2025 wasn’t measured in days. It was measured in milestones, growth spurts, emotional whiplash, and how many snacks I bought that were apparently still the wrong snacks.

It was the year Jai turned 16.
My daughter. Sixteen. Which feels fake. Taller, wiser, funnier, and somehow both fiercely independent and still very much my girl. It was also the year she returned to dance. Like muscle memory mixed with magic. Watching her walk back into something she loves felt like watching confidence snap back into place. Full circle moment. Tears. I held it together. Barely.

Kristian officially entered his teenage era this year. And I mean entered it. Loudly. One minute he’s quiet, the next minute Kanye West is blasting through the house like we’re hosting a listening party I did not approve. The mood swings are real. The music is dramatic. The opinions are strong. Very strong. If teenage years had a soundtrack, it’s Kanye at full volume with the door half shut and the energy of “you wouldn’t understand.” I’m choosing to believe this is all very on brand.

Our house got bigger too. Chris and Ben moved in, bringing more noise, more laughter, more opinions, and somehow more calm at the same time. A full house situation. More love. More life. More people standing in front of the fridge asking what there is to eat while clearly looking at food.

I also became a cat mom. Zoey joined the chaos and for the record, she is not aggressive. She will, however, demand affection at any given time. Loudly. With intention. She appears out of nowhere, stares into your soul, and insists it’s cuddle o’clock. You don’t argue. You comply.

Chris and I chose forever this year.
Not loudly.
Not perfectly.
Just honestly.

No big production. No big speech. Just two adults choosing each other and then immediately discussing what’s for dinner and who forgot to switch the laundry. And a very pretty ring!

The twins hit double digits.
Ten.
Grade five. A year of massive growth for my babies. Yes, I’m still calling them that and no, I will not be stopping.

Briar stepped up a level in gymnastics and made a rep soccer team like it was no big deal. Ryan made his first travel hockey team, which is huge for him and life altering for my calendar. Grade five has been a glow up year. Watching them stretch themselves has been unreal. They’re growing fast, but they still need hugs, snacks, and reminders to shower. Babies.

And then there’s Greyson.

G stayed exactly who he’s always been. Wild. Steady. Colouring outside the lines because lines are more of a suggestion. Greyson energy is explaining things with full confidence and absolutely no research. It’s announcing he’s in charge today and then immediately forgetting what he’s in charge of. It’s joy on legs.

Some 2025 highlights include Greyson negotiating bedtime like a good lawyer, assigning roles to people who didn’t apply, and reminding us daily that rules are flexible and laughter is mandatory.

Ben showed me what it’s like to have your heart grow an entire size bigger without warning. Step kids bring a sweetness that sneaks up on you. Quiet. Real. Permanent. Suddenly you’re all in and wondering how life looked before them.

Hockey was a huge chapter this year. The boys brought home the Tricounty Championship and that rink was electric. A small hockey town showing up loud and proud. A sea of yellow and blue. Core memory unlocked forever.

It was also the year we faced our first hard cut. The kind that stings. The kind that teaches you early that disappointment doesn’t mean the end. Sometimes it just means a different door opens. Sometimes later. Sometimes when you least expect it.

I turned 40.
New decade.
Surrounded by my fancy people and the man who stands beside me through it all. Rooted. Ready. Grateful. Slightly more tired, significantly more sure of myself.

My sister bought her first condo, which means a new family gathering location has entered the rotation. Same Sanford energy. New walls. More tables for laughter and stories that will absolutely be told again and again.

There was a career change that finally feels like joy instead of survival. Imagine that. I actually like what I’m doing. Revolutionary.

The kids faced heartbreak again this year, because life stays testing us. But they’re reminded every day that this new version of our family is full of kindness, joy, positivity, and absolute love. Something I chased for a long time and finally get to live in.

And yes, anxiety came back swinging in 2025. No warning. No warm up. But this time, I wasn’t alone. Chris stood beside me, steady and constant, holding my hand when old patterns felt easiest. The end of the year was heavy, but staying grounded felt possible with someone who doesn’t let go.

So yeah. 2025 was a lot.
Loud. Full. Messy. Beautiful.
Not perfect. Not quiet.
But real.

And honestly, I’d do it all again. 💙