Jenn’s 2025 Year in Review
January 2025 began at home, our beautiful Upper West Side apartment, blanketed in snow. I had just returned to work after maternity leave. I was barely two weeks back and was still trying to settle into the routine of being a career driven woman, and now a mom. I was figuring out how to balance both identities, and longing for those precious moments back with my little girl. At the same time, I felt a new woman inside of me forming, a stronger, secure, confident, and no-nonsense woman. A woman who understood resilience and love in a whole new way, and who knew at my core, that I was setting the tone for the type of woman my daughter would watch and learn from: what fierceness, kindness, respect, love and grit looks like.
It was back in November of 2025 that Joel and I knew we were leaving the city that we had called home for the past 7 years. Where we had built our core memories, and had built our family, our lives, and our true identities. New York not only found us, it shaped us into who we are today. So, when January hit, we began mourning the loss of this beautiful city, and the life we’ve built, and we took every opportunity we could to move through it with more intention. We went to the Met Museum. We took long walks through Central Park in the snow. We wandered without urgency. Without realizing it would be our last, we saw our final official Broadway show as New Yorkers. We ended on a high: Gypsy starring Audra McDonald. It was, without question, my favorite Broadway performance of the year. Her performance was phenomenal: powerful, emotional, commanding, just like our lives in the City. Looking back now, it feels incredibly fitting that this was how we closed that chapter.
At the same time, January was full of quiet, deeply personal milestones with Elle. She was just beginning to really try to crawl. She wasn’t officially crawling yet, but she was wiggling her body, inching herself forward, very determined. She was also becoming much more vocal. The grunts were turning into babbles, and the babbles were beginning to sound like something intentional. Her smiles were no longer accidental, they were directed, knowing, and expressive. It felt like her personality was truly beginning to bloom. And I soaked up every second of it. January was also the first time we put Elle in the big bath all by herself. Watching her sit there, steady and curious, felt like another small but meaningful shift, from babyhood into toddlerhood, slowly but surely. They are right, it’s crazy how these moments just hit you when you least expect it.
February came quickly, and started with more snow and with it, the normalcy of life. Joel went on his usual work trip to London and Paris, and Jake met him along the way. While Joel was gone, Elle got her first really bad cold. Then our nanny, Tamar, who we adored, got sick as well. Then I got it. Timing was unfortunate because, it was right before one of my biggest work deliverables, SLAM, our companywide senior leader meeting, that I lead. As much as I would have loved to be superwoman, I couldn’t take care of a sick child, myself, and do this work, so Joel ended up coming home early from his trip with Jake. February started off relentless to say the least. Despite everything, SLAM was a success. Right after SLAM, I flew down to Southern California, of which, it was pouring rain when I arrived. Regardless, Jake and I were on a mission and spent the day touring homes and apartments in Newport Beach, trying to find a new home for Joel, Elle, Frasier and I. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed, but also deeply excited. A deep part of me was excited to welcome Frasier back to SoCal, to watch Elle grow up near her grandparents, near family, and for Joel and I to have a calmer, more peaceful way of life – with SPACE. But I was also terrified and sad to leave the beautiful life we had built behind. After lots of prayer, a few days later, we decided on a townhouse in Newport Coast and signed the lease. It felt surreal and grounding all at once. Around that same time, Elle officially crawled. February 15—the day after Valentine’s Day. Joel and I were so proud of her. It felt monumental. She also started clapping and just becoming more and more “her” every day. She was a bundle of joy, smiles, and curiosity – which is still true to this day.
The rest of February was about soaking up New York one last time. Joel and I went on several date nights, revisiting some of our favorite restaurants and trying a few new ones. I wish I could say I savored every second, but it all felt like a blur. At the end of the month, we celebrated Frasier turning six. That hit hard. Frasier is our first born, he is family, and an extension of us. We genuinely don’t know what our lives would be like without him. Realizing he was now middle age and nearing seniority was heart wrenching in many ways. I can still see him in our rental car looking up, smiling and panting at me as we drove him home after picking him up Upstate. And at the same time, I can smile knowing that he has been present for some of the very best moments of our lives. He has left a forever mark in our hearts and I know we will talk about him forever.
