2017: A Look Back

It's hard to believe another year is coming to a close. When I look back at this year I'm so proud of all we accomplished. I started a new job that I love and was promoted within six months, G was promoted at his work, we sold our first house, house hunted, moved into a new home, took weekend trips, purged a lot of stuff, explored our new hometown, decorated a new house, developed new friendships at work, and in our new neighborhood. 

It was a good year. I think the highlight of the year was moving into our new home. It was such a leap of faith and I'm so thankful we had the courage to do it. Moving is something G and I talked about for years, but the timing never felt right. We were never at a point with our jobs to make the commitment. But this year was different. G was in a place at work where he was ready to take the next step. I was finally in a job I adored and was going places and I felt ready to take the next step as well. Timing is everything and God's timing is perfect. 

But it's more than that. I always felt unsettled in the old house because I was always thinking about the next project. The bathrooms needed updating. The banister needed staining. The furniture was in need of updating. This new house doesn't need a single bit of work and it feels so peaceful not having to think about what project is next and when we will squeeze it in. 

I'm not sure what my future will look like in terms of blogging, but please keep up with me on Instagram at LindseylovesGarth. But I'm back because reflecting on the year is always a favorite of mine to write. If you want to see my years in review from the past, click the dates below:

2016

2015

2014

2013

Without further ado, here is a look back at 2017!

In January I set goals for the year. Most of them I still work to accomplish each month. It's nice not to have house projects to tackle each month anymore and I'm thankful I'm not doing Weight Watchers anymore. I'm working on body kindness, intuitive eating and health at every size. 

We rung in 2017 at a Roaring 20s Murder Mystery Party, hiked at the lake, found a church we loved, and enjoyed a few sushi dates.

I got a new hair do, had a blast at G's work party, and had a few fun lunch dates. We celebrated Ella's birthday with good family time and I binged This Is Us. We celebrated G's birthday in Ann Arbor, I had a super fun girls night and I wrote a book review.

In February I reviewed my goals, had a fun Mom and Lindsey Day, and good family time.  Bah I can't get over how tiny Bennett was!

G and I went away to South Haven to celebrate his birthday. We ate good food, had a few fun cocktials and enoyed the beauty of Lake Michigan. I started Fit Fridays again and accepted a new job.

We continued our church and lunch tradition every Sunday, and celebrated Valentine's Day. I discussed boundaries in marriage and wrote another book review,

I reviewed my goals, hosted a girls night, went to a cooking class with my mom, had an amazing three hour dinner with Eric and Jess, had a date night, and had sweet family time.  

I met up with a friend for dinner and drinks, hosted friends for dinner and had our church and sushi Sunday.

We celebrated nine years of marriage with a long weekend in Hocking Hills, Ohio. We stayed in the cutest cabin with a hot tub and did lots of hiking, and exploring.

In March we started house hunting, saw Rent (and it was EVERYTHING), had a few fun date nights and brunch. I wrote another book review and reviewed my goals.

In April we had lots of house showings, walked away from a house I absolutely fell in love with and took a quick getaway to Grand Haven for a breather. We kept house hunting and reviewed goals, 

In May we received offers on our house (and celebrated with sushi), continued house hunting and exploring new towns. We attended a Murder Mystery Dinner Party with friends and brunched. We spent time with family, finished up house projects, and the house passed inspection and appraisal.  

We kicked off patio sitting season, hiked at the lake, had a bonfire and enjoyed evenings on the deck.

We celebrated Brad's birthday with one last hurrah at the old house, finally found our house (you can read the whole story here and here), passed inspection, and reviewed goals for the month.

In June we savored the last few weeks in our first house, and did a lot of packing.

We closed on our first house, rented from the new owners, and finished packing. Our closing was delayed so we wine tasted, and we lived on one chair and lawn furniture since we gave everything else away. Then a tree fell on our house and we had to let the new owners know and handle it, UGH.

We finally closed and moved into our new house, I reminisced about the old house, reviewed my goals, and we explored our new little town.

In July my parents came to see the new house and explore the town with us. We ate out, and then walked downtown for ice cream. We celebrated the Fourth of July at Eric and Jess' with sweet family time and a deer hit us on the highway and totaled our car. By the grace of God no one was harmed (RIP deer).

We car shopped, hiked, enjoyed some deck sitting with some epic sunsets, continued to explore our town, unpack the house, and wrote a book/movie review. 

We enjoyed a fun date night, ordered a dining room table, celebrated Bennett turning one year old, hosted the whole family to see the new house, and I reviewed my goals.

In August we experienced our little town's fair, went to a baseball game, and celebrated my birthday with my favorites. 

I shared our new dining room table and had the fourth annual girls weekend up north. I ordered new kitchen stools as I continued to decorate the new house, dog sat for friends, spent the day at Jess' family lake house, and took a weekend trip to Traverse City to wine taste.

In September we enjoyed more hiking at the new house, did more exploring our new town's restaurants, went crazy over the sunsets, celebrated my mom's birthday, hosted Supper Club, and saw the property where my parents are going to build a new house (that's Ella in the model home).

In October I created my first gallery wall in the dining room, dressed Manny up like a hot dog for Halloween, went to supper club, had a few date nights, enjoyed more hiking by our house and put Manny in a bow tie.

In November I hosted all our neighbors for dinner (and it was a blast!), spent time with family, enjoyed crazy good sunrises on the way to work, went to the cider mill, and had our annual Lindsey and Mom Day of Fun. 

I hosted an early Thanksgiving celebration at our house with the family, and for Thanksgiving weekend G and I went to Traverse City. It was in the 60s and sunny and just perfection for wine tasting, hiking and relaxing.

In December we decorated for Christmas in the new house, spent time with family, and shoveled our way out of multiple snow storms,

We went to our towns Christmas festival with friends and it was like being in a Hallmark Christmas movie. I hosted an amazing girls night sleepover with my besties and it was just so good for the soul. 

We celebrated Christmas at my parents' house for the last time, watched all the Christmas movies, drank mimosas and had Christmas brunch and did more shoveling. 

Whew! What a year. Thanks for looking back with me on our adventures. It was a big year for our little family and I'm just so thankful for all our blessings. Happy New Year, friends!