Happy Birthday Pencil Skirts and Noodle Necklaces!

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One year and 142 posts later, my baby is turning one today.  Honestly, I can't even believe that I have had this little home in cyber space for a whole year.  Guess it is true what they say, time flies when you are having fun.  In the last year I have ranted, raved, shared, and poured my thoughts on to the keys of this computer cuddled on the couch in the evenings after my two tinies have retired for the night.  I love that I can look back and see our year in focus on the little things that make our lives our own.  Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.

I had no idea how to celebrate a blog birthday...or blogiversary...whatever you want to call it.  In fact, I honestly thought it was tomorrow, until I started looking back at old posts tonight.  I was going to eat a cupcake to celebrate, but since I don't have one here tonight...it will have to wait until tomorrow.  Better late than never when it comes to cupcakes.  I went to IKEA today, so now that I know it is my blog's birthday today, I'll say that was a blog birthday adventure!  Sound good?  In the meantime, I'll look back at a few of my favorite posts from the past year.

Of course I have to start at the beginning.  I'm not sure if I would call it a favorite post of mine...but it was the beginning.  Therefore, the birth of this blog.  I remember typing it and posting it out to my site, knowing no one would ever read it...at least until I was comfortable enough to tell people it was out there.  And...then...it was as if I was pushed onto a virtual stage as my husband slyly posted it to his Facebook account.

"For some time now,I have been telling my wife, Nicole, that she should blog about her daily life. Somehow, she manages to balance being a stay at home mom, a corporate management position, and still has dinner on the table when I get home from work. I know this to be true for many of you, so I invite you read along with her adventures and share your own with her! Happy New Year :)"

I was mortified.  And...then...shocked that people were reading what I wrote.  It was such a surreal feeling.  People were actually taking the time to read my words.  And that was that.  The beginning of Pencil Skirts and Noodle Necklaces.

A few of my favorite posts...

I have made a habit out of posting about work...like these.
10 Mommy Skills That Can Be Applied At Work
How Not To Get Promoted
Balance: Working Inside and Outside of the Home

A few posts about Myles Jacob...
Mother - Son Dance
My Time...For Myles
Lessons In Friendship at Five
Insight into the Mind of a Five-Year Old

A few about Jillian Kate...
Coffee Date
Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists: Jillian Kate Edition
What to Wear Wednesday (even though it was only once - who am I to give fashion advice!?!?)
Perspectives on Life...From a Two Year Old

Marriage...
Ten Years
Vow Renewal
Marriage Maintenance

Family Events...
My Favorite Kind of Weekend
A Wedding In Photos

And of course...My Tuesday's Love and I'm Better Off Without Lists.
The First One.
There are so many of these - 39!!! (Here's the whole collection)

...and so many more in between.

Not sure which post was my favorite of the year, but I love that the collection of all 142 tell the story of many of our highlights in the last year.  I am excited to see what 2013 will bring!

Thanks you for sharing the last year with me.  I have made new friends and I hope that you find yourself at home here in this little corner of the Internet.

Happy Birthday Pencil Skirts and Noodle Necklaces!