Wednesday, December 30, 2020

What's Up Wednesday (12/30/20)

It is officially the last Wednesday of December, and I can honestly say that I've never been as ready for a year to move behind us, as I am for 2020! This year was a year of growth and struggle.  We did things this year that I never could have imagined (like home schooling our kids while working full time).  We also faced some really tough health issues for many that I love, and just last week we lost a member of our family, our sweet Minnie girl.  2020 has been tough, it has been emotional, and it has changed me forever.  I am a better mom, friend, sister, daughter and wife because of the personal growth that I have had to go through this year, and for that I am grateful!

On the last Wednesday of the month I link-up with Shay and Sheaffer to answer these questions:


1.  What we're eating this week...

Champagne and Christmas cookies!! #bye2020

2.  What I'm reminiscing about...
On December 22, we lost our cat, Minnie.  She was 16 or 17 years old, we are unsure of her true age and birthday because Mike found her in a tree when he was in college.  She was the best cat, I mean the best! I grew up with dogs, and was not much of a cat person.  I knew that when I fell in love with Mike, his cat came as part of the package.  She moved across the state with him to be with me.  She was with us when we moved into our first home.  She welcomed home two babies from the hospital and has been there to watch them grow into the kids that they are.  We miss her, and our home has felt empty since she left.  She's our angel now and I know we will meet again some day.  




3.  What I'm loving...
I got to see the last full moon of 2020 rise, and it was amazing! This picture does not do it justice!   It was so big and beautiful.  I love following the moon cycles.  

I am also loving my new glasses.  At my most recent optometry appointment, I learned that my age is catching up with me and I would need my glasses for driving at night and watching TV.  I ordered some from Warby Parker and the process was so easy and they also were reimbursed through my insurance, I highly recommend their product and would order from them again.  

4.  What we've been up to...
We have been trying our hardest to keep our normal family traditions and celebrate the holidays, despite the challenges that brings in 2020.  Mid-month, we found out that Vincent was exposed to COVID through school.  Our family quarantined and had to cancel a lot of our plans.  Luckily, we all tested negative the Tuesday before Christmas, so we were able to see my parents on Christmas.  I started feeling sick and came down with an awful cold, which I also thought might have been COVID, because that's what you do this year....but I went back to the doctor on Christmas Eve and he said it was a cold, so that took me down for a few days.  I am finally feeling better and ready to put the last two weeks behind us.  Here's a look at some of the fun things we were able to fit in this month...

Our elf ChiChi came back on the 1st...

Matching Grinch shirts...

My baby girl finished out her first soccer season (missing her last two games due to quarantine)...

Holiday decorations went up...

Date night with some of our best friends...

Holiday baking...




S'Mores on the grill due to a cancelled camping trip....



Celebrating the birth of our savior and matching jammies as we got ready for Santa...


Christmas matching red lips with my baby girl...

My little man is getting so big...

We felt very lucky to be able to spend Christmas with my parents, I know many who were not, including my husband.  My father-in-law spent Christmas in the hospital, thankfully he is doing much better now...

Love this little family of mine...


5.  What I'm dreading...
Right now, I am not dreading anything, and that's a good thing.   

6.  What I'm working on...
Setting my intentions and goals for 2021!

7.  What I'm excited about...
Next week, I am getting the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  By the end of the month, I will be fully vaccinated.  Working in healthcare this year has been so difficult.  Luckily, I am on the administrative side of it, but I have many friends working the front lines fighting to stay healthy for their families every single day.  This is something that we've been waiting for, and the fact that it's available is a huge sigh of relief that sometime in 2021 we'll resume some normalcy in our day-to-day lives.  

8.  What I'm watching/reading...
I wanted a winter-themed book to read around the holidays, and ended up choosing Nancy Theyer's, Let It Snow.  It was a cute story about Christmas in Nantucket, and a quick read.  

9.  What I'm listening to...
My most-played song on Spotify in 2021 was Justin Bieber's Yummy.  I was shocked, but also not shocked at the same time to get that result, this little family of mine loves Justin Bieber!


10.  What I'm wearing...
I got this dress to wear for Thanksgiving, but never did, so I wore it on Christmas day.  It was lightweight and made me feel put together.  The color that I have is sold out, but it comes in two different color options from Target.  

11.  What I'm doing this weekend...
Putting Christmas away and spending time with my family, setting our intentions for the new year.  

12.  What I'm looking forward to next month...
Vincent's surgery got pushed back to January, so I am looking forward to finally being able to put that behind us.  He is also going to start playing flag football, and I am excited to watch him play a new sport with friends.  

13.  What else is new...
We spent the last two days in Orlando with Mike's cousin and his family.  It was not exactly relaxing, with four little kids, but it was just what we needed.  A nice change of scenery and spending time quality time together with family.  











Thank you for spending a few minutes of your day hanging out with me.  It truly means so much to have this little outlet for me to record our family memories.  I wish you all health and happiness in the new year.  

Happy New Year!

XO

Shari