So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in January.

January Monthly Review

1. I found out just what it takes to spur me to join a political party after listening to Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver on CBC Radio. I was so incensed with his comments and his characterization of environmental groups that I came home and purchased a three year membership in the Green Party. He lost me when he said that it’s okay for foreign oil companies to exert influence in Canada, but it’s not okay for foreign environmental groups to participate in the review process. I disagree. Go ahead, Mr. Oliver, call me a radical.

2. I learned that while I have a lot of tea, I can’t hold a candle to many hardcore collectors.

3. I placed – and received – my very first order from a seed catalogue, and I felt a huge gardening thrill. In addition to the old standbys, this year I’ll be trying to grow quinoa and amaranth.

4. I played hockey for the first time, and learned that stick-handling is not my forte, but I can hold my own on skates.

5. I did my first-ever multi-interviewee podcast, and had a blast. Everyone was fabulous, but I got a special thrill calling up Allison on the phone.

6. I learned that after two-and-a-bit weeks of Christmas break, a bored six-year-old will be begging to go back to school.

7. I found my mission in life … at least for right now. It’s to help other moms live happier, more fulfilled lives.

8. I had my first-ever facial courtesy of a free coupon, and it was heavenly. I highly recommend it.

9. I spent a whole bunch of money on a fully-packed yoga bag at a fundraiser the Lunapads ladies threw to raise money for Shanti Uganda, mostly because the mat was PVC-free and I was on a mission to rid my home of PVC this month. In retrospect, I could have gotten a PVC-free mat much more cheaply, but I wouldn’t have had the satisfaction of supporting a good cause, so there’s that.

10. I watched my three-year-old son Jacob blossom as a performer. I’ve been serenaded during dinner almost every evening for the past few weeks, which is lovely. But word to the wise: don’t interrupt him unless you enjoy extreme sadness.

What did you learn in January? Please share! And read some of these fabulous monthly review posts to see what other people learned in January, or add your own:

Without further ado, here are some things that I learned in December.

December Monthly Review

1. I moved my website to a new server – or, more accurately, I watched my husband move our websites to a new server – and I discovered that I spend a lot of time relying on technology I don’t really understand.

2. I learned that if you run fast enough, you actually can catch the Gingerbread Man. (I also learned that some children will dissolve into total hysterics at the sight of the Gingerbread Man – but thankfully not mine.)

3. I felt the post-Christmas letdown, as our family spent lots of time inside our house, with not much to do.

4. On the longest night of the year, I discovered that there is still light – and hope.

5. I learned that if you forget about the first garbage day after Christmas, your recycling pile will become very tall indeed.

6. I found joy, as my son oh-so-carefully placed ornaments on little hooks, and his big sister oh-so-carefully hung them on the tree.

7. I discovered that sometimes, when Christmas looms and your knitting isn’t finished, all you can do is present one finished sock and a promise. And the receiver will understand.

8. I learned that there is, indeed, a Santa Claus, when he came to our house.

9. I freaked out about the possibility of PVC and lead in my kids’ lunchboxes, and was saved by my awesome friend Sue, who actually emailed the person who makes Beatrix NY to confirm that their lunchboxes are BPA-free. Crisis: averted.

10. I tried paper crafts with my friend Joyelle, and I learned that scissors and glue aren’t just for little kids. Also? Using a paper cutter still gives me the same thrill it did when I was a kid and the teacher let me use the big one in class.

What did you learn in the last month – or throughout 2011? Please share! And read some of these fabulous review posts to see what other people learned, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in November.

November Monthly Review

1. I learned how to make an origami jellyfish, thanks to Joseph Wu. Here’s his jelly swarm going on display at the Vancouver Aquarium:

(My origami jellyfish was somewhat less impressive than his. Which, I suppose, is why he’s a professional origami artist and I am not.)

2. I purchased my first box of wine. I am still working on finishing it – and I’m also working on my relationship with wine.

3. I found out what my daughter Hannah’s game face looks like when I took her to get her ears pierced (at her request).

Don’t let the smile fool you, this kid is all business.

4. I introduced my children to the Muppets – and rediscovered them myself. They really hold up, I must say.

5. I also introduced my children to Wonder Woman, and watched my son create his own Wonder Man character. This tickled me.

