2013 Year in Review

2013 has been my worst blogging year since I start blogging but one of the biggest years of change for our family – funny how real life gets in the way of documenting life online. Just as it should be. But I miss writing here and staying on top of the things we’re doing and the mundane parts of life that I find funny at the time – or important enough to share (importance is totally relevant – I’d imagine the text exchanges that occur between myself and others are of little to no interest to the rest of the world, but they entertain me and a handful of you). I got my annual site statistics report and hilariously, 4 of my 5 most viewed posts were from previous years:

1. Working Girl (because people are strangely looking for Skidz online quite a lot)
2. Five Question Friday (because way too many people google terms related to freakish feet and toes)
3. Do As I Say (Thanks to “Roll ’em Ferndock” and my dad)
4. Bungee Cords: a parent’s helper (because other parents are as desperate as I have been)

Actually, those four entries were all from 2011 – apparently I wrote about things of greater interest to the general public at that time. Sorry to be letting the masses down by solely blogging about my kids, our lives and inspirational quotes… I will try harder to dredge up crap topics from the recesses of my mind in 2014. The world will be a better place once again.

In the meantime, on to a look back at our year. It was the best of times… it was the most stressful of times.

January 2013
I made a new set of resolutions… later this week (maybe tomorrow, maybe not… I like to keep you on your toes) we’ll see how I did at sticking with those resolutions.

It snowed, finally. Unlike this year where it started snowing at Thanksgiving and has yet to stop, last winter was a little slow to start so when the snow finally came in January, my kids were THRILLED.

Jack started drawing and surprised me by drawing a picture of our family – sadly his first drawing was on a Boogie Board so I had to document the picture on my phone instead of physically saving his first drawing for the rest of his life.

February 2013

Jack turned 4. He’s still a picky eater – though yesterday he did eat (and love) a bagel with cream cheese and a different kind of “fruit” snacks – so there is hope. He said, “I guess I’m not so picky today.”

We visited my college friend, Heidi, and her family in Chicago. Two boys are way crazier than one girl, but they all loved each other.

We also visited Legoland… it was as awesome as my boys had hoped.

March 2013
Fulfilled a fantasy of mine of being in the same room as Adam Levine… at a Maroon 5 concert which ended shortly after it started because Mr. Levine had laryngitis. I am still a little bitter that our time together was cut short.
Jack had an epic nosebleed and I blogged about some things that are not great.

Started our two-week vacation to Texas with a road trip. We survived and even enjoyed it. So much so we’ll be doing it again this coming year. Either it really is fun to be in a car for two days with our two boys or we are gluttons for punishment. You decide. Or maybe, it’s the food that keeps us coming back.

April 2013
We celebrated 8 years of marriage… successfully making it past the 7 year itch.

This kid was still cute:

We decided to put our house on the market (incidentally the most popular post of this year). And unlike the last time we tried, this time the house sold! Whoot! The only time our house has ever looked this uncluttered and clean.

May 2013
Simon and I remained as cheesy as ever!
Realized that selling our house is awesome and buying a new one is even better but it still brings its own issues.

Blogged about more funny text exchanges. They still make me laugh.

June 2013
Chopped my hair off and donated it, marking an item off my 35 things before 35 list.
The boys got their first cavities (and fillings), they started and graduated from swimming lessons and we found handmade tortillas in Grand Rapids!

We went camping with our small group and captured one of my favorite pics of the boys:

Almost all the small group kids in one picture = miracle.

Bought this house and moved into it (technically on July 1):

Liam finished up first grade and I realized there is no chance he will ever grow up to look like me.

July 2014
Moved and said goodbye to the old house.

Started a new list.

Liam lost his first tooth.

Got together with my mom’s side of the family for a little reunion. Aren’t we all so cute?

Attended a wedding of two middle school and high school friends who reconnected and fell in love. Got to dress up and leave the kids home. My favorite picture of the two of us lately.

Attended the most fun water-themed birthday party… my boys were HUGE fans of the giant slip and slide.

Also fans of fountain near our new house.

August 2013
Mah baby turned 7!

Finally made it the Farmer’s Market and stocked up on dill for making pickles. Surprisingly, Jack likes pickles as much as he appears to like having this photo taken.

Got to experience a French macaroon – delicious, heavenly, worth the wait.
Enjoyed hosting my brother and his family from Texas… loved spending time with them here in town and in Whitehall with the whole family. Special thanks to Quinn and Chris for hosting us and letting us burn all their firewood (the Sawyer kids love a good fire).
September 2013
Liam started second grade at his new school and fulfilled his own dream of riding the bus.

Jack decided he should start doing homework.

I decided I needed a book club in my life and that I didn’t want to have to get a babysitter to go to it so I decided to start my own Laid-Back Book Club.
And I started looking forward to contentment after all the change.

October 2013
We discovered a new donut place close to home. They also have apple cider slushies that are yummy (and cheap).

George is still a great dog, despite needing surgery to remove a bladder stone.

We had fun with friends at apple orchards.

And downtown visiting ArtPrize.

And Halloween at the new house was filled with Power Rangers, candy and neighborhood fun! We’re so glad we moved.

Simon enjoyed a weekend away in Iowa for MSU football with the Sawyer men.

November 2013
Simon conceded to sushi for date night so I conceded to Thor II for the movie choice. We were both pleased with the evening.

I got away for the weekend with my college friends for lots of laughter, good food and sleep. Perfection. (Also handy since I was at the start of having mono after having had the flu two weeks earlier – so glad I got a flu shot this year.)

We hosted our first Thanksgiving where we cooked the turkey ourselves… despite a couple mishaps, all went well and we hope to be hosting again next year!
Liam went to his first home MSU football game and loved it, which means he gets to join the men at the away game next year (I’m sure Jack will be indignant about that one… too bad little brother).

We also got together with a group of fellow Lucky Fin families from Michigan – Jack happened to be the elder child there with a limb difference and he loved being the big kid!

December 2013
Snow, snow and more snow. We started the month with a brief power outage… just a precursor to the major outages that happened at the end of the month. Our kids loved flashlights, candles and no school.

I got to cuddle for hours with this sweet baby and get my girl fix.

Simon had knee surgery and I had big plans for making holiday treats (plans that were accomplished).

Christmas was marvelous and family-filled and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

After time at my parents we headed a little further southeast to Cleveland to visit our beloved friends (and Trader Joe’s). We left filled up on social time and good food – tanks topped off with love!

We reunited with George and headed home… I drove between Lansing and GR and this is how George sat the whole time – watching my lap and hoping for an opportunity to jump across and snuggle up.

We’re wrapping the new year at home and we’re very happy with that plan.

And that’s all she wrote… see you in 2014!