It's mid December 2021 and I am just now able to absorb the reality of 2020 and put it into words.
I had to sift through the photo documentation that mainly happened as Instagram was now embedded into my daily routine. no shame. and don't shame.
January 2020 I am pumped releasing new cake class dates and adding more kids ones- I was able to get a boost in my sponsorship because I was adding more kids classes. I did a record number of cakes in January in February as well when it came to custom orders and fun projects.
I was revving up for a huge year for custom orders, classes, and i had on my vision board a specific number of classes , growth in business etc etc.
We all knew that end of December 2019, the corona virus was around, it was hard to fathom it affecting our lives, and I know many were citing parallels to the flu.
Charlotte had a super cute assembly in Kinder, and arthur and I began breakfast traditions for "fast Friday" we developed such a good bond during these fridays.
Utah does free zoo days in February, so if it be free, there we will be. and busted out two cake classes as well- cake and wine night and a corporate team building class at american express. I was feeling good for business. and also good that it was good weather on zoo day, cause summer time, i haaate the crowds.
March came I got to bust out a couple more cakes. I even started doing closing cakes for Salt Lake Homes! tried to enjoy the warmer weather with the kids too. I even started sketching for Kristina's baby shower in the spring. Taught a kids class at we olive, compete with snacks!
Celebrated a dino party and was able to have a quickie on KSL studio 5, my cake was on there for a st patricks theme collaboration. that day on KSL, thats the day we found out Disney was closing due to covid. and then it all started....
This last cake class above with the kids, that was the day we found out Jazz games were being cancelled. and quarantine was now being mandated. that was the straw that broke the camels back, for me. I had to make a tough decision about my scheduled cake and wine night classes. my next one was coming up. I dreaded sending the email out about canceling class and providing cake kits instead for pick up. with an online tutorial. I was afraid people would freak out. but, nope. no one asked for a refund. they all wanted to support me still as a small business owner and continue to take an online class.
it was amazing, and heartwarming. I was relieved that i could still provide a class, and also glad that the bump in my smith's sponsorship happened for this season, cause I really had to beef up the kits.it happened for a reason, right?
people send me their creations even! and they did so awesome!! my mama heart!
I started a batch of homemade masks in March. before the quarantine mandate hit, I actually went to the stores with masks on, our whole family. we even wore glasses in the store because we heard covid droplets could enter through the eyes. we took it really seriously. and i whole heartedly believe that is what kept us healthy. by taking the information we knew and just be cautious until we knew more.
school was being held at home now. and it was hard for me to home school. Mind you we are still in March. Once school was being held at home for us, Wes was starting to work from home with blocks of schedules with his team to go to work so there wasn't as many people in the office.
So I had EVERYONE home with me. AT THE SAME TIME. i was going bananas, and I was getting angry cause my routine was off, my husband was in my way and my kids were making a mess.
and then.
the earthquake.
and all i could think of, im so glad everyone was home. but i was shook in so many ways. it was jarring to my soul.
for the next two weeks i couldn't function. but was able to muster up easter cake kits, another cake order, figure out how to organize snacks. met the mayor ( long story) oh and sent one of our baker friends up to cache valley to get us all flour. Zoom cocktail hours commenced and doing what we can to fill in time, even in christmas pajamas.
my neighbor brought me toilet paper in my panic. I miss her so much!
we had to get out of the house, we went to gardner village to let the kids roam in the vacant lots.
learned how to make quick icecream
hollie stared making and bringing us bread.
Come May- People were getting restless as a whole. and I wanted to celebrate the "mandate" ending with charlottes birthday party. I made it so it was held outside, and people could wear masks, and kept it only family. Great Grandparents and my mom were the only ones that didn't attend. and that was okay
her first ever barbie she would accept cause it was a mermaid
There was no more Cake Class and Wine Nights, because We Olive's kitchens were flooded and water damage was every where so they were going through insurance and repairs and it was made clear to me that my events were no longer going to be a thing. Plus, with custom cake orders slowing down- I was forced to stop in my tracks and rethink my plan for 2020.
Being home made me see how much more space we needed, how much individuality my kids were developing.
charlotte got to graduate kindergarten too! in a round about way- it was cute
and then we can't forget...
and this..
I couldn't believe it. my heart was breaking. I was concerned as a mother how my kids were being actively sheltered by me so as not to witness the crimes, the violence the rhetoric, the everything.
i was being pulled in more and more each day to sides and stories . and I will not deny that it affected friendships. I was in a moment of posting rage and questioning everyone I knew about their beliefs, to the point i was obsessed in getting points out that probably angered more people everyday.
