My 3 Words the 2017 Edition

I was excited for 2016. I was excited for my words. I felt very sure it was going to be a kick butt kind of year and my words reflected that. However, as life would have it, that is not how the year played out. While it didn't turn out like I thought it would, I can say it will be one I won't soon forget. But it is time to move on. I am ready for a fresh start with 2017 and that includes new words. So without further ado here they are.

This year I want to focus on finding ways to be kind. Kind to myself, kind to others, kind to my community and kind to the environment. I am not an unkind person, yet I know I can do more. I want it to be something intentional that I focus on each and every day rather than something I do when I remember.

There is so much I don't know that I want to know. And there are so many things I don't know that I don't know. This year I want to be more curious. I want to ask more questions. I want to listen more and learn from it. I want to know instead of guess. I want to be confident and not worry. I want to seek it out instead of turn away from it. I want to embrace things I do not know or understand rather than ignore it because that is the easier thing to do.

Finally, I am on the hunt for balance. Not your standard work life v. personal life balance. Thankfully, I am grateful to be in a position that allows that. I am searching for the balance in my heart, mind and soul. I want to find a comfortable quiet to balance the noise. I think deep down this one will be the one I have to remind myself to work on daily. I have many ideas of how I want to search for this balance and yet I don't know exactly how it looks or feels. I trust that deep down I will know when I am getting close and I will keep working at it until I find it.

So that is my focus for this next year. What about you? Do you pick words, make resolutions or maybe to do lists that will guide you this year? I would love to hear about them!

Happy New Year!

I Do Not Know Where To Start

2016... what a freaking year you have been! With 2017 just around the corner I thought it was the perfect time to say everything I need to say about this year and then celebrate leaving it behind.

I am leaving this year with a whole new appreciation for the saying "rolling with the punches."

In just 12 short months, the year really showed the best and some of the really shitty of life.

We were so lucky to spend so much time with family this year. Living so far away from all of our family makes this hard to do some years and we are excited this year turned out to be one full of fun with man of them.

Early on, my aunt and uncle from Wisconsin spent a few days exploring Huntsville with us. It was the first time since our wedding they have been here and hopefully it won't be their last visit.

Ed's (and now mine) wonderful aunt, uncle and cousin from Miami came up to celebrate the New Year with us. Along with my B-I-L, S-I-L and adorable nephew, we made the most of every minute including a trip to the circus!

While the hubby was away in March I snuck home to Wisconsin to see my family. It was a short but much needed visit.

They returned the favor and came to visit us!

My mom and 2nd dad swung by in the heat of the spring and my lil sis and her soon to be better half fit us in to their fall tour of the south (when she asked me to be her matron of honor in their 2017 wedding!!).

Slightly unexpectedly the Hubby & I decided to tag along with the Miami peeps on a vacation to Spain in July and loved every minute of this adventure! It deserves its' own post on another day.

The Hubby's parents moved back from Iowa this fall and we are excited to have them just 2 hours away now.

Getting to see so much family in one year is not the norm so we are very grateful to have all these memories!

Speaking of memories. 2016 can be split in to 2 types of memories. 1. WONDERFUL 2. AWFUL.

Wonderful memories for me this year include:

Visiting St. Louis in October to meet the new handsome lil man, Alton, and trick or treating with our beautiful and so darn adorable goddaughter, Laurel.

All of the days I got to spend just being an aunt to lil Mason because being an aunt is seriously the best!

Christmas weekend in MN with my hilarious godson and his little brother. There is nothing more magical than the seeing Christmas through the eyes of a little one.

Girls nights out (or in) with some of the strongest, most caring women a girl could ask for as friends. Concerts, poolside resorts, laughter, ferris wheels, wine and so much more! I treasure every moment with each of you.

The ladies I work with. Trust me when I say, they are pretty spectacular. #JustSaying

Spain - all of it. A once in a lifetime experience.

My Hubby, my goodness, what a kind, wonderful, amazing man he is. Seriously, 2016 would have been a total bust without him.

Speaking of the Hubby, that brings me to the awful part of the year. Many of you followed the #StewartH2O saga on Facebook. No need to relive it here (thought if you haven't experienced it just put the hashtag into your FB search bar), but let me leave you with this one pro-tip:
1. Turn your water off at the main when you will be gone overnight or longer

It would be easy to let that situation ruin the year but thankfully the hubby has kept me in check (well mostly) and we have made it through not much worse for wear.

So here is to a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. *Cheers* Hug your loved ones, treasure every moment with them, take life one day at a time, celebrate the little things and make every day count!