2024 in Review

   

2024 in Review

I seem to set a new record every year for how bad I am at blogging. I really do want to do better. Finger's crossed for 2025!

1. What did you do in 2024 that you'd never done before?  Big home remodel! Did new fireplace, new kitchen, new floors, new doors/trim, new laundry room, new entry floors, new lights. It was a big deal and a long time living in a construction zone! love how it turned out.


2. What would you like to have in 2025 that you lacked in 2024?  Just in the last few months, not the whole year, I've felt pretty off and a bit down. Not sure if it's hormones or seasonal depression or what. But as of right now, I'd like to feel more peace and less anxiety in 2025.
3. What dates from 2024 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?   Elliott David Hill was born on 11/12/24 to Carter and Harley.  He is completely adorable. The birth went well and we are so happy to add him to the family!
4. What was your biggest achievement this year? I accomplished a home remodel without losing my mind and also without any debt. (though the money part was mostly Frank's accomplishment, though I did help
5. What was your biggest failure? I fell off the wagon on scripture study, Inklings and also temple attendance. I struggled A LOT with migraines when attending church. Not sure how to fix that one but I don't like it one bit.
6. Did you suffer illness or injury?  My foot had a lot of trouble healing after the foot surgery. It looks fine on X-ray but just hurts all the time. I finally went back to doctor when my second toe started to hurt even more than my big toe (the surgical toe). I got a cortisone shot which has helped the big toe pain a lot. Second toe is migrating toward big toe which is so annoying and painful. I started wearing toe socks with a silicone toe spacer and it's helping a lot. It's January 2025 now and that's over a year from the surgery. If I wear the spacer, my foot feel pretty much ok. Hoping I can eventually not wear it all the time because it limits my shoe choices a lot.
7. What was the best thing you bought?  All the stuff for the remodel!
8. Where did most of your money go? Remodel!
9. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Super excited for new kitchen, fireplace and laundry room. I love the laundry room so much that I sometimes just go in there and stare.
10. What song will always remind you of 2024? Probably none. I should listen to music more. One moment I'll remember is when we had William here for a visit during conference weekend and there was a children't choir on the tv. William was absolutely mesmerized by the singing! I think if I hear the song Gethsemane, I will always think of that moment. That boy loves music. 
11. Compared to this time last year, are you: Happier or sadder? Fatter or Thinner? Richer or Poorer? Sadder atm but hoping it's just hormones. Fatter. Ugh! Menopause is kicking my butt. Same rich/poorness. YNAB is still my jam and I feel like I'm handing the money ok.


12. What do you wish you'd done more of?  I would like to read more. Have more time with other women. See all of my grandkids more.More time with the Lord. Need to be more regular with the weight lifting/building bones.


13. What do you wish you'd done less of? Being lazy.


14. What was your favorite TV program? We enjoy a tv show each night. We really enjoyed Severance on Apple TV. I also watched Modern Family which was fun. Frank finally got more into The Chosen this year.


15. What was the best book you read? Reread all of the Stormlight Archive to prepare for the latest book (Wind and Truth) which came out in Dec 2024.


16. What did you want and get? Home remodel! A summer visit to Michigan and the lake with the Michigan Hills. Lots of fresh peaches. 


17. What did you want and not get? more visits to Michigan


18. What was your favorite film of the year? Wicked Part One (Saw it twice in one day!) I thought they did a great job and can't wait to own the movies and watch them together.


19. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 57. Here is last years post about my bday.


20. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2024?  The same pair of Lucky jeans with random work tops. Flannels in winter. Also, due to the foot issues I wear the same pair of Astra Shoes with every outfit...even dresses. It's not good.
21. What kept you sane? Audiobooks, trips to Logan to see grand babies (and kids), lunches with Ryan/Kristal/Dante, coworkers that I like, tv shows in the evening. Lunches with Julie (cousin)
22. Which celebrity did you fancy the most? I don't care about celebrities. 


23. What political issue stirred you the most? I'm dumbfounded that Trump got reelected. I want to hid in a hole or possibly another country.


24. Who is the best new person you met? Elliott David


25. Who did you miss? Michigan kids/grandkids. Having friends nearby


26. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2024.  I need exercise. I need alone time. I need more God in my life.

Birthday pic Jan 2024

January trip to Florida

Remodel begins!

