pictures. I discovered Hipstamatic on my iPhone and took the pictures that I have in my bathroom. (KG, did you see them??)  I realized that I should never make plans.I took five of my kids and a friend to Busch Gardens by myself. I forgot the MOST IMPORTANT ESSENTIAL whenI packed for my trip with my husband. We went to the Cayman Islands, dealt with a tropical storm, and my husband was stung by a stingray.

May was crazy. I took pictures of my son at his senior prom. My son turned 18. I interviewed my mom. Mother's Day was great. I did my kinda, sorta books update. Friendship is an effort for me. My freezer kicked the bucket. The bad behavior of this week was all mine. I struggled with the census. We discovered that Mackenzie has VCD. I discovered how to make Grilled Pizza.

I hoped that we'd have a less stressful June. My son graduated from High School - and apparently, I forgot to blog it. I had no Internet for almost a week and caused a hullabaloo when I talked about how much I hated Cox Cable. (PS - we are getting Fios in January.) I lamented the difficulties that I still have with my daughter's spectrum diagnosis. We were forced to buy a new oven. I was sent a new washer and dryer. A reader asked me a very difficult question. My son discovered a new author. My oldest son and mother went on the trip of a lifetime and were robbed. Another sort of weekly reader update.We spent TONS of time at the beach.

July. Independence Day. Emma turned 8.I sent Mackenzie to Texas wth a non working cell phone.I posted a video of myself doing pad rounds with a trainer. I had headshots done. And I was apparently very boring in July.

August meant BLOGHER - and many of you helped me and I am still grateful that you took the time to donate to sending me there. My husband woke me up rudely. Mackenzie turned 13. I had the most beautiful Henna Tattoo done at Blogher. Allegra came down with mono. I was honored for my award winning post. My little girls went to Fairy Tale Dance Camp. I posted more book titles that I've read. I listed lunches to pack if you are peanut free.

In September we had a close call with a hurricane. We had a relaxing Labor Day. I had a pleasurable shopping trip with Riley. I realized that I never really processed my miscarriage. I defeated  my inability to create pie crust. I began a run with hives that lasted for more than 2 months.

October sent me to the blogging basement and I did a reader asks a question. I was profiled in Redbook. I wrote a profile of dinner in our house. Gabriel turned 11. I wore fairy wings at a wedding. My husband received a Senior Citizen discount at the grocery. Halloween.

November saw me on a blog trip and Riley did a great job while I was away. I wrote on the Mockingbird in my life. Nik bought the wrong coffee. We took a Saturday Afternoon Field Trip. Riley wrote her first book. I turned 41.I got some much anticipated very good news. I took Emma running. I made Ricotta Cheese.I wore a very fancy ball gown and took my picture in the bathroom. I gave my kids rules for their church behavior.I learned how to make Vietnamese Coffee. I took pictures for the Christmas Card. I went running with Riley.

In December, my mind went a little absent. I made candy flavored vodka. We got our first - but not last - December snow fall. We had heating trouble and I horrified a reader by admitting I keep my heat on 70. We had our 21st wedding anniversary. We talked frustration. Allegra turned 16 and Riley turned 7.I mastered making my Dad's Fudge. We had a Christmas shoot out. And more snow.

So. That was 2010. Happy New Year to all of you, my faithful and loyal readers, many of whom I count as actual physical friends. I wish for all of us a stress free, money filled, HAPPY 2011! 

Comments

[PamL]

Hey Carmen, great summary! I love your posts on books. I got a few ideas of things to read from there in the past. I am also an avid reader always with my nose in a book.

I got a Kindle for Christmas and I love it! The first thing I did was download the final book of the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay. I think it was on your website that I first heard of it. I got the other two from the library, but the waiting list is so long, it takes forever. So I bought it and don't regret it. Actually, I bought all three books so I can go back and reread them. Amazing series.

I am now reading something a friend recommended. I think you would like it. It's called Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. It's set in the 1930's, characters are in a traveling circus.

I also read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, which I might have seen here. Awesome!

Happy 2011!!

[addy]

Revenge is an all time favorite, the award winning post still touches me, Dinner in our house was perfect and Smitty was the best comic relief of the year! Keep posting I need to keep reading. Happy New Year Carmen!

[Maggie]

Happy New Year to you!

[maggie]

Happy New Year!

[Angie]

Happy New Year, Carmen!!! I keep coming back over and over for your honesty. I downloaded the kindle app on my phone because of you. It's not very big on the phone but man is it nice to get little snippets of reading in while waiting at basketball practice or bball games or during kids' school work or, or, or. Many blessings and progress to you in the new year!

[Brandy]

Happy New Year!

[Laura Horner]

I loved it! I read all your posts, and it was fun to revisit some of them. Many of them touched me when they were written, several of them reassured me that I'm not as crazy as I'm sometimes sure I am, and all of them were just entertaining to read. Thank you for what must have been a labor-intense "blog year in review." I look forward to a good 2011 (my hubby got a GREAT job he's been wanting for a long time in Nov.), and your blog posts will be part of my internet routine. Lovin' it, Carmen!

[LisaK]

Happy New Year to you and your family. Thanks for writing!

[Kait]

Your refreshing honesty about parenting a large family keeps me hopeful for our (someday)(please God!) large family.

I like you Carmen. Keep on keeping on.

[kyooty]

I had managed to miss a few of those

[A Simple Twist of Faith]

Happy New Year, Carmen. Thank you for all your help as I started my blog. I wish I could go to Blissdom with you. Maybe next year!

[amie]

I read them all and am looking forward to more in 2011. :)

[UKCraftySal]

Thank you for another year of touching stories, entertainment, information and friendship from afar. Another year of recipes, fabulous photos and vicarious travel. A year of tears and laughter, concern and relief.

Here's to you and yours in 2011, with many thanks for your inspiring writing, and my hope that the year brings you everything you wish for.