January - Cancun. I decided to take myself on a vacation to the beach. Traveling alone has always been an adventure I enjoy but I learned it’s really weird to travel alone during a pandemic. No conversations with strangers that turn into friendships that last years and years!
January - My beautiful floof, Scruffles, in her last days. She moved in under my house about three years prior and it took months of patience and trust building to finally pet her. She was very loved.
February - Rumble, my resident trouble-maker, doing what he does best…being both naughty and cute.
February - The beginning of my months-long obsession with puzzles. The Kitten snuggles on a completed beach scene.
March - Easter on Mitchell St! All adults vaxxed, kiddos being safe for one absoliutely chaotic Easter Egg hunt :)
March - Easter with my AZ bestie and doppelganger, Dominique. I’m on the right :)
March - My plant mom tendencies of 2020 continue…
April - Being fully vaxxed myself, I start my many volunteer shifts at vaccine clinics around Phoenix. My writing is on many a vaccine card in these parts!
April - My darling niece, Wyatt, enjoying some AZ sunshine at Matt’s Big Breakfast. (Bryce and Carly’s little one.)
April - Eating the delicious blue octopus Wyatt shares with me.
May 1 - I launch The Tidy Business and coach other professional organizers to create businesses they love, are booked solid and profitable.
May - The view of the Colorado plains from my dad’s house. I flew to Colorado to spend a few days with my brother, Tyler. We’ve talked/Zoom each week since and have developed a really amazing adult friendship over the last year.
May - Meet Oliver! A client called and said she had a kitten that needed a home. How could I resist?
May - Oliver in his small kitten cuteness.
May - Oliver with Flamingo Pete, his best friend.
May - His belly spots!!!
June - In the middle of a LONG Arizona summer, the cool air and view of the ocean was wonderful :)
June - Hilo, Hawaii. Traveled with my friends and Mitchell St neighbors where we stayed at this incredibly lush and green macadamia plantation.
June - Rainbow Falls, Waianuenue on the Big Island.
June - Not sure I’ll ever have a Monstera leaf this big in my house, but a girl can dream…
June - Sea Glass Beach. A hidden entrance, a hike where you pass under a tree crawling with ants, and so many beautiful things it’s amazing, you end up on this black sand beach wtih bazillions of pieces of sea glass. My favorites were the bright colors and the pieces of printed porcelain.
July - Oliver continues to be adorable!
July - Oliver and Pete :)
July - Yes, Oliver, you can have anything you want…because you are so damn cute!
August - The month was full of three client moves. This particular client LOVES her shoes and I got to be extra creative to display all her shoes in her new tiny closet. Can you believe these are simply Billy bookshelves from IKEA?
August - I learn The Tidy Bungalow is finally The Tidy Bungalow® and I’m US Patent and Trademark Office official.
August - Stack ‘O Cat. From top, Rumble, Oliver, Lord Meowington.
September - Oliver is now a young man and WAY bigger than Pete. Still best friends.
September - Four years later and I finally hung my KonMari Consultant certificate on my wall surrounded by so much else that sparks joy.
September - A favorite pic of the year from my brother, Bryce. Here’s his wife, Carly, plus daughter, Wyatt, and pup, Luna, on the Arkansas with their boating friends.
October - I got back into a regular blood donation rhythm. At the Red Cross office in Phoenix, I very much appreciated their creative use of KALLAX from IKEA.
October - My KonMari mentee, Mae, at her business launch. Mae is on the left in lavender, her signature color, and created the best KonMari event I’ve seen. She is rocking her business!
November 1 - Woohoo! Vaxxed and boosted!
November - I hired a KonMari Consultant to help me (yes me, the Master Consultant) go through my home item by item once again. It was a great experience and my home finally felt everything could breathe again.
November - Thanksgiving kickball game. It was fun and hilarious!!!
November - Thanksgiving with my doppelganger, Dominique.
December - I lost my very first Monopoly game. Ever. And I couldn’t be more happy as I played with my 8-year-old neighbor :)
December 1993 - Looking back on Christmas 28 years ago. Top: Amber and Bryce. Below: Tyler.
December - My 41st Birthday!!! Here I am with my KonMari peeps. From left: Melissa (from Minnesota and my KM bestie), me, Wendy and Mae. Not pictured: the other 25 people I love the most in my life who joined me for chili, hot chocolate and s’mores.
December - Desert Botanical Gardens. I spent a gorgeous day here with my best friend and soul sister. And I came back the next week to enjoy more sunshine and write up all my Christmas cards.
This December a 2019 Airbnb guest turned amazing friend, Michelle, flew in from Cancun and introduced me to her six-week old son, Zain, and we spent a few days catching up and taking care of the little dude. She left on a Friday morning and that evening I picked up my best friend, my soul sister, Shelley, from the airport to spend a few days together. It was soooooo wonderful to reconnect through laughter, tears and silent moments just sharing space.
December was a month full of love.
