2019: Year in Review.

We all know this is my very favorite post to share. I love looking back at our full year and reflecting upon our travels and activities and our highs and lows. I love seeing the start of the year and moving through it by looking at pictures and thinking I didn’t even know life was bringing me in this direction. Even more I love to see how we’ve all changed, and grown since January 1, 2019! This year is particularly special, too, because it’s possible to look back at entire decade (!) — seems a bit crazy. Here are a few years just for kicks:

2015 // 2016 // 2017 // 2018

Sean and I were talking about how this past decade the most “stuff” happened for us. For me, I graduated college, got a full-time job — that I still have, got engaged, planned a wedding, got married, moved 5 times, adopted a cat, bought my first car, adopted another cat, bought a house, adopted another cat, got pregnant three times, gave birth to three babies, drove cross country three times, went to 23 US states and Puerto Rico and Ireland and Mexico and Canada. Among other things… 🙂

Anyway, here goes 2019:

January:

We started the year off with family on NYE. We celebrated Lola’s 1st birthday in January — she was so sick and so was everyone else so many people weren’t able to come. Javi started ice skating lessons and LOVED it. Lola went sledding for the first time and was only half into it. Sean interviewed for a new job! We started looking at new cars.

February:

In February, we watched the Pats win the Superbowl! And then within minutes of the game ending, Javi got a stomach bug! It was terrible. I went to New York with my friend to watch a performance with Paul Rudd and Hilarie Burton. Lola started having allergic reactions to so many things that we couldn’t pinpoint what was causing it! And she was always broken out in rashes. Javi got a haircut. Sean and I went out for Valentine’s Day. I got to visit Javi in his classroom for a lunch date. Sean’s mom got really sick and he spent a good amount of time in the hospital. Sean quit the job he got in January. We started looking at new houses to buy. Sean’s mom’s cat came to stay with us for a bit.

March:

In March we had a good amount of snow and some snow days! Lola got back her first school photo! We had a two week break from school. Lola made her way back to the doctors! I went away for 3 nights for Scrapbook weekend. We celebrated Sean’s birthday. We went to the Butterfly place and Javi and I were petrified. We met the Easter bunny and Lola was NOT into it. Sean started a new job.

April:

In April, I joined Javi for his classroom Spring Tea. Javi got his haircut. We found out we were expecting a third baby! We went to the town Easter egg hunt. We went to the start line of the Boston Marathon. We dyed eggs and celebrated Easter and the bunny came! Sean’s parent came to visit. Lola got sick again!

May:

In May, Javi ran in a Fun Run. I took the kids to their first carnival. I went to the doctor for the first time to see baby #3. Sean took the kids on some outdoor adventures while I was feeling really sick in my first trimester. Lola had a pizza party at her school. I became the Secretary of my town’s Democratic Committee. Lola got sick AGAIN and saw the doctor. We looked at even more houses, and put an offer on one (it didn’t work out!).

June:

In June, we took Javi bowling for the first time. We went to a graduation party. I finished my 10th year of teaching. Javi and my parents went to the pride parade. We took Javi to his first movie to see Secret Life of Pets 2. We started our cross country trip to Florida. We took the kids to Disneyworld. We spent a lot of time at the playground and in the kiddie pool. Lola went to the doctor for her 18 month check-up and it was determined she was a bit “delayed”.

July:

In July, we celebrated the 4th! For the first time, let the kids stay up way past their bedtime in order to go to fireworks. I brought them to a lake in Rhode Island for a few days. We celebrated eight years of marriage. Javi went to a Montessori camp for a week. Early Intervention assessed Lola and decided she did qualify for services. We announced to social media that we were pregnant. We went to Maine. And we spent two weeks in the Cape. I was diagnosed with Cholestasis of Pregnancy.

August:

In August, we took Javi mini golfing for the first time. We spent so much time at the beach. We got our house ready to sell and put an offer on a new house. Sean went to California. We backed out of our offer when the current sellers sent us a horrible letter complaining about us (story for another day, ha!). We hired house cleaners and decided we love our house when it’s clean so we didn’t end up listing it. Javi started karate. Sean took the kids to Maine and I had a week to myself. I started my 11th year of teaching.

September:

In September, Javi started his second year in a Children’s House classroom and Lola started in the Toddler room. We got a king-sized bed and gave our queen to Javi! He started soccer. I turned 33. I went to the Massachusetts Democratic Convention. Javi said goodbye to “3” and hello to “4”. My belly kept growing and I kept being diagnosed with annoying pregnancy stuff. Javi’s bounce house party was a success. I got a new car! Javi started basketball and stopped doing Karate. Lola got sick again.

October:

In October, we started decorating for Fall. I changed doctors and had to start driving into Boston for all my appointments. I was diagnosed with PUPPPs. Sean went to Maine. Sean’s brothers came for a visit. I went to Javi’s classroom to celebrate his birthday. We started commuting together to work and Wednesday dinner dates became a thing. Javi got strep throat. Lola finally WASN’T sick. Sean took the kids to the country fair. We brought the kids to the zoo. We tried going to Salem and it was an epic fail. I made an apple pie. The kids dressed up for Halloween and ran in a Fun Run. We all went trick or treating.

November:

In November, Lola started toilet training. I stopped working and went out on maternity leave. We started getting ready for baby #3. We had two Thanksgivings. I spent a lot of time at home alone for the first time in a long time and a lot of time at various doctors and hospitals. We tried to do as many things as possible as a family of 4. Eva June was born! We picked out our Christmas tree.

December:

In December, we visited Santa. Sean’s parent’s came to see us. I spent a lot of time on the couch. Sledding was made possible by a few early storms. We kept the kids home a lot because of the snow. We did all things Christmas. Javi got his haircut. Lola got sick again! We went to the kid’s classroom celebrations and Javi didn’t sing or smile the whole time! We had a little medical scare with Javi but all turned out well. Christmas day was magical. Lola turned two and had a Frozen party! We rang in the new year with family!

What a year! 2019 was really all about ABUNDANCE. We added so much to our lives and our family and I couldn’t be happier about it. In 2020, I’m going to focus on SIMPLIFYING life 🙂 I will choose to be intentional with my time, and our family priorities.

Happy New Year!