Looking Back at 2019

I am sure that right now so many people are looking back at the year and seeing what worked and didn’t.

New Things we ventured upon:

Camping- We greatly enjoyed learning how to do this. When I was growing up, we always had a pop up camper…so this “tent” camping was completely new to me. We experimented with three different tents…and decided on one from Wal-Matt (believe it or not) that actually had LED lights at the top of the tent and three different settings. We learned about water proofing our tent…and that honestly, we are too old for the huge blow up mattresses and we are going to have to use the fold up cots. The other thing that I liked about the tent is that the poles were connected so that the tent could be set up in about two minutes. It’s much better to have everything easy to set up when your out in nature

The downfalls we ran into every single time was rain….no matter if we went in June, or July….or even August….we endured lightening and hail….and still….we enjoyed it….I realize that we are weird…but unless you are new here…you already knew that.

The second thing I did this year was a lot of clowning. I clowned at retirement homes and the local UCP and at Pivotal Point. I also conducted clown classes for our local homeschoolers and have even done some at our local Youth Alliance.

I also introduced a new character for our store which went around to other local businesses. It was fun…we had a good time doing it.

We ran a 5K….and I was horrible. I’m not embarrassed to tell you that I will now only run one that offers me a shiny medal….its a finishers medal…you only get one if you finish….,my training will begin again….on January 1st…I’m not sure that I’m thrilled….but I’ve gotten a little pudgy….and my cholesterol is borderline dangerous….but anyway…..

As far as rewards….my husband got his Graduate Gemologist diploma this year….so proud of how hard that he worked!

I’m still working on my little colored stones class….someday I will get there.

Our store won the best store in our town, for the fifth straight year in a row….so that felt pretty neat.

I was nominated for “20 Who Count” and was in our local paper and local news. If you read the last couple of blog posts you would see those.

Our youngest went to over night camp for the first time….and our college son received an RA position at a state university which has helped him greatly financially.

Our youngest enjoyed horse riding lessons and Art Camp and her beloved swim team. This year we went to a local swim team which worked out much better for us. She may even do year round swim team next year. We will see.

This New Year, we will be going on more adventures. Doing a little more self care…and just changing a few things that are sucking the life out of me. I can’t always be 110 percent for everyone….and it is beginning to affect my health…and my stress. I have one child that still lives at home….and I want to be able to do for her all the things that she needs….and I cannot do that if I’m doing everything for everyone else. That’s a very hard thing for me to do….but its clear to me now. I must work on fitness, and just doing some things that make my life full….and not everything else. I want to be able to do more….but now I just need to make sure that I take care of me….in order to take care of others…but I will be back…..2019….you were a serious difficult year….but we managed to make it through…..2020…hoping for you to be better….here’s to a much better year!!!!