Mallorca – More than just a Trip

I am currently sitting in an airport waiting to board a flight home from a wonderful trip to Mallorca. I travel all the time. Dean calls it my hobby and it is! We have been to some wonderful places all over the world and within the United States. I normally reserve my typical travel posts for Facebook or Instagram, but this trip deserves more. So I am taking to my blog to process what I have just experienced.

So let me start by telling you that Dean and I sat out of travel last year because Dean had extensive knee surgery and a long recovery in 2025. In 2023 and 2024 we had gone on a couple of bigger trips across the pond to both Croatia and Norway, as well as some other smaller vacations – all of which were active trips – hiking, biking, playing tennis, etc. One of our favorites was the tennis focused trip we took in 2023…… and now we are so emersed in the sport, both playing and watching (we are both self proclaimed addicts), we knew we wanted tennis to be a big part of our next vacation coming off of a year of non-travel.

I tend to be a bit crafty at finding the perfect trip for us and had been eyeing this trip for some time. So first, let me tell you the specifics of this trip. This is a curated trip to Mallorca, Spain focused on Tennis – both playing tennis daily and watching professional tennis at the Mallorca Open. It even included a day trip to the Rafa Nadal Academy to both play tennis and tour the museum. Those elements alone sealed the deal for us to book this vacation. But there was more….. Excursions through historic sites & cities, a stay at a 5 star Hotel, dining at Michelin Rated Restaurants, as well as hidden gem restaurants with wonderful food, drinks and views, with a small group of other tennis loving people.

The trip was everything I wanted it to be but so much more. Here’s what was so captivating about it. The company that we booked with was owned and led by a 27 year old former college tennis player that has a passion for tennis, travel, food and PEOPLE. @Luxurytennistrips @luxgroupventures @troymanditch travels ahead of planning a trip and builds relationships with the hotels, logistics companies, restaurants, local guides, and tennis facilities. He is so passionate about his work – he looks for cool and unique places for his guests to experience and not just what is touristy to do. There is so much intention he has for designing not only a trip but an experience that his guests will love but also will be moved in the way he has been. His enthusiasm and passion is infectious! It flows through the group and excites and inspires!

What also stood out in this trip was the level of connection. Tennis people connect in ways that regular groups of people travelling do not. We met the most interesting people on this trip. We loved getting to know them and hearing their stories, as well as connecting with them on the tennis court. And this level of connection was orchestrated and spearheaded by Troy (the owner) in such an intentional and purposeful way. He is welcoming, interesting to talk to, and engages with all of his guests, Giddy with excitement to show you and share with you what he has found in the world. Connecting us in adventure.

Troy is also about the ultimate level of customer service. He knows that to provide that level of customer service you must be flexible and willing to pivot when necessary. He bent over backwards to accommodate all requests, from “can we leave later” or “can we have an extra hour of tennis play time” – he truly wanted everyone to experience this trip in a way that connected with them and spoke to their soul. We wanted for nothing – he was always one step ahead of us – planning for all logistics, wants and needs of the group, being fluid with the group’s vibe.

Needless to say, we will be traveling with Troy and Lux Group Ventures again and again!!!! We have already committed to his Monte Carlo trip in 2027. We are breathless with anticipation waiting for a GOLD Level itinerary! Speaking directly to my tennis community – if you ever have the opportunity, it is WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!

Decision Day

Yesterday was Decision Day at EDS High School when they announce where all the Seniors have decided to go to college. It was quite impressive to see where this group of kids will go and what they will be studying. This was the first time I shed some tears and it definitely won’t be the last. The last of the senior activities are coming at me fast and I thought I was ok….. and I am, but let me explain where these tears orginate from.

For you to feel the full impact of Maddie’s current story you need to understand her entire story. She spent the first 27 months of her life in an orphanage in China. Orphanages in China are not the Hilton by any means. They have rationed resources and children are left to sooth and comfort themselves. My social worker once told me that for every month or 2 months a child is institutionalized it will take almost a year for that child to catch up developmentally. Needless to say, Maddie started life at a disadvantage. Once we brought her home, she had to learn a new language (she had been speaking Chinese). She struggled with a learning disability, endured years of speech therapy and specialized tutoring. She also had multiple surgeries to correct craniofacial issues she had from birth. It has been quite an uphill battle for Maddie.

