This Week at the Brennans’

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Well, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve written one of these family updates, but my goal for 2021 is to go back to writing these weekly. I love looking back and seeing everything documented, but don’t always have the time to actually document it all. So, here’s to being more intentional with my time to update this family space I care so much about. And now….

Here’s what happened this past month:

Porter is almost walking! He can definitely walk unassisted but absolutely chooses not to. He thinks it’s hilarious to fall to the ground instead of staying upright. He also would prefer to walk to no one as opposed to anyone holding out their arms/a toy/food. We’ve tried it all. He also screams and points a bunch to get what he wants because he refuses to talk, too. Oh what fun having a toddler is!

We decorated for Christmas, celebrated for Christmas and took down Christmas. Haha! I’m not going to lie, I loved seeing the decor go up, but am thrilled to throw it all back to where it belongs in the garage. Give me my house back!

We decorated gingerbread houses a few weeks ago, too! Technically graham cracker houses, but whatever. It was still a fun activity to do with my kiddos to get in the holiday spirit.

On the 29th, we celebrated my 35th birthday! One year older and wiser, too! This past year was the year of health for me. I wanted to get all the baby weight off and get stronger. I was able to get 20 pounds off, become the lightest (and strongest!) I’ve ever been and I’m feeling pretty darn fantastic. 2021 is looking pretty great! Excited to get stronger and gain some more muscle.

The built ins are almost done in the living room, hallelujah. I divided the two sides, one for me, one for Gordon. My side is completely done and painted and Gordon’s is where he left it three weeks ago. Sigh. It’s so hard to get house projects done when all the kids are home! But I managed to get my side done BEFORE Christmas….while Gordon sat on the couch watching Seinfeld. Ahem. Just sayin’ when there’s a will, there’s a way. I’m going to start painting the living room while he hopefully paints his side.

We got some family photos taken! My friend agreed to shoot our pictures with the promise that I’d edit them all. So, I asked her Wednesday, we went out Thursday and had Christmas cards ordered Friday with these new pictures. Ha! You can see all my favorites here.

I finally finished decorating AND documenting my middle boys’ room. Hallelujah. It took a while, but I’m a busy lady and lighting in there is very hit and miss. Check it out here incase you missed it!

Lots of school happening still. We’re on a Christmas Break now, but will be getting back into the groove on Monday.

We booked a two week vacation in Hawaii! We leave the end of February and are so so excited to go somewhere warmer than here! We had some travel credits we had to use by April and were coming up with where to go and what to do part of it all. We decided on Hawaii and will just rent a house with a pool and stay mostly put, unless their rules change. While I’d love to explore the island on foot, we might just be driving it, snapping our pictures. Haha! It will absolutely be a welcome change of pace for our family. (Yes, we will be homeschooling there and yes I will be recipe testing there! I’m so excited to see the sun for longer than 35 minutes and have good poke again!)

Apparently, I’ve been collecting Massage Envy credits for the past 18 months without me really realizing it. Soooo, I’ll be getting one of everything they offer weekly until I’ve run out of these credits and can cancel this darn membership.

Gordon, Brooke and I all got glasses! We are so so smart! Just kidding. Our eyes are all getting older. Brooke is far sighted and needs hers for reading, but Gordon and I are the opposite. Actually Gordon’s eyes are just terrible all around and he has reading glasses AND driving glasses. I am going back to the eye doctor to get more testing done on my right eye because he’s concerned…about something. I don’t actually remember WHAT is potentially wrong with my eye, but something to do with my optic nerve and glaucoma. Sooooo, I’m going back next week for additional testing.

I’ve been recipe testing like crazy. What else is new! I’ve created a new system for my content calendar and we’ll see how it fares in 2021.

We all got a teensy bit sick with the sniffles and headaches, but thankfully not coronavirus or anything to worry about. Brooke was first and then the rest of us followed. Gordon strangely took it the hardest. I was mostly spared.

My all new Meal Planning Website is live! I’ve literally been working on it since July and am so glad its out in the ether! It feels like a 5th baby I’ve given birth to. Haha!

Here’s what is coming up this next week:

Our kids are back to the homeschool grind and I’m really excited about it. Bring it on!

I’m working like a crazy person.

Gordon and I are counting our macros and reaching for those goals! Gotta get beach ready for Hawaii…

Hope you all have a wonderful, safe and healthy new year!