My previous years in review (posted here and linked) are upbeat and address my top blog posts. This year has been completely different and unlike any other year. It has been, simply put, the WORST year I have had in my lifetime, and I know a lot of others can attest to this in their lives too. If we could time travel, I’d come back to 2016 and change everything about it, or wipe it from our history altogether.
2016 wasn’t just about politics and the “alt”-election that will bring us into an unknown 2017 and with social issues, possibly launch us back into the 1950s. 2016 was about a lot of lives lost. The theme for 2016 was loss, loss, loss; losses that some of us will never get over. My husband and I personally know so many friends and family who have lost so many loved ones this year (from children, spouses to parents), so it’s not just about political loss. This year, we didn’t just mourn political losses and the crazy Brexit decision, so many good celebrities, musicians, artists, and Americans lost their lives, but I still love what my friend Richard Parker posted on Facebook after we all learned of the passing of 60-year old Carrie Fisher. He said, “We’ve lost a lot of celebrities this year, and we did not like it. But some of us lost people we actually knew – family and friends. And I promise that losing those we once spoke to on the phone or hugged good-bye after a visit hurt a lot more than ‘losing’ the people we never ate breakfast with or whose wedding we attended. Yes, we mourn the loss of those great artists and heroes who inspired us and made their way into our hearts, but let’s not forget those who lost others who were a lot closer than pop stars or politicians for their hearts break far longer than a moment on social media.” Well said, Richard! I do believe, however, that people share their disappointments, fears and heartache through posting about or talking about known public entities lost, because most people find that common ground. And celebrities are symbolic to most, representing our lives and people we know and love in reality.
The biggest loss my family experienced was my biggest celebrity and champion in life, my beautiful momma. She meant the world to me, to my daughters, and so many others. 2016 took my mom. I wrote this Mother’s Day post to her after she was diagnosed with cancer in March, and had surgery in April. Despite chemotherapy and all other attempts, she succumbed to uterine sarcoma on December 4, 2016. New Year’s Day will make four weeks since she left us, but I know in this lifetime, none of the people she left behind will ever get over it. Her absence is being felt all over the world by loved ones. We miss her terribly and gladly bid 2016 good riddance! I wish I could go back in time and change this entire year. If I could, I’d have my mom back, for sure, and healthy.
The only theme for 2016 for our family and so, so many others is echoed in a John Oliver video made after the election about how horrible 2016 has been. If you want to view it, you can google “John Oliver F**! 2016 video.” It is on you tube, and is excellent, but due to explicit language and gestures is not shared here. I did share a shorter video John Oliver made for the same segment, which also represents how we feel about 2016.
The other great video is one on facebook from Friend Dog Studios, 2016: the movie. It’s quite good and who knows if the curse is over? From Brexit, exploding phones, the election and all the havoc in 2016, it captures the year well.
For my faithful readers, I do hope to post more in 2017. This past year has been tough and I didn’t have time to post as much. I wanted to spend as much time with my mom as I could, and of course, most of the time did not feel like posting at all. No matter what you experienced in this shitty year of 2016, may you all have a fresh start in 2017 and experience health, love, and happiness, and here’s hoping (despite my pessimistic, realist outlook), 2017 goes okay for our government and nation as well.
career when we married and then had children). They see the independence in me, the can-do attitude, and they emulate that. Which is why I often wonder why I am asked to justify why I chose a career after I chose to have kids. My husband is never asked that. For me, I don’t choose either/or. I choose to have it all as long as I am able.
Fragrance Stones are a must to have around any home along with essential oils, of course! I use my stones in the garbage can, the washer, the garbage disposal, and for a bath when you are on the road and don’t have bath salts. I love my fragrance stone when showering too — so great when you are feeling under the weather to put a drop of Eucalyptus and a drop of Peppermint and just breathe it all in! I do this for the kids too when they are sniffling. It works, and it’s so simple to make fragrance stones. You can do this! I promise.
3. Place molds in a preheated oven (400 degrees) for about 25 minutes, and pull them out of the molds after cooled. These make great gifts too with a bottle of essential oil. I love, love my fragrance stones and give them out to my friends too!
Uses for Fragrance Stones: Put your favorite oils on these stones and use as you wish. Here are some suggestions:
Halloween is over and so is the need for creepy, crawly friends and spider webs. You know they are everywhere, and now you can try this recipe at home, and naturally keep them away! Then, they will scurry to your neighbors’ house so share this recipe with them when they complain next. It works! I used peppermint and not a single chomp of our pumpkins happened. It just works and the scent/taste keep bugs away, naturally. No need to call pest control over and over again.