Goodbye 2024! Hello 2025!

I typically do a roundup of all the fun experiences – both big and small – that made up our year.

Here’s 2023. And 2022. And 2021.

So here, as best as I can, I’m summarizing the best of 2024.

We kicked off the year playing a lot of Uno. A LOT of Uno. Uno and Garbage Monsters got us through the long and cold winter. That and a lot of mochi donuts from Paris Baguette.

We peaced out of the cold for a bit and flew down to Florida. Ankur had a conference there so, naturally, we had the grandparents fly out from California and we made a fun vacation out of it.

At the end of March, we took a week trip to SoCal and got to visit with family and friends. (Do you see a pattern of trying desperately to escape the Chicago cold?)

In April, we got to watch the solar eclipse at Navy Pier. While it doesn’t top our Tennessee full eclipse experience, it did feel fun to get to do something like that with Ishu. Seeing how his little brain tried to understand all that was happening.

Ishaan turned FOUR! And we spent the day exactly how he wanted to.

We celebrated our 8th anniversary.

And then flew back down to SoCal at the end of May for some more family time.

In June, Ankur graduated from his residency program. And we said goodbye to many of his co-residents who have been his partial family since we moved to Chicago in 2021.

We flew to NorCal at the end of June and got to celebrate MY birthday EXACTLY how I wanted to.

Riyaan had a 48 hour nursing strike – I’ll never forget it because I wasn’t quite ready for our journey to be done. Thankfully, we carried on and still going strong (even though Mama is a-okay for this journey to end soon).

We had a JUST CUZ REUNION IN CHICAGO. Seriously the best ever and I’m hopeful we’ll continue this tradition annually.

Riyu turned ONE! The grandparents flew out to celebrate and we watched this cake-loving kid reject his cake when his brother tried to smash his face in it.

I joined the BR&B book club and found my bookish people.

We had a weekend filled with all things Halloween. And now Ankur and I will be peanut butter and jelly for the foreseeable future.

We flew back to California AGAIN and got to celebrate Diwali and Nani’s 92nd birthday in SoCal. We spent the second half of November in NorCal soaking up all the fall colors and celebrating Thanksgiving with family.

And, December.

We bought and decorated Ralkali. We hung up the stockings and had the best Christmas present in the form of all four grandparents showing up to surprise Ishu. (But Santa also delivered).

We were reminded that being with the people we love is truly the best present we could ever ask for and we want more, more, more of it in 2025.

I’ll be back for some 2025 intentions at some point.

For now, I’m grateful for all that 2024 has brought me and our little fam.

Here’s to a great 2025!