But shortly after spending our first days together as a family I knew there was something special about Maddie – some grit and determination about her spirit. I think my dad felt that as well – he and her had such a special bond. I still have the video of Maddie walking off the plane in Lake Charles after 26 hours of travel from China. She was so tiny but so brave! She walked off that plane, into her new life with confidence and such purpose. And she has been walking that brave, confident and purposeful walk ever since!

Fast forward through all of the hurdles and struggles to Senior Year. Maddie applied to 17 colleges. She really didn’t know where she wanted to go. These colleges were all over the country and offered a variety of different college experiences. Maddie was accepted into all 17 colleges, most with large, generous scholarships.

So for me, the tears weren’t about my baby girl graduating and leaving the nest (I am excited for that part – I have been parenting a long time lol) My tears were about witnessing this journey. Witnessing the determination of my sweet daughter that started off with the odds against her, rising to the occasion and getting 17 letters of acceptance from some amazing colleges that all want HER! Being part of the journey that took her from unknown to KNOWN.

For 27 months Maddie didn’t have anyone to cheer her on in life, to champion her and give her the resources she needed to succeed. Our family changed that. It has been a distinct honor to be Maddie’s mom and cheer her on all these years.

I think everyone loves an underdog story – I know I do! THIS underdog story is my ALL TIME FAV! I cannot wait to see the amazing things Maddie will do in life – this is just the next step!

Look out TCU – Here she comes! #GOHORNEDFROGS

You should be here

Have you ever heard the country song by Cole Swindell entitled “You should be here”? The song was written from the perspective of a loved one missing out on the amazing things happening in life (specifically a son to his father). One line of the song says – “You’d be loving this, You’d be freaking out, you’d be smiling, Yeah I know you’d be all about, what’s going on right here, right now”. This song resonates with me because my dad is missing so much that I wanted him to be part of. And as the song says – he would be loving it – all of it!

If I got just 1 hour with him to update him – I mean:

  • Kip’s success with his Card Game and as an Entrepreneur!!!- He would be so proud and entertained that he named it “Go Fuck Yourself” lol
  • Lizzy’s an Attorney!!! He would be so proud

Him missing Maddie & Mia’s stuff hurts a little bit more just because he got so much time in the big’s life (not enough) but he saw them through high school, sports and college graduation (well he was a few weeks shy of lizzy’s college graduation). He knew they would be successful and had been such an integral part of the “Village” it takes to raise kids.

He got to see none of Maddie or Mia’s High School accomplishments, High School sports and now Maddie’s College Acceptance and none of Ethan and Cooper’s either. He’s missed so much. And not just the big stuff – its the little stuff too, like the come from behind Win at Mia’s High School Singles match yesterday, the tough singles match Maddie played this weekend that pushed her, Lizzy now playing golf, Kip’s new edition card game coming out and all the other small stuff I don’t get to share with him and talk about.

But I am reminded that his legacy lives on! Through all of my kids of course, but in a special way. I was contacted this morning by someone wanting to take advantage of the T-Boy Breaux Fund that we have with the SWLA Community Foundation. And as part of our mission and an effort to keep his legacy alive, we will be funding some very excited children the opportunity to play ball, as well as some sports equipment. THIS makes me smile and I know my dad is smiling down as well.

Time does not make it any easier – only harder without him. He is irreplaceable. Me having the ability to keep his memory alive helping kids play sports in our community makes the sting a little bit easier.

Pencils

When I was in elementary and middle school, obviously we didn’t have cell phones so at recess and during our lunch period we had pencil battles – anyone remember this? Where you would have your opponent flick your pencil to see if they could crack it. Pencils were all the rage lol. So were pencils that had characters, representative of what was popular, from Star Wars, Hello Kitty and even specialty pencils that had customizable sayings on them and everything in between. For me, I loved Care Bears and collected Care Bear pencils. I loved them so much I never sharpened them or used them – just had them. My mother kept them for me for all these years, in a box, unsharpened, unused – pristine. I was funny about my things – I also had a Hello Kitty notepad – never used, not 1 note off the note pad written on or torn off.

