2012 was a great year for us, but I say that every year I think. Of course we had our fare share of trails, tears and sadness but they were well out number by our laughter, joy and happiness. This year I started grad school, Mike studied a lot, we both got released from our leadership callings in the youth program at church. We bought a new car. We went to Costa Rica, the Jersey Shore, Rome, London, I visited Paris. We went to Utah for a family reunion in July then went back out in November for Thanksgiving. I got to spend a lot of time in Ohio with my family. We said goodbye to some of our closest friends when they moved to Cali. We made some new friends, I moved from teaching Per-k to Kindergarten, Mike got promoted to a Senior Associate at work. We worked really hard and we played really hard. We went on lots of fun dates and admittedly had some arguments (although I couldn't tell you what any of them were about now.) It's been wonderful, life does get a little sweeter with time.
How did we send off 2012 you might ask? I got home form Ohio on New Year's Eve night. Since I wasn't feeling 100% we decided to keep our new years eve pretty low key. We had a nice dinner at home together, played a game and went to McDonalds and got milkshakes (our new tradition now that we have done it two years in a row. Although drinking a milkshake in time square after spending midnight there on NYE is probably a lot cooler than the local Stamford McDonalds.) We made a few NY resolutions together as a couple and a few on our own. The big one is to make it to the temple once a month. So far we are doing good because we went this past weekend to count for January :) We also are going to try going to the gym three times a week together. This one has been tricky since we have both been sick, but its something we will try to work on.
My goal for 2013 is to simply survive taking 11 credits while working full time, tutoring 3 mornings a week and babysitting 2 nights week. I also want to try to read all three the Book of Mormon made easy books. They are so incredibly helpful for scripture study, but they are pretty lengthy so you have to pace yourself.
My friend Natalie always does a year end survey with her husband. I love reading it and think its a great thing to have in your journal so here is Mike and I's 2012 year in review survey :)
Favorite Movie
Mike: Hunger Games
Kris: Hunger Games
BEST Restaurant Meal
Mike: Restaurant Week at Capital Grille. Steak, rolls, creamy mash potatoes, parm truffle French fries and vanilla ice cream.
Kris: Probably the meal we had at this little local restaurant in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. It was nachos, a burrito and a brownie sundae. I'm not 100% sure if it was delicious or if we were just super hungry, but it was heavenly.
BEST Homemade Meal
Mike: Steak, mixed roasted veggies with good seasoning and ranch mashed potatoes.
Kris: MY first thought was the homemade meal we made at our cooking class in Italy. If that doesn't count then probably my white chicken enchilada recipe I got from Pinterest.
Favorite Song
Mike: Piano Guys version of Titanium (anything by them really.)
Kris: Blown Away by Carrie Underwood
Yummiest Dessert
Mike: Costa Rica brownie sundae
Kris: for sure the gelato at Gioletti's in Italy
Most Memorable Sports Moments
Mike: Watching the BYU vs. ND game in person.
Kris: When OSU best Michigan for an undefeated season. Or watching 15 year old Katie Ledecky win gold in the 800 meter free race, made me cry.
Favorite Vacation
Mike: Bear Lake retreat with family.
Kris: My trip to Europe, Rome was my favorite.
Biggest Challenge
Mike: Getting out of bed in the morning...
Kris: Keeping up with life while trying to work, take classes, babysit and tutor. It's a really hard schedule to maintain day after day. It kind of eats away at you after awhile. So enduring the day to day tasks, making dinner, grocery shopping, keeping up with house work, having a social life, that is a huge challenge.
(Obviously we lead a busy life, if these are our biggest challenges.)
Favorite Present:
Mike: iPad (even though Kristin has taken control of it.)
Kris: My new Canon Rebel T3 or my gold necklace that says "Kristin" on it.
One Special Memory
Mike: Zip lining through the trees of the Coasta Rican rainforest or seeing wild monkeys for the first time.
Kris: Spending Christmas Eve and Christmas with my family, having everyone including grandparents there. Looking around and having all the people I love most in the world in one place, I always cherish those moments.
One Horrible/Sad Memory
Mike: When TECO (his penny stock) went up to .13 cents, then the next day came down to .07 cents. We were rich for a day.
Kris: I don't usually remember the bad things, I try to block them out. But one sad moment was driving home after dropping the Johnson's off at the airport when they moved. That was pretty hard, we both may have cried a little. Still gets me cloaked up.... Moving along.
Favorite Game:
Mike: words with friends and scramble
Kris: pinochle, wavelength and wacky six
Favorite Purchase
Mike: Golf Clubs (Calloways)
Kris: duvet, memory foam, and new sheets for our bed.
Proudest Accomplishment
Mike: Driving in the UK on the "wrong side of the road."
Kris: maintaining a 4.0 in grad school
Favorite TV Show
Mike: The Office
Kris: Once Upon A Time and White Collar
Favorite Reality TV Show
Mike: Shark Tank
Kris: House Hunters International
Most Exciting "Brag" Moment:
Mike: Scoring points in basketball and football games
Kris: Only missing 1 question on my Developmental Reading Final Exam... Say what!!!
Favorite Date Night:
Mike: Walking to downtown Stamford and getting dinner and frozen yogurt on Bedford Street (traditional Friday night date in the summer/early fall.)
Kris: When I decorated the house like china and we had our Tangled themed date night.
Favorite Sporting or Cultural Event attended
Mike: Watching Andy Roddick play on court 1 at Wimbledon in London
Kris: Seeing Les Miserables on the West End in London
Looking forward to in 2013
Mike: Cruise in March
Kris: Hopefully completing all my course work for my maters degree (everything but student teaching.)
Love this!! :)
ReplyDelete