My Year In Review- 2020

 

This was a challenging year to say the least...probably the most difficult of my life so far....but I always like looking back and finding the joy in the little things so here we go...

 

January

 

Mama's highlight in January is always the NH Winter Wine Fest- as you probably predicted this year's event has been cancelled but we got to enjoy it in the beginning of 2020!

 

We had a big scare with Papa's health in January but with lots of prayers, he made a full recovery.  We are all convinced that he had COVID before it was recognized a month later here in the U.S.  After a week in the ICU, he was able to build up his strength and come home!

 

Eva loved Kayla's special gift of Disney on Ice one last time

The rest of the month was filled with lots of coziness and  sleepovers!

 

and maybe some Valentine Cookie making with Mimi
 

 

February

 

There was time spent with our Dance Pals 

 

and dinners and brunch out with besties...

 

Plenty of Ice Time at our Home Rink

 

Miss Thing got her first set of braces off...yes first...most likely will need them again for a different problem...sigh...

 

She also got a great intro into Field Hockey with the WHS Coach Katie

 

Daddy decided to run for School Board one last time...and our besties jumped in to help without question- very lucky :)

 

We enjoyed a beautiful family trip to The Bahamas

and Diana and Lucy took first place in Windham again for the PTA Reflections Program in the Category of Dance Choreography

 

March

 

Diana performed in the 2020 Performance Awards and achieved Gold with Distinction and a Scholarship to the AAB Summer Program in NY!

 Rob won a seat on the Windham School Board for 3 more years!

 

Diana and Lucy took first place in NH for the National PTA Reflections Contest- in the category of Dance Choreography

 

On Friday March 13, 2020, our world was changed forever.  We were put in lock down...the kids started going to school remotely, from home...we started working from home and only venturing out for groceries....we couldn't even go to church or restaurants or see our family and friends.....who would have ever known or thought we would live through a global pandemic but here we are....here is what was able to happen during and after quarantine...

 

Daddy was sworn in, in a private ceremony so we could not attend

The girls started taking all of their dance classes virtually as well...they wouldn't miss them but there were many tears

 

We started having Face Time and Zoom calls with our family and friends to keep in touch...

 

There was lots of family bonding time in the kitchen....

 

and we even exercised together (that may have lasted a week- ha!)

We decided to hold our very own Virtual Daddy Daughter Dance since this beloved annual event was obviously cancelled

 

April

 

We got used to wearing masks

 

We celebrated Easter...COVID style...very sad that we couldn't go to mass in person

 

 and the highlight of our month was Eva's Birthday Parade....many happy and sad tears shed all at once...

 

 Rob started doing Sat night concerts on FB Live and even got Diana in on the act...

 

 and Diana joined me for my neighborhood walks...in fact, when she joins me now, she will say "I am getting quarantine vibes"- she kills me

 

 

 

May

 

We had more hope come May...with the weather getting warmer, we started venturing outside more and more and started having some safe socially distant get togethers with family and friends...

 

 But then SLAM...don't get too happy....2020 is not about joy...Daddy lost his job and we lost our breath

We did a good job of living day by day and staying close to our faith....but friends this was the scariest time of our marriage yet...very stressful for us and our family and just the worst...but we moved forward...

We played more golf alone and with our best friends...very happy with the amount of golf we played this year in fact and can now honestly say it is about muscle memory and practice makes improvement for sure!

We put in a pool...in fact the day Rob lost his job was the day the company came to install the pool...it was a "kick in the teeth" as I referred to it all year...

 

Diana and I set out on a mission to "Spread The Joy" a few days....and we delivered treats to our friends in town and surrounding towns...we realized when we focused on other people, we truly felt some hope...will always treasure this picture of Diana with Mrs. Mullen and Kate...they staged it of course ;)

June

This was a month of safe social gatherings at our pool and friends' pools...in between job searching of course...it felt good to spend so much time outside grilling and chilling...almost felt normal...whatever that is anymore...

 

My closest friends showing up for me when I needed them most...

Eva enjoyed a belated birthday celebration with her BFF and Elsa and Anna

 

The girls wrapped up their school year...virtually of course....

 

and Eva got a surprise visit from her awesome teachers...

 There was more golf....

 

 and an awesome Father's Day for Our Favorite Dads...

 

 Diana got to start taking ballet classes in person again...outside and thrilled to be back at LDA

 

 and took weekly Field Hockey Skills Camp Sessions

 

 One of our friends returned the spreading of joy and made some of her "majestic" cheesecakes!

 

 Surprise Lunches quickly became a weekly fave of the summer...

 

 as did Frose for the Mamas ;)

 

 This was a big month as you can see...it was also the month that I got to go back to my office...and my gym...

 

 and Daddy got to play with his band again...safely...outside.... 

 This was my FAVORITE month of the year....Daddy landed his DREAM JOB and we Praised GOD for sure!  I will never forget where I was or what I was doing...when he told me about his offer...in my office of course and had to go and sit on my couch so I wouldn't pass out....will never forget it...

 

 

July 

 

We truly celebrated during the 4th of July up at Tom and Laurel's Lake House!

 

 We enjoyed a day trip to Flume Gorge

We celebrated Zach's Bay

 

 

We planted flowers at Grammy's Resting Place

 Rob and I enjoyed an amazing dinner, by the sea, at The Beauport Hotel in Gloucester with our new friends Judy and Chris

There was more golf...

