2018 Year in Review

2018 in the books! I always like doing end of year posts, it makes me reflect on a lot of the good things and what things I was able to accomplish through the course of the year. In the day to day, you get so caught up in just making it through the day.

I packed on the goals this year, and partly because I had done a vision board and looking at that thing everyday really held me accountable, and even if it was a glance, that little subtle reminder helped me out.

In reviewing my vision board the only thing I didn’t do was lose the weight I had so wanted to lose, the weight that I had gained so much of. But there was a lot to that weight gain where I just had to come to terms with it. I didn’t want to start a new weight loss program after that because I wanted to prove to myself that I am able to accomplish and achieve great things no matter what size I am. I can be all the things at a healthy plus size weight. Really- cholesterol and blood pressure is great, no signs of diabetes so I was just plumpy and happy. other things i didn't complete but have plans to for the future as well, like a cookbook.

Take up Embroidery and cross stitch. Check.

Win and participate in some baking contests. Check.

Give back in more ways than one. Check.

casino and carnival ball fundraiser

Plan a couple weddings. Check.

Write a cookbook. Nope. I got the process started, but it was going to cost more to get it published than I anticipated so I just had to put it on the back burner. It didn’t stop me from creating more new recipes though.

Lose Weight. Nope.

Continue Wed Utah. Nope. My schedule was just soo packed or limited, and the magazine needs a lot of attention so again I just have to put it on the back burner.

Start cake classes on a whim. Yep.

Get good at cakes. Yep.

 Make a cake for the Governor. Check

Keep kids happy and alive. Yep.

cousin kaydee invited us up north for the day gave the kids their first rzr ride

No Cavities both visits!

Make some amazing new friends and reconnect with current ones in new ways. Yep.

Jessica white is a photographer and my mother in law led a food styling session for us

it rained on our smores cook out, we had like 20 minutes of normal time before this. last time i plan a smores cookout lol

Charlotte made so many leaps in her confidence this year. I think putting her in tumbling helped tremendously. She had a rough start but towards the last  couple months, she was like a pro. That confidence lead into her swimming lessons too and in soccer, she didn’t really play soccer though, she liked just talking to kids. She’d run behind the pack and just chat it up with the stragglers lol. She was in the kitchen a lot with me too. She seriously loves to learn. We enrolled her in a preschool up the road from us and she’s been doing so awesome. I also added upstart. Lol. She had a month where it was preschool, tumbling, swimming, soccer and upstart Haha.

2018 was also the year I tried my hand at matching the kids. It made it so I could buy boy clothes for charlotte to hand down to Arthur but she could still have a girly flair to it.

Date nights were so few and far between for Wes and I. school and kids and not a lot of sitters to choose from. 1, actually. His mom haha, Ally and Vic tended a few times before they got preggers.

Between semesters I took the kids to the best western in park city. The first time charlotte couldn’t believe we were going in the mountains. And so now everytime she hears the word hotel, she asks if its in the mountains. Our hotel room was right off the pool and the kids loved it.

Summer was basically all pool all the time for us. And I owned two bathing suits.

Wes had a couple procedures this year too. Nothing too serious, but for one of them he was able to get out of bed and the kids just loved having him home.

Lots of family time.

First Bee’s game for Charlotte

First Demolition Derby for Charlotte and Arthur.

First Paw Patrol performance for Charlotte

First carnival for Charlotte and Arthur

First friends birthday party Charlotte got to attend. So fun!

Charlotte turns 4

Arthur turns 2

Dad turns thirty something

My birthday, I made my own dinner and ice cream cake.

Thanksgiving was a fun day, it was just us 4 and it was just a non chaotic day. We love seeing everyone but sometimes just being home is nice too. Christmas was the same, non chaotic.

i got a tv for the kitchen specifically to watch cooking and baking shows while im cooking or baking

2018 was also a year of heart aches for those around me- lost of loved ones, separations among so many friends of mine, losing my chance at some accounts, being jipped on salary raises for wes, people just being plain mean. But those things, for us, did not harm the infrastructure of my own little family. In fact, we have become bonded more so as we have learned to appreciate the things we have, how much strength we draw from one another, from my kids I’m constantly driven to just be a better me and mom, from Wes I am reminded how lucky I am to have a great partner, and it makes me want to be a better spouse, for Wes – I think, seeing his kids grow up and learn makes him want to work hard and continue to give them this great life and he has learned to anticipate my needs from when I just need a mental break, do a shopping spree, to a diet dr pepper lol- it truly is the best being married to him.

a food and convenience bin me and kristin put together for rachel after walt passed

And just some more photos for me to archive. See, Year in Review posts are fun, however you document your years, it’s so special to see how much you grow, how much everyone around you grows, too.

Fran made this quilt for me!

he had two teeth all they way up to May, and then they all came in

from our pinterest party , spiked adult slushes in breast milk bags.

made a pie for Wes

I made it in Target Style

charlotte  taught herself how to paint her nails

photoshoot I coordinated

brows by Renae

me time weekend

my brie cheesecake made it into someone elses photo shoot

worst week ever! our neighbor had water problems and it got our whole kitchen wet. we had machines up stairs and downstairs for 3 days. 

me and my mother in law at Marys retirement party ( culinary Crafts) it was food heaven, if you ever see her ask her about how amazing the food was. she talks about it everytime i see her lol

Wes at a concert