Album of the year

**did you notice her punk rock hair?

December 10 Album of the year. What's rocking your world?

nothing. how sad is that? does anyone have any suggestions? please. with a cherry on top.

Challenges this Year

December 9 Challenge. Something that really made you grow this year. That made you go to your edge and then some. What made it the best challenge of the year for you?

Adam's job craziness was such a huge challenge, but in the end it has been the most perfect situation for us. It also taught both of us a lot about getting a job in the "real world" and I think that will help us quite a bit in the future.

My health has been less than ideal this year. But- I really feel like it has made me grow in terms of being more aware of what I should and should not be doing for a healthier body. A few months back Kristi asked for comments regarding what you would tell your 16 year old self. She posted the comments and reading through them it became clear to me, rather quickly, that I have an incorrect perception on what it means to be healthy, healthy eating, etc... I've had to retool and rethink my thought process. Now- if I could just give up the sweet nectar.

Moment of Peace

December 8 Moment of peace. An hour or a day or a week of solitude. What was the quality of your breath? The state of your mind? How did you get there?

there is something like that out there? i just assumed it was one of those elusive concepts.

today. this year. its a different time and season. moments of peace aren't necessarily quiet, but rather:

ted climbing into bed and saying- let me tell you something, but to him it's just a phrase, so the something never comes. he follows it with a hug or a kiss. i ask him if he wants a ___ and he says "sure. be right back."

or lulu demanding something in her 5 year old bossy voice. moments later she comes back, professes her love for me and tells me i look pretty.

or adam having a little down time and willingly spends it running menial errands or other such nonsense.

funny. i wouldn't have thought to attach the word peace to describe these moments.. but isn't it?

Blog Find of the Year

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 found it through another blog I equally adore-- Simple Lovely. Oh how I wish I would have found this blog earlier. Karey M is amazing. I actually stole her format a couple of posts ago. No proper punctuation. no capitalization. love it. I missed her first installment, but thankfully found her before she disappeared again. I promise she will move you.

me + mackin ink = gigantic blog crush.

Playing Catch Up #6

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

This is a resounding no, because I did not attend any conferences or workshops. Although, while I was in Nova Scotia, I did sneak into one of Adam's lectures. It was a lunchtime session about the Halifax Explosion. They discussed it in terms of Pediatric Surgery, because one of the main physicians on hand has been credited with being the "Father of Pediatric Surgery" in the United States.

I knew a bit about it, because we walked through the Maritime Museum and given its significance for the town, they have a rather large exhibit specifically about the disaster. (interesting fact: they also have one of the Titanic deck chairs, as well as other pieces, because the Titanic sunk near enough to Halifax that several rescue boats were dispatched from the area. ) It was cool to see it in a different context though. Also, we ended up having a great conversation with the peds surgeon sitting next to me. He said to Adam "remember a lot of people want to be pediatric surgeons, but you GET to be a Pediatric Surgeon." It reminded us, once again, how truly lucky we have been in regards to Adam's career.

Playing Catch Up #5

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

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated a girlfriend's birthday at this really fabulous little souffle house. We were a couple of weeks behind, because right after her birthday she had a baby, so we postponed the celebration until she was ready. It was such a lovely evening. We order a couple of souffles for the table and I ordered this delicious tomato based soup with tiny little goat cheese souffles. It is aptly named Marshmallow Soup, because they look like tiny floating marshmallows. There were 6 of us. We've all been friends for a long time, so it was comfortable and easy and perfect.

**My only regret: we didn't get a picture.

Playing Catch Up #4

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've been in a bit of a reading funk as of late and honestly this year started with a bang in the book department, but is ending in a small almost inaudible whimper. However, of the few (read paltry) number of books I read I would have to say Anne of Green Gables was my favorite. I find this slightly hilarious, because I've packed and moved the copy I received as a child every.single.move, but had yet to read it. It was sweet to finally pick it up. And guess what, even though I knew the story, I really loved it. I'm excited to read it with Lulu.

