Most year in review posts highlight all of the good that happened that year, but that really just doesn’t feel right in 2020. There was a lot of good that happened this year, but it was also a very sad and challenging year.
While I will share the highlights from my year, mostly to be able to look back on the memories one day, I also want to remember what 2020 taught me. Amidst the immense toll of COVID-19, the painful truths that came to light during the height of the BLM movement and the brutal division that resulted from both, as well as the U.S. election, 2020 taught me to be present, to be grateful and to be understanding. I will never take for granted the ability to spend time with family, to control my income, my privilege or to be able to simply breathe.
So, what does my 2020 year in review look like?
January
In January, I was very focused on health and wellness. I was working out from home very consistently, and attending Kirby’s group fitness classes every week. We also did a 5-day detox that was HARD. I also redesigned my blog this month! It was challenging, but also really cool to learn how to build a website and make changes on my own. I feel much more confident now in my design skills and I’m excited to make more tweaks in the coming year.
February
This isn’t something I’ve talked much about, but in February, Kirby and I decided to adopt another dog. COVID really threw a wrench in those plans and we are still trying to work through the process, almost a year later. At this time, our pup is being boarded at a shelter waiting for a flight to Canada.
I also switched up my hair colour this month and went to an Old Dominion concert with family – remember concerts guys?!
The highlight of this month was when our niece, Noelle, was born on Kirby’s birthday!
March
This was the month that self-isolation was put in place here in Kelowna. Lucky for me, I had already adjusted to working from home, but it was difficult to be stuck home all of the time. It was also somewhat challenging to blog about products when stores were closed and online shopping was the only option. Some orders took months to arrive!
As fitness facilities shut down, Kirby was unable to train clients at this time. He was still working another job at the time, so it wasn’t too bad, but definitely impacted our income and momentum in his business.
April
In April, I caved and got a pair of bike shorts! LOL. This was definitely one of those trends that I didn’t expect to jump on board with, but they became a staple in my wardrobe.
I also hosted a major giveaway to celebrate my birthday, which was so fun, and I we purchased a new sofa from Article that we are still in love with. It was really the first major purchase that we made for our home, outside of renovations.
May
I turned 28 on the 1st of May! It was a wonderful, quiet birthday and Kirby had our friend Danielle make me the BEST mini eggs birthday cake. It was also at this time that we decided we were going to renovate our kitchen/living space. We taped out probably 50 different layouts before settling on one that would include saying goodbye to the massive sliding door that I had fallen in love with.
I also shared my thoughts on the BBG program this month, which I had been doing for a few months already. I don’t think I’ve ever felt as healthy as I did when I was committed to BBG.
June
In June, we dove deep into our kitchen renovation, tearing down the old kitchen and framing in a new wall. Our tenants had moved out in May, so we were able to use the downstairs kitchen for the month, although we did do a lot of BBQing during this time.
We also had the chance to meet up with some of my best friends in June – friends that I don’t get to see often. It was the last time that we were all together and I miss them!
It was also the last time that my whole family got together. The Hill family is very large, and in June, we met at my Aunt and Uncle’s property for a camping weekend. My parents’ new puppy, Nala, even fell asleep on Odie’s tail!
Oh ya, and I tried to make pan friend tofu that month. Big mistake.
July
Our cabinets arrived in July! We were so anxious to get those in so that we could have some semblance of a kitchen again. I also had my first paid collaboration this month, which was SO exciting!
By the end of the month, we almost had a kitchen, but the countertops had to be redone as they had cut the hole for the sink about 2x too big.
August
In August, I celebrated my first full year of blogging and really started to invest in my business. We also got countertops and appliances, so we could finally cook in our kitchen! Still not done quite yet though.
September
We FINALLY finished our kitchen! Kirby and I tiled the backsplash ourselves and built floating shelves. This renovation made a huge difference in our home, both aesthetically and functionally.
I also started working with some cool local companies on collaborations this month and saw my business start to gain some real traction. And I bought the Lulus boots that really drove my LIKEtoKNOW.it sales for weeks to come – LOL.
October
This month was major for my business and also so overwhelming. I worked with a ton of great companies, saw a major increase in affiliate income and felt, for the first time, like I was covering my business expenses. I also voted in an election for the first time, which was way easier than I was expecting it to be.
November
November was all about gift guides! I was so wrapped up in gift guides all month, and I put my heart and soul into creating them.
This month, we had a little scare with Odie. He was having problems with his mouth and was not himself one day. We took him to the emergency vet that night and our poor boy was sedated while the vet checked his swollen and bleeding mouth. Medication seemed to do the trick, luckily, and we brought our boy home to recover. I don’t know what I would do without him!
December
I truly tried to take time off this month to enjoy the holidays, but it was not easy! December is an important month for bloggers, so it was kind of crunch time for me. I launched my Santa Sammy giveaways at the beginning of the month and gave away over $650 worth of prizes, asked for feedback on Instagram about what you guys want to see in 2021 and shared a ton of cute photos of Odie!
We kept our Christmas small, due to the restrictions in BC for COVID-19, and mostly relaxed at home. We also took Odie on a bunch of snowy hikes!
2020 was not the year that we expected, but there is so much to be thankful for and many memories to hold onto. Most of those memories are within the walls of our home, but lucky for us, that home looks a lot more beautiful this year!
As we close out this year, I’m thinking of everyone that didn’t have such a great year. There was far too much loss and sadness this year, and I truly hope that 2021 brings hope and prosperity to all of you.
Happy New Year and all the best in 2021!
