2021 I'm Back

I will preface this by saying, Happy Memorial Day. 

I know that I live in the land of the free because of the brave.

All gave some and some gave all. 

This day is meant to HONOR and REMEMBER all of the soldiers that have served our country and lost their lives while doing so. To pay respects to their families and friends. To show our appreciation and recognize that these men and women paid the ultimate price for the freedom that we have here in the United States of America. Thankful to live in the USA and my thoughts are with all the families of these brave American heroes.

---------------

Well its 2021, and I am back.

I had no idea what else to title this post. It's been over a year since I've written anything.

Why has it been so long since I have written a blog post? It was life in the year 2020. Which is the best answer I can give. You get it. 

T H A N K F U L 

My family and friends have all stayed healthy though the past year.  I stayed busy. Really just embraced motherhood. Playdates, nap times, lots of firsts and a whole lot of fun.

My husband's small business survived thanks to the Small Business Paycheck Protection Program. If it wasn't for that not sure we would have been able to stay afloat. Fortunately his line of work was considered "essential." We consider it a blessing that he was able to keep working. 

Being a stay at home mom, I would say that covid, the shut downs, the masks and just all of it hasn't had the same impact on me as it has on others that are in the working world. In the beginning when it all started, I will say that I was a little nervous. But I didn't have to interact out in the public with others daily. Throughout all of it, I have heavily put my faith into Jesus and praying for the protection and health over my family and my friends and their loved ones. Praise God that no one I love has caught it and died. I have a friend who almost lost her father. I also have an Aunt in another state that had it really bad, but was fortunate to recover. We think we may have possibly had it at one point. I did get tested but it was DIY in the CVS drive thru... which came back negative. 

It has been several things during this past year that have had me in a funk, too busy to write, or my priorities elsewhere. But there has been one big change/event that occupied a lot of time and energy. 

W E     M O V E D

We bought a vacant house on 26 acres of wooded property in the small town of Quinton, Virginia. To put it simply, the house was a wreck when we first came to see it in person. Inside was a disaster. Some windows were broken. Critters inside. Gutters hanging off the front. The photos online were exterior only and I thought it looked haunted. I didn’t even want to come look at it. But Jonathan drove out here in February (2020), saw the land, saw the potential, and talked me into looking at it. It took me a little time to come around. But I also could see the potential that was there, and the privacy alone was a huge selling point for us. With several boring details that I’ll leave out, it took us until June to come to an agreement and close the deal. We hired a contractor to do an extensive remodel. The company was terrible to us. We finally were able to cut ties and end the contract in January (2021). We dealt directly with the bank and were able to get it finished on our own. Finally, we moved in at the beginning of March. 

This is our home. 

(before)

This "before" is kind of a representation of how the entire house looked. I would never share too much out of respect for the family that we purchased it from. But this gives you an idea of what we were working with. It wasn't pretty.

If the entire house was finished, I would have more photos to share. I still have plenty of random unpacking + decorating to do. All in time. There are also a few house projects that we will finish eventually. Just ran out of money there at the end of the remodel. Had to put focus on getting out of our old house so we could get work done to it, to get it ready to sell. And we are fortunate to have a deal in the works on the old house as I write this.

One of my favorite things about our property, it backs up to a creek. It is also covered in trails from the original owner and family. We of course have had to clean them up and take the bush hog back there to clear out a good area near the creek. That way we can ride the four wheeler or the Kubota back there to ride around or sit and watch the creek, listening to nature. I am sure as Landen grows into a boy and young man, he will likely spend a considerable amount of time playing in the creek. Of course we are already taking precautions to teach him about snakes and spiders and wildlife so that he is aware and knowledgable. Its strange, I have never been a big outdoorsy type person. Since moving in, I have seen a significant change in myself with that. Being in nature and admiring God's creations has brought me a lot of peace and clarity and just joy. Landen also loves it, so we spend a considerable amount of time outside these days. 

If I had documented on here better from the beginning, it would have been so worth it to look back on. Shame on me. Its hard to put into words all that we have done here since the beginning. Just the change in appearance for all around the outside of house. The amount of trees we cut down and brush cleaned out and gravel laid to make a pretty elaborate driveway where there was none. Overgrown fields covered in saplings as large as trees cut down, and is now our lawn. Our most recent project was grass. We have spread so much grass seed and straw that I cannot even begin to explain. But it's really starting to fill in and look beautiful. 

It was a whirlwind of a process, but now we are settled in to our new home. We have a new routine established. I am feeling rejuvenated. I have been feeling the push to get myself back to writing. But for a long time, there was nothing, and at the same time way too much, that I could have written about. I was just not inspired in the slightest. 

2020, in its entirety, was a crazy year for everyone. Covid, riots, a crazy election, masks, vaccines, and just an overall change in the atmosphere. I was consumed for a long time by all of it. Its like no matter what, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that was (and is still) going on in America and all over the world. 

Not that any of this is behind us yet, or am I certain that it will be anytime soon. I am trying to move forward. Get on with life. Put my mind on the right stuff. BE INTENTIONAL. I want to be hopeful that we are on the tail end of this crazy chapter in history. I want us to all close the door on the madness and all move forward. At this point, I personally have to redirect my focus and keep on living. It is past time for it. Maybe I am wrong, but I think so many would agree that they feel the same. And getting back to blogging may be where I will start. 

I know I can’t go back and talk about all the things that did happen, but I will share some pictures of some high moments from life’s past year. Such as Landen’s first birthday, our first family vacation, race days, and time spent with family and friends. So here is the, probably way overboard, 

P H O T O     D U M P

Boat Rides

Memorial Day 2020 (One Year ago today)

Cake Smash! 

Milk Bath to celebrate 1 Year of Breastfeeding!

Landen's 1st Birthday Party - "The Big One"

minnows* lol

Our First Family Vacation - Camping in Virginia Beach, VA

Play Dates and Zoo Trips

Race Days too

Pumpkin Pickin'

My Little Cowboy

Thanksigiving

Santa (I am SO glad we knew a Santa willing to do this privately at a friend's home.)

Baking Cookies for Santa

Christmas Eve Church Service

Landen's 1st Snowman

and basically 1st Snow.

This photo below is so special to me. It really opened my eyes to the fact that my baby is becoming a little boy. We did a mini photoshoot at home one afternoon to document the end of our 22 month long breastfeeding journey. One week after the big move, it just felt like it was the right time for us. It couldn't have gone any better. He handled it so gracefully that I am just in awe of him. This amazing little boy that calls me mama.

Easter Sunday

Racing Season is back in full gear now. Our home track did not survive covid. Not so much due to covid, but it never opened all 2020 and the owner announced at the end of the year that it would not reopen based on personal reasons. Heartbreaking is an understatement. But we still have a track within an hour drive. And Maryland also has a really nice track that we have been going to as of lately. It's another thing that Landen LOVES. Being at the race track.

#racelife with toddler

And other than a million other pictures I would have loved to share, you are all caught up.

Oh, and I lost 30 pounds from August to December by doing the keto diet again.

Put a little back on during the move. So now I am trying to get back on track, just in time for summer.

As always, no promises as to what is to come on this blog of mine. But this is a start. And moving forward, we shall just see. Life is too short for me to be consumed by the crazy any longer. I am ready to keep living and embracing all the good. I have always enjoyed sharing my thoughts and documenting life on here, and I hope to get back to receiving that kind of enjoyment from doing so.

Wish you all well!