Evan and Lauren's Cool Blog: January 2010

Looking at the calendar year 2010 I started to reflect on the last decade and what makes me happy right now that I need to do more in the new decade. The last decade I did a lot. Let's recap the highlights:

Major Accomplishments:

- Got Married in July of 2000 (Here was our Wedding Website)

- Had Evan in May of 2005

- Had Lauren in April of 2007

- John and I got a dog - Fred (Shetland Sheepdog)

- I left the country for the first time and travelled to a place requiring a Passport.

- Got certified to teach Step Aerobics and started teaching

- Got promoted to Group Leader, Section Manager, and Senior Project Manager

Low Points:

- The passing of my Aunt/God Mother/2nd Mother - God Bless Her Soul

- Getting Laid off from PTC after 10 1/2 years, losing my part time 3 day a week schedule

- Struggling through to diagnose Evan's reflux and screaming when eating

- Evan stopping breathing at 9 days old and rushing him to the ER

- Scare over a bright spot on an ultrasound with Lauren

- 9/11

- My childhood dog Rocky (Yorkshire Terrier) passed away

Things I learned:

- How to ballroom dance for my wedding.

- How to decorate cakes in a Wilton Class and in making them for birthdays.

- Project Management

- Scrapbooking

- Posting on a Message Board - joined one on Baby Center when I was pregnant with Evan and the ladies from there still chat today almost 5 1/2 years later.

- Blogging: This was my first blog post ever. Since then I have posted 294 blog posts!

- Running - I ran my first 5K race

- How to care for a child.

- The joy children would bring me.

Places I travelled to:

- Italy for a month - Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Sicily to see John's Family

- Portugal for 2 weeks - Lisbon, Estoril, Cascias, Sintra and Madeira - to see where Gilda's Family is from

- Las Vegas

- Napa Valley

- San Francisco

- Hawaii - Maui, Kauai, and Oahu

- Disney World numerous times

- Disney Land

- Bahamas

- Nevis - thanks to John winning a Chairman's Award at work (also my first time in First Class on an airplane)

- New York to see the Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular and Rent

- White Mountains numerous times to go to Story Land and Santa's Village

The new Decade and what it brings:

- The kids will go to Pre School, Elementary School, and gasp....Middle School

- My 40's gasp again....

- Being married 10 years...all the way up to almost 20!

So as I start to think forward, I thought I should think about things that make me happy in this decade because I know these things have changed significantly over the years:

- Watching the kids in activities and seeing them improve. Listening to Lauren run up to me and say "I did it" or "I did my best" or listening to Evan say "Did you see me", "I did good" are highlights for me and the grin on my face is enormous as I watch everything they do.

- Throwing a fun birthday Party or Halloween Party for the kids. I love party planning and making cakes. I love when they have a good time.

- Volunteering in Evan's class and getting to meet all of his classmates and interact with them.

- Seeing the kids learn and grow in so many ways!

- John telling me I did a good job on something - cleaning the house, a party, planning a trip, etc.

- Having a date night and really talking about our lives since we barely ever have time.

- Having my aerobics class say they are tired and got a good workout from my class.

- Blogging

- Spreading the word about Kid's activities and Events coming up

and most of all...in the words of Lauren what makes me the happiest is:

Doing the best I can!

That is all we can truly ask right?

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