Wonder Man, as drawn by Hannah

6. I learned, once again, how very, very dark the world is after Daylight Savings Time ends.

7. I saw video of my son Jacob skating. He’s been going out every week with his dad and he’s getting pretty good. His understated style is hiding his excitement – this kid talks about how much he enjoys skating all the time.

8. I interviewed Britt Reints for Crafting my Life, and through our conversation I learned that we are all more resourceful than we give ourselves credit for. I can trust myself to deal with situations when they arise – I don’t need to spend a whole lot of time worrying about them in advance. It was a total epiphany for me, so thank you for that, Britt.

9. I spent a lot of time trying to encourage people to vote in civic elections, through TriCityVotes.com and VancouverMom.ca, and in the process I discovered that I’m more passionate about local issues than I thought.

Image credit: Travis Nep Smith on Flickr.

10. I learned just how much peppermint bark one woman can consume. Answer? A lot.

What did you learn in November? Please share! And read some of these fabulous monthly review posts to see what other people learned in November, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in October.

October Monthly Review

1. I learned that few things taste sweeter than a ripe blackberry you happen upon in mid-October.

2. I discovered that adults love wandering around docks looking at float homes, and children hate wandering around docks and looking at float homes.

3. I found joy in watching my six-year-old as she learns to read.

4. I learned that any whining caused by your family’s visit to Fisherman’s Wharf to see float homes and soak up nautical ambiance disappears instantly when your children get up close and personal with a harbour seal.

5. I found out that I am going to be an aunt again! My sister is expecting her second baby in the spring.

6. I discovered that if you visit Value Village five days before Halloween they will be all out of cat ears and bumblebee wings. This is how I ended up dressing as a bumblebee-butterfly hybrid when I went trick-or-treating at the seniors’ home with my daughter’s class. Luckily, I can rock a bumble-fly costume.

7. I found out that when life gets hairy, a last-minute weekend getaway is just the thing.

8. I re-discovered the joy of trick-or-treating, as seen through the eyes of a three-year-old and a six-year-old.

9. I worked hard on setting boundaries, and sometimes I even succeeded.

10. I made gluten-free donuts (technically churros, but same thing), and they were awesome, and I was terribly proud of myself. And I learned that if you make home-made donuts, they will not be around long enough for you to get a photo.

What did you learn in October? Please share! And read some of these fabulous monthly review posts to see what other people learned in October, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in September.

September Monthly Review

1. I learned that while it is, indeed, quite luxurious to have 18 hours each week to myself, that time goes by extremely fast.

2. I met Mamma Yamma at the Kids CBC Tweetup I attended, and I was starstruck.

3. I experienced yet another head lice scare. So far no one at my house has ever actually had head lice, but we seem to get frequent warnings about checking ourselves, all of which make my scalp itch.

4. The fabulous Catherine (a.k.a. EarnestGirl) taught me the origin of the word “gossip”, and I decided that if I ever start a commune that it will be with the aforementioned Catherine and the equally-fabulous Kim Plumley. We will call ourselves The Gossips, of course.

5. I tried going gluten-free, in solidarity with my husband. I had unexpected results, which I will tell you more about soon.

Good news – ice cream has always been gluten-free!

6. I re-discovered just now not-fun it is to wrangle a younger sibling at an older sibling’s lessons, when I had to bring Jacob to Hannah’s first gymnastics class with me.

7. I had my first Twitter fight, and it taught me, once again, that you just never know how people will react to your words.

Jacob’s face, covered in blackberry juice. And yes, he’s riding in a stroller.

8. I accepted my limitations by marking all as read in Google reader, reducing my blog posting schedule, and dropping some other commitments that I couldn’t quite follow through on. Can you feel that? I created space!

9. I harvested many tomatoes, and learned once again that nothing tastes sweeter than food you grew yourself.

10. I watched my firstborn start grade one, and felt my heart swell with pride. She rocks, that kid.

What did you learn in September? Please share! And read some of these fabulous monthly review posts to see what other people learned in September, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some of my lessons from this summer.

