Hi, folks. Looks like I (completely, by a long shot) missed posting this “new year post” at the official beginning of 2016. But hey – Chinese New Year was only yesterday! Gung hey fat choy! And since we did not manage a proper Christmas card this year, this must serve as our retrospective message. Time to get this year bloggily rolling.
- What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?
Me: Finally got rid of a lot of baby stuff (sigh), made my own Irish Cream on St. Paddy’s, performed with my dance troupe at the Pirate Festival, made Strata for Christmas morning.
Sean: Turned 38, bought a house while the wife was out of town, and sold a house – also while the wife was out of town.
E: Turned six; learned to draw a minion and read in French (as well as English); got glasses; moved; got a new couch; lost two teeth!
A: Saw aerialists performing on Canada Day, got to try silks myself at Family Camp… and have been aerialisting as much as possible since.
- Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Me, Sean: Who can remember? And you betcha! They’re epic.
E: Six-year-olds don’t need to resolve things.
A: My parents didn’t know it, but I resolved to ONLY wear things I DEEM CURRENTLY ACCEPTABLE. I kept this resolution as firmly as possible.
- Did anyone close to you give birth?
Me: My cousins had a son ON MY BIRTHDAY! Yeah, baby! Also, congrats and love to Lindsay, Eleanor, Catherine, Jaya, Katie, and probably more…
Sean: See above.
E: Well, I did spawn thousands of pigs in Minecraft.
A: No, but I’m the mama of many babies, including Minnie Mouse. And a minion.
- Did anyone close to you die?
Me: Jonathan Crombie, a.k.a. Gilbert Blythe (sniff!), and Jurgen Gothe, a.k.a. my fave CBC Radio voice since I was a kid.
Sean: Leonard Nimoy.
E: All those pigs eventually died.
A: My Elsa crown got broken, which is about the same level of tragedy.
- What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?
Me: Organizational skills, for real this time. And an extra dose of will power.
Sean: Discipline. Other than that, I want for nothing. OFFICIALLY.
E: More pages for my Pokémon cards.
A: A light blue stuffed dog that I can take for indoor walks.
- What countries did you visit?
Me: The exotic land of my garage. I cleaned that sh*t up.
Sean: Jakku and Takodana.
E: Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico, and the United States (in my virtual car-racing schedule).
A: Arendelle. Many times.
- What date from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:
Me, Sean: August 27th – moving day; October 19th – goodbye Harper!; November 13th – terrorist attacks in Paris.
E: Visiting the Science Centre and the African Lion Safari.
A: Visiting the African Lion Safari and the Science Centre.
- What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Me: That one kid-free day in October where I spent the entire day working my tail off and GOT SO MUCH DONE.
Sean: Making the perfect, harmonious configuration of apps on my phone.
Me and Sean: Ten years of marriage!! (Celebrated at Niagara-on-the-Lake.)
E: Surviving another new school – and liking it. Also my earthworm diorama rocked.
A: Dancing at Talent Night with my Grammie and my friends.
- What was your biggest failure?
Me: Major blog neglect, e.g. NaBloPoMo. Also, not managing to finish unpacking by 2016.
Sean: I did not manage to keep my bonsai tree alive.
E: I did not manage to convince my parents to move back to the old house again.
A: I did not manage to secure the title of Supreme Dictator of the New House. People keep thwarting my plans to be the OVERBOSS.
- Did you suffer illness or injury?
Me: Teacher immunity, baby. I just stave it off.
Sean: I get cut all the time at work, but I’m cool. Nobody worries about it but my wife.
E: Chest infection. Two ear infections. Stomach bugs. But worse than all those… The times I bit my tongue.
A: Stomach bugs, to match my brother’s, and a flu or two. (Remember that time we tobogganed at the big hill and I throwed up on the road?)
- What was the best thing you bought?
Me, Sean: New house! AND pretty area rug!
E: I earned myself a lot of virtual cars on the iPad – does that count?
A: My Elsa dress, even though *I* didn’t buy it.
- Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Me: Last year’s students. Every damn day.
Sean: Donald Trump.
E: Mommy and Daddy, when they make me wash my hands. Like, ALL THE TIME.