After we celebrated our forever pup, what unfortunately was looming over all of this was something I had known was coming the moment I returned from maternity leave. The company I work at was undergoing a significant reduction in force, and my team was being impacted. This meant I had to have some incredibly difficult conversations with people I hired and respected. I can still remember sitting in the Gaylord hotel in Nashville, feeling sick to my stomach and so much guilt, as I told six people news that I know would deeply impact and change their lives. It was one of the most painful professional experiences I’ve had. I dreaded those conversations. I lost sleep over them. They weighed on me constantly. And honestly? They still do. Days later, I had to let Tamar go as well. We had only hired her a few months earlier, and while we had always known we were moving back to California, we hadn’t expected it to make that decision so quickly. Having to give her that news tore my heart into thousands of pieces. Needless to say, it was an incredibly hard way to start the year.
March marked the beginning of the real goodbyes. We started boxing up our apartment. Every box felt like closing a chapter. Joel went on his final Europe trip and was going through his own emotional process of saying goodbye to Citadel. I traveled to San Francisco for a leadership offsite, then flew back down to Southern California to pick up the keys to our new townhome and buy our second car, which was Joel’s choice, a Volvo. I remember buying the car, driving it to the townhouse, and thinking, this is real now. Back in New York, we continued saying goodbye. I had a tearful farewell with Tamar. I packed up my office on the Upper West Side, and we said a heartfelt goodbye to New York for one last time. On March 31, Joel stayed behind with Frasier to prepare for the cross-country drive, while Elle and I went to the TWA Hotel near the airport and spent the night there before our flight the next day. In many ways it ended just as it started. In an airport hotel, wondering what the heck was going to happen next. This time with 2 “kids” to add to the mix.
April began in uncertainty and with lots of rain. On April 1, Elle and I flew home to California, but before we got there, we spent hours in the airport surrounded by delays. As you’d expect, I had Elle on a fierce schedule, so this caused me quite a bit of grief as I desperately tried to get her to sleep in the middle of the airport boarding area. When we finally boarded, we learned the pilot was retiring, and I think our plane took that as an opportunity to celebrate with him. I sat in business class with Elle, and the people around me got hammered, which worked to my advantage as they could care less about hearing baby noises for 5 hours. After we landed, the plane received a water salute from fire engines, arches of water spraying over us as we taxied in. It was oddly emotional. About an hour later, Elle and I arrived at our new place, and my dad and Joan were there to greet us. That moment meant more to me than I can fully articulate. Elle and I stayed with them for the next five days. I took most of that time off from work, though I still took a few calls, and spent my days running errands, setting up the house, and trying to orient myself to this new life. But it also felt strange to be “home” without Joel and Frasier there yet. Meanwhile, Joel was driving Frasier across the country. It took about six days, most of it in pouring rain. I was terrified for them. Somewhere along the way, he met up with Jake. At the same time, Joel was being actively recruited by a hedge-fund-type role in Southern California and was taking interview calls while doing the cross-country drive. The image of him navigating rain-soaked highways, caring for our dog, and fielding interviews all at once is something I won’t ever forget. It also once again reminded me of his grit, determination, and love for our family. I was beyond proud of him.
On April 7, Joel finally arrived at our new home with Frasier. I remember seeing him and feeling an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude. Frasier was so happy, running around the house, exploring everything, clearly very content. It was the first moment in a long time where I felt a true sense of peace settle in my body. A few days later, we celebrated my dad’s birthday, which felt grounding and comforting. Shortly after that, Joel started taking Elle to swimming lessons (seeing him participate in that made me giggle, especially watching him sing baby songs). At the same time, he was continuing interviews for a PE fund in San Diego, and we were navigating what it would mean if he took it, or if he didn’t. For context, Joel had garden leave from Citadel, which meant he technically had until May of 2026 before he was no longer a salaried employee. We talked a lot about what this season could look like for him. In my view, he was walking away from a high-stress, high-demand role, and I genuinely felt he needed time to heal and recover. We debated whether this was the moment for him to do so and spend real time with Elle. It wasn’t an easy conversation, but it was an important one. Ultimately, we decided life was too short, and he decided to stay home with Elle.