In the early years of my relationship with Dean, I remember telling him the story of the Care Bear pencils. This story became symbolic in his life with me to describe things in my life that I like the same – never changing and those things that are mine that I wanted a certain way. It became a running joke. During our journey through marriage, there have been many instances where I am unwilling to bend on stupid topics just because I like things the same – unsharpened if you will lol. And Dean in his humorous way took that unwillingness to change by me in stride and would joke about my pencils saying “Go Count your Pencils” or some other funny reference to my unsharpened pristine Care Bear Pencils.

Today is our 5 year anniversary. Over the past 5 years I have truly committed to working on being a better version of myself as well as being a Good Partner for my husband. Part of doing that is being open to his opinion (not just my own), working towards things that benefit our life together as a unit, not being so rigid and being open and flexible to creating a reality that we, as a couple, have a say in – not just my agenda and my way or the highway. Some of my rigidity comes from trauma of my past marriage and healing those wounds takes time, some of it is just who I am lol. Dean is as patient as Job from the bible and allows me space to get there on my own – loving me the whole way.

The traditional 5 year anniversary gift is wood. Pencils are wood. So in a box, in the attic, under 40+ years of memorabilia – I find them and know that this gift on our anniversary is perfect. I sharpened each pencil willingly and ceremoniously gave them to Dean as a symbol that I am ready…. ready to share my now sharpened pencils and I am ready for things that are ours…. And on cue, as God’s timing would have it, Dean and I bought a lot to build OUR home on. Funny how things work out, how opportunities that had once presented themselves years before, now seem to find the space to work out – maybe because I am ready now and before I wasn’t quite there yet. Like I said God’s timing is so perfect!

So cheers to 5 years and forever to go…. Please pray for Dean and his new pencils as we journey this project TOGETHER.

Somethin’ so out of the ordinary

If anyone has ever read my blog they know that I was devastated by divorce. Some posts were angrier than others and some were dripping with tears of sadness. Throughout the journey and my posts, I always knew and held onto the promise that GOD would use all the things (even the bad ones) to his glory and restore what was lost. Beauty from Ashes – and I made reference to that very statement many times – claiming it and willing it to be true, although I didn’t quite know how the restoration would look.

Of course, you know that GOD provided such an amazing man in Dean and I have a beautiful relationship but my worry was more about my kids and what they didn’t have and the intact family that was taken from them. How would God ever restore that? Would the generational curse of dysfunctional relationships and broken marriages/divorce continue in my kids?

In the day to day trenches, the foundation you lay sometimes gets overlooked and it isn’t until life blesses you with a little glimpse of perspective from those you are trying to impact the most that you actually sit back and think – “OK God this is what you were doing and your way was worth it!”

Just a couple of examples over the last year….

I recently had a conversation with my youngest daughter. She was detailing out for me the qualities of her perfect “boyfriend/relationship. I chuckled because the qualities she described were those qualities she sees in Dean… and those she sees in Dean and I’s relationship.

Maddie recently was excited to have me listen to this song she loves and told me the song reminds her of Dean and I. The song is called Ordinary. Here is a verse from it “The angels up in the clouds are jealous, knowin’ we found… Somethin’ so out of the ordinary”. She gets it! I think they all do. They see how beautiful our relationship is. Finding a “Dean” is now a verb when I talk to my girls about finding their person.

My big kids are grown adults with their own lives but Dean impacts them as well. He has stood in the gap for my son at his wedding, modeling what real men do when they love their families and is just as much of an example to my oldest daughter as he is to my younger daughters.

What has happened over the past 7-8 years has been a gradual identification and recognition of a true love story and a love that has set the bar for future generations. And that is worth all the pain and heartache I have endured to get to this point. God knew what my kids needed and He remixed my life to provide the most beautiful example of a love story – marital love in action and on display for all to witness and strive for in their own lives.

Journey to Baptism

I am sitting and reflecting on this weekend and how we got here and have so much to say, so I decided this was the best platform for that. Let me start from where I feel the story really starts.