A: Mommy and Daddy, when they don’t let me have and do EXACTLY WHATEVER I WANT.
- Whose behavior merited celebration?
Me: This year’s students! (Hurray for 20 kids in a class instead of 29.)
Sean: Trudeau’s, for being just such a nice guy, not to mention bringing everyone to the climate conference and fixing that Cabinet that was all crooked.
E: I got a sticker chart for doing my homework!
A: I got a sticker chart for dry mornings!
- Where did most of your money go?
Me, Sean: See #11.
E, A: In my piggy bank!
- What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Me: Essential oils and diffusers.
Sean: Two words: STAR WARS.
E: My new zebra backpack!
A: Turning three!
- What song will always remind you of 2015?
Me:
Sean:
- Compared to this time last year, are you: i) happier or sadder?
Me, Sean: Not that simple, but working on happier.
E: Sadder. We can never live in our old house again.
A: Happier, but I wish I could go back to being two. I liked when I was two.
ii) thinner or fatter? Nope.
iii) richer or poorer? Poor in house-debt, rich in automatic dishwashing power.
- What do you wish you’d done more of?
Me: Writing.
Sean: Exercise.
E: Play dates with my best friend from my old school.
A: Wearing tights. Tights are LIFE.
- What do you wish you’d done less of?
Me: Raising my voice.
Sean: Spending money.
E: Putting my clothes away.
A: Wearing pants. Pants are for non-royalty.
- How will you be spending did you spend Christmas?
All: We were lucky enough to spend time with all the branches – and we all managed to be not-sick over the whole holiday! A Christmas miracle.
- What is your resolution this year?
Me: Go to bed earlier. Also, write 52 blog posts. I was going to aim for 100, and then I looked at this past year’s track record and realized I was setting myself up for failure. This is a one-post-a-week number, and I’m already behind, but tarnation, I’m going to make this one.
Sean: Five words: Joy, Patience, Humility, Discipline, Compassion.
E: Finish authoring a 90-page Pokémon novel.
A: Earn back my Pony tights (confiscated due to my bloodcurdling screaming habit).
- Did you fall in love in 2015?
Me: Yes, with a golden beet. So much so that convinced my Hubbibi to base our main-floor paint colours on them.
Sean: I stayed in love. I think that’s better. (Direct quote! Aww. Points for you, honey.)
E: Not this year. In JK I was gonna marry Bronwen, but now I’m not planning on marrying anyone.
A: Why can’t I marry my big brother?
- How many one-night stands?
If you count standing up at night to help a small someone go pee or feel better after a nightmare… then lots.
- What was your favorite TV program?
Me, Sean: Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bojack Horseman.
E: I spend my screen time on Minecraft these days.
A: Paw Patrol, Peppa Pig, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Dinosaur Train.
- What new thing(s) did you try in 2015?
Me: Rainbow Loom.
Sean: Ulysses.
E: A waterslide!
A: Aerialisting.
- What was the best book you read?
Me: I’m working on a book post. Please stay tuned! In terms of appropriateness for my life, though, I loved The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo.
Sean: Game of Thrones is pretty exciting so far.
E: We read the whole Great Brain series at bedtime, and it was awesome.
A: My Princess Adventure storybook.
- What do you regret?
Me: Not investigating/fixing the sound-proofing in the new house before moving in. (Auntie Beth, unfortunately for her at-home noise level, is our attached neighbour.)
Sean: Several purchases…
E: Putting my tooth under my pillow. I would rather have my tooth than money. (We’re looking into a strategy to attract the tooth fairy back and offer a deal.)
A: Growing out of my favourite purple leggings.
- What decision are you glad you made?
Me: To continue working part-time.
Sean: To come home (again) to Apple.
E: Keeping my second tooth.
A: Being Elsa for Halloween.
- What was your favorite film of this year?
Me: Far From the Madding Crowd.
Sean: Ant-Man.
E: Minions movie!
A: Please. It’s always Frozen.
- What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Me: 37, went to the park with my family.
Sean: 38, cleaned up my daughter’s vomit, but on the bright side, had my favourite cake.
E: I turned 6, and celebrated with an epic game of balloony-bounce with family.
A: I turned three, and everyone got to come to our new house, and I got pyjamas that match my cousin’s!
