Last Post of the Year... 2011

Hi. :) It's hard to believe that right now I am writing my last post of the year, and will soon be adding to the last page in my 2011 journal. I love this time of year with the feeling of starting over fresh and new and time to bask in retrospection! :) Therefore, I will reflect upon this year that is being left behind and ending like a great novel being closed after the last few pages are read and reread for the savoring... But first, a few moments to savor in today... The last day of this wonderful year I have decided to leave with a small but wonderful bang of my own! :D


Today is a very good day! :D The main thing I like about today is that I got to go rollerblading in the beautiful sunshine, and that while out there I learned a new way of going backwards. Due to the long brake on the back of the right roller blade, I found it more natural to keep the left foot in front while going backwards despite which direction I am going (ie. both clockwise and counterclockwise). This means that one direction is more elegant to look at than the other is, but at least I don’t risk tripping over my break. I decided to find a pro to talk to about it before practicing a ton.

Despite being unsure of whether or not this technique is good for BOTH directions, I was so excited about figuring this out before the year ended that I asked Miles to go with me to an empty and smooth parking lot to tape me inline skating for a few minutes. Just when we thought we were done recording Miles asked me, “I thought you were going to do some really fancy cross over backward rollerblading or something…”    

My response...

:O “Ah!!!

"I DID!” 

Evidently I was more impressed with my new accomplishment than he was! ;) But I still sort of hoped to impress him a little, so I continued...

“P.I.C.K.Y.   LET ME TRY TO DO THAT AGAIN!”

After which I did a couple more backwards strokes hoping to do it a little better. A few seconds later the card was full so our recording ended (which suited me just fine, as I had already skated for about an hour before getting him out there with me and I was getting a little sloppy from my feet muscles being tired). Anyhow, you can see the videos if you want to… I decided that I'm happy enough about my accomplishment to record it and show it off - even if I don't look like a pro! ;)  Actually, I feel incredibly blessed to be given this developing talent which brings me so much joy, and I thank the Lord a million times over for it! He is so good to me! :)

The second thing I love about today is that it is New Years Eve. I thought it would be fun to look back on the past year so I made up two lists: the list of things I set New Years Goals to accomplish during 2011 and did… and the list of things which weren’t New Years Resolutions or goals, yet still managed to sneak their way into my life! :) Tomorrow I may share with you some of my 2012 New Years Resolutions and goals. Here are my lists...

What I first planned at the start of 2011 to do, then Did…

*Finished building a third garden-bed…

*Got to go ice skating again (Got to ice skate for the first time in November or December of 2010 – went skating and used a photo for my cheesy 2010 New Years card (I still need to find the video my son made of me ice skating that day). The experience was so marvelous I couldn’t wait to go again!!!! I finally got to go again two more times this December… a year later. This time I learned how to skate backwards with the cross over method (as stated above and shown in the video-?). Since the ice melted, I decided to apply what I learned to inline skates; I love this new technique I am learning because it looks more graceful than the technique I was using while rollerblading in backwards circles… :D

*Started running this year and ran a half marathon in May (13+ miles)...

*Participated in my first Mini-Triathlon –got last place with a friend (8 and 9/9) ha ha! But hey, I still swam a half mile for the first time ever! :)

*Learned to live in the now – It really is a miracle; I have made so much wonderful progress! So much, in fact, that it astounds me! :)

*Stored food for winter from the fruits of my own labors: fruit leather from the plum trees that I planted; canned homemade apple sauce from a friend’s apple tree (as the apple trees I planted are not yet producing that abundantly); froze a variety of frozen greens from the garden; made and froze homemade apple pie filling; various jams... ? other ?

*Continued doing Genealogy regularly (I do this just about every week, with exceptions to those surrounded by holidays)

*Finished refinishing the doors… (Check! Finally!!! Though I do have some other doors in the house that I now also wish the replace to match the ones I finished (all in good time…)

*Ditched the ugly couches, and purchased two old fashioned couches for only $35.00 each. Though they are not new or perfect - I love them! :)

*Cut my own hair once (I haven't done it for many years; it was scary but successful. Now that I have grown it out I will need to again muster the courage to cut it again! :o)

*Fixed a bunch of our fence with my husband (still need to screw in a few more boards and get around to the rest  of the fence... all in good time!)

What I Did Spontaneously…

*Stayed with one of my brothers and his family for a couple of weeks after their 5th baby was born (sister in law had a Cesarean, brother was in Chiropractic school with over 30 credits, and their family contracted head lice a few days before the baby was born; wow! I'm so glad I could help!).

*Took care of my mom for about a month while she recovered from a major infection (yes, it was difficult being away from home again)…

*Wrote a profile about myself on Mormon.org.

*Started writing “5 Minute Friday” posts now & then (love it and plan to write many more!)

*Made some wonderful parenting discoveries and went from feeling like I didn’t have a clue how to parent “teen boys” to feeling like “I do!” :D  I’m really happy with the parenting progress!

*Did some de-cluttering of both house and mind…

*Got some excellent practice in long suffering! :D This has mostly occurred during this past month; sorry I haven’t had time to write and tell you about it. :o While we’re on the subject, I must make note of how incredibly thankful I am to again realize that God really does love me and is not abandoning me, but rather simply letting me go through the Refiners Fire; It seems to be an ongoing thing so I pray to remember what a wonderful blessing it is! ;o Honestly – I have cried more than my share, and I’m sorry I was too busy to tell you about it (or am I glad? ;). I pray to have greater faith and patience with future tribulations and to stop whining and be more like Job! I’m so thankful that God is so patient with me! I hope I don’t try His patience too much! :o He is so good to me! :)

*Got to attend the wedding of a childhood friend and see dear friends after many years. And, I got to do this with my dad and one of my brothers! :D

*Have been blessed with an increase in service opportunities with my new calling as Compassionate Service assistant leader… I am also blessed with added insights and an opportunity to learn to see and better meet the needs of people around me in various ways; I’m praying for this new talent and am confident I will be blessed with it. What a wonderful calling! :)

*Got to go camping and fishing with my family!  This too, I never found time to blog about (I’m sorry, but I just can’t write about everything! Here is a collage I made of photos I took at the camp out. I am so excited to go again in the coming year! :D

I had so much fun taking photos on this trip!
...wish you could see them all!

Here it is again with the "focal black and white" feature from Picasa.

I really hate to end this post because I am SURE to remember a multitude of things which happened during 2011 which I will want to add to this list. Like the little things that went on in my heart and mind all year long that helped to make me and my family better... Those are the REAL accomplishments to celebrate! And isn't that what New Years Resolutions and reflections of the past year are all about??? I am happy to say that there have been some very wonderful and glorious improvements take place in our home this year... There is more peace, more wisdom, more self control, and greater love and understanding...

I would love to tell you about some of these more valuable accomplishments, however, they would take time to put into words adequately, and for the sake of taking time to celebrate New Years Eve with my family - I will end this post here and now...

I hope you have a wonderful New Years Eve

and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Corine :D

ADDITION- JAN 1, 2012: I just remembered a blog post that I wrote some time ago about living in the now while rollerblading and also mentions my desire to learn to ice skate. It is so cool to look back, remember dreaming, and watch dreams come true. I wonder what else the future has in store for me? :)

Since I just posted a video of me rollerblading, here is a link to that post if you are interested in reading it: Living in the Now While Rollerblading