10 Best of 2010

First of all - best smile of 2010. Hands down. This is what she does when someone tells her to smile. I love Toddler. Toddler who is quickly becoming Not-so-Toddler. In fact, she seems to be skipping right to Junior Higher.

I know. 2010 still has 16 days left. But since ten years ago MacGyver and I had the brilliant idea of getting married on December 30, we will be attempting to celebrate our tenth anniversary squeezed between Christmas both here and up north, and New Years.

It's going to be a really busy couple of weeks. So don't expect any blog posts.

Last year my sis did a "Best of" post and I enjoyed it. I wished I had thought about it first. I was jealous until I learned that she had simply stolen the idea from someone else.

So as I listen to the joyful sound of my baby screaming at me for no particular reason and trying in vain to make his hands and knees work so he can crawl over here and drool all over me, I shall share my personal favorites that were discovered in 2010. Many of them came straight from you, my awesome readers, and for that I give you many thanks.

Around the House:
1. Homemade Laundry Detergent. I can't begin to describe how much money this has saved us. Works just as well as store bought, at a fraction of the cost. Easy to make. No brainer.

2. Cloth Diapers. Also a money saver to say the least. A little more work than laundry detergent, but worth it in my opinion. You get used to them, and any time you need a break, you just buy a small pack of Luvs.

3. New Balance Shoes. You get to the age when the cheap tennis shoes just don't do the job anymore. I have been very happy with these shoes. They are an "inexpensive for high-end" choice. And worth it.

4. Essential Oils. They can be pricey, but they are SO MUCH FUN.

For your viewing/reading pleasure:

5. Her Mother's Hope/Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers. Wow.

6. "Tangled" Best Disney film since Beauty and the Beast.

7. Fringe I admit, the first two seasons are both necessary to watch and at times a little hard to get into. (Available on DVD or Netflix.)But the end of the second season into the third has been worth it. Disclaimer - not for the squeamish or very conservative. Particularly for those who love subtle but deep character development and plots that require thought. Namely... ME.

8. Master Your Metabolism by Gillian Michaels. I don't think I'll see the full benefit of this book until after I stop nursing, but cutting out processed food has significantly reduced the number of headaches and migraines I get.

Lessons learned or being learned:

9. It's Still a Broken World. I started this blog with the somewhat idealistic thought that I could find that secret path that ultimately leads to a happy, peaceful life. After 6+ months, it's easy to see that although making some of these changes has made my life better, this is still a broken world that needs more than we could ever come up with to fix it. No matter how hard I try to make my path easy, there is always something else that blocks the way.

10. Homeschooling + 4 children + trying to become a better writer + everything else = No time. I have had to accept that I will not have the time to sit and stare into space or daydream for quite a few years yet. But I have decided that I cannot use this busy time of life as an excuse to not do the best I can in every area.

Okay, your turn! Leave your 10 Best of 2010 as a comment or provide a link to your blogged answers!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!