2012 Review

I have no reason why I stopped blogging.

I just did.

After six years I guess I needed a break.

But I've really missed it.

Especially the sense of chronically our life.  

All the little stuff.  The mundane.  The details.

They all add up to be our life and I want to look back and remember it when I can't.

So I regret taking 2012 off and want to re-cap.

We had a busy year.

Lots of change and lots of growth.

  Lots of laughs and lots of tears.

Lots of excitement and lots of fear. (hey, that rhymed!)

Lillianna finished kindergarten and started first grade.

We started the process to adopt our son from China!!

Brad and I celebrated 10 years of wedded bliss in California.

We moved from Tennessee to Arkansas.

Brad started a new job.

We said goodbye to old friends and said hello to new ones.

We started the adoption process over in Arkansas.

Lillianna turned 7 and Ellenie turned 5.

We went to the mountains for Easter and the beach for summer vacation.

Ellenie started pre-k two days a week and has loved it. (most of the time)

L lost her front tooth and learned to ride a bicycle and to read.

We settled in to our new house and new community.

We've enjoyed visits from family and friends.

We celebrated the holidays in our new home.

We played in the big snow.

It was a great year.

We are blessed:

So here's to 2012

and Cheers to 2013!

We are starting this year with high hopes and big plans

 for another blessed year full of memories and love.

New Month, new start

So far, 2012 has knocked us down and out of our routine.

We seem to be drawn to every icky sickness that comes our way.

But I am confident that we've paid our dues and will be immune to anything else.

I can't believe we are 2/3 through the school year!

Lillianna has grown so much this year and continues to make me so proud each and every day.

She humbles me with her patience, her kindness, and generosity.

My Ellenie has grown up so much since her birthday.

She makes me melt with her funny faces, her sweet hugs, and precious imagination.

This is what most of March looked like...but with my girls, each day is a blessing.

She fits right in

The Winter blahs

So the rest of January hit us like a hammer.

It was three weeks of constant sick days.

But we made the most of it...

Like on those crazy, warm days when we could run around the yard in short sleeves.

Or take strolls around the block with Baby Belle.

Rides too.

And then rush to bundle up to enjoy the "big" snow.

 We had fun decorating our Gingerbread House...finally.

Maybe it's more exciting in January than December.

We celebrated L's 100th day of Kindergarten.

And dressed as a Princess for the wedding of letter Q to letter U.

Once we all felt better,

we got back to business of normal life...

homework, playing, and making lip balm.