2020 year-in-review

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2020 was rough. There is a global pandemic. Racial injustice. We lost three grandparents. Canceled three weekend trips. Spent too much time inside and on screens. Our mental health suffered, for sure.

But there were definitely flecks of gold, if we choose to look for it. We deepened our neighborhood friendships. Completed our emergency fund. Our kids eventually went back to school. Eric earned his CFP® certification after two-plus years of studying. We spent a lot of time together as a family.

I blogged a lot of our highlights and my monthly grateful lists already, but I wanted to have a recap of our year in one place. Some of these things might seem silly or unimportant, but I’m choosing to celebrate everything this year—no matter how small.

JANUARY

  • We enjoyed a Living History Farms horse-drawn wagon ride and dinner for Eric’s company holiday party

  • I tried axe throwing for the first time, with my work team (so fun!)

  • We took the fam to IKEA (Finch’s first time!) to get Rooney a loft bed

  • My grandpa passed away :(

  • Eric and Rooney went to the Daddy Daughter Dance

FEBRUARY

  • Family sledding

  • Ice skating date with Eric

  • Cheered on the 49ers in the Super Bowl

  • Went to dinner and the Mat Kearney concert with our friends Jeff and Ashleigh

  • Finch and I went to our first Mother Son Dance — he rocked the dance floor

  • Kids took swimming lessons

  • Took the kids to Urban Air Adventure Park

  • Watched our nieces at state swimming

  • Discovered melatonin for our kids

  • Rooney’s 8th birthday party with friends

MARCH

  • Rooney’s family birthday party at the bowling alley

  • Date weekend with Eric for his birthday (thanks, grandma!)

  • Watched my alma mater compete in the boys’ state high school basketball tournament

  • Coronavirus hits — schools and daycare close, Eric and I started working from home, we canceled our spring break trip to Minneapolis

APRIL

  • Refinanced our mortgage

  • Learned TikTok

  • Celebrated Easter at home with an Easter egg hunt and online church

  • I took family leave for three months to homeschool the kids

  • Hiked at Greenwood Park and Ledges

  • Eric built a table for our deck

  • Organized several closets and our garage

  • Eric’s stepgrandma passed away :(

MAY

  • Took our annual time capsule family photo

  • A lovely Mother’s Day

  • Glow stick dance party

  • Started reading the first of several chapter books with Rooney

  • Made our own MS Walk

  • Got to hug my mom for the first time in months

  • My nana passed away :(

  • Spent Memorial Day weekend in Okoboji

  • Rooney had a cookie and lemonade stand

JUNE

  • Finch finished preschool

  • Rooney completed second grade

  • Finch turned 5 and we celebrated with a small backyard gathering

  • Rooney pulled a muscle in her leg and wore a boot

  • Celebrated Father’s Day in Okoboji

  • Eric biked 100 miles in one day for Bike MS

  • We got a summer nanny and I went back to work

JULY

  • We spent the Fourth of July with friends in Eric’s hometown

  • Rooney went to Okoboji with her cousins

  • Eric and I went on our first date in months

  • I took the kids to the Peterson Pits

  • Visited the sunflowers — always one of my favorite outings

  • Boating in Clear Lake

  • Paddle boating at Gray’s Lake

AUGUST

  • Took the kids swimming at Riverside

  • Spent nine nights in Okoboji for our official summer vacation. Best week of the year!

  • Kids both got ear infections/swimmers ear

  • Rooney joined a softball team, which ended up going undefeated!

  • More boating in Clear Lake

  • Finch went back to daycare

  • Rooney started third grade (in person!)

  • I started working from home again

  • I had my colors done

  • We biked the High Trestle Trail Bridge

SEPTEMBER

  • I took the kids to the zoo

  • Date weekend with Eric (thanks, grandma!)

  • Learned how to play pickle ball

  • Hiked at Banner Lakes at Summerset

  • Took our annual square family photo

  • Finch started transitional kindergarten

  • Rediscovered my love for audiobooks

  • Switched my day off from Wednesday to Friday

  • Finch started gymnastics

  • Birthday/shopping trip to Minneapolis with my BFF Blake

  • Rooney started soccer

  • Jester Park weekend with Eric’s family

  • Finch caught his first fish

  • We did the Winterset City Park hedge maze and hiked Clark Tower

  • Evening walks around the block with Eric

  • I turned 37

OCTOBER

  • We took family photos

  • Went to the pumpkin patch/apple orchard with my family

  • Eric and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary

  • Went back to church in person for the first time since March

  • Rooney started volleyball

  • Enjoyed a night of trick-or-treating

NOVEMBER

  • Completed our emergency fund!

  • Voted in the presidential election

  • Hiked at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge

  • Eric took the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ exam—and passed!

  • Spent Thanksgiving in Okoboji

  • Hiked at Kenue Park

DECEMBER

  • Went to Jolly Holiday Lights

  • Had our annual family meeting

  • Eric earned his CFP® certification

  • Eric got glasses and can finally see again

  • Celebrated Christmas at home and with family and on Zoom

  • Celebrated New Year’s in Okoboji

2021, the bar is low. Please don’t screw this up. ;)

lifestylekelsey williamsComment