Again from Simplemom, since I don't seem to be making progress on 2009:

Reflection Questions for 2008
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?
There was more than one "single best" thing:
I got a new job, which I love, I got better from being sick, Aidan was identified as TAG (thus justifying my long-held contention that he's actually smart), we had a good visit to Erin and Barge in Boulder and a good visit from C+C in April, C+C got married and Kevin officiated, we had a good time in Mexico, we had good holidays, I have mostly accomplished my goal of switching churches, we all remain healthy, Aidan had a great JC relay experience.

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?
I got sick.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?
My brothers' new relationships, which are so much more positive than their old ones, my new job.

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?
Being sick.

5. Pick three words to describe 2008.
Happy growth and change

8. What were the best books you read this year?

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
Besides my family, I would say Julie (as always), MMJ, Aidan's teacher

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?
The change in my job, which required a correspondingly bigger lobby personality. I didn't have that personna for the five years I was in private practice, and I'm glad to have it back. It requires some adjustment, though.

11. What was an important thing you learned this year?
I learned how to manage some of Aidan's behavior by visualizing how I want a situation (the one we're in conflict over) to turn out for him--what I want his end result to be. By visualizing that, I end up changing my whole behavior and reaction to his behavior. It's much more effective.

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?
I keep trying.

13. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?
Living in it when it was clean and the family was under control.

14. What was your most challenging area of home management?
Keeping it clean, and keeping the family organized.

2009 Goal Questions

These are copied directly from Simplemom.net, not to plagarize, but so that I can spend time thinking and reflecting on them in my blog (and also so that I won't forget all about the project and never get around to it).

1. What skill do you most want to learn this year?

2. What is one skill you already have that you’d like to improve this year?

3. Name three books you most definitely want to read in 2009.

4. In what specific area do you most want to encourage your spouse? What are some ways you can do this?

5. Think of one of your major life goals. What will you do this year to make you one step closer to reaching that goal?

6. Name your kids’ biggest strengths. What are some ways you can specifically nourish those strengths?

7. Name your kids’ most prominent weakness. What are some ways you can encourage their ability to overcome it?

8. What is one of your strengths? Think of some specific ways you can exercise it this year.

9. What is one of your weaknesses? Brainstorm some ideas on how you can overcome this deficiency.

10. Think of an important relationship aside from your spouse and children. How will you nurture that relationship this year?

11. Name a few ways your physical health could be improved.

12. Name a few ways your family’s financial health could be improved.

13. In what way do you want to draw closer to God?

14. What is one area of home management that frustrates you? Think of some specific ways you could improve your attitude about it.

15. Have you ever created a family mission statement with your spouse? If so, why not do one for this year?

16. Name one specific thing you could do with your spouse this year that will deepen your intimacy.

17. What is something that is continually undone in your life? What will you do to fully complete it this year?

18. In what ways will you be involved with your local community?

19. What is one thing you’d like to accomplish by your birthday this year?

20. Think of three words you’d like to describe your 2009.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

For December 30, 2008

Outside My Window
It is 40 degrees and dark. The snow is gone, thank goodness.

I am thankful for
The fact that I have a few more days off with the Shrimp and my husband.

From the kitchen
Nothing tonight, but tomorrow we're having company, so I plan to peruse my new Barefoot Contessa tonight and make a menu.

I am wearing
The usual khaki pants, a white tank top, light blue cardigan, and blue clogs. Note short pants, still pretending that it's warm outside.

I am creating
The red sweater. Still. Also, I'm putting the Shrimp's sports pictures in identical frames from Ikea, and plan to line them up above his windows.

I am going
Nowhere. Hee hee hee.

I am reading
The Girl With No Shadow, and (telling myself I'm previewing it for the kid) The King In The Window. It's great.

Around the House
Thinking about organizing projects for the rest of the year. Started on the school project drawer, and still have hopes for my closet.

