Our Favourite Things from the Past Year

  Every year I write a column around New Years about clean slates, fresh starts and how much I like them. This year I decided to do something different. I asked each member of our family about something they liked in 2014. I want to share with you what they told me.
  I'll start with C. C said that his favourite thing about 2014 was the trips that we took. He especially liked the trips we took to Milwaukee and Chicago in April and the getaway weekend we spent in Chicago in July.
  What he liked most was the visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden. We went there twice. Once in April when nothing was growing or blooming. C managed to get lots of neat pictures especially of their extensive Japanese garden. This garden is spread over three island in a large lake located in the middle of the garden. You can walk on two of the islands. The third is just for viewing at a distance. Even with the sparse April  growth, you could feel the potential of the garden and imagine what it would be like at full bloom.
  In July we got to see it in full bloom. There were flowers, waterfalls and a really cool train garden. There was a display of vegetable gardens and a display of bees. It was fun to see the bees in a clear glass hive and watch them interact. There were educational displays nearby to explain why bees are so important. It was a lot of fun.
  Scamp's favourite thing was being allowed to have a Facebook page. I will admit, I wasn't happy with the fact that he set this up on his own. He knows very well that he needs permission before doing such things. He enjoys posting things and hopes to get better about posting more in the new year.
  Colby is most proud of the fact that he has not chewed any yarn for several months. When Scamp set up the Facebook page he told me that if I allowed him to keep it, that Colby would agree to stop chewing yarn. Colby originally was unhappy with Scamp for making this promise without consulting him. He did decide to honor it anyway and has not chewed any yarn. This is a relief for me. It is much easier to knit knowing that he won't do this anymore. Colby has been rewarded by being allowed to sit on my lap as I knit, something that he loves to do.
   My favourite thing about 2014 was celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary and my 45th birthday. I was able to take both days off work.
  When C and I got married there were some who doubted that we could stay together. I had none. I walked down that aisle with no doubt at all. I was perfectly confident that we were doing the right thing and that we would have a happy life together. Ten years later has proven me right. There were stressful times. We lived though three job changes between the two of us and three moves. We managed just fine and our relationship is better today than it was ten years ago.
  I had decided long ago that I wasn't going to be ashamed of being older. Every year, every day is a gift and should be treated as such. I love being in my 40s. I'm also pleased with the fact that I can look back on 45 years of life with very few regrets. To me the saddest thing is to look back and wish that you'd done everything differently. There may be a few things that I would change, but if I changed them, would I still be me? Would I have been able to do what I've done without some of those experiences I wish I hadn't had? I don't know. It doesn't matter. I've managed to overcome, to learn and to grow from those experiences. That's the point of life, isn't it?
  I'm ready for 2015. I'm not sure what it will bring. I hope more time to practice instruments, knit, crochet and maybe a new energy efficient window for our living room.
  C has determined that 2015 will be the year that he takes care of himself, loses some weight and gets in shape. Scamp and Colby hope that 2015 will be another year of good toys, yummy treats and spending quality time with their humans.
  We hope that 2015 will be a good year for all of you as well.

Happy New Year!

from

C, Sophie, Scamp and Colby