2018 in Review

As we say goodbye to 2018 I like to take a moment to reflect on some moments the year has brought.  It was a good year where we kept busy.

January:

Driving down a Pennsylvania road capturing a beautiful sunset.

The kids discovered a love for slime making.

Our girl received a new big girl bed.

We attended a high school basketball game.  I believe we won that one.

The zoo at Hershey offered a free admission day.  It was cold and crowded.

February:

Cub Scout Pinewood Derby.  Our boy won Best Scout Theme.

Hockey game.  Go Bears!

Valentines Day 

March:

Celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday.  Her friend was Thing 2 and they dressed up together at school.

Fun at a local indoor park.

Monster Truck show in Harrisburg

Watched our girl in her tap and ballet classes.

We got a few feet of snow.

Easter Bunny visit and egg hunt at a local farmer's market.

April:

Easter

4th grade egg drop at school and because of our boy's awesome contraption the egg did not break.

I launched my Damsel In Defense business.

Disney On Ice

Cub Scout Blue & Gold Banquet earning another rank.  Just one more to go!

Spring baseball starts

Date night at a country concert in Harriburg.  Jordan Davis and some other guys (I'm only just now getting into country).  

Jordan Davis with the number one song on the radio at that time "Singles You Up"

Winning another award at scouts for best cake.

This little cutie helped me at a vendor show.  

May:

Lots and lots of ball games

Celebrating Mom's 73rd birthday.  After her stroke, and now Alzeimer's, every birthday with her is a blessing.

My guy celebrates his 39th birthday.  We also celebrated 16 years of marriage that month as well.

Our friends were fostering a black pug named Murphy and because they were finding it hard to take care of him along with their two dogs we offered to give him a home.  He's an older dog about 8 years old and has been such a great addition to our family.  

More baseball games

Our "Thomas Edison" at school.  

June:

Said goodbye to 1st and 4th grade.  They had a pretty good year.

Our first Harrisburg Senators game and we were cheering for one man on the other team - Tim Tebow.

Started the library's summer reading club program.

Our girl's 3rd recital

Fun family time on the gun range with the bb gun.

Lots of pool time and sleepovers at Grandpa's.

Ending the month with a living room sleepover.

July:

Fun with sprinklers and a new trampoline.

Water park fun.

4th of July at a ball game.

Dance camp.

Mid-summer library reading club fun.

Monster truck show.  Mom stayed home with this one. 

Knoebels fun.  We love this place!

Enjoying family time and a camp fire in the back yard.

August:

Mini golfing

The boys went camping and we girls spent the night at my parents house.

Then us two girls went to National Night Out held by our awesome police officers.

The boys seemed to have enjoyed the camping trip.

We reunited with them on the last day.

Something new for over the bed.  This verse means so much to us and was recited on our wedding day.

Celebrating 7 years with this girl at Hershey Park.

And my dad turning 71.

Back to school for these two and the start of my second year in the cafeteria.  

A trip to Arlington National Cemetery for the wreath laying at The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier with the scouts and then a trip to DC.  I wish I could say the trip in DC was fun but it was mostly a lot of complaining about all the walking.  The kids did get to check out the White House for the first time.  Hello President Trump!  

Celebrating the end of the summer reading club at a ball game where all the 800 minute readers were recognized.  Yay!

September:

This photo was taken a few months before but in September we had to say goodbye to her beloved pet rabbit Daisy.  We only had her for a few years but it seemed she became sick and didn't make it.  It's been hard for all of us, especially our daughter.  What a heartbreak.  

In the same time we lost our rabbit my dad went into the hospital for surgery and my mom stayed with us.  That was a difficult week but we made it through.  

Fun at the fair.

And a monster truck show.  

Fall ball kept us busy.

Our girl was casted in Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutracker and also another Christmas show with her dance company.  Rehearsals for both started.

October:

I turn 40

My boy joined me for the Walk For Alzheimer's.  I raised over $1,000 with the help of so many generous family members and friends.  

Halloween

November:

Saw The Nutracker And The Four Realms  

Just enough snow for an early dismissal and a two hour delay the following day.

A Visit to Hershey Chocolate World and look at this house made of candy.

