Another Year Over, A New One Just Begun

I literally cannot believe an entire year has come and gone. I swear I blinked and it was the new year all over again. So, I guess it is appropriate to review last year......

January

-Ben ran the Disney World Half Marathon
-I ran the Disney World Full Marathon
-I went with James & Harrison on "Our Town" field trips at school
-I was called into the RS Presidency, counselor over activities..same calling I had in UT before we moved.
-Ben starts a company on the side, with old friend Levi Belnap. Still full time employed at Highwinds.

February

-I ran the Melbourne Full Marathon and placed 3rd in my age division.
-We celebrated Valentines day with mini cakes from the bakery and an awesome dance party at home.
-Took the kids to get frozen hot chocolates one day and they got served iced coffee instead....whoops.


March

-Spring Break for the kids. Spent the week at a hotel in Disney World. Our annual passes were expiring, so we went out with a bang. It was a fantastic trip. Free Bfasts, cheap hotel, ice cream treats at Disney, fireworks, lots of pool time and so many many memories. We really miss our annual passes. It was a beautiful thing to just go to Disney any old day we wanted. We are super spoiled, we know.
-Sophie turned 3. We had a Hello Kitty party and a great time with friends. She had a fabulous day and loved having all her friends over.
-We cut 8 inches off Sophie's hair


April

-My sister and her family came to visit for just a couple days. We spent those days at the Beach and Disney. My kids loved seeing their cousins.
-Ben's parents & brother, Andy, came out to visit for James' baptism. We went to the beach, Universal Studios. Played Just Dance 3. And spent a perfect evening at the Three Broomsticks alone drinking frozen Butterbeers. mmm. good times.
-Took the boys on a 10 mile bike ride. Got a flat halfway out. Ben didn't answer the phone and we ended up walking our butts on home. It wasn't amazing, but now we can laugh at it.
-James turned 8 and was Baptized. It was a perfectly beautiful event and I am so proud of him. He really is a good boy and I am lucky to be his mom.

May

-I turned 30. Meh. It's about time, I do have 3 kids.
-I went to Portland for my brother's, Jay, wedding. I spent a week out there with family and had a blast with them all. We ate too many donuts, went running, walked along the coast and stayed up all night making my brothers wedding video for him. It was a great trip.
-Harrison turned 6 and I missed his bday due to the wedding. Ben made sure he had a great day though and sent me lots of pics. He is the sweetest thing, and always makes us laugh.
-Sophie started swim lessons and became our little fish

June

-School ended, thank heavens. Harrison's teacher informed me after the last day of school that she didn't think he would make it in 1st grade. Uh, thanks for the info after school ended? What? WE worked all summer and got him caught up and ready for 1st grade.
-We went on a family trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia. It was a fabulous trip. We stayed in a cabin with a little creek and spent our time makng smores, fishing, relaxing, hiking, exploring, eating fudge, fresh peaches and the best dang peach ice cream ever.
-James joined a swim team and took first in 3 events in his first swim meet. He amazed us all with his butterfly stroke and endurance. Everyone called him Micheal Phelps.

July

-We moved. Again. Bleh. I hate moving. So. Dang. much. But it was worth it. We moved less than a mile away, into a sweet home. I call it our cottage. It has a porch, and is across the street from a lake and some woods. It also has a nice backyard and a super long driveway so our kids are in heaven playing outside everyday. We love it here.
-Harrison started Basketball and had a great time. He scored in every game he played. So proud of him.
-Ben quits his full time Job at highwinds and goes full time with his own company, Peoplematics. Something he has always wanted to do, so proud of him.

August

-Ben went out to UT for his sister's wedding. We are so happy to see her with such a great guy.
-Kids started another new school...again. sigh. But we love this school too. we got lucky and Harrison got a phenomenal teacher who has helped him do so well this year. We feel very blessed by the improvements he has made so far. James loves being a part of the science team at school and being a part of kids town. (the school has a "town"..kids make things, sell them...they even have a mayor it is really cool)
-I start to unpack and set up house. again. ;)
-Over the entire summer we went with our ward once a week to the Beach, it was always a great time with all our friends, can't wait to do that again this year.

