It’s coming up on a year ago last February that I started this Blog. My original idea was to combine my family news, Chloe + Isabel sales and our new SunDaze Airbnb rental all in one social media space. It can be exhausting tagging multiple social media outlets as well as getting a newsletter together every week.

A few life changes took my blogging on a weird tangent. Sadly, the business that had saved me from my depression following mom’s death had taken a bit of a turn. The company had been sold by the founder and was following a more traditional “team building” business development. Gone were the days when I could be supported to just run my own business and gain recognition and incentives within the company. I still am in LOVE with the designs and quality, but part of my drive is in hitting goals and attending conventions with the wonderful friends I’d met. So many of whom left the company and left me brokenhearted.

In walked Sseko with it’s gorgeous leather designs and ribbon sandals! The Sseko story is one of a beautiful sisterhood of support here in the US and worldwide. Unfortunately, these big ticket items weren’t a huge hit for my original 300+ customer base.

Despite these negative blips, 2018 was really quite remarkable.

Dave was extremely busy this year with adding new Teamsters to his Tank Haul roster, negotiating first contracts, adding more groups to his plate, renewing old contracts, contemplating strikes … but this also took any big vacation off the table. We just couldn’t come up with a week of uninterrupted work for him. So, the girls and I spent much of our summer east of the mountains at SunDaze. I traveled over nearly weekly, running our Airbnb business and enjoying the summer weather and time with friends. It was the first summer of “no work” and just enjoying our new place. Many of the kids’ friends joined us and filled the bunkhouse with happy sounds. Card games in the carport, movie nights, floating on the river, 6 people in the golf cart, and coming up with new rules like “What happens at CB stays at CB.”

We had some great guests and the Airbnb thing was a big success! Great reviews from our guests and I’ve had about a dozen requests already for next summer. We earned enough to pay for 6 months of our HOA dues - a big relief since my new Golf Wagon was developing a serious relationship with the mountain pass and long drives back and forth from Seattle.

Overall, 2018 was one for the Jacobsen record books:

• 1 kid graduating college

• 1 kid graduating high school (and no private school tuition)

• 1st summer of Airbnb

• A little forgiveness

• Lovely new friend groups

• Leading a healthier life

• Living my best life in cut offs and Berkenstocks!

• New job

• Following the start of my baby’s career in film production

• Sending a kid away to college

• Big steps and accolads for my husband in the Teamster union

• Sseko summit in Portland

• Trip with my husband to Vegas for Teamster convention

• OMG - finally putting up railings on the back deck and completing BBQ area

I am forever greatful for my wonderful husband for allowing me time at home with my girls. It was such a joy getting the chance to really be there for my daughter’s last year at our alma mater and enjoying all the “lasts” that she was going through. Getting time to spend with my older daughter as we working on healthy habits and making plans for when it will be just the 3 of us at home again in the fall. Living my best life in casual clothes and optional shower times is really where I lived the dream. My makeup optional, growing out my hair and yes, even braless days are what I look forward to in my retirement years.

So on this, the last day of 2018, the Jacobsens say goodbye to a year of great new beginnings and get ready to set goals for 2019!

More to come soon!!