Thursday, January 22, 2009

Best and worst of 2008

Just like last year I am going to attempt a personal list of the best and worst of 2008.

Best book: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. When my mom handed me this book this Christmas I read the cover and thought "um, did Oprah recommend this or something?" - It just seemed random. Two pages into it, I didn't think it was random anymore. A utterly gorgeous work that I would recommend to anyone. Uplifting and heartbreaking, I found myself wanting to be like the main characters and hoping that if they knew me, they would like me too.

Worst book: I don't have time to read books that I don't get good recommendations for, so most of the works I read this year were fine. I will say that reading "Marley and Me" was difficult. Not that it wasn't an entertaining book. I just didn't understand how anyone could own a dog like that. It was totally beyond me. And this is coming from someone who actually grew up with a yellow lab. I finished the book and thought to myself, if we get a dog it will be a miniature poodle.

Best Movie: The Dark Knight Seriously how could anyone not think this movie was amazing? It perfected the comic book hero genre. Unreal special effects, superb acting, brilliant writing. A+ for me.


Best Comedy: Baby Mama I think I peed a little. And that was before I was pregnant.


Best chick flick: The Duchess This isn't truly a chick flick, but I think more women would be willing to attend it. A beautiful movie and Kira Knightley was enchanting.


Worst Movie - The Love Guru - Honestly, I only made it through 15 minutes of this movie, but that was enough. Mike? What happened man?

Best commercial: Progressive Insurance I am not saying that these are the best commercials ever. Commercials are becoming more entertaining than TV. But I really love the "star" of the progressive commercials. (Flo) I just want to call her up to hang out and talk about my rates.




For more of Flo - click here.

Worst commercial: Hellsmann Mayonnaise Oh how I hate this commercial. We can tell immediately from the fresh faced actors; the freckled red head, the SoHo shopping hip mother, the down to earth guy next door; the product they are endorsing must be wonderful. Something to enrich us naturally. Solar energy, the electric car. organic greens? No....Mayonnaise. "What if we all said No? No to fake food. No to over processed food. No to food that’s not fit for our kids. Yes to Real." Wha??? I'm supposed to get all pumped about feeding mayo to my kids. That is the key to healthy eating? Mayo is REAL food? Not buying it. (Well, actually I do buy it. Hellsmann is the best mayonnaise, but I am thinking of switching to Kraft just because of this commercial. )





Best product: Neutrogena® Healthy Defense SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer
I have had the opportunity to test a lot of great products this year, but this moisturizer is my personal favorite. I love the price, the SPF 30 (None of this puny SPF 15) and the slight tint is just just enough to even out my skin tone. I don't even wear makeup over it in the summer. Also a huge plus for me, there is barely any scent.

Best Splurge. Hands down - my trip to NYC.


Best TV show: 30 Rock - One of my favorite aspects of last year is that Shane and I stopped watching TV unless it was really something we wanted to watch. That basically equates to new Lost episodes and 30 Rock... and The Office, but that is only me. (Hey. Does anyone really watch E.R.? I know one person, but she is the only one I have found. )






This clip is pretty rad too.

Worst event: The downturn of the economy Last weekend Shane came home from a long business trip and we had plans to "be alone" that night. Instead we ended up laying in bed talking about the status of the economy and our 401K. The next morning Shane asked "What happened to last nights plans?" I thought for a moment. "Must have been all that talk about the economy." "Yea" he replied. "That wasn't much of a stimulus package". :)


Best development: Kicking the Diet Coke habit Let me start by saying that I don't think there is anything wrong with drinking caffeinated soda. I do think that it is a problem when it becomes an addiction and I was so there this year. When I saw that little plus sign on my pregnancy test, I knew that I had to get rid of my "drinking problem". That day I started my cold turkey detox. It was a rough week, but I got it out of my system.

Last week I was telling my OB/GYN about my avoidance of caffeine during my pregnancy and he started chuckling. "There's nothing wrong with drinking a coke or two everyday. It won't hurt your baby in the slightest." I just starred at him dumbfounded. "Seriously?!" ***** Now I like not relying on coke to get me through the day. But having an occasional "treat" is so very very fabulous I must say.
Best Day: My birthday


Worst day: Every day during the two weeks in October that Shane was away on business and I had such terrible morning sickness I couldn't get out of bed. That was hell. Pour Lydia. I think one dinner was nothing but an apple, saltine crackers and milk.





