2014 Year in Review

What an awesome year it has been! And quite a busy one too, which is why I never made time to blog about it. :/ Highlights of my year... Of course the birth and first year of Katherine's life is at the top of my list. I love that she is a mommy's girl (because Abby is totally a daddy's girl). I love how different she and Abby are. It was (and still is) a struggle having two little ones so close in age (20 months apart), but now I am starting to reap the benefits. :) They are starting to play and interact more with each other, which melts my mommy heart!

 

Katherine at 5 months old :)

 

Abigail has grown a lot this year... from becoming a big sister and being potty-trained, to learning her ABCs, numbers up to 20, colors, shapes and nursery rhymes! We are SO proud of her! She is in the thick of her 'terrible twos' but I love and cherish when her sweet moments shine through!

 

Jim and I recently celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. This year was definitely tough to put our marriage first with learning how to live life with two little kids, but I am so thankful that he is my husband and I love him so very much. With all our changes this year, we started going to counseling to help deal with life and interact with each other in a more positive, meaningful way. I would recommend counseling to anybody! Our marriage is (and was) great, but counseling definitely makes our marriage and myself better! It really was a Godsend actually... we were looking for Christian counselors on our own and out of all the ones we contacted, only 2 responded and it didn't work out for us. But then who happens to get hired by CCV and moved into the office space right next to Jim's?? Yup, a marriage and family therapist who was offering her services for FREE for CCV employees! Thanks God!

Date night to see John Legend in concert back in August :)

 

I've been enjoying working with moms and babies. I'd still much rather be home with my own babies full-time, but that's not going to happen for this mama, so I just have to count my blessings (which I know are plenty!). As for work, I hope I can transfer to L&D sometime in the future... but as for right now, nobody will hire me without a BSN or without currently being enrolled in a BSN program. I would like to work somewhere closer too (the 45 minute to 1-hour commute on average is so tiresome after a 13-hour shift!), but only night positions are open and I definitely don't want to go back to nights right now (or ever, but that may be inevitable if I want to change positions)! I was able to switch to day shift this year, which really has made a world of difference. I love being home with my family every night, even though by the time I get home, it literally is bedtime. I come home, quickly change out of my scrubs, then breastfeed Katherine to sleep while Jim tries to put Abby to bed (which takes about 3 hours on average... the two's I tell ya!)

 

We've slowly added and personalized our home a bit more this year. We finally got our backyard landscaped, enclosed Jim's home office/man cave (it was an open sitting area when you first walked in, now there is a defined foyer and office) and changed our laundry room/mud room door from a regular door to a pocket-door (much needed for better functionality). Hoping for more home updates in 2015!

 

We went on our annual Podzius family vacation up north again to Prescott in the summer. Nice time to get away from the heat and spend quality time with family in a peaceful, relaxing place.  I look forward to our annual trips! Next year may be to the beach, we will see!

 

Plans/goals for 2015... So I started a little necklace business recently and hope to build on that more as time allows in 2015. I made my first sale in December and was proud of myself! Abby loves my necklaces, so even if they won't sell, I know one little girl that will wear and love them! ;) Another goal is to get in shape (yeah I know, so typical!) I'm actually kinda embarrassed to go back to the gym in January after being absent for a couple months. :/ But oh well, being one of those new year's resolution gym goers is better than staying sedentary at home! Also, I need to get organized and in a routine that incorporates regular exercise, a cleaning schedule and meal planning. This is always a plan for me, hopefully in 2015 I can make it happen.

My first necklace sale! :)

 

So that's me... my life this past year in a nutshell and my hopes for the year to come!