Well, it’s been quite the year. I love doing this review each year – I get to look back and reflect on all the awesomeness of the year behind me. And, other than that one year, the last few have been pretty blimmin’ amazing.
Here was 2015:

January: We started the year in Kaikoura – one of our fave R&R spots. I finally managed to pinpoint the exact location of my great-grandfather’s grave in Kaikoura after much traipsing through fields with cows. We installed our TV on the wall then proceeded to sit in front of it for the first part of the month. I sewed a dress. We started up dancing again – foxtrot, tango, etc. We are stunned at how little we remember from previous years of lessons. There is skate-parking, skating, ice skating. All the skating!

February: We went to Timaru for some skating with the whole fam. Derby started for the year with me in stripes. My life as a roller derby refs began here. I went on an epic weekend away to Hanmer with some roller derby gals. There was Cards Against Humanity.

March: We started with a mini-break in Methven for our wedding anniversary (what was I thinking?!). We attended Christchurch Armageddon – the biggest in ages. Katee Sackhoff was there! The fam traveled to Queenstown for roller derby, much fun and skating. We won our B-Grade hockey final, YEAH!

April: There was a lot of skating – derby, skateparks and ice. We travelled to Greymouth for a game of derby, so much fun! My little girl left Synapsys and went off to better brighter things at CBRE. I start playing women’s hockey for the winter. The long year of visiting Auckland every week began. The Apple Watch is unleashed on the world – but not New Zealand…yet.

May: We remodelled the conservatory into a home office, I did a lot of skating, working, gyming, etc. I celebrated Mothers Day with my delightful clan at Under the Red Veranda.

June: Well, what can I say. I worked, travelled for work, played derby, played hockey, watched hockey and complained about the weather. A lull month.

July: This one was busier! We went to Staveley for a skate, tobogganing with visiting Thompsons, went to Wellington Armageddon (OMG, Amy Pond!) and attended Kylie’s Masquerade Ball at the Tannery. We ordered our Apple Watches, much excitement. Synapsys packed up and moved from Heathcote to Madras St. Finally we are back in the city!

August: We started the month with our annual hockey trip to Tekapo, our Apple watches arrived (so awesome, squeee), we lost the NZIHL grand final to The Southern Stampede, I went to the world premier of The Art of Recovery, starring me and some others. I went to Adelaide for work. The Dallington bridge finally reopened! Life in the badlands just got a little bit easier.

September: The big trip! We travelled to Singapore-England-France-Italy-Switzerland-Germany-Singapore-home! We saw some awesome things and had a wonderful time.

October: TEDx Christchurch, new running shoes, we achieve the Armageddon trifecta in Auckland, and I score my first hockey goal in forever, boom!

November: another slow news month…work, work travel, hockey, RPM, running, yoga…I wrap derby for another year.

December: Lovely sleepovers with the grandchildren, no travel away (bliss!), skating, hockey, running, lots of RPM and a wonderful quiet end to the year with family.

2015 was definitely not what I expected. I wanted to slow down, spend more time at home, do less. Instead I spent most of the year away from home 1-3 nights a week. I liked being out of Christchurch – it was good to meet new people and be involved in an interesting project.