Just like last year, I wanted to put my pen to paper and write about the past year so I can look back and reflect in years to come. Last year I mentioned how I am always behind the curve on New Year’s Resolutions, but I wanted to be proactive and actually got that post published on December 29th. Here I am a year later, living up to my old ways and not getting around to this post until January 3rd. When I pulled up last year’s post, my goals for the year were right at the top and they were as follows:

• Make time for quality time – Could have done better
• Put my phone away during meals and social gatherings – Made a solid attempt
• Get life insurance – Complete
• Take Ellie for at least one walk a week – About half the time
• Finish our basement – Ish, just need doors and trim to wrap it up
• Invest time and effort into my relationships – Could have done better
• Have a vegetable with each dinner – Fell off the wagon around the holidays. Grilling season was easy for this one
• Get rid of clothes that I don’t wear within a year – I need to do that this month
• Buy an investment property or a piece of land – Complete
• Pay off car and student loans – Paid off vehicles, still working on student loans
• Go back to Europe – Booking trip for February

2019 was a good year, and I marked off *most of* the tangible goals on my list. It was an overwhelmingly busy year to say the least! We celebrated 10 weddings with friends, 3 bachelorette parties, multiple weekend trips to the lake, and family time in-between. We grew immensely as a couple and overcame some steep hurdles. We bought Chiefs season tickets with my brother and sister-in-law, and had the best time tailgating our fall Sundays away. The Odessa Bulldogs won the State Football Championship. Ellie celebrated her fourth birthday with a friend-filled party. I significantly increased my clientele and reach within Odessa and the surrounding communities. I continued my relationship with the bird that lives in our front stoop – not my favorite relationship of 2019. I lost two childhood pets this year: my sweet Cocker Spaniel, Lucy; and my sassy barrel horse, Bisquick. We FINALLY finished our deck, which was a pure labor of love. I enjoyed having a nice place to sit outside, many nights this summer. I visited my sister in Arizona. Emily and I took Mom to Chicago for the day to celebrate her birthday, accompanied by a Chicago-style deep dish pizza. I chaired my first Odessa Rodeo and it was one of the most successful performances to date. I increased my involvement within the Odessa community and gave back to the town I call home. I got an ant farm, but none of them dug any tunnels so watching them was anti-climatic. We planted a small pepper garden in our back yard and had many meals with home-grown jalapenos and bell peppers. I also learned to can/jar this year and made my first batch of candied jalapenos. I hosted my first tea party – party of three for my nieces.

Now – moving onward and upward. Without further ado, here is my To Do List for 2020.

• Get back to listening to podcasts while driving
• Read “The One Thing” and manifest on a word this year. Word is still TBD
• Find a house and land to buy in the country, even if it’s not our forever home
• Double last year’s real estate transactions
• Purchase a second investment property
• Pay off student loans – only have mortgage debts
• Have one year’s salary in Roth IRAs/pre-tax retirement by 30
• Take Broker license exam
• Really finish our basement
• Save wine bottles – Lord knows I will have a collection by EOY – to recycle
• Double social media engagements from 2019
• Have a baby

If you’ve made it this far, you just read that our final goal for 2020 is to conceive. While 2019 was filled with joy and celebration, it led us down an unpredicted road; we unveiled some underlying fertility issues. I created an Instagram account that I’ve used as an impromptu punching bag throughout my emotional rollercoaster, but I am not quite ready to share that at this time. At some point I hope to make that a public account to expose our friends and family to our struggles, but in the meantime I hope you will cheer us on as we proactively try to grow our family.

I’m hopeful for the new year and decade, and can’t wait to see where the fresh start takes you as well!

xoxo

Kels