Reflection and a New Year!

  I know that your blog is the place to highlight your life, all the fun and exciting memories. The silly moments and funny happenings so that you remember all the good times for years to come! I don't want to remember the downer times, but sometimes those tough years make us thankful for Jesus and let us look back and what we were able to overcome with more strength than we realized we had at the time.

 I have been such a blog slacker this past year. 2013 brought more than I thought we could handle some days and unfortunately I had to choose some things to put on the back burner for a little while, so the blog suffered!

If I am being completely transparent and honest 2013 is one I do not wish to repeat. It was a hard, long and very trying year. It was full of changes and hard decisions and realizing that the right choices are not always the easy or the most glamorous ones.  It also made me realize how thankful I am for some things as well.  I am thankful we survived another year, but I won't lie 3 kiddos is more than I ever realized! HA!

So for fun....here is our 2013 recap!

January brought a fun snowball fight at school and enough hair for MK to wear her first "real" hair bow.

In February we celebrated Aunt Em's birthday, I survived my first church consignment sale as co-chair, and MK celebrated her first heart day! We also survived the entire month without Chick-fil-a since they closed for a big remodel.

In March J and I celebrated 11 years of marriage, the new Chuck-E-Cheese opened in J's old office building, and we celebrated Easter. MK turned 5 months old and we had our first bout of sickness for the year! J and I got to see Seinfeld with Will and Shan for an early birthday celebration.

 

In April Henry created his first work of art with a sharpie marker to his body and my carpet. We baptized our only girl and our last baby in front of our closest friends and family and Jack started spring soccer. My mom worked countless hours on MK's gown and it was amazing! 

May brought the end of the school year with dino digs and end of school parties, trips to the zoo, memorial day fun with friends and my 6th Mothers Day!

In June we took our first swim, MK started crawling and J got to mark something off his bucket list with a Father's Day dinner at Top of the River. We vacationed a few days in TN at the Downs and were happy to wear our summer clothes! J took me on a date night surprise and we saw our first movie at the famous Alabama theatre.





July brought a HUGE change with a job change for J. Jack and I had a date to the movies, and we took full advantage of the summer movie series in town. Gigi came to visit and we got to see our sweet friends from Maryland.


In August we got to cheer Sydney on in a beauty pageant, we took the boys to their 1st drive in movie, MK tired to walk for the 1st time, and I managed to take all 3 kids out for lunch alone....to a sit down restaurant. Henry wore is last bubble signaling the end of baby boy clothes in our house and Jack started fall soccer!




In September my baby turned 5, school started back, and I made it through my 1st consignment sale as main co-chair. Jack surprised us all with is awesome soccer skills and he got to have his first ice cream truck experience!




October  proved to be a big month. We celebrated MK's first birthday, Halloween, and Jack's karate party. I finally got MK weened and we had our first bout of cold weather!









November was a crazy month for Tootlebugs, Jack had his harvest hoedown and was honored at school as star student. We spent Thanksgiving with J's grandparents and even managed to fit in some girls only black Friday shopping!





In December we celebrated Henry's birthday with donuts and pjs, had our pictures made with Santa and I finally got my first crying Santa picture. MK moved to a big girl car seat and we had lots of fun lunch dates, Christmas parties and finally got to take a break from work!