Summer in Review

1. I learned the joy of a six-year-old on receiving her first summer reading club medal.

2. I re-discovered the joy of having my very own blueberry bush, loaded with berries.

3. I was informed that boots are always the perfect footwear choice for the park, regardless of the weather.

4. I learned that I can go away for three nights and my kids will survive, but they will never forgive me for having my photo taken with Cookie Monster and Elmo without them.

5. I found my running legs – and they were only a little sore.

6. I found my dancing legs, too. They were in San Diego. It’s always the last place you look.

7. I participated in my first CSA program delivering weekly veggies, and I was amazed at the bounty.

8. I learned that yarn-bombing is alive and well in Bellingham, Washington.

9. I discovered that if your kid sees you applying mascara, he will try to mimic you, and at the moment you least want him covered in mascara.

10. I learned that no matter how many flavours of homemade ice cream your mother has in her freezer, nothing beats an ice cream cone from the stand at the park.

What did you learn in August, or over your summer vacation? Please share! And read some of these fabulous monthly review posts to see what other people learned, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in July.

July Monthly Review

1. I learned that when you’re almost three years old, nothing is more awesome thank having your very own umbrella, just like your big sister.

2. I found out that I can, in fact, run. And I also found out that a little encouragement while running goes a long way.

3. I discovered just how much procrastination costs when I had to pay through the nose for express shipping in order to have business cards in time for Blog Her this week.

4. I learned that buying a CSA share will dramatically increase your consumption of veggies. And I think this is a good thing.

5. I happened upon yarn-bombing in downtown Bellingham, WA. (It was right in front of this yarn shop.)

6. I attended what was quite possibly the swankest first birthday party ever, in honour of my nephew. I am still raving about the mojito dispenser.

7. I learned that instructions are not always as clear as one would hope, when I read a label on a coin-operated children’s ride.

8. I learned that my car is no longer cool anymore when I was buying insurance and the guy asked me how old it was in an effort to get me to buy extra theft coverage. When I told him it was 11 years old, he replied, “Well, someone may still want to steal it,” with a slightly skeptical tone.

9. I’m pretty sure I already knew this, but I once again confirmed that nothing says “summer” like an evening at the spray park capped off with ice cream cones.

10. I learned that starting the second child in daycare is every bit as hard as starting the first child in daycare was. I also learned that the second child settles in every bit as well, to the point where he cries both when you drop him off and when you pick him up. “Mama, I miss schooooooool!”

What did you learn in July? Please share! And read some of these fabulous monthly review posts to see what other people learned in July, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in June.

Things I learned in June

1. I discovered that while my son Jacob still doesn’t really enjoy having his haircut, he’ll now consent to wearing the cape, which is a big victory for that part of me that does not enjoy being covered in tiny hairs.

2. I learned that it’s really hard to have a peaceful walk through a labyrinth when you have a two-year-old and a six-year-old with you. But it’s awesome in a whole other way.

A sign in the labyrinth at the Midsummer Fete

3. I had my first slushie in living memory, and I found that brain freeze is just as unpleasant as I remember. But the frozen cream soda-y goodness was worth it.

4. I discovered that when your husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law have taken over your living room to watch game seven of the Stanley Cup final, the best thing you can do is take your kids to a green space for refuge.

Seeking refuge from the Stanley Cup final

5. I could no longer remember what day of the week it was within 24 hours of school ending. It was both startling and kind of awesome, all at the same time.

6. For about the eight millionth time, I discovered that when boiling water for pasta, it really helps to turn the burner on.

7. I learned that there is nothing better in the eyes of my train-loving boy than going to Day out with Thomas with his grandparents. And for my part, I really enjoyed watching my kids drive off, knowing that they were thrilled and I was going to get a little peace and quiet.

Jacob arrives home, covered in Thomas paraphernalia

8. I signed up to run 5K in the Run for the Cure as part of team Bloggers for Boobies. And then I remembered that the last time I did any kind of “run” was in 1992, when I was barely 16 years old, and I felt Great Terror. Please tell me I can do it!

9. I discovered that while I think an actual baby beluga is pretty much the cutest thing ever, my kids go wild for the plush version.

