Hello April: First Quarter of 2021 Review with Mj

Spring feels like a time of renewal for me. Honestly after a month of not feeling 100% myself (hello iron infusions and gestational diabetes meds), I’m finally feeling better! I figured that’s a good time to take a look at what’s happening around here. Let’s review what this first quarter of the year has revealed! First Business, then Pleasure.

Wedding Season 2021 is a Go!

After so much waiting and uncertainty, I’m thrilled that 2021 is getting back to what feels like semi-normal. The basics: maximum capacity of 400 (or 50% for indoors), dancing is permitted, and there are updates to face coverings for ceremonies and formal portraits. You can read the whole document here, but this is just enough to make me excited for the upcoming season.

Speaking of wedding season, I am still booking even though I’m very pregnant right now! I will be “closed” to events during the months of May and June (except for previously scheduled weddings). Available sessions in June will depend on Zeke’s personality, but at this time, I will be “closed” for the entire month as well.

A Quick View of My Available Saturdays:
+ July 31
+ August 7, 21
+ September 11, 18, 25
+ October 9, 16, 23
If you’re getting married on one of these days, you’ll want to book quick! I’ve also opened my 2022 booking calendar and only have space for 15 weekend weddings next year.

Family Life Update

During the first quarter of 2021, we’re still mostly doing life at home and in all honesty, I love it that way. The downside is, Washington obviously doesn’t let us get outside unless we want to be cold and wet. So there’s been a lot of planning and looking ahead to the future!

January and February brought us plenty of time sorting and purging at home. Preparing for Zeke’s arrival hasn’t been a small task in itself. But when March arrived it brought some new obstacles with it. Stress knocked my diet and blood sugars out of whack, resulting in a need for medication. Thankfully my doctor was able to help with the crazy fatigue I was feeling as well. So the next several weeks are filled with iron infusions and B12 shots. They’re making me feel better though, so I’m going to vote that they’re worth it!

The kids have progressed so quickly in their homeschool studies that I “cheated” for Easter and bought them curriculum for the “next grade”. They’ve also found a love for the “Agri-sciences” which makes this FFA mama’s heart happy. We lucked out when a friend of Jake’s offered to let us house our “projects” at his farm while we search for our own. I jumped at the chance to start a new project and ordered a dozen hatching eggs to arrive in May. Oops.

Lastly, I’m a little late to the game, but finally planning my 2021 garden beds. My nephew (who turns FOUR this month!) had a fundraiser for preschool and I may have gone a bit overboard. It’s taking a lot of willpower with this pretty weather not to go out and buy a ton of plants right now. So instead, I’m working on my garden beds.

Looking Ahead

The next several months hold a lot of planning (business wise) and prepping for baby Zeke (personal). Starting a new chapter as a business owning mom of four is a little scary. At the same time, it’s exciting to be looking ahead. Fingers crossed our plans work out, and one of these days, I’ll be updating the blog with a new view.