aka "2013 in Review"
1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
I am wracking my brain here. I'd say something like 'not worked full time' but actually I went some months in 2003ish where I didn't work full time. Hey! I took Audrey to church. That was new.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any because I never keep them and who wants to set themselves up for failure?
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I feel like surely somebody had to, but ... not that I recall.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What places did you visit?
Disney World/Orlando, FL. Charlotte, NC. (Twice!) Sunset Beach, NC. Myrtle Beach, SC. Oh man, this is depressing. I used to have a life. I used to travel.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A bigger house. A shorter drive to get to Target. More savings. More money.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? None. I don't remember things like I used to. Which is mostly good, I think, judging from the journal I found on Christmas Eve from 2004. I think going forward I'll only remember dates of tragedies or if I happen to have another kiddo.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
We all survived. Ha. Oh, oh, I know! I completed the family photo book. For 2012. In November, I think. Which reminds me, I need to get on the 2013 version. Sigh.
9. What was your biggest failure?
This did not take just one year, but Patrick had to have major dental work. I feel like a terrible failure every single day. Not even exaggerating. And I am super paranoid about Audrey's teeth. Speaking of failure, I have also failed at getting her to sleep through the night. I AM SO SLEEP-DEPRIVED.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I didn't but James had a kidney stone that our wallets will be feeling until 2015.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Blackout curtains for Patrick's room. Kid is like a teenager now; he'll sleep until noon. Okay, I'm sure there must have been something better but I can't think of anything now, and I'd have to go back and look through my photos from last year or my Facebook status updates, and ... eh.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Oh, you know, Audrey hit her milestones, so yay! No, seriously. I am paranoid.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I plead the fifth. HA.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills bills bills. Medical bills. The house. Blah.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
I was really excited to take the kids to Disney World, and it as really fun. But we went the first week of January and it feels like forever ago.
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Wrecking Ball...
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? I'm probably trending toward sadder but not for any particular reason. Post-holiday funk? General worry about money? General worry about the state of the world? Don't know. And I'm not really sad or anything, purely talking comparatively.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Sometime in the fall of 2012 I'd given up dairy to see if it helped Audrey not cry all the time. It did, and I lost weight -- and fast! -- because everything that I like has dairy in it. I mean, tell me something good that doesn't contain milk, butter or cheese. Really. But then I started eating cheese again and coffee drinks with full fat milk -- so delicious -- so ... yeah.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer. We have too much debt. I don't actually know if we're poorer. I think about the same. We actually did pretty well contributing to 401ks and we refinanced the mortgage. We didn't spend our savings but I don't know that we added to it and I'm not going to go do the math in case we did not add to it because then I'd be depressed. We still have credit card debt and have added some medical debt. Boo.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Being present. Writing emails to my far-away friends.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Dicking around on the internet. HAHA.
20. How did you spend Christmas in 2013?
We opened our presents at our house in the morning, then went to my parents' house in the afternoon. I think that is becoming a tradition. What we did NOT do was have breakfast sausage casserole. I missed it. (I made delicious pancakes instead and we had way too many cookies but still.)
21. Did you fall in love in 2013?
No.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
So sad, but Teen Mom. I still watch Bones and House and Grey's Anatomy but they disappoint me on a regular basis. [OMG. This was my 2010 answer. It is basically still true, except House has ended and Bones and GA are less disappointing, most likely because I lowered my expectations.]
23. What did you do for your birthday in 2013?
On my actual birthday, I met my mom and Kevin for lunch at my favorite restaurant (Parker & Otis) and then Kevin and I wandered around the mall for a while. I think I actually was looking for Audrey's birthday present. Also James totally forgot it was my birthday so that was fun. Then on the weekend we went to a Bulls game in which there was a grand slam and a triple play.
24. What was the best book you read?
Okay, don't judge me. I am re-reading the Outlander series. I LOVE THOSE BOOKS. I read Gone Girl because it seemed like the thing to do, but I didn't love it.
25. What did you want and get?
The Poang chair and footstool from IKEA. But I had to get leather instead of the supercute flower print I wanted because the flower print would not match our living room.
26. What did you want and not get?
The credit card(s) paid off. A bathroom remodel. A new house. Fit.
27. What was your favorite film of this year?
I went to a non-kids movie for the first time in FOREVER. Unfortunately it was "About Time" and it was good but my mom had RAVED about it so I went in with too-high expectations and it was a letdown. I think I liked "Frozen" better. And probably also "Despicable Me 2."
28. Did you make some new friends this year?
Not really but I got a lot closer to some friends.
29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Winning the Powerball and not having to worry about money.
30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Stretchy yoga pants.
31. What kept you sane?
Girl time.
32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Would you judge me if I said Ben Roethlisberger? Of course you would. [Haha, 2010 FTW!]
33. What political issue stirred you the most?
Obamacare!
34. Who did you miss?
Who I always miss. Also, sometimes, my previous life. Not like I want it back, but man, those were some good times. [I have made no progress since 2010.]
35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
Be grateful.