We celebrated Elle’s first Easter shortly after. I put together Easter baskets and organized a little egg hunt for her and Frasier. In all honesty, she was still very young and a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing, but I loved the idea of starting the tradition. I remember thinking how excited I was for the following year, when she’d be walking and able to actually search for eggs and understand what was happening. Not long after, we celebrated Jake’s birthday in Temecula. Joel’s family came down to visit us in our new place, and we continued to settle into our new life in California.
May arrived with my very first Mother’s Day. Elle had been born after Mother’s Day the year before, so this was the first time I really got to celebrate it with her. It was incredibly special. We went out for a nice meal, and I had a relaxing day that made me feel deeply grateful to be her mom, to have her in my life, to be living this season. To say that I’m honored and humbled to be her mom is the biggest understatement of the century. I’m so proud of the little girl she already is, and to have her as my daughter is the greatest gift I could have ever imagined receiving in this life. Shortly after that, Joel and Elle joined me in Las Vegas for work, and we tried to make a little family vacation out of it. We went to aquariums, walked the Strip, and just spent time together. While it was nice to not be on a work trip alone, both Joel and I walked away knowing we never needed to go back to Vegas. The city felt grungy, overwhelming, and not like a place we wanted Elle to experience again. It very much felt like a one-and-done trip. Regardless, sitting together at dinner, watching Elle take everything in, being together, it meant the world to me, and I soaked up every second. Throughout May, Joel and I also went on dates, saw movies, and attended a play at the South Coast Rep.
But more than anything, May belonged to Elle. Her language exploded. She started saying “mommy,” “daddy,” and “dog.” She waved hi. Her intelligence and vocabulary felt like it was accelerating daily. By the end of the month, we were preparing for her first birthday, something I had been thinking about for a very long time. When I was pregnant, I told Joel there were two things I really wanted: a special baby shower, and a big one-year celebration for Elle. My parents had done that for me, and it mattered deeply to me to do the same for her, especially because so few people had really gotten to see her grow during our time in New York. At first, I considered renting a venue and doing something traditional. But when I started pricing it out, it became clear that our money would be better spent on something experiential. That’s when we decided on Disneyland.
We took our entire family: my dad and Joan, Joel’s parents, his siblings, their spouses, their kids, and my cousin Holly. Sixteen of us in total. I made custom Mickey Mouse ears for everyone that said Elle’s First Birthday, and everyone wore them. The day itself was magical. We started with It’s a Small World, then Alice in Wonderland, then Pirates of the Caribbean. At times we were all together; at times we split up. Joel and I went on the Winnie the Pooh ride with my dad and Joan, which felt especially meaningful. Later, my dad and Joan took Elle so Joel and I could go on a few rides together, just the two of us. I had booked a private space at a restaurant in Downtown Disney, Paseo, for her birthday dinner. So, at 4pm, that was our meeting spot. On arrival, we found the restaurant had printed a custom menu for her. Champagne was ready. Holly came with me to help decorate the space. Everything was in Minnie Mouse colors…black, red, and white, to match Elle’s Minnie Mouse outfit. We sang happy birthday. The restaurant baked her a beautiful cake. She got overwhelmed during the singing and started crying, but even that felt sweet and real. Watching her experience Disneyland, her joy, her wonder, was something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. It was, without question, the best money we have ever spent. I’d be crazy not to mention the day before that, just the three of us, me, Joel and Elle went to California Adventure. Elle’s very first ride was the Ariel’s undersea adventure. We rode Monsters, Inc., the Ferris wheel, and more. She wasn’t walking yet, but I wore her in my carrier, and her smile: wide, radiant, alive, felt like everything. Watching her on the merry-go-round, smiling endlessly, felt like one of the purest highlights of the year. That day was the most real our family had felt in a long time.
Literally the day after her birthday, we flew to Denver for my team offsite. Joel and Elle came with me, which made all the difference. We spent the weekend visiting museums and being together as a family. During the week, I ran the offsite while Joel took Elle to the zoo and explored the city. Each night, after long workdays, I came back to them, and that meant everything to me.
