Day 2476 | Orchid Blooms (Again)

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Can you believe it? My orchid is blooming again already! Last time I swear it was a year or more between blooms. The last of the blossoms fell in November and now it’s almost fully open again. I’m seriously shocked.

And don’t worry, the bun didn’t actually snack on the orchid today. Flopsy just snuck in a quick nibble as I was taking the photo. He’ll get to eat them when they fall on their own. Be patient, little bun, but patient.

Day 2472 | Shooting Sports

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We’ve got a new extracurricular around here…and it’s shooting sports. Yep. That’s a thing. The boys have been working on their air rifle skills through a 4-H program and have been really enjoying it. Tonight was only their second session and I think they managed to hit the target paper every time. Chase even found out he shoots left-handed. Good to know, I guess.

I don’t see adding hunting as a favorite family activity any time soon, but learning a new life skill is always welcomed.

Day 2471 | Winter Hike

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The boys and I definitely needed to find something to do outside the house today. Somehow I managed to talk them into a hike. I know. I’m surprised, too. We decided to check out our favorite warm-weather hike in EC for the first time in the winter and it was so much fun. The boys nearly killed themselves sliding down the steep slopes and I managed to squeeze in a couple of moments admiring just how pretty this time of year is. It was a total win!

Day 2468 | Those Days

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Have you ever had one of those days where everything just seems hard? I’ve had two of those in a row and I’m over it. Don’t worry—nothing major to complain about just normal “why can’t anything be simple?” kind of stuff. Thankfully, some of my favorite people sent me this gorgeous bouquet of flowers and boy did it brighten my spirits. Flowers…I just love them so much.

Day 2463 | 2022 Accomplishments

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I always find it satisfying to reflect a little at the end of the year. Resolutions + goal-setting are great, but I tend to be more focused on looking forward all year long. Taking a second to look back, however, is something I don’t do very often. It sure does put things into perspective, though, doesn’t it?

Enough build-up! Here we go…

TOP TEN ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2022

  1. Read 30 (THIRTY!) books. I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m pretty proud of that. For a few minutes, I thought I finished at 29 but then remembered one that wasn’t on my log. Whew. Thirty is much more satisfying, don’t you agree?

  2. Family life is about as good as it can be. The ages of 8 + 10 might be my favorite. They’re just so much fun. And hanging out with your best friend/husband all the time? Yeah, that’s pretty sweet, too.

  3. Decided to start a new business (eek!) with the best partner a girl could ask for. More info on that to come.

  4. Hosted 20 events to build community at the boys’ school as part of my role as Governance Board Vice President.

  5. Helped to market a seven-day book festival with 16 events. It’s a ton of work, but more than worth all the effort.

  6. Taught myself a brand-new piano song. I’m glad the piano and I are friends again.

  7. Managed to substitute teach in every one of the Montessori classrooms. That was mostly last school year. This year I’m trying very hard to commit to only one day a week. There’s just so much need. Side note: you should become a sub so it’s easier on everyone!

  8. Wrote 181 blog posts. I know I’ve slacked a bit more this year, but I feel ok about it. I’m still doing my best to capture our “small days” so that has to be enough.

  9. Continued seeing my therapist. It’s a little more inconsistent than when I started, but I’m happy to report I still get a lot out of it.

  10. Soaked in the sun and read a ton in Puerto Vallarta, made some lovely memories during an 8-day road trip across New York, and locked myself in a hotel room with a dear friend in Boston for a weekend filled with lots of working and an equal amount of laughter. It’s nice to be traveling again.