New Years Meme 2009

I saw this on a lot of blogs last year and never got around to posting it for 2008 so I decided to post it for 2009.  It was fun to look back at the past year in a different way

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?  Bought a house


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I am terrible about keeping resolutions but I am always trying to improve

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, a few of my friends.

4. Did anyone close to you die? The bus driver that drove me to Millhollow when I worked there.  And my cousins dad

5. What countries did you visit? My own.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?  I want to be braver, healthier and have inner peace

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Buying a new house and not my achievement but Noah has come so so far with his speech

8. What was your biggest failure? Not going on at least a monthly date with my husband,  it really puts us in a bad place.

9. Did you suffer illness or injury? The usual, but only one emergency room visit for me.

10. What was the best thing you bought? our cute little house. our new tv and our most comfortable couch

11. Where did most of your money go? Our house and various things for our house

12. What did you get really, really, really excited about?  Being able to paint the walls in OUR house.  picking out a couch that is not a hand me down,  our super soft carpet and our amazing new neighborhood and fabulous ward.

13. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a. Happier and much more grounded with things in place to make it even better b. thinner- stress does that to you c. Richer - we own something that will help bring us to a better place later.

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?  Teaching my children,  taking my kids fun places, and painting furniture.

15. What do you wish you’d done less of? Computer stuff

16. What was the best book you read? .The Year My Son and I Were Born By Kathryn Lynard Soper,  The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman,  Fablehaven by Brandon Mull, Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry,   Sunday's at Tiffany's by James Patterson,  The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

17. What did you want and get? a new house and a newish car for Kersten

18. What did you want and not get? a new bed not just mattress but a headboard and footboard

19. What kept you sane? Personal prayer, therapy, reading,  and especially Carrie and Kieran

20. Who did you miss?  I missed Carrie and Mara

21. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day we got our keys to the house,  Noah, Sofia and I danced around the house and rolled around on the carpet.  It was a very good day.

22. What song will always remind you of 2009?  Hey, I Love You,  Fireflies by Owl City,  All of Michael Jackson, I will never forget painting my bedroom and office with my bro Nik and sister Amy and friend Kieran to his music

23. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? I wanted to have more a a personality not just be blah all the time.  I want this to say style and Laurie.

24. Who was the best new person (people) you met? My new neighbors diagonal across the street and directly across the street and our new bishop.

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.   It is important to find a way to take control of you own emotions and moods and that no matter how many things you do to try to make something better everyone has to want it for it to happen,  And that if you try and work hard enough things start to happen with enough faith and prayer.