I had every intention in my last blog post to start posting more frequently. That was back in October. Here we are on Dec. 31, 2019 and clearly that goal went out the window. I can’t even blame my two small humans for not achieving that goal.

I went from posting in October, to Halloween, to going to Boston for a week of work, coming home and throwing our son his first birthday party, Thanksgiving, Christmas festivities, Christmas and now…closing in on another calendar year. How did that happen?! Amazon and Target online were my best friends over the last few months. I rarely stepped foot in an actual store, unless it was a grocery store. Which is very unlike me. I love my Target runs that always end up in $100+ of things I never intended to purchase.

The end of 2019 is unlike most years because we are also ending a decade. Like any year, a lot has happened, but reflecting on an entire decade, there is a lot to unpack. I graduated college, met my husband, got another dog [we have two], got married, traveled, bought a house, had a kid, sold a house, bought a new house, turned 30, had another kid, traveled some more. In between all of that we had job changes, promotions, new vehicles, and a few fish [spoiler alert none of them survived more than a week].

Overall it was a decade of many blessing, however there were some sad moments too. Loved ones fought illnesses. We also lost loved ones. They always say “hindsight is 20/20” and that feels even more true after seeing loved ones health decline, or losing someone close.

My dad passed away three years ago and I reflect often on situations between the two of us. How did I handle a situation, could I have handled it better and less hurtful [usually – yes], did I answer his call, why didn’t I answer his call…the list goes on and on. Unfortunately, hindsight cannot change the past. I can only hope that it helps shape how I handle things in the future.

I have never been one for resolutions, but rather lifestyle changes. Ex: 7+ years ago I decided to start eating healthy and changed up my workout [I also got my thyroid under control] and lost 30+ lbs. I have mainly kept that weight off, if you do not count the fluctuation of weight due to having babies.

For 2020, as well as the new decade, I want to continue to find that work-life balance, continue healthy habits, teach my kids those healthy habits, and make traditions for my little family of four [even if it is unpopular with family members]. The kids are only little for so long and I want to cherish these moments. When they say the days are long but they years are short, they are 110% correct.

Both boys have brought a lot of joy over the last couple years. Our 3-year-old continues to develop quite the personality. He LOVES the Green Bay Packers and thinks he is Aaron Rodgers. Mama can only hope he becomes one of the most successful NFL quarterbacks. Recently the Packers lost a night game. Our 3-year-old woke up the next morning and asked if they had won. We told him no, they lost. He said “I thought they were good?!” I said, “well sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.” His response, “no and no.” Clearly we need to work on some things with our 3-year-old.

As for our one-year-old the most exciting news is he is sleeping through the night. That is a BIG RELIEF. Now if only the bags under my eyes would disappear… He is also walking everywhere and working on communicating. His favorite phrase? “Uh-oh” usually said when he has done or dropped something on purpose and “all-done.” That is usually accompanied with him pushing himself away from the table. Dramatic much?! We are blessed that our boys are healthy [minus a few colds here and there] and happy. Maybe one day we will catch-up on sleep…

Last night I told my 3-year-old that it is New Years Eve today, which means a new year is almost here. His response was “oh-yay!” I could tell he didn’t really understand, so I tried to explain a bit more. I told him that it is 2019 but it will be 2020 soon = a new year, thus New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day! We would celebrate and he doesn’t have to go to school. His response, “Yay! And Santa is coming again?!”

I was quick to say, “No, Santa is not coming again this week. He only comes once a year.” Little does he know, mama can only handle Santa coming once a year, with 300+ days in between each visit. My 3-year-old said, “You said eve and a new year, so Santa is coming.” It is funny how even at the young age of three, his hearing is selective. Note: Santa will NOT be coming to our house again tonight…unless of course my husband wants to surprise me with an awesome New Year’s gift!

Cheers to a new year and a new decade! Happy New Year’s Eve everyone!