Project 365 {the year in review}

When I look back through my project 365, I realize exactly how many memories I captured and it amazes me. Not every moment I captured was thrilling or noteworthy, but many of them were - at least in my opinion anyway. I thought it would be fun to do a year in review and do a recap of sorts. Here we go.

I returned to work and it was easier for us to have the kids watched in our house. That meant we had to say goodbye to a fantastic babysitter



and welcome another fantastic babysitter into our home.



Ava learned how to write her own name on day 23 and became potty trained by day 49.



It was a year with many firsts. Owen started walking on day 31.



Ethan started walking exactly 7 days later on day 38.



The boys celebrated their first birthday on day 46 and Ava celebrated her third on day 101.



The boys had their first haircuts on day 80.



Ava went to the dentist, bowling, on the subway and to Canada's Wonderland for the first time (days 260, 108, 80 and 178).



Ava learned to ride a big girl bike and did her first year of swimming lessons without us in the pool with her.



There were dance parties (days 50, 57 and 106).



There was lots of medicine, doctor visits and one emergency room visit (day 205).



We made 365 trips up the stairs in single file to the bathtub and another 365 trips in single file at bedtime.



I got out of the house to go on some photo walks which I really enjoyed (days 107 and 199).



I learned to do a very cool new trick with my camera, a tripod and a few packages of sparklers from the dollar store (day 238).



We tried to stay one step ahead of the kids at all times but there were times where they clearly outnumbered us (days 115 and 110).



Ava continued to have a passion for animals thanks to wonderful family members who invited us out to their farms to see the animals on several occasions (day 130). She also had a great time playing in our backyard on the new trampoline (day 177).



There were celebrations.



and there were tantrums.



I added quite a few holes to my belt as I dropped five sizes. I started the year at 140 lbs and a size 12 and ended the year at 117 lbs and a size two.




We went to the beach twice (day 228 and day 200) and took the boys swimming at John & Barb's on day 250.



I celebrated ten years with my company (day 251).



Ava won her first ribbons and I had a mid-life crisis realizing that my marching band uniform was a part of the historical society display at the Fall Fair on day 254.



We were faced with costly repairs with our SUV and ended up trading it in on a brand new car.



I went to another fantastic Keith Urban concert with my beautiful sister.



We went strawberry, apple and pumpkin picking (days 185, 290 and 284).




We watched the first snowfall on day 309.



Ava got a new bed on day 298 and the kids all went trick or treating on day 304.



Jason took down the trampoline for the winter on day 312.



Our house went through a ton of baking supplies and I tried a lot of new recipes. By far my favourite recipe was the cashew-caramel cookies I made on day 312.



On day 334 I went to see one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It was fantastic and far better than the first movie, Twilight.



We watched on tv as the first black president was inaugurated in the United States on day 20 and as Michael Jackson died on day 176.



The gas price on day 355 vs. the gas price 11 months ago on day 25.



In soap opera news, EJ sported a tragic hairdo and purple pimp suit through most of the year. Nicole passed off Mia's baby with her own and switched her with Sami's baby. Salem was invaded by a wave of Passions people. Some hot and some so boring I nodded off more times than I can count.

Vivian Alamain, Carly Manning and Justin Kiriakis returned to Salem. Tony DiMera died. I can't say what number this is because they have rewritten his storyline so many times. He'll be back at some point I'm sure, so I can only assume it was his evil twin Andre DiMera who was cremated. Oddly enough now that I think about it I don't think Stefano died and came back from the dead this year. Jailed briefly and in a life threatening coma, but he didn't die. That's a rarity.

Even more amazing is that they did away with the Salem community cell phone - the one lone cell phone that every single character on the show has used in every single scene for the past five years. ;)



Here is a collection of my favourite pictures taken over the course of 2009:



And the pictures that make me laugh:



And the pictures that make me smile when I see them:



A big thanks to everybody who reads my blog and and has commented on it. I received a lot of encouragement along the way and there were a lot of people featured in my pictures who weren't necessarily thrilled to be photographed but did it without complaint because they knew I needed to get my "photo of the day". I couldn't have done it without each and every one of you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Mwah!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Your Year recap BEAUTIFUL!! I made a list of things too and I totally forgot about our first black president that's so bad lol. I like how things started with the numbered day in the year. That was great in reading your story ;-) I hope to see you continue this year ;-) Congrats on the weight loss you did amazing!!
Anonymous said…
What a wonderful souvenir for your family!
I enjoyed reading the year in review and I commend you for your dedication to the project.
Thanks for the memories and great pics. Love Mom
Sheri said…
Jen, what a great review! It's so much fun looking back at all those wonderful and some not so wonderful moments.

I still have to do my year in review on my blog...still going through my photos to pick my favs...it's harder than I thought :)

I have truly enjoyed reading your blog, you were in inspiration to me throughout this project and for that I am truly grateful.

If you decide to do it again this year, good luck, I wish you all the best. I haven't totally decided yet, it's hard not to take a picture every day :)
Mari said…
What a great year end review! I've enjoyed following along with you.
Unknown said…
Happy New Year...a handsome retrospective
tconlan said…
I am so totally teary eyed reading your recap! So many amazing moments, so wonderfully captured both in journaling and photography! You inspire me!! Happy Happy New year to you!! (thank you for your thoughtful comments on my blog this past year too!)