Stuff I really did do in 2011.

Looking at my 35 things list from last year

my first thought is...

What in the hell was I thinking?

What is wrong with the chick who wrote this?!?!?

Seriously.

I seriously need to start living in reality.

{At least partially.}

and here's why:

1. Have a baby.

And the list should stop right there. 

Okay, maybe include one more:

2. Try to survive.

but no.

I casually included

and "hike with my boys" in the same breath.

whaaaaa?!?!?

as if having a baby and going on a hike are in the same realm.

as if adding another human being to the planet

would not turn our entire known world upside down in the best possible way

and also. I'll let you in on a little secret:

I'm not even a hiker.

I wouldn't even know where to go if I wanted to go.

which I don't. want to go hiking.

because I'm not a hiker.

I love the idea of me saying

"Come on two month old baby and 

extremely bitter, barely potty trained, 3 year old"

"Let's go hiking!" 

But reality?

uh uh.

So, I'm not going to beat myself up about all of the hikes I didn't take.

Or apple picking excursions we didn't go on.

I'm simply going to create a new list.

A list to celebrate the things I did do.

And then I'm gonna say

Wow.

Yay me. 

35 Things {I actually did do} in 2011

1. Have a baby.

STOP.

{yes, I'm yelling at you.

jumping up and down, with my hands waving}

That can fill up all 35 spaces right there.

Let us pause for a moment to acknowledge this big deal.

Okay let's go...

2. Survived.

hooray.

We made it through the first 6 months with baby #2.

3.Worked full time through pregnancy.

{and I did a damn good job.

of course it helps that I have the best job ever.}

4. Potty trained a very strong-willed child.

5. Took a liking to turquoise and orange.

hmmm.

6. Was a vendor at the Queen Bee market.

7. Made it through Christmas.

8. Made and gave Chex Mix to my neighbors!

9. Went away on a fun weekend with my husband.

10. Started preschool.

Okay, not me.

But it felt like it was me,

 so I'm proud of myself.

11. Threw away all of my maternity clothes.

{Yahoo!}

12. Became addicted to Pinterest.

13. Received a commission from Sharp Hospital

for original art work, which made me feel like a real artist.

14. Decided {once and for all}

that street fairs and art festivals are not for me.

I hate doing them in the worst possible way.

And I will never put myself through that again.

15. Gave up trying to figure out Photoshop &

discovered my beloved Picnik.

16. Fell in love. Again.

17. I had my lettering exemplar published

in Somerset.

18. Found a great counselor.

{Hallelujah}

19. Helped orphans.

{As part of a fundraiser for the

Sparrow Fund and little Sergey & Xander.}

20. Gave my studio a makeover.

21. Learned a ton about how to run

my etsy shop from their online labs videos.

22. Bought this book and read it cover to cover because I so admire her work.

23. My Christmas Angels were published in

Cloth Paper Scissors for the first time

{so, so exciting}

24. Got a king sized bed.

{heaven}

25. Got to be a part of Creative Book Club.

26. Played hours of cars and trains and concert shows.

27. Survived hours of Yo Gabba Gabba.

28. Painted.

I can't think of any more right now,

but I know there's more.

The point is

even though I didn't go hiking,

I did a lot of stuff this in 2011.

So I'm going to celebrate the stuff I did do.

The life I did live.

and not get all grumpy and hard on

myself about the silly stuff I didn't do.

I think you should do the same.

I hope you do.

I hope you take a little time to celebrate the

life you've chosen to live this year.

Let me know if you do and I'll link you up.

Happy, happy new year to you, my friend.