One of my favorite things
Being home after a week of travel and family gatherings.

From the Learning Room
The Shrimp and I made an agreement about the rest of his Christmas break homework today: he completes it without argument, and I buy some stuffed Dialga from the Pokemon collection.

He has to do five analogies a day for the next five days, read the rest of Gooseberry Park and write his synthesis, do his school math homework, do one new lesson of MathWhizz and test each day, do three drawings (today's is going to be a thank-you card we can photocopy for Christmas gifts), and do three geography lessons. He's less than thrilled, but . . . oh well . . .

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week
Company tomorrow night, homework as above, closet as above, read.

The Simple Woman's Daybook
From Cabo San Lucas

For December 18, 2008

Outside My Window
It is cloudy and 80 degrees, but will brighten up later.

I am thinking
About Gift From the Sea, in which she talks about how, when on vacation, it takes several days for her mind to come out of lock-down and start to toss up ideas, thoughts, observations, etc, about her life. I am just getting to that stage (day 5)

I am thankful for
The fact that the weather appears to be clearing in Portland, so we'll be able to get home tomorrow night.

From the learning rooms
I haven't been reading to the shrimp, except for a few pages at night before bed. During the break I plan to start doing that again, at least 20-30 minutes a day.

From the kitchen
Nothing except sandwiches and McVities. We're going to Damiana tonight in San Jose.

I am wearing
Shorts and a t-shirt

I am creating
The red sweater. This is the first time I've used a real pattern, and stitch markers. I'm learning lots.

I am going
To the pool, pretty soon.

I am reading
The Girl With No Shadow, by Joanne Harris. It's great.

I am hoping
That when I get home I can

1. clean my closet,
2. lose 10 pounds,
3. start working out five days a week,
4. start getting up earlier,
5. begin taking my child to church and teaching him about God,
6. help him make more friends,
7. teach him higher math,
8. take him to the theatre more often,
9. get him piano and swimming lessons started,
10. get him to eat more foods.
11. I am also hoping that the babysitter is still agreeable to helping out during the Session,
12. that I can start cooking 5 perfect dinners per week which we eat sitting around a table while conversing politely, and
13. that I can keep my car clean.

This list looks faintly ridiculous (as in, more than is realistic) when I line everything out in my head. Maybe I don't have as much to feel guilty about as I thought.

I am hearing
The waves and the sound of little kids around the pool.

Around the house
Dunno.

One of my favorite things
Having my family all together.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week
Finish Christmas shopping, wrap the gifts, invite for New Year's eve, work out, clean my closet as above, etc. Not much.

The Simple Woman's Daybook--December 4, 2008

Outside My Window
It is sunny, and 40 degrees. Too late in the year for running around without stockings--I freeze every time I do it. Like today.

I am thinking about
The Christmas holiday--where we will go, who we will stay with, and if I am ever going to pull it together and decorate.

I am thankful for
My family, my job, my warm house, the fact that I re-joined my running club and started working out with them on Saturday mornings again.

From the learning room
We are going to work on drawing today, and coloring in the picture after it is done. We are also working on analogies, spelling words, and the multiplication tables--the threes!

From the kitchen
We are having split pea soup out of the crock-pot for dinner. I loooove coming home from work and having the house smell like someone's been in there cooking all day.

I am wearing
No nylons, as mentioned above, full skirt, flats, self tanner. I'm cold. Must figure something out. Boss informs me that we DO have a dress code around here, to which I said "oh, let me run right out and change . . ." He laughs, fortunately.

I am creating
Still, the grey sweater.

I am going
Nowhere. Yippee!

I am reading
Finishing up the Boleyn Inheritance--trash, but fun.

Around the house
Must. Decorate. Today.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week
I am running. Today and Saturday.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

The 1% Challenge

I just joined the 1% Well Read Challenge, which will be a little more than the usual challenge, since I only have until the end of February to read the books. I'm looking forward to it, though.