Three Important Words!

Happy New Year! I have blended two ideas together for my last post of 2008! I have decided to recap my year in photos - month by month. It was an incredibly busy year for us. It was a year full of love, celebrations, friendships and adventures.

In addition to the photo recap, I would like you to leave me a comment, please. BUT not just any comment ~ I would like you to leave a 'three word phrase' which sums up the year 2008 for you. I am curious how you feel about the last twelve months in just three words. I know you can handle this 'challenge.' At the end of this post I will share my phrase for 2008 with you. I can't wait to read your thoughts.



January 2008 ~ This year started off with a bang !



February 2008 ~ We traveled to India to attend our daughter's wedding. It was the trip of a lifetime and one that I will never forget. Friendships were made, cultures were shared and memories were created.

March 2008 ~ We arrived back home to the USA. We celebrated with our family and friends. Go Green!

April 2008 ~ I celebrated my birthday - the fabulous age of 51! Yowser! We took a trip South to visit Mom and Dad. I did lots of kissing and hugging.

May 2008 ~ A time to sow and grow. We had a delicious veggie garden and the colors of my flowers brought a smile to my face on a daily basis.

June 2008 ~ I believe that this was one of the quietest months of the whole year. We spent time at our camp relaxing and recharging our batteries.

July 2008 ~ A road trip to Niagara Falls to celebrate thirty years of love and marriage! A fabulous time was had by all involved!

August 2008 ~ The wedding of our oldest son took place. We danced, we laughed and we celebrated. I also cried happy tears.

September 2008 ~ A month of hiking and enjoying sensational foliage! The month ended with the Deerfield Fair which we attended each day despite the torrential rains.

October 2008 ~ The U.S. wedding for our oldest daughter occurred. It was a whirlwind of a month as we celebrated with showers, bacherlorette parties, endless preparations and magical moments.

November 2008 ~ The month of finishing old projects and trying something new. I spent part of this month recovering from the hustle and the bustle of the past year. I had to figure out what to do next in life now that the three weddings were over. I decided to get busy. I joined a book club at our town library, finished a basket I had started years ago, worked on my mermaid rug, joined an informal arts and craft group and ... Do NOT laugh ~ my husband and I have started bowling! Once a week we meet up with three other couples and we bowl. I am probably the worst bowler in the bunch but I laugh a lot. Some day I will write about my friend, Pam, whom we now call 'Ballbreaker.'

Here is my guy getting ready to bowl a strike!

DECEMBER 2008 ~ Shopping, Decorating, Major Ice Storm, Trip to Woodstock ,Vermont, and Celebrating the Holidays with friends and family...

Our Pride and Joy were with us for the Holidays and for that I am thankful.

And that is a snapshot of 2008 for our family. There are so many 'little ' moments which aren't included but which were equally important. When I started putting this post together I realised how much happens in one year and it certainly has caused me to reflect. So now, my work for this post is complete and I pass the task of writing three words, just three words, which sum up the past year, to you. I will go first ~ 'Change is Constant.'

Life is one big puzzle !

She slowly removed the blanket from her head and peeked out cautiously at the world to see how life was looking. It appeared that the shades of gray that had been bombarding her were now replaced by deep reds, lively greens and speckles of silver and gold. The chaos that had overwhelmed her seemed to have been conquered to some degree. Projects which had sat unfinished for years were now complete and it was with a sense of satisfaction that she checked items off her 'to do' list.

• The 'Easter' basket she had started for her daughter almost ten years ago is now complete - and shipped to her in sunny California.


• The scrapbook she had started a long time ago was finished and shipped to parents as their Christmas present. The scrap booking process turned out to be an emotional trip with too many tears shed as she went through hundreds of photos, remembering and sometimes trying to forget.


• The mermaid rug was brought out of the closet and the hooking began. A date has been set for the completion of this 3' X 4' traditional hooked rug ~ the rug will be entered into the Deerfield Fair in September 2009.


• She watercolored Christmas cards with her husband and son - and sent them off almost on time.


• She survived the seven days without power when the ice storm of ice storms hit the Northeast. She did do a happy dance when the electricity was turned back on and she is very grateful to be reconnected.

And I am very grateful to also be emotionally reconnected. Thank you to all who checked in with me - it helped. As bizarre as this might sound to some, I miss my blogging friends. I enjoy blogging and I like feeling connected to the bigger picture. There is so much bad news everyday it is reassuring to connect with good people and my blogging 'friends' are very good people. So I am back.

I had to take a break. I had to get my life in order. I had to find the edge pieces to my puzzle. And I did, at least for now. I hope you all had happy holidays and that you were surrounded by friends and family, love and good cheer.

And now as I prepare to hit the 'publish post' button I realize I am a bit apprehensive. It took me a long time to find my blogging friends and I hope that they are still there. I probably have committed some blogging faux pas and I am on some list - and not the 'A' list. But here goes! I look forward to reconnecting with all of you !