Mia’s 8th grade year has been hard, really hard. We have all been there – Middle School is hard and these days kids are mean and embolden behind the phone screen to say whatever they want to say. But throughout this year she has been searching for something more, something meaningful. She started going to mid-week bible study at church after a friend invited her. Then she asked for a bible – one that helped her understand the scriptures and she could take notes in. Then she started studying her bible and making notes daily – then she wanted to study with her friends before church at Starbucks. And as she continued to seek, the more peace she gained in her life and the more that she realized that Jesus is the answer… the answer for many things that a 14 year old deals with.

She came to me one day and told me she felt the call to be baptized and asked if I could bring her to a meeting with the youth pastor. She initiated the process and prayed about it and then scheduled it. And here we are at this weekend, where she stood in front of a body of believers and professed who her Savior is! She was nervous but when she came out of that baptismal she was smiling ear to ear!!!! Her people came from far and wide to support her, because it was important. It was a 14 year old that was seeking the Lord our Savior! – Who wouldn’t want to rejoice in that?!

She knows its not an easy button but she is seeking HIM out and the seeds that were planted along the way are starting to bear fruit! I am so proud of her!

Proud Tennis Mom

This past weekend I was a proud tennis mom. Both the girls played in their High School State Tennis Tournament. Let me back up a bit and give some back story on each.

So when Maddie was a Freshmen in High School, her volleyball coach and the athletic department in her school decided to start a tennis program. Before then Maddie had tinkered with a tennis racquet only because I was so involved in tennis but never played officially. She decided that she would play tennis for the school team and she would play doubles. Fast forward – her and her partner won the State Title in doubles. The next year, Maddie’s doubles partner went away to Boarding School so she decided to play singles. She made it to the State Tennis Tournament and lost in the first round to the girl who State that year. Now…. she was sad but only for a minute. After that minute passed, she was Determined. Determined to go back the next year and WIN.

For the 2024-2025 school year, EDS Tennis was blessed beyond measure to get a new tennis coach, Fernando, who is an amazing tennis player himself and who is also an amazing teacher of tennis. He not only coaches the team but both Maddie and Mia have been taking private lessons from him. (we will get to Mia shortly). He worked tirelessly with Maddie, he retooled her grip, worked on her strokes and helped us find the right racquet for her tennis.

Tennis season begins and Maddie is ready! First tournament she blows through her first 2 matches no problem. Then…. third match we have the girl that beat her and won State last year. Good match but she loses in the Semi Finals. This fuels her fire even more. She continues working. Next tournament, she wins overall but “the girl” isn’t at this tournament. Maddie keeps working. Finally it is time for the State Tennis Tournament. Maddie rolls through the bracket and her competition playing some great tennis and makes it to the Finals! And yes, you guessed it, her opponent is “the girl” – last year’s State Champion. Maddie played some amazing tennis! Her and Fernando talked strategy and she executed perfectly! She wins in a match tie break, coming back from being down 0-5! All her hard work pays off! She immediately comes off the court and looks for Fernando and cries tears of Joy. That is what Maddie is about – just pure Grit. Putting in the hard work for the end goal. That girl sets her mind to something and she goes after it! Now to go back and win it again. I hope she has realized how good of a tennis player she is and loves it as much as I do!

Now let’s get to Mia. Mia is also playing tennis as an 8th grader for the JV tennis team for EDS High School. Mia is focused on singles. Singles is a lonely sport… you are out there all by yourself grinding it out. Mia is emotional and when you are by yourself on the court it takes a level of mental toughness to get through some hard matches. As a 13 year old girl, mental toughness isn’t ….. well you know. lol Mia like most kids wants to win only so Fernando has been working with her not only on her technique but just having fun. I have been working on the difficult part of trying to toughen up a child who is very emotional connected to world – lol. Fast forward through many tennis lessons with Fernando – with tears – to the first tournament of the year. Mia loses her first match but in a match tie break – cries when she gets off the court then collects herself. Her next match she loses the first set and is down in the second and something kicks in and she mentally tells herself to dig deep. She wins in a match tiebreak! She played great tennis this day and Fernando helped her see the bigger achievements than just the win, even the achievements in the loss.