Playing Catch Up #3

December 3 Article. What's an article that you read that blew you away? That you shared with all your friends. That you Delicious'd and reference throughout the year.

My favorite article was Atul Gawade's The Cost Conundrum. I also found this piece interesting. It isn't an article per se, but it was written by an ER physician and was printed in the Pittsburg Post Gazette. Both Adam and I work in health care. It is probably one of my more conservative issues and I think most people would be surprised at my views on whether or not health care should be considered a right. (I'm sure in all actuality, no one really cares.) If you are at all interested in something other than what the talking heads are saying, I would recommend reading both pieces. They are from two different perpsectives, but really look at some of the major issues attached to health care in its current state as well as some of the ways they are looking to "fix" it.

Playing Catch Up #2

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?

While I was in Utah for the month of July I arranged a little dinner with Amy and Christie.

It's funny, because Amy and I weren't particularly close while growing up. We lived in the same neighborhood, knew the same people, etc... but we didn't spend a lot of one on one time together.

Christie and I lived across the street from one another. I pulled the parking brake on her dad's old green station wagon and rolled it into their garage door. We spent HOURS playing together and fighting over barbie clothes. I took her to at least one questionable movie (still horrified). But, my family moved my last year of high school and we haven't kept in close contact.

However through blogging, I've been able to re-establish these friendships. That night, at a restaurant I cannot even remember the name, was not only a night that brought back such a high level of nostalgia for my childhood, years at Girl's Camp, late night games of hide and seek, Youth Conference, perils of high school, whatever happened to? etc.., but also a lovely opportunity to realize how much I adore both of them and appreciate the chance I've had to expand our relationships and reconnect.

I cannot wait to see them again next July.

Playing catch up

December 1 Trip. What was your best trip in 2009?

This was HARD. I took several amazing trips this year. I would probably say each one of them was the best trip for different reasons.

Our car ride from Texas to Utah and back was such a great bonding time for me. The drive to Utah was just me and my little family. We did what we wanted to do and had no time table. We were spontaneous and saw some amazing things.

The drive back was awesome because my bestie drove back with me. It is hard to pin that girl down and for 6 whole days she was mine. We gabbed, shopped, cared for the chillin and realized that even though I've been gone for 11 years it doesn't really matter. We've produced 6 babies, battled cancer, battled cancer again, went to Italy, fought, lived it up in NOLA, but at the end of the day we are the same crazy friends that bought diet coke and pink cookies at 7-11 every morning on the way to our first class at the U.

Seattle for my mom's 60th birthday was tense and hard, but worth it. I come from a family of girls. LOTS OF GIRLS. You know what that means? LOTS OF EMOTIONS. My parents raised strong minded girls. We are vastly different, but at the end of the day we are sisters and we love one another. I was not at my best that trip. I could provide a list of excuses, but they don't really matter. I realized on this trip that I'm very forgiving of others, but sometimes forget to apply that same rule to my family. Of all my trips this year, it is the one I would like to call DO OVER.

Nova Scotia was relaxing. I wish Adam had been more available, but I enjoyed exploring the city on my own and enjoying his company in between conference sessions. We had some awesome dinners and loved seeing the city. I realized that even though I saw a couple of things twice (because I wanted Adam to see them too) it was better when we were together and even though I'm thankful we could go, you don't need a big fancy trip to remind you how much you adore your spouse.

Oregon. I loved seeing Rebecca's Oregon. There is something about seeing friends in their environment. Seeing Rebecca's life in Oregon was soothing. I wanted to stay curled up on her sofa, looking at her beautiful fairytale backyard through her gorgeous ceiling to floor windows. This trip was such a rejuvenating, grounding and rewarding trip. These are my people (when I say my people I mean people that don't have to love you, but come to love you) and sometimes a girl needs that. I look forward to this trip every year. With the rash number of babies produced this year and next, I hope we can still pull it off for 2010. I'm crossing my fingers.