I've been writing these reflective posts for 11 years now and they are always my favorite to write. It's important to look back at where you've been before you can determine where you want to go.
If you want to see preview year reviews click the dates below.
2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2023
Every year has it's mix of good and bad, but I'm thankful 2024 was full of more good and I don't take that for granted especially after a difficult year (looking at you, 2023!).
The highlights: We got a new deck, renovated our bathroom, and hosted a few perfect lake days. We traveled to Miami, San Diego, Hocking Hills, Glen Arbor, and Fort Lauderdale. Thanks to unseasonably warm weather I had an extended swimming season (May through October), read some fantastic books, saw the Northern Lights from our backyard, and lastly (though maybe the most impactful) I changed careers.
The lowlights: I was also sick a lot in 2024, budget weeks were stressful and exhausting, G was in a car accident, my company was acquired and the uncertainty was scary, M suffered severe allergies, and a dear friend was diagnosed with cancer.
It was a year of growth, getting out of my comfort zone, focusing on health, breaking habits that weren't additive to my life, and showing up for my people.
On to the recap!
In January we celebrated Ella's tenth birthday, tried Green Chef meals, and had a game night at our neighbors' house. I had a girls night, phone date with my besties, a supplier dinner, and we updated all the faucets. I posted my 2023 book recap, organized and purged, met a supplier for sushi, and we watched (and loved) Air. We met my parents for lunch, watched the Lions win, and spent a week in Miami to soak up the sunshine. We celebrated G's birthday on the beach, brunched our hearts out, swam in the ocean, and were so proud of our Lions for almost making it to the Super Bowl.
In February I was the sickest I've ever been and then G was sick so it was a couple weeks of quarantining and resting. We finally re-entered the land of the living and had dinner with our premarital couple, I celebrated Galentine's day with my girls and my coworkers, we celebrated sixteen years of marriage, and watched Ella play soccer. I had another supplier dinner, a team offsite, budget week, and we met our new premarital couple. We flew out to California for a work trip/vacation and explored downtown San Diego and stumbled upon a Chinese New Year festival. I attended a work conference, savored dining outside, and spent a day with dear family friends. We watched the surfers and seals, hiked, bar hopped, and ate all the seafood.
In March I had all the appointments, a Lindsey and mom day of fun that involved brunch, shopping, and a cute lunch. G and I had a date day and I got new kicks. I worked at a coffee shop with a coworker, met friends for sushi, had a supplier lunch and reported out budgets. I started cooking again, had a phone date with my besties, met my neighbor's puppy, and took a tea and meditation class at the library. Hosted a little puppy play date and a game night, got touristy in our own town, and celebrated Easter with the family.
In April I had my very first mammo, hosted a girls night and puppy play date, and then got sick again. The work began on our new deck, my upper respiratory infection turned into a sinus infection so I was back at the doctor for antibiotics. I shared my germs with G so we watched all the movies while we recovered. We went on a boat ride with our neighbors, shopped for deck furniture, and we popped the bubbly to christen our new deck. I had a supplier lunch, G put together our new rocking chairs, we started yard work, and had a movie night at our neighbors' house.
In May G and I were finally healthy and we celebrated at our fave restaurant, had a little overnight trip in Battle Creek, and I had my first swim and float of the year. My mom and I took a cooking class, explored my old stomping grounds, and had dinner with a family friend. We saw the Northern Lights from our backyard, had sweet family time, I went to a book club at work, G assembled more deck furniture, and we hosted G's team from work. I attended an offsite for work, met a coworker for drinks, and we hosted family for a day on the lake. I had a few supplier meals, we watched The French Open, and I baked a cake.
In June I was in my swimming and floating era, we hosted our neighbors, I went on a birthday walk, survived budget week, and we had dinner with my parents. We took a family vacation to Hocking Hills and hiked our hearts out, ate good food, took in all the nature, laughed, and played games. We went up north to our neighbors' new house and ate delicious food, drank pretty drinks, played games, and hung out on their boat.