In June I decided it was time for me to get out of where we were. I didn't know what the plan was but our first step was getting a storage unit to make space for improvements. We contacted Rick hepner and he started the end of June with some of the repairs we needed. As things were progressing with repairs, I told Wes that this time I was open to him moving to Cache Valley ( it almost happened in 2018) and he went for it- he researched he got his finances in order etc etc. and before we knew it we were calling Rachel Green to list the house and then the next week someone was taking photos and the listing went up and then we were in Smithfield making an offer. all of this happened in Mid July.
In the span of 3 days we had an open house, we put an offer in on a home , we came back and accepted the highest and best of multiple offers and packed our home.
I don't even know what july and august looked like cause it was blur. but i do remember moving day, and it was HOT AF!. ugh. and a day later it was wes's birthday. we celebrated in our new home..happy birthday wes, you bought a house.
and then it was a series of firsts for us in our new neighborhood.
we got a fish and we had friends and family come up weekly.
It was also this time, this specific month, September, that I chose to shed people in my life that I felt weren't choosing to be part of our lives overall. my circle was shrinking in some ways but people were being replaced with new , thoughtful and present, new people. I think my transition to smithfield had alot to do with not a physical move for the family, but from people who I was hanging on to that weren't really hanging on to me and valuing relationships as I was. I should add, escaping the hypocrisy the resided amongst those people was a relief.
and in fact, I grew more in love with people who were always there, but now were really there.
and the kids made friends fast..we love the Milnes! I call Tess my neighbor wife cause we share kids and cause she's the best! And her husband is super handy- he has helped us fix stuff left and right.
And my next door neighbor started giving me fresh eggs!
I did away with the purple door and got to put bows on my house during christmas
repainted this room to a light green, purple in homes isn't my thing 😁
And I got to do cake classes again! in person and online!
and the rest of august through december of 2020 were magical, momentous, and learning how to live in the country.
Wes's dream of moving to cache valley came true. It made him happy and so it makes me happy. It took a while for me to adjust. I made my first target run two week after we moved in. We even bought some guns.. I know!
And the best thing was moving into a neighborhood that accepted us, played outside with our kids til dark, and seeing zero protesters and mask czars up the next block ( we lived in a busy part of west jordan so we were just inundated with all the stupid things)
Also we got to see the most beautiful sunsets from our room and porch
vintage market days with Andi
Fall at the Farm
Pizza Pie Cafe- yes a buffet in September of 2020.
we found ty beanie world at Locals.
Tony Grove- amazing!
I was mentioned in City weekly as well!
We did a tiny birthday for Arthur in August, but my crazy packing week didn't allow for a big shindig like we did for sister.
oh and we stayed at hotel where you had to make an appointment for swimming
August ( as I am backtracking haha) also included an emergency tooth extraction, playing with make up and mini shark week
I got to be involved in the classroom with a Halloween party, made Halloween cakes for their teachers. a first tooth lost which accounted for a first tooth bonus pay out of $10
Politics grew to a different level here in my household. and Wes grew more conservative ( to the point where someone told him not to be his friend anymore- yeah) , As I decided I was neither liberal nor conservative. We had fights, I had fights among my only family members especially when Asians were becoming more targeted. I put them on blast. and I was hurt. I am still hurt but i love deeply and I've concluded that having different opinions, can still a family make whole. and it's been better.
I was sent flowers the following day from the greatest friends. just acknowledging hate has no place here, that my feelings were justified and they had my back and i shouldn't feel isolated. It did make me feel so much better.
I was able to enter a couple contests, virtually and in person.
this was through aggie chocolate factory, they awarded an employee at usu, not me and yes I am sore about it.
I got first place for my strawberry shortcake. won an amazing cake stand!
2020 ended up being the change we needed. the stop in routine that I needed to refocus on family and life. It was the eye opener I needed to get back to what I longed for, a sense of community, a safety net , and involvement in change for greater good. 2020 was a blessing in disguise.
December ended the year with all things jolly.
a zoom Christmas party that started with me arranging a gift exchange first
and my baker group did a fun blind fold cake decorating challenge and raised some money
I got a surprise, blizzarding, visit from Red and Rachel on my actual birthday. and an ice-cream cupcakes delivered from Emily!
had my normal icecream cake and pot roast dinner with my cute family
and Hollie and I spent the week celebrating our 40th with cake, crafts, and shopping in St. George.
i was able to get a demo in with Love to Cook and also a display for Night of giving. we also figured out how to put a light tunnel in the house which was super fun. the christmas season was so fun this year.
and new years night in with the best gang!
In the end, as I mentioned- 2020 ended up being a blessing in disguise. It made me look forward to what was to come for 2021. I was just happy all the time in the new home with the new faces around me. looking forward to all the good!
