What I learned in 2007

Here are some things I learned this year... I'll share them with you, so you can know them too.

Best way to avoid mess while cooking/baking: fill the sink with *hot* soapy water (too hot to touch). Drop your dirty tools and bowls in there as you go. When you are done, return to the sink to find the water cooled down enough to touch and the dishes practically just needing a rinse.

Make-up talk: Apply concealer with a brush. Especially under the eyes, it's much better coverage.

Watching my kids this year I know now that the impact siblings have on one another is profound. I used to think about child development in terms of the influence parents have on their kids, but now I see a bigger picture and the dynamic as a whole (in part due to the book Siblings Without Rivalry).

Weekly menu planning sounds lame, but it is undeniably one of the best things I did this year.

Your marriage is the foundation of your family. Keep it strong and full of laughter.

I like hand-knit socks. I thought they would slouch. I thought they would make my feet sweaty. Nope - incredibly comfortable.

Wearing shoes in the house makes you walk with more purpose and better posture.

Reaching out to someone you care about is almost always worth it.

People who have lost someone special in their lives don't mind when you bring that person up in conversation. In fact many people hate it that they can't talk about their loved ones who are gone. Why are we afraid to do this? We've lost too many special people this year to learn this lesson.

A better/quicker way to make roti, though it's still not the traditional way. But I still don't make it that often.

I am learning that my thirties might be better than my twenties. Which are all so much better than my teens.

Learning, ever trying to perfect, GRATITUDE for all these things and more...