In July we watched our annual 4th of July boat parade, grilled burgers, and watched fireworks over the lake. I spent a lovely afternoon with my mom and family friend, we started watching The Bear, and hosted the family for Bennett's 8th birthday. G was in a car accident (and thankfully was not hurt), and I traveled to Chicago for work and was wined and dined in the windy city. We started our bathroom renovation, tried a new recipe, got touristy in our own town, and went to a lovely family reunion. We went to the farmers' market, M was stung by a bee, bathroom flooring and vanity were installed, and we watched all the Olympics.
In August we made a French cocktail to celebrate the men's gymnastics team winning gold in France, celebrated my birthday at our favorite restaurant, I went for a birthday swim with my neighbors, and the bathroom reno was completed. I went to my annual girls' weekend up north and it was probably our coldest weekend yet we still managed to have the best time and solve all our problems. I had a work offsite meeting, hurt my back (for the first time!), and met family for a fun little lunch on one of my summer Fridays. I met a friend for sushi, checked out the new TJ's in town, we attended the sweetest wedding, and spent time floating. I read a life changing book, tried cottage cheese in my eggs (10/10 recommend), hosted a family friend, and hosted a family celebration on the lake.
In September I took Labor day week off to enjoy the lake, float with a friend, and have a Lindsey and mom day of fun. Our deck had a photo shoot, I was still swimming with the neighbors, G and I had a fun double date night, and we hosted dear friends. M turned 11, G treated himself to a new grill and spent all weekend grilling, and we had a long weekend to savor the last of summer. I had a work offsite, enjoyed some epic sunsets, and had a fun family day.
In October we had the most magical summer weather so we kept swimming, we had a date night to celebrate being brave, we were in our kayaking era, and I got my hair did. I had a girls night, happy hour with a coworker, and we were still swimming and kayaking. I accepted a new role within my company, we cheered on the Lions with dear friends, and Manny struggled with severe allergies and multiple trips to the vet. We raked all the leaves, went to our neighbors' house for the rivalry football game, and I took my first soak in the new tub. We hosted a premarital couple, handed out candy, voted, and continued to cheer on the Lions.
In November I started my new role, we hung out with my parents, and G and I started playing Monopoly Deal (and we're obsessed). I decorated my new cubicle, met up with one of my besties, had lunch with a friend, and we watched a few good movies. I had in office days, we took on a shoe organization project in the garage, and we are in our TV watching era. We spent the Thanksgiving holiday in Glen Arbor celebrating my dad's 70th birthday. We ate good food, wine tasted, saw lots of deer, cheered the Lions to victory, and hiked up a sand dune.
In December I kicked off the month with a bad cold, G made me the best chicken noodle soup, we got our first snow storm, and I decorated for Christmas. I got in my cooking groove, we got more snow, had a game night at our neighbors', and I saw Wicked (and it was everything!). We finished Only Murders, had dinner with my parents, flew to Florida to soak up the sun, eat good food, lay on the beach, swoon over manatees, and take a river cruise. It was a quick (but recharging!) and fun trip and we came home and had Christmas dinner with my parents and Brad, worked a short week, and then celebrated with family over the weekend.
Whew!
What. A. Year.
By the numbers:
1 swim in the rain
1 career change
1 car accident (G)
1 family reunion
2 mentee couples married
2 family vacations
2 business trips
2 renovations
2.46 miles walked per day
3 vacations
3 classes taken
4 sicknesses
4 trips to the doctor
6 airplane rides
11th annual girls weekend
14 days of Olympics coverage (so good this year!)
82 books read
27,418 pages read
Countless swims, games of Monopoly Deal, dinners on the porch, kayak rides, walks with M, days on the lake, hosting family and friends, laughs, and memories made.
Cheers to 2024, you were good to us.
I can't wait to see what is in store for 2025. Thank you all for coming along for the ride!
No comments:
Post a Comment