This year was quite the year for me. Many ups and downs. Many tears, but also many smiles. I am going to share with you the main things that happened this year!
Losing a Grandparent:
In March of 2022, my grandfather passed away. It was such a blur of a month. He got really sick in February and spent many days in the hospital. I won't go into too many details, but he basically had a virus that went to his brain and there was nothing the Doctors could do about it. They tried, tried everything. But unfortunately, it was not enough. This was an incredibly difficult way to begin year 2022. Nothing can prepare you to say goodbye to someone who means the world to you. Nothing can prepare you for the pain. I was in the room with him when he passed along with my sisters, my mom, my dad, my uncle and my grandmother. That was one of the most difficult things I've ever experienced. Watching a person, especially a loved one become lifeless.
So many people came to the visitation and his funeral. It was so comforting to hear all the wonderful stories people who knew my grandfather wanted to share about him. I miss him. But he lived a wonderful life. He was loved by so many and dedicated his life to serving his community and being with family. He was truly a special man and I feel so incredibly lucky to have had almost 32 years with him.
Birthday Parties:
This was a fun year for Birthday parties! I planned 3 that I am super proud of! In May, my first born turned two. I planned a Unicorn party for her. In September, my second born turned 1. The First Birthday is such an exciting birthday to celebrate. It is also very bittersweet. On one hand I was so excited to have gotten through the first year with her (it was a tough one) but then I was also very sad that I no longer had a baby and she was entering toddlerhood. My husband and I do not plan to have a third child, so my second born was my last baby. It's hard to say goodbye to that stage knowing it's never going to happen again. To celebrate my daughter's first birthday, we did it as Dr. Seuss themed! It was so much fun! Highly recommend this party theme! Finally, in December my family and I planned a surprise party for my dad's 60th. We planned it at his favorite Winery. It was a successful surprise! I was so proud of it! I planned a party the day before the surprise to make it seem like there was not going to be a surprise. He had many friends show up and family who even traveled a long distance for him. Surprise parties are so exciting. My mom and I started planning in September. Booked in October and Surprised in December! I was so excited for the surprise and felt so relieved that it was a success!
SAHM:
This was my first full year as a SAHM. It was the hardest but also most rewarding year. I learned so much as a mom and so much about having two babies under two. In 2021, my second was a newborn for most of the year. In 2022, she changed and things became yes more exhausting but also fun too. I had to figure out routines and schedules that worked for us. I also had to figure out time to plan dinners, keep track of grocery orders, shower, brush my teeth, create routines for myself while girls were asleep, clean, manage new toys, you name it. I know there will be a time that I will miss all that I manage while staying home with two very little girls. But gotta say, being a SAHM is a lot harder, exhausting and lonely than I thought it was going to be. And this year was definitely proof of that!
Meal Planning:
I have meal planned before, but it would fall through. I was good with it for a while. We did Hello Fresh before kids and that was wonderful because every week we chose three meals to be delivered to us for the next week. And then the remaining two days of the work week, we just made an easy meal or a crockpot meal or takeout. After having kids and then being home with them, things changed. I had to figure out a plan for meals. The goal was to plan a month in advance using a hanging calendar. I've done this in previous years, but never for an entire year. I am so PROUD to say that at the end of 2022, the entire calendar was filled up with a meal for every weekday. Planning dinner a month in advance was so manageable. If we knew my husband was going to be at practice and come home late, I would plan a crockpot meal. I also tried to put in a new meal once a month that we've never tried or made before. It also helped with grocery shopping. Over the weekend, I would put in a Walmart order to be delivered to our door. So convenient! Anyways, I would look at what I planned for the week and put in the order what we needed for dinner as well as other essentials. It was an easy routine to keep up with! It also was clear communication that I will cook during the week, but since I don't plan meals for weekends, I don't cook on weekends! Meal Planning a month in advance was probably one of my favorite things I did this year!
Saying No:
I said "No" a lot more this year. If you know me, like truly know me, you know that I always had trouble saying No to people. Mostly people I care about. By not saying no occasionally, it would make having too much on my plate and I would end up feeling overwhelmed and then that would lead to crazy amount of anxiety. I don't say "no" in a mean way, I am just more aware of what I am doing and how much I'm doing and if I do not want to do too much in one weekend or at one time, I say no.
RunDisney:
I went to Disney in November with my sister. It was an exhausting but a wonderful weekend. Not only did we complete a 10K and a Half Marathon in one weekend (that we did not train for haha), but it was the first weekend that I left my little family to do something for myself. I did not realize how much I needed time away. And also how much time my husband needed that one on one time with my girls. I felt guilty leaving but I came back recharged. I highly recommend moms take weekends to do something for yourself. A weekend that you're not mom. A weekend that you're not a wife. A weekend that you are you and only you. At least once a year. RunDisney and the company of my sister allowed me to have that.
Balance:
This year I truly embraced the phrase "Me Time". I made sure to give myself time to get my hair done. I made sure to get massages for relaxation. I made sure to do events with friends or meet halfway for lunch or dinner. I made sure to use my evenings to do what I want. I made sure to do things for myself. It was wonderful and I honestly did not realize how much of the "me time" I took for granted before I had children. Now that I am a mom, and I spend all day every day with my girls, it is important to find time for just myself. It is also important to find time for just me and my husband.
Another part of Balance that I discovered this year was exercise. I started the year doing a run streak. I went I think about 86 days. But it was not a healthy run streak for me. I put way too much pressure on myself and it was actually becoming a very toxic experience for me. In April my girls got really sick and then I got sick and the streak ended. I honestly did not realize how relieved I was going to feel when it ended. I started a workout routine that I walk when I can and I found a program on Beachbody that is only 4 days a week. I started that program and felt so good about myself. The balance was wonderful and I had a lot more flexibility. Whoever said you had to exercise every single day was wrong. Sorry, but if you're not having fun doing it every day, find that balance and do it 3 or 4 days a week. Maybe start smaller and do 2 days a week. I learned that balance this year and gotta say, it's pretty freeing!
Toxic Relationships:
This was the year I really saw true colors of family members and friends. I learned who I can count on, and who I can't count on. I learned who think they can tell me how to parent or live my life, and some who understand boundaries. I started to see change in family members and friends after my second was born in 2021 and it continued into 2022. I learned who is full of judgement, and who are more supportive. It was an extremely eyeopening year. I go into 2023 clear of who I want to make an effort for in my life. Parts of 2021 and all of 2022 taught me that.
All Things Susana:
This is the year I started my personal blogging page. It started as a hobby in July. I write blog posts 1-3 times a week varying in topics and I create Amazon Inspired outfits in short videos 4-6 times a week. I started All Things Susana because after becoming a mom and especially after becoming a mom of two and being a SAHM, I felt like I lost a little bit of myself. The part of me that loved fashion, all things beauty. My body changed and I was ashamed. I struggled finding a style that fit me and my larger curves, but also made me feel like myself and confident in my own skin. I was originally inspired by my husband when he started his own YOUTUBE channel in May. I wanted to do something that I loved but also would inspire others. After thinking about it for a month or so, I realized how much I love writing because I can write things I struggle saying out loud, and how much I love Amazon and the clothes I have found on Amazon. After doing some research and setting up social media accounts and a website to post my blogs, All Things Susana was born on July 5, 2022.
What a year it has been! I am so excited for what 2023 has in store for me and my family. There is so much to look forward to this year, and there are so many things I am focused on (all thanks to 2022), that I can't wait to do more of in 2023. Let me know what 2022 was like for you! I would love to chat about it!
Thank you so much for reading!
Susana
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