2015 Wrap Up

[somethingcleverer]

I know a lot of us don't do resolutions so I thought it might be fun to look back at 2015 and post something(s) you are proud of and what goals you have for 2016 (if any).

[trixi282]

2015 was one of the most trying and stressful years of my life. It has also been one of the most rewarding.

In 2016 my only true personal goal is to get back to eating healthily, as we've all been eating like crap the last few months... Or really all year. I've really started feeling it, and of course gaining weight too. So I'm going to start eating well, after all the crap is gone from my house, and stop eating take out so much.

And as a family this year we are going to work on making this house our home, and spending lots of time together.... Outside too! I need to soak up some sun in 2016!!

[origamimommy]

This has been, by far, the hardest year of my life. I'm most proud of how my marriage is doing. 5 months ago I was arranging everything in preparation for divorce. When my husband asked for one last "one more try" I didn't want to do it, it had become too hard. But I am so, so happy I did. Couples counseling is the best thing we've ever done and we are in such a different place now, and I couldn't be happier. I feel like we found ourselves again. I love having a partner again instead of an enemy. I really love him.

I'm also so excited for this baby. I didn't think I'd have anymore, and the timing was SO not what we would've planned. I was almost embarrassed for a while because I'd been so open about our struggles but fuck what other people think. Lives change so quickly and unexpectedly that I'm learning to just embrace the happy. And I'm happy, finally.

[origamimommy]

Oh! Goals for 2016, continue working on our marriage and putting each other first.

It's also a goal of mine to reach a certain salary threshold by 30 and I'm really close, so a raise or promotion end of '16 beginning of '17 would be super.

Take a vacation without children. I put Tyler before anything else, always, and that's not good. I need to put myself and my marriage as a priority too. So I'm still learning that balance but a goal is to take a quick baby moon without Tyler to get some spousal time only

[somethingcleverer]

This year I was really proud of exceeding my reading goal of 15 books. I know it's a silly goal but I haven't been able to read this much since I've had kids. I'm also pretty proud of forcing myself out of my comfort zone and driving the kids downtown by myself for doctors appointments. It's kind of a small thing but with as bad as my anxiety gets forcing myself to do it and be calm was a really big deal to me.

In 2016 I really want to work on making my house a home. I want to get the kids pictures organized and up on the walls. I want to find my inner designer and make my house look like the place I want to live in.

Besides that I need to get on the healthy train. I'm going to do the Whole30 in January not as a diet but because I really believe that is the way we should be eating and hopefully run a 5k at any point in 2016. Running a race has been a lifelong goal and I always stop short of actually running one.

Edited to add my 2016 goals

[laurski81]

This year I am proud that I was able to do the best I could with two kids and kept them happy and feeling loved. Things have been tough with the never ending sleep issues, my H never being home because of school, and just everything leading up to us going through a rough patch.

In 2016, I really want to make sure that my H and I focus on each other more. Hopefully the kids will start sleeping better which I know would help to eliminate a lot of stress. I want to get my ass in gear and lose this baby weight for good. I randomly looked at pictures from our wedding (when Henry was 1.5) and I looked so much better. I want to get back to that, just for my own self esteem.

[lainikins]

2015 was a good year health wise for me. I started running, joined a gym, and ran my first and second 5k. I also lost a little of the weight that creeped up on me in 2014. I still have more to go, but I am so much stronger and healthier than I was this time last year.

My goals for 2016 are to focus on crafting and etsy more. There are so many different crafts that I love I am not sure what I should focus on. I have had a shop before, but kind of let it fall to the wayside (set it to a weeks vacation in 2014 and never returned to take it out of vacation). I would love to open that back up and sell some stuff. I made some cute onesies yesterday that were a lot of fun to make.

[jennmm]

I'm proud that we all survived the year for starters. Seriously, I have been making an effort to eat more healthy and exercise more and I've done pretty good. In 2016, I would like to continue that.

[bliz1712]

2015 was a good year. H and I got back to a good place, we are still working on things and sometimes we get derailed, but we are definitely better or stronger then in the past. I got a good raise/bonus and am definitely in a salary range that's always been a goal, but I've achieved it way sooner than I expected. Sleep got better with Eliza, and just in general the kids are all great or getting along.

2016 goals: work harder on a stronger relationship with V. Sometimes I notice I treat her differently, mainly becauuse she's older and she's at that age with attitude, but I just need to make sure I nurture a great relationship since she's almost a teenager. I want her to always feel comfortable talking to me and don't want to push her away. In general I just need to lay out more one on one time with each girl.

I want to take more "dates" with H and continue to work on us. And I would like to get to a better routine of cleaning the house or finishing home improvements.  It would also be great to spend more time with my girlfriends.