The next tournament, she lost her first match badly and again was emotional about losing. She dried her tears and got on the court for her 2nd match. This was an easier win from an obviously less skilled and younger player. Mia was so gracious on the court. She didn’t go all out because she didn’t need to and kept encouraging her opponent throughout the match. That’s a WIN beyond the score!

Mia also got to play in the State Tournament. Her first match was the girl she lost so badly to during the 2nd tournament. And sadly she lost again. But! Fernando helped her see the vast improvement in just a short time. She won more games, the rallies were longer, she pushed her to deuce more. And just like that she was smiling and high fiving. Overall she had a successful season and definitely saw some growth! Barbe High School tennis here we come!

There are so many valuable life lessons that Tennis teaches. Mia doesn’t realize it yet but she is learning Grit, mental toughness, how to fail and keep going until you get to success, how to be strategic, how to win and lose graciously and how to work hard. Her tennis is a work in progress but she is determined and has committed to playing 3 more tournaments this spring/summer (in exchange for another social media app) – I am not beyond leveraging the things she wants to keep her playing – lol

I tell my girls all the time – Tennis is a gift I am giving them. That gift as an adult, if they keep playing (I hope they do) will yield them a community of like minded people who will enrich their lives. Keep playing my girls… Keep playing..

Reception Speech

For those of you who don’t know me I am Melissa, Christopher’s mom. I am the mom of 6 – 3 girls and 3 boys – Chris being the oldest.

March 26, 1994 seems like yesterday, I was a baby myself holding my baby – and then I blinked and here I am standing at my sweet boys wedding. But we all know that life slows for no one and the days pass slow but the years go quickly by. So here we are… today celebrating this beautiful couple – Chris and Emily. And with the addition of Emily to our family – the balance of power now goes to the girls!!!!

Being a mom to Christopher has been one of the most rewarding experiences, one that has taught me the art of adaptability and one that has yielded sooooo many great stories. The overall theme of Christopher’s life was similar to that of the movie the Absent Minded Professor. My dad made countless trips running forgotten books, homework assignments, lunch money, uniforms, shoes and anything else that was needed. One morning Chris wakes up for school, gets ready and leaves heading to school. His drive is a good 15 minutes. So this boy drove his vehicle for 15 minutes, arrives at school and realizes he has forgotten his shoes. Now, for those of us that drive – it almost seems impossible considering the sensation of your foot against the gas pedal and brake feels dramatically different with just a sock on compared to a shoe – right. I can only imagine the moment he realized – like stepping out of his truck onto the concrete parking lot in his socks thinking – shoot I need to call mom.

We rebought library books, uniform shirts, wallets, drivers licenses and even ties. until such time that Chris took matters into his own hands. Knowing he had lost his uniform tie for the 3rd time in a school year and that I would have been livid to now have to buy yet another uniform tie – he went to the local thrift store, bought a navy jacket, ripped the sleeve off the jacket and used the fabric to wrap a purple paisley tie and secure the fabric with scotch tape. ( I still have that tie – and always joked that I will be saving it for him to wear at this wedding)

These are great stories and I could go on and on telling you more, but I say all this to say Emily you are now officially in charge of all lost passports keys, wallets, credit cards, etc. Forgotten shoes, clothes and EVEN responsible for getting him and his luggage on the plane or in the car.

But honestly that part of Chris that forgets or loses things is one of the things that I love about him – the thing that makes him uniquely him. When he was a little boy he was the most loving, caring, inclusive, intelligent, compassionate kid – and all of those qualities have carried forward to the man he has become today – and he’s funny (even if Lizzy doesn’t think you’re funny – you’re funny) I have watched proudly as he has navigated college, relocating to a new city, forging ahead with his career and building a life of his own. And while he was working his way through all that – he was still a son – a son that was my rock during some difficult times, an advisor who always shared his wisdom that was far beyond his years, and the one that held the keys to the kingdom and so graciously passed them along when it was time. He was also a big brother, fully engaged with his siblings even from afar, – He is the pied piper/activity coordinator for the littles, the helper of all math homework, the assistant with law school acceptance essays and the best prankster of all time.

