2009

1.What did you do in 2009 that you have never done before ?

I have a lot of answers for this question. First we moved in with family…I never thought in a million years I would have to depend so heavily on someone else. (Thank you Steven and Kari, you saved us!!) Second Randy and I went on a once in a lifetime trip to Germany. And third we bought our first home in Richmond.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions and will you make more for 2010?

January in 2009 was such a blur. We were busy moving. I don’t think I even made any resolutions. I am in the process of making some resolutions for this year. I know we are already in the 2nd week of January but better late than never.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2009?

Almost everyone in my ward had a baby or got pregnant in 2009. I guess I didn’t do the popular thing this year. My sister in law is pregnant and due in a few months.

4. Did anyone close to die in 2009?

No, Thank goodness. I didn’t attend a single funeral this year.


5. What countries did you visit this year?

Randy and I got to travel to his mission in Germany in May. It was wonderful. The market crash opened up an incredible deal that we could not pass up. Our tickets were $400 round trip. I know we will never see that price again in our lifetime.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

I would love to get a little craftier. I gave up scrapbooking when I started blogging. I just couldn’t keep up. I would also love to learn to sew. I have also thought about starting a recipe blog for family and friends to share recipies. When I had enough recipes I would print it into a cookbook.

7. What day will be etched in your memory and why?

June 1st. That was the day we officially moved into our new home. I felt like I had finally grown up. Randy had just graduated and we were on to a new beginning.

8. What was your biggest struggle this year?

It was by far working full time when Randy was searching for a job. It was such a struggle to get up every morning and leave my kids. I had a hard time staying positive and clinging to my faith. I knew we would be okay. We were living the gospel and paying our tithing. But there was always that doubt when we were surrounded by unemployment and it seemed like everyone was struggling. Looking back I am embarrassed it was so hard. One of us had a good job which provided a roof over our heads, food in the cupboards, and happy kids.


9. What was your biggest achievement this year?

? I don’t know. I guess I better set some goals!!!

10. Did you suffer any illness or injury in 2009?

Our family got hit really had with the Flu. Brad was out of school for 10 days. He had fevers of 105. It was the scariest week ever. Brad also broke his arm riding his scooter and a week later got a jelly bean stuck in his nose. If it were not for Brad this year we would not have needed insurance.

11. What was the best thing you bought this year?

1st would have to be my home but a close 2nd would have to be…
…a good hair straightener. I know it sounds silly but when you have to tame as much hair as I do it makes a huge difference.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Randy takes the cake this year. I really should throw him a huge celebration party but he hates fanfare in his behalf. He graduated from the University of Utah in May. He spent a grueling summer being a full time mom while trying to pursue a career in this horrible job market. He landed a great job at the Bank of Utah. Just yesterday received a letter from Utah State letting us know that he was accepted to Graduate school. Yup here we go again. Another 2 years of school. During all this he has managed to excavate the yard work on multiple house projects and start framing the basement. He is amazing!!!

13. Whose behavior disappointed you?

I can’t think of a single sole that disappointed me this year. Pretty good.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Obviously our home loan took a huge chunk. But the thing that surprised me was landscaping. Everything costs a fortune when it comes to the yard.

15. What did you get really excited about this year?

Owning something that was my own. It was fun to pick out paint colors and buy decorations. It was even fun to buy groceries to put in our food storage.


16. What song will remind you of 2009?

Any Taylor Swift song. We spent a lot of time in the truck driving back and forth from Salt Lake to Cache Valley. We only had 2 or 3 CD’s in the car because our CD’s were in storage. We must have listened to Taylor Swift’s album over 100 times.


17. Compared to last year, are you: much happier, much nicer, or richer?

This really has been a monumental year for Randy and I. We have been blessed tremendously. We are happier and richer…Hopefully we were nicer too.

18. What do you wish you had done more of?

I wish I had practiced more constraint with my food addiction. When I get stressed I pig out. I spent a lot of time losing weight, eating healthy, and working out in 2008. I gained it all back in 2009. Hopefully 2010 will be a better less stressful year for me.

19. What do you wish you had done less of?

Staying up late. I always have the best intentions of going to bed early. It was impossible to go to bed early while I lived with Steven and Kari. We were just having too much fun. It carried over because I rarely went to bed a decent time this year.

20. Did you fall in love this year?

I fell in love with Richmond. This is a paragraph from a blog post right after we closed on our house and we were living there only on the weekends before the big move.
I have fallen in love with our neighborhood. There are a lot of kids on our street Brad's age. He always asks me how many sleeps until he can see his Logan friends. He is going to love it there. I love waking up to birds. I love hearing the cows moo in the distance while we sit on our porch at night. I love hearing tractors in the middle of the day. I love the farmer who sits behind us in Sunday School that relates everything to a harvest or a plant. One farmer says "you just gotta do what you are suppoda do". I love the people there. They are so kind and excited to welcome us there. I look down the street and see the community that is going to help me raise my children and my heart is at peace that I made the right decision.

21. What was your favorite television program of 2009?

Randy and I TIVOed Biggest Loser, so you think you can dance, Heros, The big bang theory, Flashback, and of course every single Jazz game.

22. What was the best book you read this year?

Unfortunately I did not have a ton a reading time this year. I did manage to start the Fable haven series that I really enjoyed. I still need to finish it.

23. What was your greatest musical discovery this year?

I love Jason Mraz’s song “I’m Yours”. I think he might be a one hit wonder but I love the song. Fingers crossed that he makes another album.

24. What did you want and get this year?

I have wanted to move to Cache Valley for several years. I can’t believe it happened.

25. What was the best movie you saw this year?

I have heard Avatar is supposed to be the biggest and best movie of 2009. I have yet to see it. The most moving movie I have seen this year is “My sisters Keeper”. I bawled my eyes out. I am glad I rented it and watched it at home and not in the theater. I would have made a fool of myself.

26. What did you do for your birthday and how old did you turn?

I turned 29 in Germany. Definitely unforgettable. I feel like I have aged more this year than my entire twenties combined. My feet hurt in the morning. My hair is really grey and I get tired easily. I am fine with aging, it doesn't bother me, but it came a lot faster than I anticipated.

27. What would have made your year more satisfying?

I don’t like this question. I am sitting here racking my brain trying to come up with something negative about the year. I don’t think I will answer this one.

28. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year?

Painting clothes, lots of hoodies. I like to get dressed up but I have found I don’t really have anywhere to go. I have settled into more comfy clothes.

29. What kept you sane this year?

Faith. It is about all I had at times.
Faith that Steven and Kari would not want to kill us by moving in for a couple of months, faith that we were doing the right thing by moving so far north, faith that Randy would get a job…

30. What celebrity did you fancy most this year?

I am glad that Beyonce wrote all the single ladies. It gives my kids a reason to dance every time it comes on the radio.

31. Who did you miss this year?

I miss my mom. I talk to her almost every day on the phone but I miss hanging out occasionally.

32. Who were the best new people you met this year?

We have really incredible neighbors. We have made some really good lifelong friends.

33. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned this year?

I have had this lesson many times in my life. I learned that the Lord’s hand is in EVERYTNING. Retrospect is so sweet. I thought Randy would NEVER graduate, I thought we were never going to find a job, I thought we were going to have to wait another year to buy a home. How dumb of me. Even if those things didn’t happen this year we still would be happy doing something else. I am a firm believer that the Lord knows what is best and he watches over us.

( I did this post 2 years ago and it was really fun to go back and read my old answers. A lot of my hopes and desires came true)

I challenge you all to start too...I would love to read your answers.