2020 - That's a Wrap

 2020 is almost over...and it's hard to believe. Let's look back and what happened and look ahead to what might happen.

To be honest, I'm not going to go into too much detail about the year. Mostly because we all LIVED it in one capacity or another. Not to say our experience was the same, I'm sure some had an amazing year and some had a dismal year, but I don't want to bring us (or myself) down too much here. 

I will hit the highlights for me, but if you don't have many, hear me: that is okay! Really! Hey, take whatever wins you can (maybe you bought a new sweater or something) and move on! Also, I'm only remembering these things due to photos so...I'm sure I left out something. 

My 2020 at a glance 

January Ah, blissful ignorance as to what this year might bring. 

We got to visit the in-laws in Arizona which was a treat! I love Top Golf and getting to spend time with them. 

February / March

Mostly hikes and Youth Group events. 

Then the closures started - which meant a lot of "how do we do church online?" (I work for a church as a youth director for those who don't know). 

April 

Cue the baking...

Also, cue idea sparking with Christen about our future podcast (Exploring the Blank Page). Yep, that early! 

May

Started our backyard project and YES it was a project! *whew* 

Also celebrated our 1 year wedding anniversary on May 17!

Apparently, I was doing some working out during this time too. Go me! (Cause yeah, that didn't last...)

Got to do a socially distant mini-vacation to the Oregon Coast to celebrate the anniversary. 

And more baking...

June 

And sourdough making...

And more hiking. 

July 

Birthday month! Bought a BBQ. 

Made lots of BBQ...

And started prepping for Suspended in the Stars! 

Recorded some of our first Podcast Episodes! 

FIRES...

More baking & gardening. 

Saw the litter of kittens I'd be picking from for the first time! 

August 

Started Suspended in the Stars!!! And kept up with it for the whole month! 

Went on a quick trip to Oregon with The Mr. 

Read Midnight Sun *sigh* 

Saw the baby kitty! 

More hiking. 

Went to see the in-laws again but this time in Michigan. Traveling with masks is hard. 

September

Designed a whole lot of Fall stuff for my shop. 

Georgia was injured - poor thing! 

Got baby kitty! Aka: Pages <3 (and took a ton of photos of her) 

October 

Did dinner out with The Mr for the first time in forever. 

First Podcast released! 

Pumpkin patch with the fam! 

More baking & cooking...

Costume party with the youth. 

Hair cut! 

November  

Started the curly girl method with my hair! 

Christmas stuff in the shop and - you guessed it, more baking and cooking! 

Dogs and cat finally getting along. 

Lots of Christmas prep EARLY this year - including a second tree (fake) just because I couldn't wait for our real tree. 

Thanksgiving with just the parents. 

December 

Christmas prep, baking (this is what they call a theme), new recipes, new shop stuff, and getting our Christmas tree! 

Christmas with the fam! 

And more sourdough. 

So there you have it, a pretty non-eventful year. I kind of skipped over the tough times of self-doubt, isolation, snippy-ness, at-home-ness, frustration, fear, and general sadness at the state of our world through a lot of 2020, but don't be fooled. It was there. 

I don't want to put undue focus on it because there was also a LOT of good this year, though not in the way I would have thought. Usually, I would have traveled to conferences, seen friends, done fun things elsewhere than the home. Spent more time in coffee shops, in traveling to see friends, and generally being out and about more. But, that wasn't what the year was about (for pretty much all of us). 

And still I can see the good. The time spent with The Mr. The fact we did get to see his family and that mine lives close. The simple fact we even have a home is a blessing easily overlooked when facing the frustration of closures and mask-wearing etc. 

But, as I'll likely explore more this week here on the blog, there have been good things too and I want to focus on them. 

What was a blessing, no matter how small, you saw this year?