I just love the man He has become and I love even more the man He is WITH Emily.

I have prayed since my kids were little that they would find a suitable mate – someone that loved them in a way I couldn’t but with the same depth of love that I do. When I first met Emily and saw how she looked at Chris, how she embraced everything about who he was – I knew he had found “His Person”. And I cannot say enough about who Emily is. Our family is a lot – we have lots of activities going on – lots of big personalities – we have grown kids but still have little kids – and she showed up and made herself at home with us. She is kind, funny, smart, welcoming, loving, witty, compassionate, vivacious and attentive – she sees people and makes them feel known (such a rare quality in a young person) and she is so much more. AND she has the best taste in music – I mean who from my generation doesn’t love Stevie Nix (Emily is just an old soul) I have witnessed over the last 6 years the beauty that is Chris and Emily. Him championing her, her doing the same for him. Both being respectful of each other and loving each other for everything that they individually are – embracing each other in their individuality fully. As a mom – you just can’t ask for more!!!!

Here is the part of the speech where I think I probably should give some advice on marriage – although obviously I am not the best person to be giving advice on that topic – however I do know that Choice is important in marriage. Starting with choosing the right person to spend forever with (which yall have – so good choice there)

When things get tough and they will – choose to love each other through it

When one is having a moment – choose to be kind and understanding (this one will be super relevant when you both experience menopause together – ask Dean lol)

When kids come along (and I cant wait for them to come) and the hustle and bustle of raising a family is in full swing – choose to be connected and communicate with each other and put each other first even before your kids.

When your faced with temptation – choose to be faithful, trustworthy and honest

When you want to give up – choose to be loyal and stay

When the world tells you that you need more – more stuff, more money, more more more – choose contentment, connection and family.

At least once a year – choose vacation

and this one is in honor of your poppy – In Life, no matter its circumstances – always choose to eat the cake!

I look forward to your journey through life together and I will be there alongside of you both – offering any support you need and cheering you on!!! Watching and admiring your dedication to each other and the life you are building. Everyone Raise your glasses and toast to Chris and Emily, may you love each other more every day going forward until eternity.

A little wisdom from the month of May…

This morning I was riding my Peloton and I looked over and noticed this picture (below) and it struck me hard this morning.

Today is my dad’s birthday. He would have been 79. That isn’t what struck me about this pic. This picture represents the man my dad was to me and to my kids… always showing up for us – no matter what – big or small – he was always there. This is also wedding month for my oldest son and that ….. well there’s that. Death is brutal – it leaves a void and you feel it in everyday life but it feels deeper and wider when the big stuff rolls around that my dad is not here to witness and celebrate with us.

I want to tell a story (I have probably told before) for my son and for anyone that needs to hear it.

My dad, as a young young man of 18, made a choice to leave a life that wasn’t for him. To leave a family that wasn’t always his biggest cheerleader and forge a life of his own – create his own family. He did just that and he ran that family the way he wanted – with the value system he prescribed to. And he did well. He continued that philosophy throughout his life and with his grandchildren – showing up and standing in the gap for them when they needed. Son, now is your time to forge ahead with building your family the way you envision it. Those that want to be part of that and want to witness its beauty will tag along – I promise. Those that don’t … well.. you continue to forge ahead.

I recently saw a clip of Tyler Perry saying – Some people are like rocket boosters – when the rocket gets to a certain point, the boosters fall off but the rocket keeps going soaring to heights that the boosters can’t go. Don’t let those people that can’t and/or shouldn’t ascend with you to tag along – they only hold you back.

We were blessed to have such a wonderful example of love, grit, dedication and loyalty in my dad. The example he leaves is priceless. He never explained his legacy, it just is what it is by the example he left us – one that is worthy of us paying attention and following. I hope that his legacy resonates with all of my children – he left a lesson that surely applies to all of their lives at some point.

Today we will celebrate my dad with our annual “Eat the Cake” celebration – because throughout his life and even when he was the sickest (and didn’t feel like eating) – he always ate the cake! The sweetness of life! We embrace him, his legacy and we too will eat the cake! Wedding Day…. well I will surely be eating a piece of cake for him too – knowing he is smiling from heaven!