I loved my Saturday morning floating sessions...

 and I loved that Windham was able to pull together a real and safe high school graduation for the seniors...

 

We finally made it to the beach....one of the biggest disappointments of the year was not being able to go to the beach as much...during "normal" years, I go every weekend...this year, we had to make reservations and pay up front and some days we were rained out so there's that...but this day was our first of maybe three times of beach time all summer...

 

There were extra play dates to try to make up for some of the loss felt from the cancellation of theater camp

Diana got to take her summer AAB classes on line and we even got to apply her scholarship to the total cost!

 

and Mama started to exhale AND host again

and learned to take my computer outside to work a little here and there....the girls swam so everyone was happy....

 We ended the month with a great weekend up at a campground at Old Orchard Beach with our Dance Pals who own property up there!

 

 

 

August

 

We had our annual physicals and got great reports!

 

 

 We got our house painted...

 

Eva felt alive again when she could attend a 1 week soccer camp...

 

and she loved getting back to hockey

 

We celebrated 16 years of marriage!

 

and outside dining at Tuscan became a fave of mine and my Mama's

We made Diana's dream come true and had a birthday photo shoot done....Mrs. Mullen made her day/life when she insisted on attending.....

We celebrated Papa Pete's and Diana's Bdays

 

 

Diana played in her very first Field Hockey Jamboree

 

 

 

 

There was more QT with Friends

 

 

and more golf!

 

 

September

We started the month with Labor Day Weekend- best birthday celebrations for me and then also celebrating my brother's bday and parents' anniversary

 

We squeezed in our annual Mommy Daughter Boogie Board Day...a little late...but made it happen over Labor Day Weekend

 

 

 

Back to school haircuts and one last summer fire pit!

 

 

The Girls auditioned for The Nutcracker...virtually

 

 

 

We went back to school!

 

Every other day for Diana- on the off days, she was learning remotely

 

 

Every day for Pidge!

 

We went back to dance!!

 

We spent more time with our peeps (a.k.a. our COVID bubble)

 

Eva started soccer again and LOVED it- she lucked out with some besties on her team....

 

 

Rob and I started "Saturday Morning Date Walks" and proud to say...three months later...we are still at it and it is my favorite part of the week!

 

 

Diana started Advanced Ballet on Saturday mornings...

and she made the Middle School Field Hockey Team!

 

We snuck in some more golf...

decorated for Fall...

and I got to spend an afternoon with my company at our owner's home on the ocean in Mass...we had a photo shoot for our new website and enjoyed catching up with each other after too long...that day has stuck with me...

October

One of the benefits of remote days is a quick lunch break with Mom and a yummy tea/shake

Driveway hockey is a plus when you are waiting for the bus...

There were a couple of trips to the apple orchard- once with our dance pals and once with the Fournier girls...

We celebrated Daddy's Bday

and Joe's 50th (we were supposed to be in Austin TX for Joe's Bday this year- that trip has been postponed to 2021)

and Tom's (50th)

Diana  said Goodbye to Sterling the first time- she was grateful that he came back to teach her again though...

There was more field hockey and Mimi and Papa witnessed a few wins!

We BOO'd some neighbors...

and enjoyed the annual Risotto Night

We practiced our party curls once again!

and enjoyed a photo shoot and interview with Windham Magazine

Eva and I started CCD at home...

and we had a Halloween Themed Play Date for some of her besties...

Diana's Field Hockey Team ended up State Champs and she and we were touched with the ceremony the 8th graders put on for the 7th graders- such thoughtful and kind words from Middle School girls!

Mama loved a "spooky" Book Club

and we celebrated Halloween with Dorothy and The Mean Girls ;)

 

 November

 

We voted in the presidential election!

 

 We decorated for Christmas- the earliest ever!

 We spent an entire weekend (yes our whole family) filming this year's Nutcracker- an amazing experience from start to finish!

 

and we enjoyed our traditions with our family for Thanksgiving- very grateful

 

Black Friday looked a little different but we were so happy to keep us this tradition too....

 

 Diana joined the Drive Family for some small group training

 and Mama got to spend some time with besties to toast Bethany's bday

December

We were excited that we were able to make Zoo Lights with Mimi and Papa happen

There was more decorating and LOTS of wrapping!

Diana submitted a dance to the National PTA Reflections Contest and our Family Friend Amber filmed her this year so she would have a more professional look

 Eva played in her very first hockey game "of her career" and scored three goals!

We experienced a very different Nutcracker weekend but it ended up being super fun- a quick getaway with Fourniers to Portsmouth and then the Saturday show and a fun Red Carpet event with Daddy at the Sunday show

Our Elf, Relf, returned and was "quarantined" for his first 14 days

 We enjoyed Jammie Christmas

and visiting the Sonshine Soup Kitchen

 

Christmas Eve was so different this year and so so lovely.....we think we have started a beautiful new tradition!

Christmas Day was full of presents...and yummy food AND welcoming Remi to our family!

This week has been spent working for Rob and me...he is crazy busy and I am getting organized and getting some things done so I can launch 2021 in a fierce way!  We have all been getting to know Remi and making him comfortable...he has had us laughing alot....

Exhibit A

 

 

and the girls have done a great job hanging together...and pitching in to walk Remi and feed him...nothing too exciting but just what the doctor ordered....we will be decompressing this weekend before work and school start up again on Monday....one day closer to a vaccine making its way to us!

 

 

It was a tough year but I love looking back because I think we did a great job staying strong in our faith and finding the joy in every day...not always easy