Thursday, December 31, 2009

The best of 2009 Blog Challenge


ok - here is a photo taken the day he was born - still in the hospital and a photo taken this month. Max you are so dang cute I can't believe how grown up you are already!!!

Here is my very last minute "best of 2009 blog challenge" as presented by Gwen Bell over at Gwenbell.com

1. Best trip in 2009 - Trip to the Hospital to give birth to our baby Max Harrison Seiner! 02/04/09

2. Best Restaurant Moment - The veggie sandwich in Santa Barbara at a natural food store. It was like I had died and gone to heaven it was THAT good. I have no idea what that place was called.

3. Best Article I read - "welcome to Holland" an article written about what it's like to have a child with Down Syndrome.

4. Best book - The Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule. Got me started on a few projects at home that I would have never done otherwise. One is the birthday banner I'm making now for Max's first birthday that I hope we use year after year.

5. Best Night Out - February 3rd when we went to the hospital to give birth! ( we haven't been out since! LOL!

6. Best workshop or conference - Sacramento for the National Down syndrome conference
AND Mondo Beyondo for dreaming my wildest dreams.

7. Best blog find of the year - ALL the blogs I've found by other mom's who have babies with Down syndrome. http://finniansjourney.blogspot.com/
to name a few!

8. Best moment of Peace: when I am up before Max wakes up and I watch him sleep.

9. Biggest Challenge: having a baby! Dealing with the Regional Center and the cuts that the state made for services that my baby needs.

10. Album of the year: oh dear - just one??? I think we listen to Dan Zanes all the time so I'm going with him. Although it's kids music it rocks! For adult music - I'm going with Jill Scott and Pink Martini. Sorry I just cannot pick just ONE! Our newest find in music is Anouar Brahem.

11. The Best Place: Any swing set with Max!

12. Best New Food: The french toast and omelet at the Rose Cafe in Venice Beach. Oh my god.

13. The best change we made to the place we live: Putting the prayer flags I made up outside to fly in the wind!

14. Best Rush: Giving Birth! Seeing him for the first time. When he smiled at me for the first time.

15. best Packaging: Honestly?? I really love how I package up my art to mail out to customers who buy it on my Etsy site. I get such a thrill from packaging each piece of art or journal up! So glad I used to work at Paper Source - they taught me the fine art of wrapping and ribbon.

16. Tea of the Year: EASY! This one is HoneyCup tea from Jasmine Pearl Tea Merchants in Portland Oregon. Who happen to be friends of mine - but that's really besides the point. This tea is a daily habit.

17. Word or Phrase: "It's a Festivus Miracle!" and Max saying " Ba ba ba ba baaaaa "

18. Shop: Anthropologie still moves me. and ETSY!

19. Best car ride: Road trip to Santa Barbara!

20. New Person: My baby Max of COURSE!! Read all of my blog posts below for more details!

21. Project: Started my online Etsy shop, and loved the journals I made. Also started creating photography workshops for 2010. And started to make a birthday banner for Max.

22. Start up: I think I've been amazed at the Etsy shops I have found that have made a living selling their handmade goods online. Amazing.

23. Web tool: Tweet Deck! Thank you Tracey Clark!

24. Learning Experience: Mondo Beyondo. reminded me to dream and to let the energy flow!
Also the sign language class at Club 21 for Max.

25. Gift: Having a Baby!!!!!!!!!!! ( and being a stay at home mom and stay at home artist! )

26. Insight of "aha!" moment: That I CAN create the lifestyle I want. It IS possible. People WILL respond to my artwork. Miguel Ruiz was a GREAT teacher and I have not lost the things I learned from him. And that dreams don't die. The universe holds them even when I forget about them. I don't have to strive! Thank you SARK!

27. Social Web Moment: Discovered Twitter and TweetDeck.

28. Stationary: It's actually the Printmaking paper I use for my prints. It is like BUTTER! And I have no idea what it is!

29. Laugh: My husband and I have had a BUNCH of belly laughs this year over the most random ridiculous things.

30. Ad. the ad for the Mondo Beyondo Class got me thinking it was TIME TO GO FOR IT!

31. Resolution I wish I'd stuck with: I actually don't think I made any resolutions last year!











2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ohh, love these!
I'll have to come back when I'm not so tired to look at more links.
I want the tea!
We love your packaging too!!!
(Buy stuff from Catherine for the art as well as the artful packaging!)
Favorite from your list - the pics of MAX!
Oh, yeah, and I don't think I've seem pictures of the prayer flags?

Sharon said...

What an amazing year it has been for you and your family!! Thanks for including me on your list!!! I am so grateful to have met you last July and hope our paths will cross again! Going to check out your etsy store now!!!