2014: A Year in Review

What a great year this was!  Time is so weird, isn't it?  In some ways, I can't believe it's already almost 2015.  But, in other ways, it seems like this year has gone by slowly.  Which is a wonderful thing.  I hope life continues not-flying-by!

Here are some things that happened this year.

Places we visited:

• Oh, Canada! (& Niagara Falls)
• Jacksonville Beach, FL
• Waycross, GA- twice
• Mountain House- three times
• Nashville, TN- twice

Fun events:

• Snow #1 and snow #2, all within a couple of weeks
• Meeting my new niece, Ava
• Sydney losing her first tooth!
• Sydney's K-5 graduation
• One wedding
• Swimming lessons
• Lots and lots of birthday parties
• Lots of park visits
• Several 5K and 10K races
• Sydney's 1st day of KG!
• Sydney turned 6!
• Parker turned 2!
• Taylor turned 4!
• Grandmom & DeeDad turn 70
• Six Flags

Here's to 2015... may it bring about good, exciting possibilities, health, time together, and lots of love.

Christmas in Nashville

We were celebrating my family's Christmas in Nashville this year, mainly because my brother and his wife had a new addition to the family in March!  ( and we all know how hard it is to travel with a baby!)  My parents, my sister and her family, and our family all headed up Christmas day.  It was great in that there was no traffic to speak of.  The downside was that it was hard to find a place to eat for lunch.  After a lot of googling, we had to settle for (gulp) McDonalds.  Thankfully, that was the worst part of the trip. ;)

We got up there around 3 PM and hung out.  Sydney and Olivia always pick right up where they left off.  Parker was mesmerized by baby Ava, who is almost 9 months old.  Parker was also mesmerized by "Gan-mom", whom he is obsessed with.

wow!

There was lots a-singing at my musician brother's house.

My sister and her family got up a little later that evening, and we ate dinner and caught up.  We decided to open the presents the next morning, which was great because my kids were starting to get c-r-a-n-k-y.  We all slept great that night!

The next morning, Stephen and I went on a 3-mile run while my bro and sis watched the kiddos.  It was so nice, and check out this view!

Of course, with 6 female cousins watching him, this is what we came home to.

Finally, it was present time!

team cousins!

Taylor won the award for the biggest present!

Dee-Dad opening up his Home Depot gift card. (we were very original this year!)

Olivia opening up a present.

Later that day, we went to a nearby park to play.

That night, we just hung out around the house.  Saturday morning, we went out to eat breakfast and then all headed on our merry way home.  Traffic was terrible coming home, but we made the 5 hour trek- 6.5 hours later.  

It was a great time with family!  

Christmas Morning

One certain 6-year-old woke up very early Christmas morning (5:30 AM), while the other two didn't start stirring until close to 7.  When I got up, I noticed that Sydney's eye was now pink.  Grrr.  We got her some drops and all while the other two kiddos waited patiently at the top of the stairs.

I went down first, and let the kiddos know that Old Saint Nick had surely come and gone.

First, Taylor came bouncing down the stairs.

Next was Sydney!

Last, but surely not least, Parker!  Though I don't think he had a clue what was going on.

Parker watched his sisters as they looked at their new toys.  That is, until he saw a truck...

Taylor and her late-addition request for drums!  Santa heard it!

The girls were so excited about their loot, and it wasn't until about now that Sydney said, "Aww, I guess we didn't get our jeep that we asked for!"  So, what do you know, I point out a mystery letter on top of the mantle.  

Sydney began reading it.  It said:

Dear Sydney & Taylor,

Do you like driving fast, wind blowing in your hair?

Go look in the garage, for something to share!

Love, Santa

PS- Tell Parker he has something, too!

So, the girls beelined for the garage, and what do they see?  Two new jeeps!  Yay!

We headed back inside (through the insists of wanting to drive the jeeps right then and there) and started making breakfast.  The kids got to play with their new toys for a bit.

Next, we tackled the tree!

First presents!

It was so cute- Taylor ripped out these clothes from the bag, and got SO excited... only to realize it was a little boys outfit and was really for Parker.  

I got some really precious homemade gifts!

After all the unwrapping took place, we tidied up, put toys up in rooms, and the kids got to play on their jeeps.  (finally, right?!)

Look at that concentration- those tongues!  They get that from their mommy.

Uh oh, first accident.  Hope they have insurance.

Riding off into the sunset (sunrise?)

We packed up the jeeps, packed up our car, and hit the road for Nashville!

Christmas Eve

I'll chronicle our 2014 Christmas festivities, starting with Christmas Eve.  Stephen had been out of town since Sunday (today was Wednesday) and it was a yucky, cold, rainy week!  By this morning, we were all going a little stir crazy.  To help alleviate that a bit, I invited Raegan and her mom over that morning to decorate some cookies.

Excited for Raegan to come over!

Parker just preferred to throw his chocolate chips everywhere.

Present swap time!

Raegan's "American Girl Doll".  wink wink.  Her name is Parker- like, that's what was given to her.  We may have named our boy a girl's name!

The kiddos' new toy!!

Stephen finally arrived home around noon!  Woohoo!  He had to race off to a minute clinic because he woke up with pink eye.  Oh boy.  Then, we all headed to church for the candle light Christmas Eve service.

Sydney's note to me in church.

After the service, we went to our (former) neighbors' annual Christmas Eve dinner.  They now live in Monroe and we got to see their beautiful house!  Lots of food and fun.  The kiddos didn't want to go to sleep this night.  I tried to tell them... he sees you when you're sleeping... he knows when you're awake... it finally worked.

Until tomorrow...!