Visiting Logan!

I love my peonies

picnic with Ryan/Kristal/Dante

Finished kitchen and Laundry

PEACHES

Branden door dashed me flowers and candy corn in October

Welcome Elliott!

December visit to Michigan

Christmas Eve

 Christmas Eve started with one of our favorite traditions: breakfast at IHOP where we leave as big of a tip as we can. This year I was super late to get it organized so only one family from the neighborhood could come. So I started inviting family members and ended up with a pretty big group! It was fun and we left a tip of over $600!

Turned out that our server's mother had died on Christmas Eve a year before so it felt like it was meant to be to have her as our server.

This year was an "off" year for us meaning all of our kids were elsewhere. I was worried it would be a depressing sort of Christmas so kind of at the last minute I talked my family into have a Christmas Eve party at my house.

We did potluck, games and enjoyed each other's company. Everyone seemed to have a good time and I was SO GLAD we did it.

We introduced the family to "dip, dip, dip" and it was a big hit.

It's really hard to capture in pictures though LOL

We even had some gingerbread house building but this is the only picture I got of that!

Michigan Visit!

 We decided to make a quick trip to Michigan to at least see Branden's family near Christmas if we couldn't see them on Christmas this year. It worked out well that we could come to see the girls Orchestra concerts for school as well as a choir concert for Kaylee!

We went from Dec 10-15th. We got an airbnb so we'd have room for a few family activities. I brought ingredients and stuff to make gingerbread houses with them. This has been a tradition forever and it's fun to have it with the grandkids as well.

We arrived the day of the concerts and basically went straight from the airport to the school. The girls did great! Isabelle really enjoys orchestra but Kaylee is still unsure that it's her thing.

On the 11th we went with the girls to pick a Christmas Tree (Amber is in a boot from foot surgery so they hadn't been able to go yet). We picked the girls up from school and went right out tree shopping. It was FRIGID in Michigan and I tried to talk the girls into buying the first tree we saw but they wanted to walk around the tree farm first. BRRRR! In the end we came back and bought that first one. LOL

Since we had a rental van, Frank had no qualms just shoving the tree right inside. The girls thought that was hilarious.

We brought it home and decorated with the family (though I have no pictures of Branden or Amber!)

Isabelle did the oh-so-important job of putting the family moose at the top of the tree!

Oh there's Amber's boot! She was there, I promise.

On the 12th Isabelle wasn't feeling well so she spent the day in our Airbnb since Amber had to work. We mostly watched some nature documentaries together. Later that evening the family came over and we decorated gingerbread houses. I miscounted and so didn't have enough pieces so Branden had to build a house from random scrap pieces.

He did an amazing job and built a Grinch tower.

Finished products:

The 13th we took the girls to an indoor playground. I can't believe this is the only picture I got!

But we ran around and went down slides and crawled through tunnels. Frank did better than I did...my knees did not enjoy crawling!

But the girls seemed to have a good time. 

I don't remember the days but we also took the family to two movies. We saw "The Best Christmas pageant ever" and "Moana 2"

Kaylee really wanted to see Moana and didn't care too much about the other one so she was sad we booked the Christmas movie first and Moana for Saturday morning. But we convinced her that two movies were better than one and she decided that was true. 

After we saw the Christmas movie (which made us all cry) she said "That was the best movie I've ever seen in my life"

Moana was only so-so in all the adults' opinions.

December 14th was Kaylee's big concert. We didn't really know what it was but it turned out to be a local celebrity having a Christmas concert and she had kids try out for a choir to be her backup singers (and they sang a few songs of their own as well). It was impressive! The crowd definitely had lots of parents/grandparents/proud relatives so a couple of the choir numbers got more applause than the main event. LOL

Kaylee was really in her element and you could tell she loves choir WAY more than orchestra!

Kaylee had so much family there to support her! Cousins, aunts, uncles. two sets of grandparents and even a great grandma! And of course Mom, Dad and Isabelle

Getting an autograph and picture from the star (embarrassed to say I can't remember her name)

December 15th was basically just a flight home to Utah.

We sure are grateful we got to spend time with the Michigan Hills!

New Grandbaby!

 Elliott David Hill was born on November 11, 2024 at 10:52 pm weighting 7 lb 5 oz and 20.5 inches long.

We are thrilled!