We celebrated Joel’s second Father’s Day in June. This one felt much better than his first, which had been overshadowed by my C. diff symptoms the year before. This time, we truly celebrated him, and the remarkable father he is. June also brought another play at South Coast Repertory, and then we were off on our big Europe trip: anchored around a work trip for me to Barcelona. We arrived a few days early, only to discover the AC wasn’t working in our hotel room. It was unbearably hot. Joel and I immediately decided we weren’t doing that, especially with Elle. On our own dime, we booked another hotel so we could all sleep comfortably while the issue was fixed. Elle, once again, was incredible on the flight and adapted to the European schedule as if she’d lived there her whole life. Walking the boardwalk in Barcelona, holding Joel’s hand with Elle in the stroller, watching her take in the world around her, gave me so much hope. Hope that our love of travel would continue through her. Pride that Joel and I were doing this, traveling internationally with a baby and making it work.
From Barcelona, we went to Munich, which completely surprised us. We stayed at the Four Seasons, and it became our favorite stop of the trip. We walked the city endlessly. One day, we drove out to the castle that inspired Sleeping Beauty. There was a lake nearby that reminded me of Switzerland. That day felt like a return to an older version of our lives when travel felt expansive and joyful and present. Elle thrived the entire time. From Munich, we went to Stockholm. By then, we were all hitting a wall. Elle had been a dream the entire trip, sleeping through the night, taking her naps, acting as if nothing had changed. It wasn’t until the last two nights that she became fussier, especially at dinner and bedtime. We knew it was time to go home. On our last day, we went to an open-air museum, and it poured rain, and of course we didn’t have an umbrella. I took off my jacket to cover Elle while Joel and I got completely drenched. We laughed the entire way back. The photos from that day, Elle looking bewildered, Joel and I soaked and smiling, are some of my favorites. I can still hear us laughing in the rain. From there, we flew home, Elle once again a delight, and as we got into the car, I swear I felt immense gratitude – for creating more experiences and memories – now as a family of 3. That trip was a core memory. Our first big family adventure. And one I’ll never forget.
We came home from Europe in early July, tired in the best possible way. Jet-lagged, full, grateful. Not long after we returned, we took Frasier to the dog beach and watching him run up and down the shoreline felt like watching someone live out their absolute dream. He was euphoric charging into the water, sprinting along the sand, completely in his element. It was one of those moments where you realize how much a change of environment can matter, not just for us, but for him too. Around that time, Joel, who is always thinking about how to create rituals for our family, and how to keep us connected as a couple, suggested that we start Friday night movie nights. That idea alone felt like a gift. He even asked ChatGPT to help him create custom movie posters that he’d put up on the TV each week. After we put Elle down, we’d sit together and watch the movie he or I picked. It was simple, but it mattered. It felt like us choosing each other intentionally in a season that could have easily swallowed us whole.
July was also about family. We spent more time with both sides. I met Amy and the kids at Irvine Park, and we went to the zoo together. It felt grounding and sweet and normal in a way that life hadn’t felt for a while. It was also in July that we officially took Elle off bottles. We had intentionally waited until after the Europe trip because we didn’t want to introduce a major change while we were overseas. I had carefully put together a plan to phase her off over a week, but in true Elle fashion, she had other ideas. She didn’t struggle at all. No fussing, no resistance. We accelerated the plan, and within four or five days, bottles were gone completely. That milestone came with another quiet but significant shift; we stopped tracking everything in Huckleberry. For so long, we had logged every nap, every meal, every diaper, every minute there. When the bottles stopped, it suddenly became clear that we didn’t need to track anymore. She didn’t need it. She was just… living. That felt like such a small thing, but it was such a big moment for us – another glimpse into our daughter growing up before our very eyes.
Around the same time, something unexpected happened. Elle was with her dad and pointed at a small lion stuffed animal sitting in her bookcase. I had placed it there purely as decoration. But for some reason, she fixated on it. Joel instinctively handed it to her, and from that moment on, it became her stuffed animal. She slept with it that night. And every night after. From July onward, that lion has lived in her crib, tucked under her arm, something she reaches for automatically. Watching her cuddle it every night has been one of the most tender, grounding sights of my life. Joel and I continued going on dates that month and saw a beautiful ballet in Orange County. It felt good to dress up, to sit beside each other, to remember that we were still very much us.
