I've mentioned this
before, but I can't help but repeat that I love looking at the "year in review" stories in the newspaper and watching the clips on TV. In keeping with that theme (and because I didn't post a lot of pictures that I meant to), here's a Year in Review for our family! 2010 was a year filled with blessings!
In January, the boys spent a lot of time playing outside. Ethan worked hard on this snowman. My favorite part is that when he added the rocks for teeth he made sure it was missing one like he was (front and a little off center).
We had time for indoor fun in January as well--because it's cold outside! Micah and I spent time with our MOPS group at an indoor gymnastics facility. He loved it, and it was a great way for him to burn off some energy! (As I'm looking at this picture I can't believe how young Micah looks! Someone has grown up this year!)
February brought Ethan's 7th birthday. His presents centered around things that keep him active--a ball glove, sled, and scooter.
February also included more snowman building time. The boys really enjoyed having each other as playmates outside!
By the time March hits we are ready for the Spring thaw! Most years we end up on a walk on nearby trails. The boys love going to an area with a small boardwalk next to the creek. It's become a tradition to find rocks and throw them in (or over) the creek. Since I was 7 months pregnant in March, it was wonderful for me to get out and about a little more without worrying about the ice.
April brought Micah's 4th birthday. I love the excitement of birthdays at that age. He is my little helper and a baker in training, so he gladly pulled up a stool and helped me mix up the batter for his
pirate ship birthday cake.
May was a busy, wonderful month as our family of four gained a new member when
sweet Norah Elizabeth joined our family. The end of the month passed in a blur of nighttime feedings, naps, laundry, burps, and diaper changes. The boys were great helpers and happily fetched whatever their tired mommy needed.
The day after Norah was born, Ethan was able to take a field trip with his first grade class. Part of the fun of this particular field trip was that they took the Amtrak as their primary transportation on the way there. It has become a tradition for the school to have the parents line up at one of the train crossings to wave at the kids when they pass on the train. Since it's just down from our house, Jason and Micah went to wave to the class as they passed. I guess there was quite a crowd! It was fun to hear from Ethan the excitement of the kids when they saw all the parents and siblings waving.
June was filled with getting to know Miss Norah and finding ways to keep the boys busy while I was on Maternity leave (for some reason they thought family nap time was a crazy idea).
June also brought opportunities to pick one of our favorite fruits--sweet cherries! The boys are pretty good helpers and we went a few times so we could have plenty of cherries to eat, freeze, and can.
As June turned into July, we headed out to the lake! My parents once again were able to rent a cottage and the kids and I pretty much moved in! Jason was able to come and go for work (and even took a few days off--like the one following a late night Tornado Watch). The cottage pictures should have had a post of their own, but having a new baby and returning to work at the end of July trumped blog posting! So, I'll toss in a few of my favorites here!
This last one from the lake makes me laugh because it reminds me so much of the picture in
this post from last year. It shows how tired the boys are after being so busy in the lake all day!
The end of July brought the opportunity for us to have Norah baptized. It was a special day and we were blessed by our friends and family who were able to celebrate with us. I enjoyed getting Norah ready for the day as we were able to put her in the same baptism outfit that I wore as a baby.
My sister-in-law was able to snap this picture during baptism. A wonderful picture to help us remember that day!
August brought hot weather and a bare-bellied boys. I had fun dressing Norah in all her summer gear--tiny crocs from my coworkers and a cute hat were perfect attire for a church picnic.
Ethan and Micah continued to love on their sister. She learned to give big gummy grins when they were nearby.
September first and foremost brought back-to-school for
Ethan and preschool for
Micah. As we settled back into the school routine we still made time for berry picking--this time raspberries! Most of them were turned into Jason's favorite, raspberry jam.
The beginning of September also brought a new activity for our house. Ethan started his first year of playing soccer. To say he loved it is a gross understatement. He thrived on the activity and quickly learned the rules and positions. We loved that it made him so exhausted that he fell asleep almost immediately when he went to bed. Yeah for exercise!
In the beginning of October we mourned the loss of Jason's grandmother. She was a wonderful woman and we were thankful that we were able to gather with family to celebrate her life and faith. On the afternoon of her funeral, we spent time with Jason's family looking at art in our community. It was a wonderful afternoon and an occasion where everyone could be together and enjoy each others company.
One peculiar, or unique, happening in October was the boys' discovery of a large snake in the backyard. We've never seen one this size before. I'm hoping it doesn't reside permanently in our backyard! It was fun to check it out with the boys, though I kept my distance!
We finished October with Halloween--we had a soccer player, a baseball player, and a little ballerina. Much candy was enjoyed by all (well, everyone except Norah!)!
November brought a "thankfulness" tree to our house. We periodically added leaves on which we had written things that we were thankful for. It was fun to hear what the boys wanted to put on their leaves. It was a great way to remember to be thankful for the many blessings in our life!
November also brought a new phase for Norah--food! We started out with rice cereal. She's not a huge fan of it, but she eats it very well!
At the end of the month, we had the opportunity to take a mini-vacation with our family. We spent a couple of nights in a hotel and just enjoyed hanging out. The boys loved the TV in their "room" and we spent lots of time in the pool and hot tub!
December brought lots of time with family. We love being able to celebrate Christmas with those we love. I figure a great way to end a post about our year is with a picture of our family. We are indeed blessed!