Quietly entering 2024

As I always do, this time of year leads me to take a look back at what I have accomplished and forward at what I want to accomplish in the coming year. This year doesn’t have grand goals of conquering new business conquests and racing forward to become queen of the world in 2024. When I think of 2024 the first words that comes into my mind are “Slower Pace”, “Take A Breath”, and “Being Ok with Slow and Settled”. Previous to divorce my life was a swirling hurricane of chaos. After divorce, my life wasn’t as chaotic but there was a lot of change and to cope I kept moving and shaking. Now, after a period of healing and being happily married it is time to take a breath, look around and enjoy the sights.

Having just muddled through the Christmas Holidays again this year, it definitely needs an application of “slower pace” , “take a breath” and a complete overhaul. For the last couple of years I have not been in the Christmas Spirit and even in 2022 skipped the Holiday all together. After talking with some friends this year, I have finally figured out what was so unsettling about Christmas for me. Christmas has become this overdone Holiday that overlooks the real reason for the season and is riddled with mass amounts of excess! It is just nauseating to think what has become of Christmas – now “the celebration of me buying you a gift when you have everything you need or want.” Many years ago, Christmas was necessary – small gifts were exchanged of necessity driven items. Now – this is not the case – everyone has so much and people have the means to buy what they want all year long – instant gratification. When I think back to Christmas celebrations when I was a little girl – my memories are of big family gatherings – togetherness – laughter and lots of food. I don’t remember gift exchanges being the center of all activity. Not sure how and when we let the glutenous commercialized version of Christmas overtake the simplistic, family oriented Christmas’ of past generations. And the same goes for Easter, Valentine’s Day, etc. I, for one, will be righting this wrong, soooo – starting with 2024 going forward, Holidays as a whole will be focused on Time spent being together, taking a breathe and enjoying the simple things of life- And instead of the hustle and bustle, it will be spent embracing a bit slower pace. 

In 2024 we will be spending more time at our little camp where things are a little bit off the grid with very little cell service and no internet. Where there is a whole lot of togetherness – kids share rooms and bathrooms and there is nothing to do per se but be together. Although we know we will get a ton of push back from the kids, they will be spending their fair share of “family time” at the camp. It is so important (even if they hate it) for them to decompress and have some time off of the phone and social media. So many people I talk to long for the simpler times, that of their parents and grandparents – before social media drove the excess of every day life – the must have’s, the bigger and betters, the trendy and the over-documented. For me and mine – we will embrace that simple and slower pace – family focused existence, even if just for weekends. Some solitude and peace is better than none.

Another area of focus that I think gets marginalized, minimalized and hijacked by mainstream America is marriage. I am going to be intentional with leaning into my marriage. Taking time to cultivate respect, communication, transparency, togetherness at a whole new level. Dean is so old school and hasn’t allowed the world or his past experiences to move the needle in providing the very foundations of what marriage should be. I have been lagging a bit, allowing my past traumas to take center stage and to be my go to. It is way past time for me to rise above those things and make an active choice to do different and show up in my relationship with the same love, trust, healthy communication and resolution skills that Dean shows up with EVERY DAY! 

And even though we want to slow life down a bit it doesn’t mean we will be sedentary. We will still be engaged with Tennis and our Tennis family, Mardi Gras and my beautiful circle of friends. I will be adding more activities where Dean and I do some couple focused activities – from biking to nature driven activities – even things as simple as taking a walk together on the lakefront. Activities that drive time together and connection. I want my life to reflect that relationship means more than things do.  My tennis family suffered a devastating loss of our friend and teammate this past year and it reminded us all that life is fragile and tomorrow is never promised – and that at the end of your life all that really matters are the memories you made and the people you made them with.

As for 2023 – I more than accomplished what I set out to and am ready to turn the page and do something different and against the grain. I hope I look back at the end of 2024 and feel as accomplished as I do now. This year will no doubt be just as big a challenge – but its so needed and wanted. SO goodbye 2023 and cheers to a 2024!

I will leave you with some pictures from 2023 that represent some fantastic times of togetherness and connection (which was last years theme)!