All About 2021!

1. What did you do in 2021 that you have never done before? Went to Nashville! Got a female Pet (Ruby rules the house! ;) 

2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for 2022? I kept some of them. Did pretty well with going on dates with hubby every month. Started strong on the yearly bible but didn't finish. Hit my book goal. 



3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2021? No but I found out im getting a new nephew!



4. Did anyone close to you die in 2021? No, thank goodness! For awhile we thought we were losing my close friend, Katie, but she recovered! So thankful!

5. What states/countries did you visit this year? Hubby and I went to Tennessee in April. We took the kids to Pigeon Forge in June. 

6. What would you like to have in 2022 that you lacked in 2021? More motivation to lose this weight. More confidence. 


7. What date from 2021 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day Caleb started highschool. The day I got to go to Katie's welcome home party :) The day Brooke made the cheer team. 


8. What was your biggest struggle in 2021? Trying to lose weight. Trying to not let things get to me as much. Watching the kids grow up even more and get closer to adulthood. 


9. Did you suffer any illness or injury in 2021? We all got covid early on in the year. Thankfully we didn't get severe cases and all recovered pretty well. 



10. What was the best thing you bought this year? New floors for our kitchen! 


11. Whose behavior merited celebration? Brooke made the cheer team! She also stayed in marching band and managed to make straight A's! She has worked so hard and did so well! 


12. Whose behavior disappointed you? Really sad that a lot of my bio family still doesn't want to meet :(


13. Where did most of your money go? To bills, food (teens eat a ton) lol, amazon and target purchases (oops!) and money spent on updating our kitchen. 


14. What did you get really really excited about this year? Hitting the 15 yr milestone with Hubby. Being surprised with a new wedding ring :) Brooke making the cheer team. Brooke getting to be in the Charlotte parade and be on tv. Going on a family vacation. Going back to college. Finding out Im going to be an Auntie again! 


15. What song will always remind you of 2021? Soul Singing by Black Crowes. 


16. Compared to this time last year, are you: much happier, much nicer or richer? Id say happier-- things are getting a little more back to normal after Covid. Kids are in school full time and without masks. 


17. What do you wish you had done more of? Spent more time with my friends. 


18. What do you wish you had done less of? Been in pain due to my IC condition they finally diagnosed me with this year! 


19. Did you fall in love in 2021?
More in love with Hubby ;) 

20. What was your favorite TV Program in 2021? Ted Lasso, Only Murders in the Building, and Never Have I Ever were all SO GOOD! 

21. What was the best book you read this year? The Wish by Nicholas Sparks 

22. What was your greatest musical discovery this past year? I am LOVING We the Kingdom! They have some awesome Christian music! 


23. What did you want and get? A kitchen remodel! I have waited so long! 

24. What was the best movie you saw this year? We didn't watch a lot of movies, but Arnold and I watched both Red Notice and Vacation with Friends and they were pretty good. 


25.What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn? I had a pioneer woman themed party with family and friends! 


26. What one thing would have made your year more satisfying? Getting to meet my bio brother. 

27. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year? About the same as always, lots of cute tops or sweaters and jeans. Lots of accessories :) 


28. What kept you sane this year? Jesus, my hubby, my mom, my friends 

29. What celebrity did you fancy the most? Cant think of anyone new......


30. Who did you miss this past year? I wish I could have seen Alex, Christina and Roman more! 


31. Who were the best new people you met this year? I enjoyed getting to know some kids and their families that Brooke knows through school and all her activities. We also have a new pastor and he is awesome! 

32. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned this year: Do NOT take your loved ones for granted! I thought I was losing a friend earlier in the year and I am so thankful she is still here today! I also watched a lot of people sadly lose their parents or spouses, mostly due to Covid. I am trying my best now to cherish all the time I have with my loved ones, because you never know! 

November Review!

 On Nov 1st Joseph turned 17 :) We usually do something to celebrate him every year, even though we can't be with him in person. Arnold and the kids took us out to eat at Carrabbas and we got a cake that said Happy Birthday Joseph. I also wrote a letter and sent it and some pics to him and his family. I hope we hear something back soon! 

Hes so handsome.. and so tall! I can see some Caleb in him. Everyone says he still looks like me, too. I just can't get over how fast time goes. Next year he'll be 18 and legally able to meet me if he chooses to. I am praying he decides to, even if its just for a day, where I can hug him and tell him how much I love him! :)

Brooke went to the fall sports banquet. This is her and her BFF Alayna

LOL embarrassing picture! I had to go to the dentist to get 3 cavities filled. I was lucky my whole life and didn't have any cavities at all and then in my 30s I got his with a ton! I have anxiety already but extra anxiety at the dentist. They offered me some medicine or laughing gas but I said I'd try to be brave, and I guess it wasn't too bad. I don't like the sounds of the drill! But they numbed my mouth up extra good and I didn't feel too much. Afterwards I rewarded myself with one of my favorites for dinner- Jimmy Johns :D

Finally got to do a girls night with my bff Jess! Life is so busy these days and I hardly get to see her. 

I found out that my biological grandfather was in the military and that he got a play a small part in a movie! I went to youtube and looked it up, found him, and then confirmed with my aunt that it was him. This is a screenshot. I think it is so cool that he was in the military and Caleb really wants to go into the military when hes older! I wish I could have met him! 

I finished my book challenge for the year! I had set my goal at 75 books and I made it! I guess I need a higher goal next year ;) I have been reading a lot of feel-good Christmas books lately! 

We live in a really small town and there is NOTHING to do around here, so we are so excited that we got a restaurant just down the road from our house! It is a mixup between a mexican restaurant and a pizza place. I love it because we can all go together and everyone can find something they can eat. I am sometimes picky about pizza but theirs is delicious!!! I am embarrassed to admit how many times we've gone already ;) 

Do you spy Ruby?! She is so silly. She likes to hide in spots throughout the house. Some of her favorite places to sit or sleep are in Arnold's chair at the kitchen table, in my bed, or on the stack of towels in the bathroom :)

Moving right along with my college classes! My final exams are in less than 2 weeks! I am going back to the beginning and reading everything again. I really, really hope I do well. I am really going to miss these classes, I really enjoy learning new things and I love the feeling when I get good grades! 

When I saw this turkey shirt online I knew I had to have it to wear during November ;)

Our sweet Brooke got to go with the marching band to Charlotte and be in the thanksgiving parade! It was actually the day before this year, and at night. And they showed the parade on tv!!! It was so cool to get to watch her, and her grandparents got to see her, too. A lot of the instruments were lit up, and they played Christmas songs. Brooke said it was a lot of fun, but she got really tired. It was cold that evening, but thankfully their uniforms are big and bulky and kept them warm! AND they had a contest called Battle of the Bands for all the bands that were in the parade.. and our school won!!! They won a trophy and $$$ to go towards the band program. So proud of these kids, they have worked so hard this year, and I enjoyed watching them perform this fall. 

We spent Thanksgiving day over at mom and dads house like usual. Mom let Caleb do the honors and carve his very first turkey! 

Thanks to Arnolds' tripod, a timer, and a gorgeous day outside, we were able to get a pretty good family pic! We used this one on our Christmas cards for this year.