- What new thing would you like to try in 2016?
Me: Driving to North Carolina for a family reunion – can’t wait!
Sean: Playing guitar and singing.
E: Wearing a watch (preferably Pokémon). Yes, I can tell analog time!
A: Whatever new food looks good.
- New fashion item in 2015?
Me: Barefoot sandals.
Sean: My interchangeable NATO Watch Straps.
E: My glasses are pretty fashionable. The arms have airplanes on them.
A: Do you even have to ask? Elsa + tights = ELSA TIGHTS.
- What kept you sane?
Me: Same things that drive me crazy: my kids and my students. Also: my Hubbibi, my co-workers, a week at OELC, and a week at Family Camp.
Sean: My wife and my Cipralex.
E: Well, it definitely wasn’t Horizon Chase.
A: I’m three. I reserve the right to be insane.
- Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Me: It’s always James. And also James. And I didn’t fail to notice that our new PM is adorable, even though his name is not James.
Sean: Elizabeth Olson as the Scarlet Witch was pretty hot.
E: Bob, Stuart, and Kevin.
A: Elsa, Anna, and Rapunzel.
- What political issue stirred you the most?
Me: Syrian refugee controversy.
Sean: Harper government’s muzzling of scientists.
E: Equal access to my parents’ gadgets.
A: Being forced to go to the babysitter’s house.
- Whom did you miss?
Always Sebastian. Also, please see #4.
- Who was the best new person you met?
Me: New OELC staff and participants.
Sean: Our next-door neighbours, Dolores and Leo, are cool. (They use Nordic walking poles!)
E: My best friends (at my new school) Jesse and Alex.
A: Little Emily (as opposed to Auntie Emily. Not actually a new friend, but newly bonded).
- Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015:
Me: Music really is the international language – no translation necessary.
Sean: Always keep an edge on your knife, son, always keep an edge on your knife, ‘cuz a good sharp edge is a man’s best hedge against the vague uncertainties of life. (Thanks, Corb Lund.)
E: I’ve (almost) learned to unpack my backpack and bring my lunch bag to the kitchen so the leftovers can go in the fridge.
A: Unwarranted bloodcurdling screams will get me in trouble.
- Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Movin’ on up, movin’ on out, movin’ on up… Nothin’ can stop me!
What a great post! Worth the wait. Clearly Uncle Ben is important for the most aerial aerialisting. “Light blue stuffed dog”?? I didn’t know when you went to the African Lion Safari! You look remarkably blonde in your 10th anniversary photo — like the old days… Princess Adventure book ROCKS!
Happy Year of the Monkey — how suitable for A!
Yeah – she asked for the stuffed dog at Christmas and it’s harder to find than you might think! But she’s patient about it. The African Lion Safari was with Grandpa R and Grandma S, one day in June (I think?) when we were working like crazy on the old house. And I get a kick out of Princess Adventure book too – the gals finally rescuing themselves!
So happy that a new generation is enjoying The Great Brain! And always glad to help out my little aerialista or Minecrafter.
Yeah, I’ll need to read them again, since Sean and I would trade off and I missed some chapters…
Yay, finally read this. What a year! Did you REALLY only start doing Rainbow Loom in 2015? Seems like it’s been part of life for way longer.
And whoa, really, Ev can tell analog time? I missed that development! (I mean, apart from having talked about it a lot when he was like 3 or 4 with the yellow clock in the bedroom.) Way to go!
A couple of burning questions remain:
1. Did AB get her pony tights back?? I thought she had them last weekend but maybe it was the Elsa tights. But she wasn’t doing too much bloodcurdling screaming (except when I was a zombie).
2. Is Sean’s book *actually* Game of Thrones, or is it the whole Song of Ice and Fire? I mean, I am not a stickler (and am not going to read those books) but I need specifics for this to make sense.
Yes, Rainbow Loom was an impulse purchase on sale at Michaels last new year. And Ev can tell time! With only minimal coaching… He tends to stare at the clock when he’s not asleep yet.
Yes, I gave AB her tights back after a certain amount of time without the horrible screams. And also, I think you’re right, it’s Song of Ice and Fire, but I forgot the real name.