HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2020 IN REVIEW

2020 IN REVIEW AND BEST WISHES FOR 2021

Happy New Year! We’re already twenty days in, but oh well. I hope you had a safe and happy holiday season. I am so looking forward to a better year than the last! I’m sure you are too!

To kick things off, I’m going to recap last year and then fill you in a little on my hopes for 2021 and my word of the year. It’s nice to be able to say this is the second year in a row I’ve done this post!

2020…

Oh my, so much happened in 2019. There is a hashtag trending on Twitter, #2019infivewords, and I honestly cannot sum up the entire year in five words. So here are a few highlights of how our 2019 went down.

JANUARY

The only thing I really remember about January was that it seemed to drag by. I believe I even saw #janyearary quite a few times on Instagram. January was spent focusing on and writing on side hustles.

FEBRUARY

Then along came no-spend February. That was fun! After all the celebrating at the tail end of the year and Christmas presents it really didn’t feel like much of a sacrifice.

I am debating a scaled down version for next month. Stay tuned for that…

MARCH

• March was all about minimalism. That was fun! Between the YouTube videos on decluttering and the actual challenge on the blog I really enjoyed the challenge. And the reduction in clutter around the house!
• Thanks to panic purchasing at the grocery store I learned quickly how to adapt my grocery list and meal plan in March as well.

APRIL AND MAY

• In April I made a bucket list of books to read. I managed to finish two of the books on the list courtesy of Hoopla. I haven’t been to the library since the whole (gestures hand over the whole of 2020) thing happened despite them being reopened in our area.
• Due to retail stores closing, the husband’s weekends were free again and we made good use of our stimulus money by tackling a few projects on the list.
• Mother’s Day was a bit of a downer, but we were safe and healthy and what more can you ask for.

JUNE

• Once again, June saw both kids’ birthdays, but this time around there was no party with friends or even extended family. Cuz you know… (insert that hand gesture again) 2020.
• Following his third birthday, our little man was evaluated and graduated speech therapy! Staying home 24/7 and having a big sister talk at him really seems to have sped up his speech development.
• June found me praying for peace as our nation struggled. Like everyone else we basically just tried to continue muddling through this pandemic as best as possible.
• a Life on a Dime turned one year old and I launched budget coaching services.

JULY 2020 IN REVIEW

• July had me focused on budgeting methods and reviewing different budget apps. And yes, I did find it fun. I’m weird like that.
• We finished spending the stimulus money and I updated the final spending.
• We had a great one-year post-op follow up on the little man’s hand. He may need to have the scar revised if his skin gets too tight as he grows, but other than that he is doing awesome!
• Vacation Bible School was a fun online experience. I got to both post links to the church website for families to follow along from home as the lessons, songs, and puppet show videos were posted as well as go over them with the kids. It was definitely a fun experience, and we kept up the daily Bible Study habit the remainder of the summer. I need to get back on that…

AUGUST

• August saw our daughter start the second grade! After much prayer and consideration, we sent her back to school rather than staying virtual. We live in a smaller school district and have felt very confident in this decision all school year. Remaining at home would’ve taken a heavy mental and emotional toll on our bubbly girl.
• I had a birthday and we were able to have a nice dinner with my dad, his wife, and my sister’s crew. At some point in the summer, I got my first hug in a few months from someone who didn’t live with me and it was awesome.

SEPTEMBER 2020 IN REVIEW

• In September we participated in the Second Hand September challenge.

OCTOBER

• October was rather boring. I was all ready to DIY a costume, even had some cool ideas, but my daughter decided to go to school as Elsa in a dress-up dress she’s had for forever,.
• Parents aren’t allowed to visit at school this year, so we didn’t get to carve pumpkins with her or watch the annual costume parade. Instead, we sent $2 to school and she painted a pumpkin in her classroom.

NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER 2020 IN REVIEW

• We spent more time with family over the holidays than we probably had all year and it was much needed!

MY HOPES FOR 2021 AND MY WORD OF THE YEAR

Looking back at my 2019 In Review post 2020 clearly didn’t go as planned! I don’t think it did for anyone anywhere on this rock if I had to take a guess.

I’m not exactly sure I managed to live up to my word of the year – bloom – but I certainly felt rooted in place all year. I took the word of the year quiz from Dayspring again this year and was again surprised with the answer; my 2021 word of the year is transform.

You can take your word of the year quiz and find yours too! I hope this year is much less eventful than last year. Thanks for sticking with me while the blog was on hiatus! I hope to be posting once a week to get back in the groove, then resuming the two day a week posting schedule.

Until next time, stay frugal and healthy my friends!

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