BeeBop the Beluga at the Vancouver Aquarium

10. I sampled the first of my garden produce for 2011. And I learned, once again, how sweet it is to eat food you grew yourself – especially when it’s a strawberry.

What did you learn in June? Please share! And read some of these fabulous posts to see what other people learned in June, or add your own:

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in May.

Things I learned in May

1. I learned that sometimes, all the toys in a dentist’s treasure chest are not enough to entice a 2-year-old to open his mouth.

2. I discovered that when one has children, one may discover random pickles on one’s carpeting.

I call this “Pickle on Carpet”. Or “Why yes, I do have kids, why do you ask?”

3. I helped my 6-year-old sign up for her first library card, and I love how proud she is of it. Books rock!

4. I learned just how dependent I am on childcare when Wonder Nanny had a family emergency, which required her to fly home (permanently) early on the morning that Jon and I were scheduled to speak at Northern Voice, the local blog conference.

Jon at Northern Voice the day before the childcare crisis

5. I learned that I have the most awesome in-laws ever, when they came riding in to rescue us from our childcare disaster.

6. I learned that the Universe wants me to take up karate again, when I won a free monthly pass to a karate studio at Vancouver Mom‘s “30 Ultimate Mom Bloggers” event. Unfortunately, though, the Universe didn’t pick a location that’s even remotely convenient to my home, so I may need to pass the prize along.

The fabulous ladies at the Vancouver Mom event

7. I am re-learning the superiority of fresh, local produce, with the summer farmers’ market opening. The growing season is getting off to a slow start, but every week there’s more, and I’m holding my breath for the first local strawberries.

8. I discovered the joy of the couple’s massage when my husband and I were treated to a night at a hotel and spa for our 10th wedding anniversary. It’s pretty much the same as a regular massage, but you get to share that lovely relaxed feeling afterwards, and since we didn’t have kids with us, there was nothing to interfere with the zen.

Sign in Harrison Hot Springs, the village where we spent our first kid-free night in a hotel since 2005

9. I said good-bye to my dark blue walls, and I am so happy that I did. Light is good, is all I can say.

10. I created my first writing portfolio, so I got to learn all about creating writing portfolios. This made me feel very serious and writer-ly, indeed. It also led me to learn that if you want to create a PDF with clickable links, Open Office is the way to go.

What did you learn in May? Please share! And read some of these fabulous posts to see what other people learned in May, or add your own:

Monthly reviews are my favourite tradition. Here’s how it works – every month I come up with some things I learned, and not always the easy way. Then, I ask you all to join in with some recent revelations of your own. And we all learn and grow and what-not. Or at least share a laugh at our own expense, because some of these lessons are both hard-fought and funny. Sound good?

So, without further ado, here are some things that I learned in April.

Things I learned in April

1. I found out that my cat has tartar, and I feel slightly guilty about that. But I’m too afraid of her to actually attempt to brush her teeth.

2. I learned that Hannah has been paying attention, when she correctly identified the statue at Vancouver International Airport as appearing on the $20 bill. Her father and I, on the other hand, had to pull out our wallets to be sure.

3. I discovered that if you attempt to pull surgical glue out of your hair, the hair will come with it.

4. I learned that a 6-year-old takes her flower girl duties much more seriously than a 3-year-old does.

6-year-old flower girl smiling demurely

3-year-old flower girl behaving like a 3-year-old

5. I found out that I’m so used to leaving the bathroom door open for my kids that I will completely forget to close it when I have guests.

6. I discovered that my children have no qualms whatsoever about dancing around in their underwear for our local MP when he comes campaigning, no matter how many times I tell them to stop.

7. I learned the sweetness of seeing the girl you met at 10 years old walking down the aisle on your father-in-law’s arm.

8. I heard my 2-year-old tell his first knock knock joke. It was totally unintelligible, but it was hilarious all the same.

9. I ate my first dark chocolate peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s, and wondered how I’d lived this long without them in my life. I also lamented the fact that Trader Joe’s is not in Canada all over again.

10. I learned the freedom of saying “no” to something that doesn’t work for me.

What did you learn in April? Please share! And read some of these fabulous posts to see what other people learned in April, or add your own: