My Little Scraps

… That’s what I have to say about everyone’s awe inspiring responses to my new years fever post!

Now I realize that the gift card played a little part in getting so many of you to play along…. but even if there was a little dangling carrot, it was amazing to see all of you talk about all the amazing things you’ve done.  When I got up on Friday morning and saw all of amazing comments, I teared up a little I was just so moved.  So many really moving accomplishments, and inspiring stories, you are all my heroes!  I can’t tell you how much it meant to me that you all played along with me, and catered to my little temper tantrum -  I officially feel better!

So - as promised here is my own proud list of accomplishments for 2008:

1. I made it through a really exhausting and agonizing  pregnancy/bedrest to give birth to my 4th and final baby boy, Tennyson Wehland Clingerman.
2. G and I made the final decision to complete the baby making chapter of our lives.  It feels good to know our family is complete.
3. We also celebrated our 8th anniversary, and I can say with confidence that we are as in love as we were the day we were married… actually we are definitely more in love today!  Every year gets better and better with this guy, but I swear 2008 was beyond good for us, and we both deserve a little credit (and envy ;)) for sure!
4. I have kept up with the feeding/bathing/and general caring for of four little persons… that includes keeping a total of 80 fingernails and toenails clipped!  (actually 100 if you count my own… and I do in fact also care for my own self… which leads me to number 5…)
5. I’ve made physical appearance more of a priority.  I’ve always just been a really “low maintenance” easy going type when it comes to my appearance.  And although I do like to embrace my relaxed style, this year I’ve consistently gotten better about actually taking the time to do my hair, and actually put on makeup.  I got my first, and second, REAL hair style, and I am actually  finding myself looking forward to spending a little time in front of the mirror with a blow drier and a big round brush…. our little Shawna is finally growing up.
6. In April I started my first successful, real weight loss program: weight watchers online.  Between April and the end of August I lost over 30 pounds through eating right and exercising.  And between September and now, I’ve managed to keep it all off!  Maybe there’s five or so more pounds to go, give or take, but all in all I am pretty dang proud of the body I’m in today.
7. I started running consistently using the couch to 5k running program, and I made myself proud by working up to running over 2.5 miles consistently!  The winter months have put a bit of a snag in my running regimen, but when I can get out there and run, I am proud to find that I am still running my route and with out killing myself!
8. I have found some amazing new relationships, and cultivated old friendships, I’m rich with real positive relationships in my life, and that is a gift.
9. I’ve embraced some of the freedom of caring just a little bit less about what people with think of me, and caring a little bit more about what I want to do.  Including getting my first body piercing right on my right eyebrow for the world to see.  I love it!
10. I am Learning to love all the parts of who I really am.  I’ve found real personal fulfillment that I  never thought possible.  I can say with out a doubt that I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my life “for reals”. 
11. I grew as a designer tremendously, and probably like tripled my productivity compared to 2007.  I completed the year having created 23 collaborative kits and at least 18 solo products!  Really, really, good stuff too if I might say so my self!
12. (ok… maybe its more like a 11.5)… but also… I take a little bit of credit for everything on this list.  (just a little though g, you probably could have done all that PLUS some with out little wifey distracting you… only I guarantee, it wouldn’t have been quite so fun!)

… maybe I should say… JUST WOW… once again because that feels good!  I really am so proud of everything on that list, and I’m looking forward to what next years list will hold.  As long as it involves growing and changing and learning more about myself and how to be a better mom a better wife and a better me, then I’ll be content…. and you know for the time being an am content.  Who wouldn’t be, it has been a great year.

So… on to the winner of the big drawing!!!

Well we had 42 comments as of last night and so I ran a random number generator, and what do you know it picked right smack dab in the middle comment number 21.

CONGRATS Stephanie!  I’ll be emailing you a Gift Card shortly!

Thank you thank you thank you all again for participating and for getting me out of my new years funk.  I’m so in awe of us all :)  We really should be so so proud!

So… I realize I posted all of like TWICE in December… and I failed to post a merry Christmas, or a happy new year or well, anything useful… I’ve got some pictures I need to share and probably more than a few stories I should have shared… but December came and went in a flash - filled to the brim with good days and bad days… but most importantly lots of special family times.  It was a beautiful month, I’ll have to try to sneak in some pictures for you later….

But… I’m not here to beat myself up… actually that is the exact opposite of what I’m here for!  Instead I just need to rant and rave a bit… because not only is December over, and gone in a flash, but also today marks the first day of a brand new year.  2008 is over and gone before I knew it, and we are looking forward already to the new year…. warning… this is a long one!  but I’ll make it worth your while if you stick with me!

So… I could say the exact same thing I think about 2008 as I did about the month of December.  It was filled to the brim, with good days, and bad days… tons special memories and lots of changes…  it was a beautiful year.

… I was thinking last night, as the clock neared midnight, about all the incredible things I experienced in 2008, the birth of my last baby.  My first facial piercing… my first successful attempt at weight loss, a beautiful family beach vacation,  my Owen starting Kindergarten… it really was a beautiful year.  I woke up this morning feeling (well feeling really sick, stupid head cold, but that is another post) but feeling satisfied and content and really really fulfilled by everything 2008 brought my way.

…but what do you know…. as I look around, I see lots of people just beating themselves over the head… I didn’t work hard enough last year, I didn’t clean enough last year, I was always late last year, I ate too much, I smoked too much… I was a bad friend, I was a bad designer, I was a bad parent, a bad daughter… the list just goes on and on and on…. of all sorts of people tearing down the beautiful year they created… tearing down the amazing person they are, in some sort of attempt to be better next year.

Now, I’m the first person to embrace the notion that change is good, and I really do believe whole heartedly in making yourself a better person, in trying your hardest, in doing what needs to be done to meet your goals… but must we do it by beating on ourselves and discrediting the amazing things we DID accomplish in 2008???

It hurts my heart I tell you, because you know what I believe… I really whole heartedly believe that if you made it through another year intact, if you have your health, your family, your friends, your memories…  or you know if you were hit by all manners of catastrophe, or maybe you were a major god awful bum and managed to lose all of that… still, if you are still breathing to watch that clock tick over to 2009.  Then you have reason to celebrate… and you really do have reason to be proud.

Here we are, another year has passed, we have all lived and loved and learned over the past 12 months.  We’ve all grown and changed in a million ways.  And we’ve all managed to make it through in this crazy dark depressing world.  We’ve all live to see time march on, and we should all be proud.

… and not only that, but I guarantee you that we have all done countless things that deserve to be recognized, and for mercies sake before we start to ponder all the ways that we should be better… maybe we should take a big deep long breath and just give ourselves some credit for who we have become!

Seriously! Please for my own sanity’s sake, just love yourself a little this new year, and not only by making changes and improvements in the year to come, but also in giving yourself the credit that is due, for who you have become over the past year…

Now… this might seem a little familiar to you, especially if you know me very well, because every year I go through this, and I remember one year, I even posted a similar rant in our MOMS Club newsletter… but every new year comes, and every new year I just can’t help but ache for everyone to love themselves just a little more!

So… Will you all PLEASE do me a favor, and help me regain my slipping sanity by just taking some time to list some of the incredible things you did last year?  You can blog it, or comment here or, maybe you just want to ponder it or something… but please please please give your wonderful self some credit, so that I don’t go berserk!

Oh! and, If you play along with me here, and leave a comment with a list of some of your accomplishments, or a link back to a post on your blog, I’ll put your name in a drawing for a $10 gift card to my store at SSD…. (if you aren’t a digi scrapper or aren’t interested just let me know and I’ll keep your name out of the drawing) Drawing ends Sunday night at Midnight.

I will be back on Monday to give you my own list and to post the gift card winner.  But you, don’t forget to please take some time to give yourself some kudos for a job well done in 2008.

A whole weekend came and gone with out any major changes made to my appearance

We did do some tree decorating though!

Just click on any of these to see it closer up

ok… so first, I want to put in the little disclaimer that I promise I won’t come on here every Monday with some new drastic change to my appearance! I just happened to have my hair appointment scheduled for the week after my eyebrow ring. Lots of changes all at once, it’s fun!

Anyway, here’s the new do!

I haven’t had it this short in like 7 years or so, but I’m so happy with how it turned out.  It feels a lot like me I think.

…of what it is like to try to take a picture of all four boys together.

My sweet friend Dani Mogstad came over today to take some pictures for us, and she did such a great job too!  We ended up with several way cute shots,  but man I felt sorry for her.  The boys were SOOOOO uncooperative about getting photographed together, and although this is something I am used to from every single year before.  I have to admit, I’m feeling less and less forgiving about it!  They are getting older now, and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to sit still for just a few short minutes.  The kids are all school aged, they sit still alllllll the time, they are good kids too!  I mean really generally pretty sweet and good listeners… usually I’m quite proud of them…. But it never fails, when we put them together for a picture, they are not the sweet compliant kids I’m used to, and instead they are down right rude!  Sigh….

It just makes a mommy a little bit sad, it isn’t like I make them take group pictures every single day (although maybe I should just to get them back!)…. but I just find myself thinking that by the time they are actually willing to sit for a picture, they won’t even be children anymore….  they are cute NOW and I want pictures dangit!

Hahaha, ok rant over.  In the end I was really surprised that we ended up with a few really great shots, and a whole lot of true to character ones….  I guess its better that they are generally good kids most of the time, and total hellions for photographs rather than the other way around right???

And after all, they still do look pretty dang cute…. lucky for them, because they really were not on my good side a few hours ago.