WELL! I don’t think any of us could have possibly predicted the year that we just had, in any capacity. I would like to think that we will never take things for granted again: our health, our ability to travel, our friendships and family, but human nature being what it is, there will come a day when we probably will.
2020 was disastrous in so many ways, but I think that looking back on it, we can see massive change and growth, and, looking forward, glimmers of hope. I know that going through this year has made me re-evaluate many things, and I have realized that many things I felt I could never live without, I have.
So let us look back on the year that was absolutely unlike any year we have experienced, but that will surely be talked about and written about for decades to come.
Boyhouse Year In Review 2020
January
I was stressed out about juggling doctor, dentist, and orthodontist appointments for the boys – remember juggling things? – it was insanely cold and I went for a mall walk like an elderly person, and I got weirdly stressed out about getting a gel pedicure. I also – sob – complained about exam break and my son being home from school IMAGINE YOUR KIDS BEING HOME FROM SCHOOL FOR THREE WEEKS JUST IMAGINE LOLOLOLOLSOB.
January 2020 Nicole was such an innocent, and also I did not go for that gel pedicure.
February
I overheard a man at Walmart asking for extra-small condoms, I went to Math Night at the high school and was comparatively a hippie, I went to Costco on a Sunday afternoon for the first and last time and also baked a heart-shaped cake for dinner with friends, and I wore a different outfit every day in February.
All the outfits were pretty similar though.
March
I talked about how insidious jealousy is, although I freely admitted to being insanely jealous of my friends’ hair, I noticed people buying a LOT of toilet paper at Costco (cue ominous music), I really did try to fulfil my New Year’s Resolution of buying a bra but failed, we cancelled our trip to Mexico and I bought a lot of groceries, my son turned 16 and we had our first Pandemic Birthday, and I accidentally hoarded taco shells.
Everything shut down, including the yoga studio, and so I also started my home yoga practice. This was a huge change because nearly every day for thirteen years I went to the studio to practice in the early morning hours. School was also cancelled “indefinitely.”
April
In what can only be described as the Worst Timing Ever, my coffee maker started leaking, grocery shopping became a harrowing, soul-sucking quest and I started wearing a mask, my sons stopped shaving, I got my very first cloth mask and declared it to be the New Lipstick, I coloured my own hair for the first time in decades, and I cleaned and reorganized the hideous laundry area.
I also had a pandemic birthday and my friends brought me a gift while wearing dinosaur costumes and playing Danger Zone.
May
Some things started to open up, notably the orthodontist, which meant that I did NOT have to use toenail clippers to cut my son’s brace wires, we had a Pandemic Mother’s Day and I stressed out about baking powder, we visited my parents for the first time in months, I aired my grievances, big and small, and I was really on edge about grocery carts.
I also talked about pandemic beauty products.
June
Amid lots of worries, we celebrated Barkley’s birthday, we started to catch up on appointments as medical and dental offices opened, I gave myself a bikini wax and I learned some things are best left to the professionals, the renos were finished on our vacation home and so we went there for a little break and I thoroughly enjoyed the newly-flushing toilet, and I reminisced about Hammerman.
I also shared my hair styling tips, follow me for more great beauty advice.
July
I talked about the role of luck in life, I had lots of adventures, including one in which I learned how outhouses in the backcountry get emptied, I GOT A PELOTON AND IT HAS BEEN LIFE-CHANGING (and also practiced gratitude), and I talked about leaning in and out, yin and yang.
I also talked about sweat! Again, follow me for more fascinating and glamourous topics.
August
I finally watched Hamilton and also bleached my hands accidentally, someone called the cops on my son and his band, I realized after months of wearing shorts that the boys had vastly outgrown all their pants, we were on a vacation of sorts and I prepared for the boys to actually go back to actual physical school.
I also talked about my beloved herb garden.
September
The boys went back to school (!!!!!!), my son turned 15 and had a socially distanced birthday party, I marked six months since I had my hair cut and professionally coloured, I had the Lido Shuffle stuck in my head and I actually did get my hair cut and coloured.
Also, Barkley shared my passion for fall fruits.
October
My son finally (FINALLY OMG FINALLY) shaved off his pandemic moustache and I got excused from jury duty, we enjoyed incredible fall colours and for the first time ever I got to eat something at Thanksgiving dinner (that I made myself, but still), I had an adventure at Costco, and I talked about Mom Jeans and Dressy Sweatpants.
November
My husband declared himself the winner in the Halloween decoration war, it was the return of the Tiny Secret Festive Season and I finished my Christmas shopping, I had a small breakdown in the grocery store, I talked about Friluftsliv, and we got put on a mini-lockdown.
I also had fun – and THANK YOU ALL FOR WEIGHING IN – discussing Divisive Issues! That was probably my favourite post to write, and my favourite comment section of 2020.
December
Everything was fine, I got festively crazy, the mini-lockdown turned into a major lockdown which we are still in today, and we got a whole lot of snow.
I also talked about being a Linus’ blanket to someone else’s Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
As we wrap up 2020, I’m looking back at my goals for the year (I still didn’t buy a new bra) and looking forward to setting goals for a fresh new year. I learned a lot about myself this year, I grew as a person, so many things changed, there was much sadness and despair but also much happiness, beauty, gratitude, and time with my little family. (SO MUCH TIME WITH MY LITTLE FAMILY).
Thank you so much for coming along with me on my adventures during this strange year; I wish you so much joy and love for the New Year. Here’s to 2021! xoxoxo
I loved the trip back through your year! Yes, 2020 was – and will definitely be remembered as – a total dumpster fire. And it was. BUT, I think there a lot of lessons learned, happiness, beauty, etc. and we can’t let those little nuggets fall through the cracks. Happy New Year, Nicole! Let’s see what 2021 has to teach us.
Happy new year to you, too! It’s been quite a year.
Your posts brought me MUCH joy this year, Nicole! May 2021 be BETTER.
This was fun- I remember these posts. I laughed AGAIN at the small condom shopper. I love the pic of you on the boat in August. Looks so relaxing. Yes, imagine having your kids home for 3 weeks?
Looking forward to all that 2021 brings and I agree- this year brought many things into focus. Lessons learned will hopefully not soon be forgotten.
Thanks for all the laughs and book recommendations.
Happy New Year! I loved reading this because it reminds me that we are all so similar and also it made me laugh. Are you going to keep tracking the pandemic weeks? I actually look forward to those titles, it makes me see how far we’ve gone and maybe we’re just a little closer to more normalcy….:)
I loved “All the outfits were pretty similar, though”. I still feel grateful (during non-pandemic times) when Matt isn’t home and I can go out in the evenings without a baby-sitter, so I think I will feel grateful for a good long time about anything that feels normal after this. Seeing your summer picture also reminds me of how much closer to normal the summer was, which sort of gives me hope that I can endure this lockdown and the next couple months until the weather gets better and at least we can see people outside again – I mean, we do now, but it’s fucking cold.