August began with birthdays, Joel and I’s, not the milestone ones yet, but meaningful all the same. We used that time as an excuse to take another family trip. I had a work trip in San Francisco, so we decided to turn it into a drive and make a stop in Paso Robles. We stayed at a beautiful hotel and visited a couple of wineries. Elle did amazingly well, hanging out with us while we tasted wine, content just being there with us. It was during that trip that Elle started showing real interest in walking. Not independently yet, but she loved walking while we held her hands high. Joel and I would each take one hand and walk her along, and she was so proud of herself. I felt like I was watching myself parent in the most beautiful way. For my birthday, I convinced Joel to take the family to Hearst Castle. I had gone there once as a child with my parents and grandparents, and I wasn’t sure how it would feel to return. It ended up being just as memorable, if not more so. The staff were incredible with Elle. They let me hang back during the tour so she could move a bit and not get overwhelmed. Seeing her there, taking photos of her in that space, felt like life coming full circle. It was deeply emotional in a way I hadn’t anticipated.
August brought more milestones. Elle said “happy” for the first time. She started giving intentional kisses on the cheek and blowing kisses. Those moments melted me completely. During that month we also went to Menifee so she could spend time with her great-grandma and cousins. A few days later, I went out to celebrate Holly’s birthday, which was such a fun night and a needed release. And around the end of the month, Elle started standing on her own without holding onto us. She would just stand there, steady and confident, as if she knew exactly what she was doing. It felt like a quiet rehearsal for what was coming. But then, on an unassuming day, August 28, Elle took her first steps. Jake was there. Joel was holding her and then gently let go. I was sitting a short distance away, calmly encouraging her. She took two steps toward me. Her face lit up. You could see the pride wash over her in real time. I was so proud I could barely breathe. I watch that video over and over and over again, to this day. I remember as I grabbed her, I gave her the biggest hug, beaming, and kept telling her how proud I was of her. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life.
September felt like a rocket ship. Once Elle started walking, there was no stopping her. She walked everywhere, still a bit of a waddle, but confident and determined. We have countless videos of her walking around the neighborhood, giggling to herself, clearly aware of how proud she was. During September we spent more time with family on both sides. Around mid-to-late August, Joel had started ramping up applying to jobs, and by September, he was interviewing constantly. I knew then deep down his garden leave was coming to a close. But I have to say, watching him during this period was extraordinary. He is an exceptional dad. And he truly was exceptional during that time. Joel took extraordinary care of Elle every single day. He took Elle to the library, the park, on long walks. They laughed constantly. She thrived with him. I could see his confidence growing with her, and I could see their bond deepen in a way that felt incredibly special. I know that Elle and I had grown so close during my maternity leave, and it meant everything to me to see Joel have that same opportunity with her. And, it gave me so much peace knowing she was so well loved and cared for by him while I worked. September also brought more work trips to San Francisco, and of course, Joel and Elle tagged along for what we all new was some of our last trips together. We rounded out the month by seeing Million Dollar Quartet at the theatre, which was a delight.
October arrived quickly, and with it, clarity. At the very beginning of the month, Joel was offered a Director role at PayPal. At the same time, he had multiple competing offers coming in from different companies, all different roles. Watching him navigate that moment filled me with pride. He had worked so hard, and it was all paying off. In the end, he chose PayPal, and I was so exceptionally proud of him. I knew how much he had missed working, missed being intellectually challenged in that way, even though I knew he was also enjoying fatherhood and those precious moments with Elle.
Of course, with the job came change. Joel’s role required him to be in the San Jose office, which meant we had to start thinking, again, about moving. Another shift. Another set of unknowns. So, we tried to be very intentional about soaking up our time in Southern California while we had it. During this month, I leaned fully into the fall vibes and embracing the holiday spirit just as my Mom used to for our family. I took Elle to Michaels and Target and went all out on harvest and Halloween decorations, in many ways, in honor of my mom. I decorated our front porch, our living room, and completely transformed Elle’s room. I bought her seasonal books and wanted everything to feel warm and special and memorable – just as they had always been for me growing up as a kid. It was also during October we decided to continue our family tradition and go apple picking up near Oak Glenn. Luckily, the orchard allowed Frasier to come, which meant so much to us because apple picking had been one of our favorite traditions in New York with him. The day itself was sunny and beautiful. That said, the town nearby, where I had so many childhood memories with my family, felt almost unrecognizable. Much of it was closed. It was jarring. I had vivid memories of going there with my parents and grandparents, visiting the museum, shopping for Christmas crafts with my mom, walking through the zoo with my dad. Still, taking Elle there, watching her walk around, delight in the world, get attention from strangers, still made it all worthwhile. During October we also went to the San Diego Zoo with Ally, Tim and their kids. Elle loved pointing at the giraffes, but more than anything, she loved walking. Everywhere. Holding onto railings, toddling from place to place, clearly thrilled with her new skill. Towards the end of the month, we also did our annual family photo shoot for our Christmas cards at Crystal Cove. We found an incredible photographer and captured this stage of our lives: Elle walking, Frasier by our side, all of us together. Sending Christmas cards has been a tradition since we got Frasier six years ago, and while we send them to others, we mostly do it for ourselves. I keep every card in our Christmas box, and each year, I take them out and look back and smile. It brings me so much joy to see how we’ve grown as family over the years. Shortly after the photoshoot I took Elle with my dad and Joan to Irvine Park. We went to the zoo, looked at pumpkins, wandered around. October also brought more culture. We saw Some Like It Hot. We drove to LA to see Hadestown at the Pantages, which I have to say, New York still does this show better, but was grateful to see it, nonetheless. And we also went to a local jazz club one night, which was such a fun date.
