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Hopes & Dreams for 2015

2015 seems to have come in like a lighting bolt, leaving us with phenomenal memories of last year, and the question, how did it go by so fast. I am extremely grateful for everything that we experienced over the last 12 months, and every January, I find myself pondering that it will be difficult to top the previous year, but somehow this crazy journey just seems to get better as time progresses.

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For our 7th straight year, we are spending the holiday week in the Hamptons. It’s a tradition that Jason and I somehow started after Ryder was born, and we have made it a point to head out east at the end of each year. This New Year’s Eve, Jason and I considered heading out to see our favorite local band, but we decided to lay low and enjoy family time together. We ordered take out from a favorite neighborhood joint, had some sparkling cider and noise makers for the kids, and just enjoyed each other’s company. Ryder and Siella were allowed to stay up super late, which was a huge bonus for them. As it turned out, Siella lasted right through the countdown, and Ryder nodded off at exactly 11:58, but I woke him when the clock stroke 12am, for some cheers and kisses.

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Rather than setting cliché New Year’s resolutions, I focus on hopes and dreams and goals to work towards, that will get me a little closer to that happy spot, that North Star in my head. In 2015, my hope is for change. As a creature of habit, it’s completely out of my comfort zone to welcome any type of change, but as time progresses, and the kids get older, we need to shake it up a bit, and take a few risks that will hopefully benefit our future.

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For some time, we’ve been talking about buying a home, whether it is for full-time living or a simple place we can escape to on the weekends. What I can tell you, is that it’s happening this year. We spend a few weeks out of the year out east, in the Hamptons, and absolutely adore it here. The other day, we reached out to a broker friend, and asked that she start sending us listings, and maybe she can even get us into a few houses, before heading back into the city.

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Naturally, the kids always come first, but this year, some time needs to be set aside for me to take care of myself.  In most of my adult life leading up to parenthood, I was an avid yoga pupil, but the responsibilities of a working mom, have left little or no time to maintain my yoga love affair. Over the past year, I struggled with constant back pain. For me, back issues are nothing new, but they are intensified by lack of stretching and exercising. To conquer my busy days, I want to feel good every morning and have energy, and getting back into an exercise routine will be the first step.

You may have heard me vent about it in past posts, but Jason travels for work quite often. One thing that keeps me sane is our alone time together, and as we may have had a fair amount of date nights over the past year, I want to make the date night a more regular, and even bi-weekly occurrence, so we can reconnect in our crazy and sometimes separate lives.

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The night-time routine with the kids can use some polishing. Every night, Siella has made it a point to fall asleep in our bed. We transfer her into her bed, but then somehow, she wiggles back into our room, in the middle of the night. As if Siella’s bed bouncing wasn’t enough, Gemma no longer wants to be in her crib, so it may be time for a big girl bed. Hopefully, the new bed will push her daily wakeup time from 5:30am, to at least 6am.

We have assigned the big kids with daily chores, which they sometimes have difficulty completing. In an effort to guarantee that their chores are done, Jason and I are making a new chart showing them what they need to do, and which privileges they will lose or maintain upon completion.

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I hope…Ryder’s new glasses will help with some of his difficulties at school, and he can overcome all his insecurities and anxieties that have consumed him for the last year. It’s only been one week with glasses, and school has not been in session, so we are eager to see what the second half of the school year will bring.

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I hope… Siella continues to shine and her spunk continues to grow with her. She will only be turning 4 in June and entering Pre-K in the fall, but she acts much older for her age. I am amazed by her everyday.

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I hope… Gemma’s sparkle continues to ignite into her toddler years, as she turns 2. She is learning to speak in sentences, and she will probably start a 2’s program by September. With all this, she is no longer considered a baby, although, in my eyes, she will always be my baby.

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I hope… they will continue to learn from one another and their bonds only become stronger.

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I hope… we continue to travel as a family, go on more adventures, and live in moment.

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Looking forward to you, 2015! Wishing everyone love, health, happiness, peace, laughter, joy and everything else in between. Thank you for letting me share my journey with you all.

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9 thoughts on “Hopes & Dreams for 2015”

  1. I never stick to New Years resolutions either! I think this its smart to aim for hopes and dreams instead! Happy New Year and keep up the good work!

  2. What a beautiful and meaningful post about your family. I have so enjoyed reading your blog for the past year.

  3. We have a house in Watermill and absolutely love it there. We rented for years and finally 2 years ago decided to buy and it was the best thing we’d ever done. We go almost every weekend and in the summer I live out there.

  4. Pingback: Reflections & Promises For 2016 | Stroller in the City

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