[xanthepants]

2015 was a good year in that we got Cosette healthy and her shyness was overcome. I feel like I became a more confident mother. My career really took some decent moves with some nice pay increases and responsibilities and for the most part I'm content there.
Otherwise though I have fallen way off track personally. I've gained weight, had health issues, Marriage issues, lacked friendships IRL and feel depressed a lot. So my goal for 2016 is to try and gain back the old me bit by bit. I've set up counseling, we are searching for a home so I can move away closer to people I know, stuff I like to do. I have appointments with doctors to wean off medications I feel are bringing me down and having negative impacts. I pulled out my fitbit and exercise bike this week. Brought my walking shoes to work so I can hit the skyways over lunch hour when I have a chance. I'll give it my best. I'm not the best with follow thru, but I truly want to be happier and I'm invested in my marriage.

[mightybee]

2015 was all about learning and balancing life with 2 kids for me. I'm looking forward to shifting a bit of focus on me this coming year, whether it be getting more active physically or getting more involved in some interests.

I've tried to shift my attitude on life in general and my relationship with my H specifically to a more positive place and I feel like I've made good progress there. I've tried to follow the motto "choose love" when I notice Bitter Betty or Negative Nancy start to appear.

2016 may involve a move and career shift for my H, so I'm kind of feeling a bit in limbo right now. Might provide me with the perfect opportunity to switch things up as well, and that is exciting and scary.

[mrsdonati]

2015 was a pretty good year for us. We welcomed a new baby, I starred a side business (and it's actually doing well!), Elena stated school and not only loves it, but her speech has really improved since she started!, We also took our first big family vacation.
Every year one of my resolution is to "surprise myself" not so much with a material possession, but with an experience that I thought I'd never do.
My other resolution this year is to get my house under control and organized. I joined a 14 week organization challenge that starts in a few weeks, so I'm excited about that.
I also want to find time, not only for myself, but with DH.
CHEERS ladies, let's make 2016 one for the books!

[cbear]

2015 was a pretty good year for us! Elise started school and is loving it, Vera is such a a happy/goofy girl, and I started a new position with awesome hours that I love!

2016 I would love to work on myself and also make more time for H and I as a couple, it's been feeling a bit roommate-ish lately and I hate that! We have also thrown around the idea of moving out of state and basically said next year it needs to be done if we are going to do it, before the kids get so engrained in things here. So we will see where that takes us!

[junkytrunk]

2015 was a big year for us. My Hs police endeavor didn't work out, went back to his old job and decided he wanted a complete career change. He has spent he past few months on getting his credentials for his new career. We sold our house, M started preschool and of course to cap it all off we had A.

2016 I'm look in forward to my H finally starting his new career in the next few months and the opportunities he will get through that. I can't wait to see A growing and M being a big brother.

I don't usually make resolutions, more like things I want to work towards. I'm hoping I can make more time to make more friends IRL that have kids around M's age. I also hope I can keep my patience more, especially with 2 kids now.

[xanthepants]

cbear, Move to MN!

[trixi282]

mrsdonati, What is the organization challenge you're doing? I need something to help kickstart me into getting our house put together! I did pretty good with my bedroom recently, but there's still lingering clutter that's driving me nuts, and I need to organize the linen closet to get both things put together.

I need inspiration really, haha!

[trixi282]

Dec 30, 2015 12:05:20 GMT -5 xanthepants said:

cbear , Move to MN!

Yes, do it!!  I'm speaking for us all - we would love to have you and E and V!!  Oh, and your H too I guess, haha!

[cbear]

Dec 30, 2015 12:05:20 GMT -5 xanthepants said:

cbear, Move to MN!

Haha Iowa is going to be a top contender!!

[bliz1712]

cbear, what area? I'm closer to IA than where the other girls are in MN. So would you be northern by chance?

[cbear]

bliz1712 Des Moines area most likely! My sister is there and the girls and my nieces are super close so we would love for them to grow up closer together. And let's be honest the state of Illinois is a joke and my sister is a pretty established physician in Des Moines so it makes more sense for us to go there. But we shall see!

[mrsdonati]

trixi282,
www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2015/12/2016-home-organization-101-series.html
Every week focuses on a different room or closet.

[roo1582]

2015 was a bit of a rough year. Over this last year I've become very negative. H and I have suffered some rough patches, I hate my job, my circle of IRL friends has dwindled and I feel like I'm in a real rut.

I'm hoping in 2016 to spend more time focusing on myself a bit. I know I need to work on getting myself in a better place in order to transfer that to my relationships. I plan on working harder on my relationship with H. I also hope the year brings some better and new job opportunities.

