2021: Year in Review.

Well, we made it! I say that in all seriousness because for a little bit there (February and March, I’m looking at you!) it was touch and go. Overall, 2021 was good to us. There weren’t any big life changes in 2021. No new house or new baby or new car — just new strains of the pandemic. Sean got a raise (!) and a promotion (!) and we got some new health insurance, too 🙂 We’re very much creatures of habit and routine these days. We didn’t set our sights high for 2021. We didn’t travel far and wide. We didn’t attempt any new projects or hobbies. We just sort of floated along. We stayed in our lane and hoped that the year would come and go quietly. And I guess that’s what happened for us.

Here are some other years: 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016

Even though nothing big happened, life is made up of a lot of little things strung together. So here’s a recap of the little things that made up our lives for the past 12 months.

January:

In January, I went crazy at The Container Store and went on an organizing kick of “behind the scenes” spaces like under the kitchen sink and our craft area. Lola’s IEP got approved and she started services at public school. We got a little bit of snow. I deadlifted 63 pounds. I made a lot of DIY materials for the kids to learn from. Sean and I binged watched The 100 on Netflix. Lola got her heart checked and we learned that she has “a musical heart”.

February:

In February, we crafted… a lot. I set up a new art area for the kids. I sorted our book area by color. Eva started walking! We got more snow and tried sledding again. Sean and I celebrated Valentine’s Day with dinner at home! Eva qualified for Speech Therapy. I set up more learning materials.

March:

In March… we made banana bread even though no one eats banana bread! Javi wanted to learn about dinosaurs so we had a “dino day”! I set up a dressing station for Eva. We went on nature walks when the weather started to warm up. Sean had a birthday and we both got vaccinated. We went for a drive to NYC just to get out of the house. I set up a self-serve snack station for the kids. Lola started dance and Javi started gymnastics. I set up more learning shelves.

April:

In April, we celebrated Easter. We raised caterpillars into butterflies. Javi started baseball. We built a raised garden bed. We spent a weekend in Maine. I cleaned our basement. We made slime for the first (and last) time. We spent a day at the zoo. Lola got an infection in her leg and ended up in the ER. She also started private speech therapy.

May:

In May, we spent a lot of time on baseball fields. Javi started really reading. Lola’s hair could finally go up in a ponytail (almost.) We celebrated Mother’s Day and expanded our garden. We went away for a weekend and there was a bat in the house! Sean and Eva had to get rabies shots.

June:

In June, there was more gardening and trips to the baseball field. Our library finally opened and we started borrowing books each week. Javi had a celebration with his baseball team. I finally learned how to do push-ups. We finished our first year of homeschooling. We took the kids out to eat for the first time. We celebrated Father’s Day. Javi started at Sports camp and Lola had her first recital!

July:

Lola got her first haircut! We celebrated 4th of July. Javi went to Zoo camp. We spent a weekend in Maine. We went on more nature walks with friends. We spent a week at the Cape. We celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary. We took Javi to his first Redsox game. Sean and I started playing tennis.

August:

We went to Storyland and spent an afternoon at an arcade. We went swimming in Maine. I got a large table for us so that we could do art projects someplace other than our dining room table. I took the kids to Mt. Wachusett. Sean went camping with his brothers and as soon as he left we had to shelter in place because of tornadoes. We met some friends for dinner (for the first time since before the pandemic.) I took Javi back to school shopping and wrote a Back to School Guide. Lola moved into a twin bed! I recapped Year One of Homeschooling.

September:

In September, Javi started kindergarten! He had a delay on the first day because of rain storms and power outages. I had a birthday. We went for lots of nature walks and started a new non-Montessori homeschool curriculum. I spent a night away! Ballet, tap, gymnastics and soccer started. We had lots of family days (the zoo, apple picking, pumpkin patch) and Javi turned 6! He also spent a week as “top dog” at school where he got to share all about himself! I joined the PTO at Javi’s school, started volunteering in the school library once a week and also started teaching a little girl twice a week. I set up more learning shelves.

October:

In October, we kicked off the first night with our usual “dinner and a movie” where we get take out and eat in the living room and then have popcorn. The kids always think it’s great. I started purging baby clothes and a little bit of my heart, as well! We went to Maine for a weekend. Javi got really sick (but not with covid.) We did lots of Halloween crafts, projects and baking. I went to NYC with my parents. We spent a day at the zoo. We did trunk or treats and trick or treating and our Day of the Dead celebration, too. I became a Room Mother for Javi’s class.

November:

In November, I started Christmas shopping! I set up more learning shelves. We rented a house in Maine. We got family photos taken. Eva turned two and her hair got out of control! We celebrated Thanksgiving. Sean took the kids to Maine. I decorated for Christmas. I baked a lot. Eva didn’t re-qualify for Speech. I deadlifted 88 pounds.

December:

In December, we did all the Christmas things! The tree, ornaments, Santa, advent calendars, baking, crafts, gingerbread house, presents and wrapping! The list goes on and on. I set up more learning shelves. I helped throw a holiday party in Javi’s classroom. Lola turned four and had a partea! Javi got invited to two birthday parties for kids at school, basketball started and he got vaccinated! Sean and I got our boosters. The cats loved the chaos of Christmas. Eva got her first hair cut and started private Speech Therapy. We swapped the kids’ bedrooms. We rang in NYE at home where I prepped a little party for the kids and they opened a goodie bag every 15 minutes between 5-7PM… and then went to bed. ha!

Here’s a little video of our NYE:

Here’s to 2022! I hope it’s a good one.