And a hockey game.  

Thanksgiving at a fancy restaurant with my parents and 2/3 of my siblings and their families.

My kids really enjoyed time with their cousins visiting from NY.

Our boy turned 11.  What a joy he is.

Her Nutcracker debut

Setting up for Christmas

December:

Part of this year's Christmas card.

Winter school concert.  

Our girl's performance of "A Christmas Treasure."  

We headed to Harrisburg to see the Santa at Bass Pro Shop but he was booked and we found this Santa in the middle of the mall.  

And another Santa at the Scout Christmas party.

Gingerbread houses

And a wonderful Christmas at home.

That was 2018 in a nutshell.  

I'm wishing you a happy and wonderful 2019.  Let's make this one the best year yet!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Time Has Come and Gone

Christmas has come and gone.  It's December 29th and my tree and all the decorations are still displayed and will be until after the new year.  It seems a lot of people rush to take it all down but I like to enjoy it just a little bit longer.

Our Christmas was very laid back and enjoyable.  We exchanged gifts with my parents last Saturday before they headed to New York to visit family.  My mother-in-law came on Christmas Eve to exchange gifts and enjoy a ham dinner with us.  She also joined us for Christmas Eve service at our church and the night ended with the kids eager to get to bed.  Both of my kids still believe in Santa and they were excited to wake up on Christmas morning to see their new legos from Santa and many other wrapped gifts from us.  We tore into the gifts and spent the day playing with the new toys.  I purchased one of those big tool boxes for my husband, something I've been wanting to get for him for a long time.  It seems I always have trouble getting into the Christmas spirit until it's actually Christmas and then I don't want it to end.  That evening we went to my father-in-law's house for dinner and gift exchange.  The rest of the week has been relaxing.  The kids have been playing with their new toys.  A few days ago my dad called and said he wanted the kids to spend a few nights with them.  This gave me a chance to clean the house, relax and enjoy a nice Olive Garden dinner with my husband last night.  I also enjoyed sleeping in and having an uninterrupted morning of sipping coffee and getting things done.  I do miss them though and can't wait to see them later.  They love spending time with the grandparents and those will be memories they can hold onto forever.

Now we prepare to soon ring in another new year.  I feel like we just welcomed 2018 and now comes 2019.  Time FLIES!   I'm not sure what the new year will bring but I will be taking it one day at a time.  I decided my 2019 mantra will be "Less Is More."  We have a house filled with so much clutter.  Toys, clothes, stuff ... everywhere.  We hardly have the space for it and a messy house gives me such anxiety.  We have so much stuff and don't use most of it so why hold onto it?  So, I will be going through each room of the house and purging as much as possible.  Yesterday I started on my daughter's bedroom and it took three trash bags to make it look so much better.  That girl likes holding onto a lot of junk.  My little hoarder.  No more. 

So, if you're reading this I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, or Hanukkah if that's what you celebrate, and I hope that 2019 is an amazing year filled with blessings!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from my home to yours!

Here Comes The Holidays

The holiday season brings a lot of fun moments, traditions and performances.  This has been a month of busy schedules but we've almost made it through.  My kids can drive me crazy but I can't express just how proud I am of them and all they've accomplished thus far.

My son performed trumpet for the second year at the school Christmas concert.  He started playing last year and picked it up very quickly.  I don't even know how to read music so hearing him play is so special.

I didn't bother to get any pictures of the performance since he was stuck in the back and we couldn't see him.  The band sounded great.  I'm impressed for it being 5th and 6th graders.

Then we watched as my daughter danced in her very first Christmas show called "Christmas Treasures."  This isn't something her dance school does every year but it was great.  Everyone was amazing and there is so much talent.  My daughter did a dance for ballet and praise.  Praise is new to her this year but she has picked up on it rather quickly.  Praise is a lot like modern dance but with Contemporary Christian music.  That girl really lights up when she dances on stage.  It's so natural for her.  I hope she continues to dance and as of now she plans to.

She was also excited that her teacher came to watch the show and brought along a balloon and candy.

Then we had the traditional Cub Scout Christmas party with delicious food, crafts and a visit from the big guy.