[justbeth]

I'm been super MIA on here lately, but hopped on today and saw this and had to jump in. 2015 was a pretty good year all in all. It didn't start off that way, after having 2 miscarriages right at the end of 2014 i started 2015 in a really bad place. However looking back now I truly feel like everything was leading us to where we are, and it's a good place. Emma seems to finally be overcoming her threenager attitude that started at 2.5, I'm completely in love with our current foster baby, Emma is an amazing big sister to all of our foster babies, and I'm settling in to this SAHM thing.

Of course everything is never perfect. In 2016 I hope to rekindle the flame with DH and I. It had already gotten dim after 2 years of TTC sex but with newborns in the bedroom for the past 5 months it's really struggling now. I need to work harder to pull myself out of the newborn fog. I feel like most days I'm barely getting dressed and out of the house, much less accomplishing anything. I also want to eat healthier, which includes meal planning and actually getting to the grocery store. I'd LOVE to do those once a month cooking things, but I really don't see that happening. Maybe.

[starfishy]

So yeah, 2015 was not my best year. I started off sick and missed a ton of work. Then the excitement of being pregnant, feeling like something was wrong and then eventually losing the baby and almost bleeding to death in my bathroom.
The subsequent anxiety since that has been hard to tackle. Although I'm getting better I don't find myself being the best mother or wife. I always have the other shoe will drop feeling
And that really stops me from enjoying everything as best I can.
I also missed out on a very sought after job opportunity, gave up my best class for my worst, and felt like I was dealing with sickness and bad news over and over. And that was the first half of the year. Things seemed to brighten over the summer and our luck seemed to change. Although happy to be expecting another baby it's not void of anxiety especially given an ectopic scare and then a blood clot. I'm really hoping that 2016 is a better year all around

In 2016 I'm hoping to get my anxiety under control and take back some responsibilities that H has been doing for me so that I can rest and get myself together. I also would love to show him how much he means to me this year. I feel like 2015 was all about me and how I'm dealing/feeling.
I want to be able to spend more quality (read less worrying) time with my family. I also hope to make a move to a new grade level for next school year. Although, that one is a little out of my control.
I also say in January that I will make it a goal to do and say more positive things- like when I have good customer service I want to acknowledge that instead of always complaining. Put myself in the right mind frame.

Happy, healthy 2016 everyone!

[jodielyn10]

2015 was an exciting year for me with a lot of big changes. We moved at the first of the year and I transitioned into a new role at work. Eli became my little boy, not my little baby and watching Ingrid grow into such a confident, independent, intelligent and hilarious person has been both exciting and a little sad. My H and I have finally moved into a more solid and secure place after the strain that having two babies in two years put on us.

For 2016 I hope to keep focusing and growing my relationship with H; find more work/life balance rather than just floating through the work week in a frenzied haze, and my big goal is to continue to move forward in my career and make the next step into a management position.

Best Wishes to all!

[tribute17]

2015 was high and low for me. 2014 was rough and it seemed like it would just continue. I started the year pregnant but full of anxiety which I think is normal after a loss. Then it was going well until I broke my ankle. I'm worried it will never be back to normal and still hurts a lot of te time. Then my car died and H was unemployed which made finances the major stress of the year. Things calmed down a little and then we had William! By far the best thing for us. Then H got the job in Colorado and has quickly bounced back to his former self. December has been tricky being on my own with the kids but the house sold quickly and I will get to move at the end of January after closing. Fingers crossed everything goes well.

2016- hopefully is a good year. We will be moving and starting a new adventure. I'll be staying home until the fall and either go to grad school again or teach or maybe even stay home another year. We will see how that works out. It will be a year full of new things which will be great for us. One of my goals is just to enjoy my time at home and the more relaxing schedule we will have. It's time for a break. Make new friends and get our lives moving forward.

[babywinks]

A little late to the party here but 2015 was a pretty good year. We moved to NC, which meant buying a home we love and DH changing from a job he disliked to a job he loves. So that was all good. I also got back into running and fromJune 16 to December 31 I ran 554 miles. I feel great, I look better and it has made me happier.

So for 2016 I mainly have running goals. Run 1500 miles for the year, run my first marathon in March, and barring injury or major illness, I hope to run an 50 miler in the fall.

[samelly]

We had a trip to Costa Rica in February, which was lots of fun. Then, I was pregnant for most of the year which wasn't fun. This pregnancy was much harder on me and I was so exhausted all the time. But it did have a happy ending when we became a family of four in November. We are still adjusting to the new reality but DD has been a great big sister so far. She just loves her baby bro.

I'll be on mat-leave for most of 2016 and I'm looking forward to some time with my kids.