And then, came Halloween. It comes as no surprise that I bought Halloween costumes for the whole family – Winnie the Pooh themed. Elle was Winnie the Pooh, Frasier was Tigger, I was Piglet, and Joel was of course, Eeyore. I had dreamed for so long of taking our child trick-or-treating in a neighborhood. That dream… didn’t quite go as planned. We invited Dad and Joan and Holly to come with us. For about a week prior, we were practicing with Elle, with her little pumpkin bowl, saying “trick-or-treat.” So, when Halloween came, we were ready. Well, on that night, we headed out from the house around 5:00 or 5:30, knowing we’d only have about an hour before bedtime. As we walked out the door, excited, we found the neighborhood to be completely dead. No lights. No kids. Nothing. We walked up and down the street, costumes on, hopeful, and feeling a bit ridiculous. Finally, after a good 10 minutes, we spotted one house with a light on and a bowl of candy outside their door. We ran to it. Elle said “trick-or-treat” to the door, we handed her some candy, and that was it. It was disappointing, honestly, but we made the best of it. We all walked back home, ordered pizza, opened wine, laughed, and enjoyed being together.
November came quickly. I had to travel to San Francisco for work again, and Joel, still in his final weeks before starting PayPal, drove up with Elle and Frasier to meet me. What I believe to be Frasier manipulating Joel, decided to start limping, so, being the concerned puppy parent Joel is, he didn’t want to leave him or board him, so Frasier got to join us, and let me tell you he was stoked. And miraculously? Healed by the time Joel arrived in SF with him and Elle. Once the whole family arrived, together, we toured homes across Palo Alto, San Ramon, Danville, Menlo Park, Los Gatos, Los Altos, and San Jose. We covered so much ground. And while some of the homes were beautiful, none of it felt right. It didn’t feel like us. After days of searching, Joel and I looked at each other and realized this wasn’t it. So, we started talking tactics. Joel only needed to be in San Jose a couple of days a week, thereby making a “commute” up there feasible. While not ideal, staying in Southern California, close to family, somehow felt right, and in hindsight, it absolutely was. So, while Joel started his first week in the city, I drove the kids home, and on the drive home, I got a flat tire warning with about two hours left in the ride. I pulled over, filled the tire with air, and kept going, determined to get us all home safely.
Oh! And I forgot to mention, before Joel started work, I started interviewing nannies. I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to find anyone like Tamar, who we had in New York. After talking to a lovely agency, we started the search, and I ended up interviewing a few and narrowed it down to 2 candidates. I was torn between them, one more structured and reserved, and another, Norma, kind and fun. My hesitation with Norma was that she had mostly worked with older kids. But from the first interaction between her and Elle, I could tell she was special. We did a trial and Elle gravitated to her instantly. Norma felt like home. Hiring her was one of the greatest blessings of the year. From the beginning, she treated Elle like her own. She brought her art projects, sand toys, activities. She thought constantly about Elle’s development, intellectually, emotionally, linguistically. Elle adores her. Every morning, she runs to hug her. When Norma leaves, Elle chases after her for a hug and kiss. It’s beautiful and so reassuring to watch as a Mom. Around that time, Elle also started saying “love you” at bedtime. Hearing that come from her, unsolicited, genuine, felt like my heart might burst. And honestly? It still does. November also included more time with cousins, more dates, and seeing Shucked, which surprised and delighted us both. We saw Moulin Rouge again and confirmed that it’s just… not for us. Still, it was fun to be able to continue to go out on dates together. At the end of the month, we hosted Thanksgiving at our place with Dad and Joan. Joel outdid himself, coursed meal, turkey, sides, dessert, wine, charcuterie. It was delicious, and the house felt warm and beautiful and like home. The day after Thanksgiving, we embarked on our annual family tradition that we have done for 17 years now, we decorated our home for Christmas – and it was perfect.