Best new family tradition - Pancake Saturdays. One thing that I love about Shane is that, while he is a very hard worker, he is very much present when he is home. He has a blackberry job, but he doesn't let work interfer with spending time with our family. He decided that he wanted to make Saturdays special by having a tradition that was just for Lydia and he. Every Satuday he gets up with Lydia while I sleep in and they make shaped pancakes together. He will make any character or shape she wants. They always take photos of their creations. Lydia looks forward to this day all week (as do I since I sleep in and then have yummy pancakes waiting when I finally roll out of bed) Shane is becoming quite the pancake artist. He isn't ready to quit his day job, but you never know....

I am also loving Lydia's and my new tradition of 2008 - Lydia days.


Best thing overall - Lydia leaving the terrible twos. I had a huge post written about Lydia's difficult bout with the terrible twos. It was a bit of a downer though. Let's just say, I took a lot of Tylenol. People told me three would be better, but people say a lot of things and usually it doesn't seem to apply to her. In this case "they" were right. She isn't even three yet (next week is the big celebration) but she has left the twos behind and become the most adorable creature imaginable. She gives me kisses and hugs, dancing and sings, pretends with her dolls. She chose a name for her baby brother and talks about him with such tenderness. In fact, Shane and I are pretty sure we will use that name. (Not telling it quite yet until we are sure). When I was sick in my first trimester, she would stroke my face and say "it's okay sweetheart. I love you. I will make you feel better". She would be concerned at the tears that fell after that, but they were only tears of joy. I love being Lydia's mommy. It's incredible. The thing I look forward to the most in 2009 is putting my new son in his big sister's arms.


Happy 2009!

9 comments:

Laurel @ Ducks in a Row said...

What a fun list - and I Love the Progressive girl, also.

Are You Serious! said...

♥ That was a fun idea! :)

If I can't get into a book with in the first several chapters I'm done...

I've never seen The Dark Night or The Dutchess... I think I'm going to have find them! The love Guru was so STUPID... I didn't know that Mayo was REAL food either! I've never seen 30 rock but that girl that's on there and also on Baby Mama cracks me up! :)

kristi lee said...

I'm proud to say that I am the single person who watches ER...yup...15 years baby! I also cross stitch, tuck my pants into my socks at night when I'm really cold, and frequently use saline solution in my nose. COMPLETE DORK, thank you very much!!!

Sara Clifton said...

So much to comment on, but I'll keep it brief. (1) Yes, your NYC trip was also MY favorite of all your splurges. (2) 30 Rock ROCKS - best show on TV....Lost is a close 2nd, but seems to have "lost" it's momentum. Haha. (3) I love Lydia, too, and can't wait to taste those famous pancakes when I come visit!!!

Unknown said...

Great post! And yes, I love the threes. They are so loving!

Don't watch ER, but I can't wait to watch our DVR'd recording of LOST!

April said...

This was a fun read-

are you joking about the dark knight? That was the worst movie I have ever seen- and I really appreciate action type movies- Iron Man was good I thought- but The Dark Knight left me with the worse feeling- let's see, how many people were murdered in that movie??? That movie would have been rated R 10 years ago for sure- and it kept going and going- it was too long- Chay didn't even like it- and Chay is a total guy-

and plus the girl who took Katie Holmes place isn't the most attractive girl- we were a little disappointed about that-

Natalie Jane said...

No way April! I thought Maggie G. was fabulous in the dark night. I think she is totally sexy. WAY better that Katie.

And yes Kristi - you are the one E.R. person I know. I just didn't want to "out" you without your permission :)

Jodi Renshaw said...

I agree with so much of what you posted here. I too love Flo --- but seem to be the only one in my family who wants to hang out with her.

Love,
Jodi

Nama said...

Hi! I've been following your blog for a few months now, and I just loved this post! I must say I LOVE Neutrogene's Healthy Defense Moisturizer. I have really dry skin, and living in Utah for 5 years was unbearable on my skin. I fell in love with this product and used it as a base, and even though I've moved to a much more humid climate, I still wear it. :)

And I love "30 Rock". And those clips. I think I might have gotten a few looks at work as I laughed out loud at those clips.

Thanks for sharing!

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