September

-Randomly bought cheap tickets to UT and went to see family and friends for a couple weeks.
-James Ben Grandpa Robertson, and James' cousin Aubrey hiked Mt. Timp. I was waaay impressed that they did that. THey had a great time and are pretty tough kids.
-My kids looooooved seeing family and friends and were sad to leave UT. I was happy to see that they were still such great friends, picked up right where they left off.
-I ran my 3rd full Marathon this year. Huntsville Marathon. It wasn't my best....by far....but I got to see an old friend and had a great time running through the beautiful canyon with the fall leaves.

October

-Halloween. Is the best in FL. No joke. Not too cold to Trick or Treat or having to cover your costume with a coat. We had a great time with friends, lots of chili, root beer, candy, trick or treating & fun with friends. Sophie was the most beautiful little cinderella you ever saw. James and Harrison were Zombies and made their own costumes. They got some serious candy.
-Ben and I finally made it to Halloween Horror nights, it was a great time.
-James competes in the pinewood derby, He mostly made his car with some help from Ben. He didn't win, but was a good sport about it and enjoyed building a car.
-Sophie gets a bike and hasn't stopped riding it since.

November

-I started training for another Marathon, shocking I know.
-James and Harrison had their primary program, they both had their parts memorized and did a fantastic job. Harrison may or may not have crossed his eye at the audience when he was done. Silly boy.
-Harrison finally learns how to write legibly. In fact, he has the best handwriting out of the 3 kids. go Harrison!
-Thanksgiving...was delicious, delightful and full of awesome food and friends. WE love the Hillis family for being our family here in FL.


December

-Full Christmas dinners, parties and functions. Glad I was only in charge of a few of them. But we had a great time at all.
-I got released from RS and called into the YW presidency. I am nervous, but excited to work with the youth. THey are a great bunch of girls.
-Ben made 20+ amazing snowflakes...including a mickey mouse one, a cat one and a hoodabunga one. (don't ask). ;)
-Took all the kids (one at a time) to the dollar store to buy each other presents. It was so fun to see them get so excited to give each their gifts.
-Studied the life of Christ with the kids as we celebrated his birth this month.
-Spent Christmas Eve at a friends for a Mexican feast. Best food ever. We spent the evening laughing, eating and just having a great time. THanks Boehner, Hillis and Martinez families.
-Had a fabulous Christmas together, plenty of gifts, lots of friends, we are truly blessed.


Over the year...
-James loves loves loves scouts. He looks forward to it each week. He works so hard to earn everything as quickly as he can. I love seeing him enjoy it so much.
-Harrison is an amazing artist. He is now making the art to frame for the kids room with different characters they like. It is so cute. Minnie/Mickey Mouse, Cats, TRansformers.. etc
-Sophie can't wait to grow up and be....a dancer, a mom, & a doctor. She plays plays plays all day, but loves to help me with my chores. She helps put away all the laundry and wiping down bathrooms. She is my little helper. She also loves to watch Disney Jr, We love to watch Charlie and Lola together every morning after the boys go off to school. She is constantly asking me to play Barbies with her and is always in the mood for dark (70%) chocolate.


I look over this year I am amazed at all we were able to do and enjoy. It wasn't the year I had envisioned when it started. Truthfully I thought we would be having another baby this year, but it appears that isn't in the cards for us.....who knows when/if it will be. (we are truly okay with this, we feel so blessed to have 3 healthy happy kids we are just happy we get to be their parents). So, please, don't feel bad.

I didn't think we'd be moving into such a perfect home for our fam. We love it so much.

I didn't know I'd have so many friends that felt like family to me. There are so many people here that treat us like family and we love them all so much.

I didn't have any idea Ben would be quitting his full time job and starting his own company, it's something we've talked about doing for years and years, but has never really worked out. So glad that things have finally come together to make this happen for him and us.

I am so grateful for being so blessed with so much. I am often in awe of all that we have been given. And so it is with many thanks that we say goodbye to last year and look forward to what life has in store for us this year. Happy New Year Everyone.