A few favorites from 2008

BEST TRAVEL EXPERIENCE:

Dominic: weekend in Boston, January.

Well, it was no kids, which is energizing, plus we went and stayed in the Kendal Hotel, which is fabby and we stayed there in 2006. Winter sunlight, long walks and fabulous Italian cuisine!

Kathryn:  weekend in New York City, October.

Well, it had kids and grandparents.  Not that I didn't have fun with Dom in Boston.  I most certainly did!  But there's just something about NYC that nowhere else can beat.  It had been SO LONG since I'd seen a show and been to Central Park...and this time I got to share all that wonderfulness with Emily and Andrew as well as with Dom and his folks.  The weather was perfect too...and around every turn in Central Park was another scene straight out of some movie we'd seen.  I don't remember that happening before.  It was a total blast!  Oh and we went back to the restaurant that Dom and I had so much fun at back 6 years ago when we went alone - Pastis

Emily: New York City easily! (October). It was so big, so new and so fun. I enjoyed naming a building "The Vampire State Building. The coolest experience was seeing "The Little Mermaid" on Broadway and also seeing the Statue of Liberty from the plane.

FAVORITE

Andrew: Going on the train to Washington DC in August. I thought the toilets were particularly well-maintained....

FAVORITE MOVIES IN 2008:

Dominic: Not a mind-blowing year. "Kung Fu Panda" was excellent. "Iron Man" was memorable. Can't think of others. If they were stellar, I would have remembered them, right?

Kathryn:  "Iron Man" was amazing.  You know you're on to a great thing when your sister who doesn't like action movies recommends it!  Of course "Nim's Island" was cool too...and so was "Kit Kittredge:  An American Girl"

Emily: It was "Prince Capsian", the second of the Narnia stories. 

Andrew: The latest Wallace and Gromit - "A Matter of Loaf and Death" - violence and romance in a bakery - what more could a 4 year old want?

FAVORITE TV PROGRAMS IN 2008:

Dominic: Probably "Doctor Who" - season 4. Honorable mention for series 5 of "The Office" and "the Amazing Race 13".

Kathryn: Oh yes, "Dr. Who" and "The Office", but then there was this amazing -and old- 4 part miniseries from 2005 called "North and South"  NOT the one with Patrick Swayze, but the one with Richard Armitage.  WOW!  I'm now reading the book by Elizabeth Gaskill...

Emily: My favorite new show was "H20 - Just add water", where my heroines change into mermaids and generally have a cool time splashing around in Australia...

Andrew: Probably a tie between "Sid the Science Kid" and Curious George". Honorable mentions for "SuperWhy" and "Lazytown"...

FAVORITE BOOKS READ IN 2008:

Dominic:

A lot to choose from this year. Really loved the free-flowing fun of Jules Verne's "20 Leagues under the Sea". For imaginative fiction, two stand out: "Neverwhere" by Neil Gaiman (in January) and "Johnathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Spring-Summer). Reading all 21 Tintin books in order (November to December) was great fun!

Kathryn: "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortensen

Emily: "Magic Tree House: Civil War on Sunday". Emily liked this, because the characters got to meet their great, great, great grandfather John when he was 12. She also liked, "Magic Tree House: Tonight in the Titanic"...

Andrew: his 4 kung-Fu Panda books  (go Tigress!)....

WISH LIST FOR 2009:

Dominic: To have a full-time job and ministry fit in Europe! To visit a country I've never been to. A cruise would be great. Get fitter and leaner. Play the piano a little better. Sing better. Cook more than my favorite 5 dishes. Be salt and light and an encourager to all I rub shoulders with. Beat Emily at cards more than once in a blue moon...

Kathryn:  Come to an end of this trying to get to Europe thing and just be there (after two years of talking about it, you can hardly call us impatient)!  This all depends on Dom having a full-time job (read - happy hubby) there.  Lose those last 10 pounds of preggie weight from Andrew.   

Emily: Would like to New York again, a trip to Scotland to see Papa and Grandma Jan and visit Caden in Washington State. (Dad's note - that's a lot of air miles right there)..

Andrew: That I would be a model kid for my parents.... (honest...)

THINGS I'M MOST THANKFUL FOR IN MY LIFE:

Dominic: Having Jesus as my rock, advocate and ally in 2009. Having a family who are unique and never cease to surprise me! (in good ways). Good friends in nooks and crannies all over the world. The hope of the gospel. Plenty of good reasons to jump out of bed in the morning! 

Kathryn:  My husband and my kids.  That Jesus is in charge of my life since this past year I've continually been reminded that I'm not.  

Emily: My school, my teacher and my friends, my family, my house, all my webkins, DS games, favorite food and drinks and being healthy......

Andrew: For having great parents, a cool, protective sister, pre-school friends (lots of girls!) and plenty of Star Wars toys and weapons....

THINGS I'VE LEARNED THIS PAST YEAR/HOW I'VE GROWN: 

Dom: Well, I've become this amazingly well-rounded human being....

Seriously, I hope it's true that I've learned a little more trust in God than I had before and trusting in His goodness in the midst of uncertainty. I've struggled with contentment and probably that will be a feature of 2009 as well. I've learned to slow down a little and enjoy my kids a lot more. They are startling and awesome and constantly surprising me. I've learned that I'm a hungry man who needs Jesus only to satisfy me. I'm nothing like I thought I'd be at 42. I still feel I've hardly scratched the surface of who I am, who God is, what I'm capable of and what I know. That enough of that for now!

Kathryn:  I'm far less in control of my life than I ever thought I was.  That I'll never be able to do half the dreams I've dreamed if I don't even try - and might not even if I have.  

Emily: Still processing.....

Andrew: Well, I'm almost potty trained....