More 2009 Acknowledgments

Here are 30 more acknowledgments for 2009. Phew, this is a challenge. Here goes. In 2009, I...

41. lost 15 lbs.
43. did a 10-day lemon cleanse.
44. successfully mastered breastfeeding.

45. successfully weaned Aliza (hurray no more breastfeeding!)

46. made it through Aliza's transition from breast milk to solids.

47. made it through Aliza's transition from immobility to crawling.

48. made it through Aliza's transition from crawling to walking.

49. accomplished some child-proofing (have one baby gate and the detergents are now out of reach)

50. committed to going to Agape every Sunday that I was in town for 6 months and I've done it.

51. volunteered in Agape's children's room.

52. re-started the Hip Girlz blog

53. created a daily "Accomplishments" journal

54. joined a second book club

55. bought plane tickets to New Zealand and Australia (traveling in February 2010)

56. read Julie & Julia

57. wrote 10 short stories based on Genesis (the book in the Bible, not the band).

58. painted a portrait of P. and I

59. saw It's Complicated tonight and laughed and laughed.

60. started partaking in Laughter Yoga phone calls (participate at least weekly).

61. hosted Thanksgiving for 35 people.

62. snorkeling around Catalina Island

63. discovering the fun estate auction

64. scoring many "guilt-free" chocolate cookies at Sauce

65. taught myself iweb

66. created new website: www.thereikicoach.com

67. cleared out my bookshelves and donated 10 boxes of books I no longer needed/desired to the local library

68. bought a gorgeous new comforter set for our bedroom

69. learned how to plant a tree and helped plant 3 trees in our yard

70. turned 35 and conjured a really fun M-themed party.

Vegas with Kids & Christmas

So, I wanted to share a bit about our family trip to Las Vegas. It was strange taking a family trip to Vegas. It was certainly very different from the trips I've taken with adults. Neither P. nor I gambled one single red cent, and we probably had 4 drinks between the two of us all week. And we were there a whole week... as opposed to a weekend. "You took kids to Vegas. What did you do?," everyone wanted to know.

Well, we checked out many of the free sights around town -- circus performances at Circus Circus, gondolas at the Venetian, faux thunderstorms at the Miracle Mile Shops, faux snow at the Town Square, and the art installations & architecture at City Center. We also did some shopping, went to see the Blue Man Group (they're amazing!), and left town and visited the Hoover Dam (also very cool). While we went shopping one day, the kids went to the Adventuredome. And P. and I did our own running tour of Vegas -- we ran 16 miles around the Strip, the airport, and Sunset Park (we're in training for the marathon). Lastly we did a wee bit of relaxing in our hotel. We actually had tons more things we could have done in and around Vegas. We left feeling like we'd barely scratched the surface. I wouldn't say that Vegas is the most kid-friendly (or cheapest) vacation spot, but there definitely were many things to see and do for all of us.

We got back on the 24th and then hosted Christmas Eve dinner at the house. It was the family plus Sean and Mike. My mom made her famous Christmas Eve Soup, Haitian pates, and hot chocolate. We also had some yummy chicken and lasagna. It was really nice and I loved that my nephew, Rowan, was here for his first Christmas (his original due date was January 5). Christmas Day we had another great meal -- turkey with all the fixins -- at Marfua's house. And then we opened the mound of presents under the tree. Perfect holiday.

2009 Acknowledgments

A few years ago at Agape a guest speaker, Rhonda Britten, gave us two assignments to do as we head into the New Year. The first was to write 100 Acknowledgments -- basically 100 things we can pat ourselves on the back for having done over the past year. The other assignment was to write a list of 100 things we're grateful for. Though, I'm much more comfortable with the gratitude list, I'm going to push myself to write the acknowledgments. I'm sure I'll have to go in bits and pieces. Here's to hoping I get through 40.

I am acknowledging myself for:
1. moving into Lomita house.
2. painting the Barcelona house kitchen cabinets and changing out the handles.
3. painting the Barcelona house living and dining rooms... three times.
4. painting the Barcelona house master bedroom.
5. painting India's room in the Barcelona house.
6. painting Teo's room in the Barcelona house. (Does this sound like cheating? I have to do 100 of these and painting all these rooms by myself was hard work!)
7. staining the concrete around the Barcelona house.
8. starting the Reiki Coach business.
9. starting the Reiki Coach blog.
10. settling my law suit.
11. going to Catalina Island for the first time (and first romantic trip alone with my hubby since the baby was born).
12. scoring free tickets to CNN Heroes and attended this amazingly inspirational event.
13. starting classes at Coach Training Alliance
14. starting to sell furniture
15. working at SSL
16. volunteering at Habitat for Humanity
17. planning NPI fundraiser
18. starting training for LA Marathon
19. running the longest I've yet ever run in my life -- 16 miles
20. going with family to Las Vegas
21. conjured free tickets to Blue Man Group
22. hosted 80+ person first birthday party for Ali
23. hosted baby shower for Katie
25. started posting positive quotes on Facebook & Twitter
26. started using Twitter
27. mediating and settling many cases -- bringing more peace into the world
28. coaching N
28. coaching K
30. coaching L
31. coaching L
32. coaching A
33. coaching D
34. coaching K
35. coaching R
36. coaching P
37. coaching E
38. started mastermind group
39. hosted Christmas Eve party
40. hosted Obama Inauguration party

Hurray, just 60 to go!