And just like that, it was December, and it was pure magic. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of decorating our home with a staircase full of garland and hanging stockings on a real fireplace mantel. I decorated every room. For the first time ever, I decorated outside: pathways, bushes, arches, lights everywhere. But the most special part to decorate was Elle’s room. She got her own flocked Christmas tree. I have a video of her helping me decorate it, she was so enamored by it, and that is a memory I’ll take with me forever. After I was done with it, her room became a winter wonderland. She lit up every time she walked in. During December Joel and I continued our tradition and went and saw A Christmas Carol at South Coast Rep. That month, I also hosted a team offsite in Newport Beach and took my team to Disneyland. Closer to the holidays we spent time at Joel’s parents’ house, where Jake played Santa. Elle waved and said “hi Santa,” completely unfazed and was so adorable. Joel and I took the last two weeks of the year off, and although it rained most of the time, just staying in, playing and being together as a family felt like such a gift. And! during this time Elle started singing the ABCs nonstop, in fact, by the end of the year, she could sing it flawlessly, A to Z at nineteen months old. She is truly so smart and remarkable. Then before we knew it, came Christmas. On Christmas Eve, thanks to Joel making the reservation, we went to a prime rib restaurant where they sat us next to a giant Santa. While the food was ok, Elle was enamored, and it made for a nice family memory. After dinner, we did a Christmas house tour of all the decorations I put up, we put Elle down, and Joel and I played Santa, assembling her kitchen while we watched Christmas in Connecticut. It was really nice. Christmas morning was calm and perfect. We opened Elle and Frasier’s gifts first. Elle of course still didn’t quite get the concept of Santa or gifts but did love her kitchen so Joel and I felt like that was a win. During her nap, Joel and I opened our gifts quietly. Later that afternoon, we hosted Dad and Joan for Christmas at our place. Once again, Joel made an incredible meal. Joel’s mashed potatoes rivaled my mom’s, and he made a molten chocolate cake that I still crave to this day. It was all perfect.
Then came the close of the year, and let me tell you, New Year’s Eve was the best we’ve had yet. Joel surprised me with hot cocoa when I woke up. In the morning, we walked to the park as a family. Throughout the afternoon we rested and played – and just had genuine fun time together. Later that afternoon Jake came over and we all went to Marché Moderne for an early dinner. That dinner ended up being two and a half hours long, and a multi-course meal. And as a final gift from God, Elle was an absolute angel throughout the dinner, coloring, reading, eating as content as could be. At one point, we laughed because we forgot she was even there. After a delicious dinner, we all came home, Joel and I put Elle down for bed and wished her happy new year, and we watched When Harry Met Sally, a tradition we had started the year prior. At 10pm, a bit exhausted, but full of joy, we shut our eyes and said goodbye and goodnight to 2025.
Looking back, 2025 really was a lot about change. Watching Elle change from a baby to a toddler – from barely crawling to nearly running, from grunts to full blown singing. It was about watching us grow as a couple, as parents, and as individuals. Jobs changed. Cities changed. But was beautiful, is that we kept showing up for each other regardless. No matter what, we always choose each other, our family, again, and again.
Part of me wishes I had a crystal ball to see what 2026 has in store, but honestly, I think God is trying to teach me patience and to teach me trust. For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, to give you hope, and a future. I can’t wait to see his wonderful plans. Until then, all I can say is the greatest thing that could ever happen to me in this life, has happened – and that is that I exist in this timeline, with Joel, Elle and Frasier, in this beautiful, crazy, wonderful life.
Here’s to whatever 2026 has in store. See you there.
Jenn’s Year in Review Video
