Welcome to 2021! I thought I'd start this new year with a year-in-review survey about 2020 and a few "goals" for 2021.
1. What age did you turn in 2020? Last year of my 30s!
2. What was your relationship status in 2020? Been together for 8 years and married for 3. :)
3. Did you move in 2020? Nope. Luckily I haven't moved since 2013. My newly-adult daughter moved out toward the end of the year, though.
4. Did you purchase a new vehicle in 2020? No. Aubry made her first car purchase though!
5. Did you add any new family members in 2020? Just our golden retriever puppy, Bozley Reddington. He turns 7 months old today!
6. Did you lose any family members in 2020? Unfortunately, yes. :( My Aunt Carole and my Great-Aunt Betty both died in May, then my Grandma (Carole's mom) died in September.
7. Did you have any school or work changes in 2020? I didn't, since I was already working from home. But Johnny started working from home (same job...just doing it from home) and Ashlyn has been learning remotely since March. Aubry graduated from high school and she got a new job at the end of the year.
8. Did you travel anywhere in 2020? At the end of July we drove through Oklahoma (almost to the TX border) to pick up Boz from the breeder.
9. Did you make any big purchases in 2020? We bought desperately needed vinyl plank flooring for the living room/dining room and installed it ourselves.
10. What was the best gift you received in 2020? I got my new Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra as an anniversary present. :)
11. Did you learn any new skills in 2020? Well I learned how to install vinyl plank flooring and replace a water inlet valve on our dishwasher...out of necessity, not like a new hobby or anything. :P
12. Did you redecorate in 2020? Well we got some new rugs and curtains for the living room after we replaced the flooring. I also worked more on reorganizing the kitchen (which I started in 2019) and I've been having a lot of fun with that. It's still a work in progress but I love what I've gotten done so far.
13. Did you read any good books in 2020? I didn't make a whole lot of time for reading this year. I got a lot of books, I just focused on other things this year. But one book I finished in 2 days was "If I Can't Have You" about the disappearance of Susan Powell. It was a really good book!
14. Did you see any good movies in 2020? We watched a lot of good movies! But the one that sticks out the most is The Art of Racing in the Rain. It was really, really sad but so good. The narrator "is" a golden retriever...and we decided to get our own golden retriever shortly after watching it.
15. What TV shows were your favorite in 2020? Blacklist...although I haven't been a fan of the Katarina storyline. So we'll see how it is when it comes back from hiatus. I watched the entire series of 24 on Hulu...which I'd never watched when it was actually on TV, but I love it now that it's over. :P We started watching Hanna, The Boys, and watched the last season of The 100 which had a good ending. We also watched a lot of documentaries and stand-up comedians. And then there's still Law & Order SVU, NCIS, and Grey's Anatomy. Johnny and I watch a lot of TV together in the evenings. ;)
16. What things did you do in 2020 that you'd never done before? Bought a dog from a breeder. Watched my child graduate high school! Prepared ALL of Thanksgiving dinner myself (usually Johnny at least makes the turkey, but this year I made it in the pressure cooker).
17. What do you wish you'd done more of in 2020? Probably more arts and crafts, reading, and writing. It seems like 2020 was more the year for practical things around the house rather than creative things.
18. What were you proud of in 2020? Aubry graduated high school with honors, was stage manager and art production for Thespians, in the top 25% of her AFJROTC class, and received the Air Force Sergeant's Achievement Award for showing outstanding qualities in military leadership, discipline, character, and citizenship. And after having a rough freshman year, Ashlyn had a wonderful start to her sophomore year! She is doing really well with her grades. Some kids have struggled with remote learning, but Ashlyn has been thriving. I'm so proud of my girls!
19. What was the one defining moment of 2020? Well that's obviously the Covid-19 pandemic. And it's not just the risk of getting sick and trying to keep our family members safe. It pretty much changed everything about 2020. Johnny started working from home, the girls were learning from home, it postponed and changed Aubry's graduation, and it really limited family gatherings. It even changed the way I shop for groceries (for the better, actually...I love curbside pickup!).
20. How would you describe 2020 in three words? Crazy, Calm, and Loving. Crazy...because a lot of crazy things happened in our country this year! It felt like the outside world was consumed with chaos...but personally, I was calm. I long ago became a person who just doesn't worry about things, which brings a lot of peace to my life. And of course loving. :)
And now for some 2021 questions...
1. What did you NOT have in 2020 that you would like to have in 2021? Definitely a vacation!
2. What skills do you want to learn or improve in 2021? I want to become better at creating with my Sculpey clay. :)
3. What do you want to do more of in 2021? Reading, writing, and arts & crafts. I've really missed it!
4. What do you want to buy in 2021? The first things we're getting is a new TV to replace the 10 year old TV in the living room that is finally pooping out. And I am going to use some of the money I got for Christmas to get a Power XL Grill Air Fryer Combo. Other than that...just stuff to continue to redecorate and reorganize the house. :) That's all I have planned, anyway.
5. What is your number one goal for 2021? Be more active. It was actually my goal to focus on health and fitness in 2020, but I didn't really make that happen. :P