Looking back at 2016

When I look back at 2016 at a personal level, I am truly thankful for everything I have and what I have been able to do. Sure, I fell short of almost every goal I set forth for myself earlier this year but in terms of the big picture, I as well as my family are truly better off.

We were able to take our first true family vacation in the form of a road trip to Montana and back through Wyoming and South Dakota where we made what are hopefully countless memories for our two kids. To make that a safer trip, we bought our first brand new vehicle a few weeks before leaving for the mountains of the west. Six months later it still has hints of that much-talked-about new car smell.

We also celebrated the missus beginning a new job. Still in a management role, she was able to find a job which sparked her interests without having to take a hit in the wage department. After a staggering 12 years as a restaurant manager with a stellar track record she moved on to become production manager at an up and coming  company in the same town she has worked for the majority of her career.

The boy began his educational journey ass he began preschool in September. Barely three years old, we rolled the dice and outside of a couple hiccups in the first few days of school, he is doing surprisingly well. He knows the names of almost everyone in his class and claims those that he knows as his friends. Not bad for a kid who h as never spent a day in a traditional daycare.

The girl began second grade this year and after a few notes from the teacher regarding her need to be constantly talking, she is hitting her stride. She is reading basically a full grade level above her classmates and is billed as the top reader in her class. She is also kicking ass in the area of spelling – even without really practicing spelling any of the words the is tested on.

All told, 2016 has been pretty damn good to us even though my onion crop went to hell after being hailed on in May. I am just hoping that 2017 is even better. After all, that is the American dream...