Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!  Are you partying and staying up late or going to bed early? We are hanging out with friends tonight so that will be fun!  We had a great year with lots of fun stuff. You can see my 2025 recap Here.  And a post about a few of my favourite things Here.


A new year and an opportunity to make changes. I am encouraged to reflect on our year and look for ways to improve myself.  I tend to start out strong and then end up just flailing through the rest of year and so this is a good time reset.  Also, as I get older I get set in my ways and I tend to resist change. Some of that is knowing who I am and what I like, but it’s still a good idea to identify what is actually a bad habit and how I can improve. 

Diet - Last year I tried counting macros and getting more protein into my diet.  I did find I had more energy but it was not easy to keep track every single day for weeks on end. But it did help me get the general idea of how to fuel my body each day so I can borrow those concepts and strive to make better choices each day. 

Alcohol - On that same note, I definitely drink more alcohol in the summer and then at Christmastime. The winter months are a good time to take a little break.  I won’t do technically dry January, but will cut down on what I am drinking. 

Fitness - I do a pretty good job of working out throughout the week, but I started doing more bike boot camps at the end of the year and those are great. My neighbour also invited me to try Orange Theory so I may do that and see how I like it. 

Work - I have always used a paper notebook for taking notes at work but I think I would be more efficient to take electronic notes so I could more easily search for things. I also think it would be good to use an AI notetaker for some of our meetings, and learn to use Co-Pilot to help with some things.

Parenting - Instilling better habits in our kids, like getting them to do more chores and looking after their own things and personal hygiene.  This takes patience and consistency on our part to keep reminding them without getting upset.



Something that I read earlier this week is that there is always an excuse if you want one, and even as I was writing all of those things I was simultaneously making up an excuse in my head. It’s important to know when you’re making those excuses and to counter them with action instead. 


Monday, December 29, 2025

2025 - Year in Review

Taking a look back month by month of 2025.

January

My mom came up to spend a few days with us post-Christmas.


Ski season got underway.

February 

More skiing, including races for the boys.


And we got the most snow we had seen in awhile - we shoveled forever!

March 

We skied at Mont Tremblant, Quebec, with lots of friends.

We celebrated Dave’s birthday.

April 

We celebrated Easter

And watched the Maple Leafs in the playoffs.

May

T-ball season got underway.

Dave golfed in Utah.

I flew to Paris to meet some friends.

June

Dave and the boys met me in Paris.

E graduated from Grade 8.

Q made the t-ball rep team and they had their first tournament at the end of June.


July

Q went to Muskoka Woods

The boys and I went to PEI and my mom came over to meet us.

Thanks for having us at your cottage Cindy!

August

Q had two more t-ball tournaments - Ancaster and Dundas - and got player of the game one time.


E golfed with his friends

And he went to Muskoka Woods

September

Dave got a Hole in One!!

Q finished up t-ball season

We celebrated Q’s 9th birthday

October

I went to Mexico for work

We celebrated E’s 14th birthday

We went to Game 1 of the World Series.

The kids went trick or treating.

November

We raked leaves

We went to a Marlies game with friends

December

We celebrated Christmas

Signing off on 2025 :)




Friday, December 26, 2025

Friday Favourites - 2025 Edition

Some of my favourite things from 2025:

Song - All Too Well (10 minute version) was my top played song on Spotify, but as for new songs it was Golden from K Pop Demon Hunters.


Movie - F1

TV Show - The Summer I Turned Pretty

Book - On Isabella Street

Meal - Le Pre Aux Clercs in Paris - French Onion Soup, Roasted Chicken, Crème Brûlée 

Drink - Sancerre 

New Clothing - White pants from Aritizia, that I later got in black. 

Toronto Moment - Without a doubt it was the Blue Jays’ playoff run, everyone was so invested in the games and it was so exciting to be here.  We went to several games during the regular season and then got tickets for Game 1 of the World Series.  It was amazing. 

Canada Moment - The Blue Jays was really Canada’s moment too, but in addition was the Four Nations Cup back in February.  Canada was feeling a little wounded from Trump’s comments and tariffs and the Four Nations Cup was some great bonding for our country and it was even sweeter that we won it :)

House Thing - (house adjacent), our new car, an electric car to the installation of the charger is part of the house!

Restaurant - Freebird Market, not a “restaurant” but you can get prepared food to take home. Everything is lovely there.

E Thing - He graduated from Grade 8 in June and started high school in September.  He won a couple of awards at graduation and has gotten off to a good start in Grade 9. It has been nice to hear the things his teachers say about him, and see him try new things at school, like design technology and the robotics team. 

Q Thing - Q is a hard worker, and we sometimes don’t give him credit for it, but he loves batting practice, hitting golf balls, putting, his piano lessons, learning violin at school, and working on his reading at school.  He wants to do well and doesn’t mind putting in the work. 

Dave Thing - Dave got his first hole in one on September 5, and we were all there to witness it! We were so excited. 

Memories - Game 1 of the World Series, what a time!! Also the soup cabin at Tremblant and laughing under the Eiffel Tower.