Another year has come and gone, and I’m pleased to report that 2019 was a good one for the Gougler family. It wasn’t perfect, but the good times definitely outweighed the bad times. I know I will look back on this year with fond memories.
Let’s take a look back at 2019, a year in review.
2019
January
We kicked off 2019 with a small celebration at home since we still had a new baby! It’s hard to look back and think that he was still so little last year. We had a pretty low key month that involved trips to the zoo, time spent with family and several training runs. JP and I ran the Aramco Houston Half Marathon, Brody and my nephew/Godson Gabe were baptized and Brody turned 5 months old!
February
I went to the Texas Hill Country for a wine themed bachelorette party for my girl Meena and just a couple weeks later was a bridesmaid in her wedding! The very next day, I jetted off to Orlando for my 8th annual Disney Princess girls weekend. There I ran the half marathon with Julie and spent 5 days at Disney with my best girls. I got back just in time for Brody to celebrate his half birthday!
March
I took a much needed break from blogging after being fairly consistent for 8 years. You’ll notice I don’t have links to posts from mid February to the beginning of June! Life still happened though. This month was super chill with no travel. We had a family photoshoot and spent one weekend in College Station to watch Aggie Baseball and see my friend Kristin ride in a horse show!
April
JP and I celebrated 9 years of marriage just before I jetted off to California for Dapper Day at Disneyland with Rachael and Kim! It was another magical girls trip spent in poofy skirts with princesses. Late this month we celebrated Easter with a traditional Timmer Family Egg Hunt and our neighborhood Kegs and Eggs.
May
To celebrate our anniversary, JP and I went on our first kid free trip in 3 years to an all inclusive resort in Mexico! While we were there, we visited and explored 5 of the Yucatan Peninsula Cenotes too. At the end of the month, Chloe finished her second year of preschool and summer began! Cue lots of pool time.
June
We had lots of pool and splash pad days with family and friends. JP and I finally got out to an Astros game and Chloe got her first haircut! (Yes, it took me almost 4 years to cut her hair.) We traveled to Tyler for a family friend’s wedding, visited Candytopia in Houston and went to Schlitterbahn as a family in New Braunfels!
July
At the start of the month, I officially started training for the Dopey Challenge with my friend Rachael! We celebrated the 4th of July with our neighbors and friends and saw Toy Story 4 (yes, that was a big deal for us this year). I taught the Bible Room in our church’s VBS for the 3rd year and Chloe was in the preschool group. Brody and I visited Julie, one of my closest friends, at her new home in Ft. Meyers, FL. We wrapped up the month celebrating Chloe’s 4th birthday!
August
This month started as it does every year celebrating World Breastfeeding Week and helping my mom with her annual event. Then we celebrated Brody’s first birthday a few weeks early because we were headed to Scotland as a family of 4! We visited Manchester, Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh. While we were there, we met up with our Norwegian besties, Charlotte and Ole! We got back home just in time for Brody’s actual first birthday which we celebrated in a jetlagged fog.
September
Shortly after our return from Europe, we got Chloe prepped for and started her final year of preschool! I really dove into my Dopey Challenge Training as runs started getting longer. JP and I met up with our best friends in Clemson, SC for the Texas A&M vs. Clemson football game. We spent several weekends in College Station for Aggie football as well! We started checking things off our family fall bucket list and at the end of the month, I celebrated my 32nd birthday!
October
Chloe and I started the month with a mommy and me trip to Disney World with our besties Ali and Renee for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Epcot Food and Wine Festival! We celebrated my sister-in-law Kate and future brother-in-law Nathan with an Aggie Tailgate couples shower in College Station. Just two weeks later, I set out on a bachelorette cruise for Kate out of Galveston to Cozumel, Mexico. The rest of the month was spent getting excited for Halloween and creating lots of treats and crafts since that’s what Chloe is all about these days.
November
Cue holiday mood! By mid-month all of my holiday decor was up to see and I still managed to buy some more. I ran the Cypress Half Marathon as part of my Dopey Challenge training with my running partner Rachael! We went to the Texas Renaissance Festival for the first time in 10 years and took Chloe to see Frozen 2. Thanksgiving was spent with all of our family and the final weekend of the month, we celebrated my nephew’s first birthday!
December
This busiest, most joyful month of the year! Christmas celebrations happened all month long with tasty recipes, arts and crafts, holiday shows and more. We spent Christmas in College Station mid-month and also watched my SIL walk the stage to accept her Masters diploma! I co-hosted a baby shower for my dear friend Stephanie, took the kids to see Santa and attended quite a few Christmas parties. We spent Christmas day in Sugar Land and promptly left for New Orleans the following day to drive to New Orleans for my SIL’s wedding! There we were busy with a bridal luncheon, rehearsal dinner, welcome party, day of preparation and the wedding itself. It was the PERFECT end to a wonderful 2019.
A Year in Review
2019 was one for the books. I know that not everyone had the best year, but our family will look back on it with fond memories.
This last decade will be one that I remember forever. This is the decade I became a wife and mother. We bought moved across the country and back, bought our first (and second) house, traveled the world and lived life to the fullest.
It wasn’t without it’s lows and struggles. I know there were a few VERY hard years, but we persevered. We worked through issues, losses, sorrows and other feats the devil threw our way, in the end coming out on top.
I’m looking forward to this new year and a new decade with lots of hope and joy! I wish the best for everyone. Here’s the roaring 20’s!
What is your favorite memory from 2019?
It looks like you had a full year full of fun, rest and family. Love how you recapped! Here’s to another prosperous year for 2020!
Thank you Monica! 2019 was a great year and I’m looking forward to what 2020 has in store!
It’s so cool that you’re able to document your whole year. I might try this for 2020. Loving your family vibes xx
Thank you! I’ve been doing this for the past several years and it’s so nice to go back and look at everything we’ve done!
What a wonderful idea for a post! you should make it a challenge post! You have a beautiful family! Wishing you so much love and happiness in 2020
That’s a good idea! I never even thought of creating a challenge!
I admire your dedication to running. It is something that I have tried to dabble in, but I’ve not really sustained it as much as I’d like. I’m hopeful this year to commit more and to maintain it. The cold months are normally when I fall off the wagon because I hate the cold.
Thank you! I started running a little over 11 years ago and found that I truly loved it. It’s definitely challenging and I go through phases where I run a lot and some where I only do a race or two a year. I’m definitely in a season of running and pushing the limits right now!
This looks like a fun year! Great job making a ton of life long memories. That is my goal for 2020 🙂
Yes! Mine too. It’s really the memories and moments that we cherish!