With Christmas right around the corner, I realized that I just don’t have the time to put out a holiday card. I had intentions, I began early this year, knew exactly what I wanted to do but life has a way of changing plans on us when we least expect it.
2020 will mark the end of our first decade of being married so I wanted to go all out with The Howells’ Top Ten of the last decade.
However, number 10 was supposed to be celebrating our Ellabear’s tenth birthday and that didn’t happen so I threw away the idea of sending out cards. I mean really, does anyone need to see any more pictures of just Ian and I? In all seriousness, I made an intention that I would slow down in 2019 and just focus on me and our family and not worry about what needs to be Instagrammable (this may or may not be a word and I don’t really care). So I was okay with not doing cards.
As we get closer to the holiday season and I realize a lot of people in our world don’t really know much of what goes on in our life I figured I would send out a Christmas/Holiday Greeting in the form of this blog post and after much debate decided to share our Top Ten with everyone, the good and the bad. My own mother (love you) even only gave us a one-sentence shout out on her holiday card – we are enjoying working and traveling. It is the truth, and she is being sweet in not sharing too much about our crazy adventure, but it is time everyone knew just how much has happened in the last year of our decade together.
So, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, cheers to whatever you are doing this season and we can’t wait to share with all of you all that 2020 has in store for us.
The Howells Top Ten
It is hard to believe that as 2019 ends and 2020 begins we are getting ready to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. We have not always been the best with keeping everyone in the loop, so we thought as this big milestone approaches and another decade comes to a close, we would fill everyone in on the adventures from this last year!
Of course, the year did not begin as planned, after a few days of not acting like her energetic loveable self, we had to say goodbye to our little (big) girl, Ella. She was an amazing part of our little family for almost TEN years and we miss her tremendously.
July marked NINE years since Ian and I got married at Bucknell. It feels like it was just yesterday but we are so excited for all that life has given us over these last nine years!
In August Ian officially left his job with LendingTree to be able to devote 100% of his time to the various business ventures he has been building over the last EIGHT years. Which is also why and when MarriedtoSEO.com was born.
November marked SEVEN years since we packed up and moved to Charlotte; we are absolutely in love with life in the South and you won’t find us leaving any time soon.
After being part of the Howells’ clan for almost 15 years we all packed up and went to Isle of Palms, SC for our first family vacation, it was a perfect SIX days away after our crazy summer.
In September we spent FIVE days in D.C. with Ian’s Traffic Think Tank community and celebrated his first official month as a full-time business owner.
After FOUR years of supporting The Purple Promise Foundation, I was asked to sit on their Board of Directors this fall. Having grown up watching my grandmother battle minor skin cancer scares and myself having to be checked yearly, this foundation is very near to my heart and I am so excited to see what the next decade has in store for the fight to end melanoma.
In March Ian spoke at a conference in Athens, Georgia and we decided to make a THREE day adventure of it all to celebrate both turning 35 this past Spring!
After six years of staying south for the winter, we are finally packed up and getting ready to spend TWO weeks in PA with our families. With a little detour for TWO days to treat ourselves at the Sweetest Place on Earth.
2019 has been ONE year to remember and we can’t wait to see what 2020 has in store for us! If you thought we had a lot of change in 2019, just wait! Happy Holidays Y’all!
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