I've had spotty internet over the last few weeks so haven't been able to post. I will definitely write more this week and give a full recounting of our wild and crazy move/holiday. You just ain't even gonna believe the whole ordeal.

It was 5 years ago today that we arrived in Washington DC from Los Angeles - a bittersweet day filled with meeting new friends and crying because I missed my old ones. Sigh. Anyway. For today's blog, I'm borrowing a New Year's list from someone else (thanks, Library Girl) to remember the old and herald the new:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
I invited a sibling to live with me. I quit a FABULOUS job. I hired a moving company to move me.

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I poo-poo resolutions. As in, shun them as opposed to actually poop them. But the whole purpose of this move was to achieve greater balance in our lives, so I'm going to strive to accomplish that.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yeah, like 40 of my friends gave birth at the end of April/beginning of May. Okay not really but 4 of them did and one of the little bundles of joy was even named after me! Apparently she is the best baby in the whole world, too. I'd also like to give shouts out to Harley, Colin, Anna and Blaise for providing my inbox with a wealth of cutie-pie pictures.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Not this year, thank goodness.

5. What countries did you visit?
Dude and I took Belly and the Bug to Maui in August. I know that's not a different country, but it was 10 hours on a plane from Washington DC with a coupla 10-month-olds. If that's not world travel, I don't know what is.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Adult-only time with Dude. A clear head. Something resembling a pre-twin-vessel body.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory?
June 30th - my last day at my place of employment.
July 1st - the day the oh-my-God-so-expensive-I-can't-stand-it-COBRA kicked in.
November 4th - I cried such big tears of joy. [NOTE: I am pretty white. Lily even. But I went to college at Howard University and graduated with a degree in Political Science. The night of 11/4 I wanted to go up to campus and run around screaming, "WE DID IT!! WE DID IT!!" but I figured they'd call security because some crazy white lady was storming the Yard.]

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Dedicating myself to motherhood. Jeez - that's something I never thought I'd say.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I didn't use all of my excellent Macy's coupons this fall? Seriously. That's as deep as I'd like to delve into my failures.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A $700 double stroller. Can you even believe that?? I used a little inheritance money to get it or else there would've been no way to justify it. I also love my tall black boots. And probably my annual donation to Planned Parenthood.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
The girls on their many plane trips this year.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
John Edwards was pretty lame.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgage, of course. Followed closely by diapers and formula. Car payment was a distant third.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Babies crawling/walking. Seeing family. Maui. Selling our house.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
"Love Song" by Sarah Bareilles. How many times did I hear that song???

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner (that's not saying much, though, considering I'd had twins 2 months earlier in 2007).
c) richer or poorer? Richer, but only because we sold the house in DC and haven't bought a new one yet.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reading. Exercising. Chillin.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Obsessing over details.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent it in our big empty house with my little sissies. More about that in the forthcoming blog about the move/holidays.

21 is missing. Time to take a breather...
Whew!

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Every day with these little girls and Dude.

23. How many one-night stands?
None, but the girls slept in our bed every night so I guess our bed was a happy "foursome."

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Project Runway and Top Chef remain my favorite programs.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is such a strong word...so no. But this time last year I didn't know Sarah Palin existed. She provided ample opportunity for very strong dislike.

26. What was the best book you read?
Sadly, I didn't read much. Isn't that the dumbest thing ever? I had infant twins this year, though, so I slept instead of read when I had the opportunity. I guess "Eat Pray Love," but only because that's a book I actually completed. I'm in the middle of "Peace Like A River" now and that is much better.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Peter Himmelman makes cool kid music!

28. What did you want and get?
A move back to the West Coast.

29. What did you want and not get?
Those cool winter boots from Timberland.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
HA! Like I went to the movies this year. Gimme a break.

31. What did you do on your birthday?
I sold my house and flew cross-country to our new hometown of Portland. Dude brought me coffee in bed, though!

32.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having the unpacking fairies show up and do their thing in the new house.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
"Does it have buttons on the front? Yes? Well, sorry, but I can't wear it because my daughters will bite the buttons off."

34. What kept you sane?
Dude.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Jon Stewart. And Anthony Bourdain. And also Justin Timberlake on SNL.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Please see the answer to question #7.

37. Who did you miss?
Oh, there's a long list....

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I'd have to say that the person I had the best time getting to know much, much better was Mary. She's already what I miss about Washington DC. Ho hum.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Um...be sure to have extra wipes at the ready when changing a poopy diaper?

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I'm gonna watch you shine
Gonna watch you grow
Gonna paint a sign
So you'll always know
As long as one and one is two
There could never be a [mother]
Who loves [her daughters] more than I love you"
(From Paul Simon's "Father and Daughter," with lyrics altered to reflect what I sing to Belly and the Bug)

Final Thoughts:
Oh 2008 - what a crazy year you were. And hey, 2009? Please be good to us.