2011 Reflection

I started doing this reflection last year.  Let's see how 2011 was..... 

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Survived as a full-time-working mom of 2 (not easy, for me at least) and ran my longest run (10 miles) at a 7:56 min mile average pace.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


Last year's:
~Lose all my baby weight after baby's born, and gain back muscle, get back into good shape. I lost all my baby weight and then some, but lost even more muscle due to running and no time for lifting.  I'm far from being in shape and realizing that I have to pick between running and just working out/lifting, as I do not have time for both. :(

~Run more races, starting with a 5k and working my way up to a half marathon. A couple months ago I started training for a half marathon and I realized I really enjoy running.  Feeling your body gain endurance feels so good.  But it's so time consuming and it's hard to choose between dedicating the limited time I  have when B is home to running or spending it together with my family.  Also, it's super hard on my body (getting old!) and if I don't lift weights and eat enough, I just wither away. So I'm probably just going to stick with shorter races..5, 10, 15 k'ers. I'm hoping to do the Shamrock 15k in March.

~Although this may be out of my control- try to figure out work schedules between B and I where we aren't working complete opposite shifts. Possibly going part-time, fingers crossed!! I dream of seeing my husband more! Nope. But I have to find a way to get on a day shift by next Fall.  The next open day shift that becomes available, I will be all over it.  Otherwise I will never see Peyton during the week, as he will be in Kindergarten all day.

~If B and I are home together more evenings this year, cooking and eating more meals together. We only get one or two nights a week at home together, which I try to always make a good, healthy dinner. I feel like my boys need more home-cooked meals than that! (I do have to give B credit though, he tries really hard to cook healthy meals for the 2 of them when I'm at work, which I know isn't easy). I feel like I've done my best with this.  I really have taken on cooking as a hobby and I love trying new recipes.  I feel like I've really broadened my cooking repertoire. We've also tried our best to go organic with more foods where we can.  It's expensive!

~Patience and prioritizing. I'm sure it will take some adjusting to having 2 kids, a newborn and a 4-year-old. I really want to try to have a ton of patience. I want to make sure that Peyton has a lot of one-on-one time and not feel neglected with a new baby at home. I'm hoping I'll be able to juggle caring for a newborn, keeping Peyton entertained/engaged, spending quality time with B, keeping the house in order, making time to workout, etc etc etc. It will take some time to get a schedule down, but I'm hoping to stay organized and prioritize well. FAIL. I'm still trying to figure out some sort of sanity here.  I've been getting organizing/cleaning tips from this crazy lady.

~More date nights with B and a take a weekend or more away with just the two of us. Fail. We don't have many days off together.  We definitely need more date nights and a weekend away would be awesome.

This year's goals:
~Gain muscle mass back!
~Plant an herb/vegetable garden.
~Get our yard in better shape.
~Develop a budget and stick to it.
~Take a weekend to get away with B.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Becky! Yesterday actually...a baby boy, Alexander.  My niece Brittni had a baby boy Andrew a few weeks ago, and my friend Tiffany had her baby boy Riley 5 days after Olivia was born. Lots of boys!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My Grandma.
5. What countries did you visit? None.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Patience and less stress. More activities and outings with the kids.  I seemed to have holed myself up in the house due to a number of reasons...adjusting with a newborn and learning to move on without my mom, both which have been really hard for me.


7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? February 3, 2011.  The day my baby girl was born.  I can't imagine life without her.  


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Gaining running endurance.  As I'm on my long runs, I'm thanking all my coaches and hearing them in my ear yelling: "Turn your brain off and just SPRINT!  Mind over matter!" After the hell of basketball conditioning, I'm thankful that I've learned what my body can handle, which is more than I ever can think it can.

9. What was your biggest failure? No patience and letting the grief of losing my mom and the stress of life get in the way of being the best wife/mom I can be.  No mom-of-the-year award here.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I've was very lucky to have an uncomplicated pregnancy/delivery. The only sickness I had was just last week with the stomach flu.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Best money spent was tuition at Peyton's new school. We're hopeful to be able to continue to send him to private school along with Olivia for the years to come.

12. Where did most of your money go? House mortgage, as usual.


13. What did you get really excited about? The birth of Olivia and my visit to see Becky in Colorado was a fun anticipation.

14. What song will always remind you of 2010? Any Adele song. Peyton has ingrained that CD into my head.


15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? About the same.

– thinner or fatter? Thinner

– richer or poorer? Well we both got our annual raises, but cost of living always rises, and more expenses always creep up. So the same probably.


16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Weight lifting, date nights with B, gardening.


17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worry/stressing and try to be more than I'm capable of.


18. How did you spend Christmas? With both of our families and with a sick little girl.

19. What was your favorite TV program? Anything on the Food Network.

20. What were your favorite books of the year? Water for Elephants, Heaven is for Real.

21. What was your favorite music from this year?
Whatever was on the radio.

22. What were your favorite films of the year? Bridesmaids, Breaking Dawn Part 1.

23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? My sister had a birthday party for me at her house. I turned 31.


24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Having my mom here.

25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Lacking.
26. What kept you sane? My kids, even though they were the source of my insanity at times.  I love those two.
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:  Family is the only thing that matters and who will always unconditionally be there for you.