We rung in the New Year with a fun night with family at the Zoo Lights, then dancing to youtube workout videos and then counting down with King Julian's Dance Party on Netflix several times before it was actually midnight and we watched the ball drop, ran outside and watched all the fireworks going off around town.
We said goodbye to my Grandma Powell, the last of mine and Greg's grandparents. It would be the second of three significant losses in our family in a matter of months.
Only a week later, my beloved Uncle Karl passed away unexpectedly. While the reunion with his recently passed Mom, and my Grandpa who'd passed away a few years before, was undoubtedly sweet, this was a heartbreaking loss for our family. And being there, sitting on the bed as he took his last breaths, was one of the most sacred experiences of my life.
We were able to really enjoy making some new memories while Lacy was in town though:
Owen took to wearing his full snowsuit to school for part of January. Partly because it was 10 degrees outside — but mainly because he had lost four coats this Winter, including the one I bought in late December and one of his brother’s coats. This was all we had left.
We were just heading to the Rec Center to go swimming, but this kid asked me to take his picture, just to document how cool he looked :-)
FEBRUARY
We checked out the new butterfly pavilion with some of our favorite people
Isaac's 3rd grade class had their Patriotic Program, which is one of my FAVORITES.
Owen's 1st grade class had their Dance Performance.
Marvin turned 1!
Fortunately the kids were better in time for his birthday party:
MARCH
We saw Wicked! My biggest regret this year was not bringing Owen -- when we bought tickets almost a year in advance he just seemed so young, but I think he would've loved it more than anyone!
We cut down our giant willows -- which was both sad and a HUGE relief, since they were the junkiest of junk trees!
We made it out to the aquarium with cousins
We went down to St. George with family for a quick Spring camping trip:
APRIL
We made it out to Arizona to visit Lacy's family for Sprint Break
We celebrated Easter with family on both Saturday . . .
And Sunday . . .
The kids learned how to use Grandma Ruth's weaving loom
And went to the Tulip Festival with cousins
And wrapped up April by heading to the beach and going whale watching in California
The whale watching was the best we've ever seen -- with TWO blue whales!
MAY
Then the real reason we'd driven to California -- family Disney vacation!
Owen lost not one, but two front teeth on the drive home from California
I went away with some friends for a few days up in Brian Head and Cedar Breaks
1st, 3rd, and 5th Grade Spanish DLI Dance Performances
Owen choreographed an interpretive dance for Mothers Day for me
And Ellie had the time of her life performing in her class play about the states of matter.
Last days of school comparisons!
Memorial Day at the cemetary
JUNE
We saw Matilda at Hale Theater with cousins, Aunt Talina, and Grandma
We went downtown with Grandpa Robert and cousins to explore the State Capitol, the Church Office Building views, and the Pioneer Museum.
Grandma Karine and Grandpa Robert took the kids on an overnight campout to Lagoon
Owen, Bailey and Ainsley performed at their Summer Dance recital
We celebrated Fathers Day
Grandma Karine and Grandpa Robert took Annie, Ellie, and Isaac to go snorkel for their birthdays -- and the rest of us came along to watch
JULY
Isaac gets braces!
We headed out to Blackridge Reservoir with our friends Jessi and Quinn
We went down to AZ to visit the Taylors -- we were there for Callie's and Isaac's birthdays, and we played hard the whole time!
Better yet, the Taylors came up to Utah next!
I loved getting to take advantage of the new trails in the Herriman hills -- especially when my sisters came along!
Grandma Karine and Grandpa Robert took a couple of the kids to Mirror Lake
We made it for the first of two trips to Causey, our favorite kayaking reservoir, and to Blackridge
And then our Summer got even MORE amazing! Our cousins came into town from Saudi Arabia, making for the greatest Summer of adventures and the best staycation (and then road trip) ever!
Including celebrating Nathan's birthday up in Park City . . .
We headed downtown, and to the aquarium
Played red rover at Grandma Ruth & Grandpa KC's house
And went to Lagoon!
AUGUST
August continued to be nonstop fun with family, with trips to the butterfly pavilion, splash parks, doing diet coke and mentos again, family pictures in the mountain and our second trip to Causey for the season
We finished off our epic cousin-Summer with a roadtrip to Fort Bridger, Martin's Cove, Independence Rock, Devil's Gate, Devil's Tower, Crazy Horse, and Mount Rushmore!
Our cousins left from South Dakota to keep going East and we headed home. It was an amazing Summer that we'll never forget! We still had a little bit of time before school was starting, so we went and celebrated Uncle Cody's birthday at Pineview Reservoir and played in the mud
And we ended August with the first days of 8th, 6th, 4th, and 2nd grades!
We finished off the Summer by getting our firepit built and ready to roast marshmallows!
SEPTEMBER
September kicked off school, then I sprained not one, but two, ankles. We participated in our first pinewood derby, Fall trips to Lagoon, and it was when our medical bills decided to shoot up :-) Isaac needed not only his standard scope, but an umbilical hernia repair this year. The rest of the kids followed with just normal endoscopes with biopsies. We also got to meet our newest nephew/cousin, Walter.
OCTOBER
School photos weren't awful!
This was the month of our BEST Fall Break ever -- with a ten day trip to Spain!
And, of course, Halloween
NOVEMBER Isaac and Ellie's DLI Dance Program
Gotta love the Dinosaur Museum
Uncle Cody always has the funnest hobbies, and this Fall they include bow shooting and arrow making, we also had a super fun Thanksgiving, and went sledding the day after Thanksgiving thanks to some awesome snow fall!
DECEMBER
The traditional start to the season for us is always Festival of Trees, and this year was no different! And we also are in the midst of planning Owen's baptism, and he is so excited!
We had an early Christmas with Grandma Ruth & Grandpa KC
Ellie's Battle of the Books team was in first place all day in the Spanish BoB competition -- and came in third during the finals -- but it was an awesome day for this team!
Thanksgiving Point with cousins
And feats of strength at Grandma and Grandpa's house that evening
Christmas in Color in the back of Grandpa's truck with cousins
Christmas Eve morning photo shoot with cousins
Christmas Eve pajamas
Christmas morning
We got to celebrate this kid turning EIGHT YEARS OLD! (How did that happen?!)
And we're looking forward to the first Saturday in June, with this guy turning 8 on December 30th
We celebrated the New Year with a night at the Zoo Lights and then playing with family at Grandma Karine and Grandpa Robert's house
Other highlights:
Greg's job at Amazon has been great, and he really enjoys the work and his crew there! The wacky schedule has had a ton of benefits. Not the least of which is brunch dates and Greg being free for his fourth year of running Math Team at the school.
Greg and I celebrated 15 years of marriage this year! Best decision I ever made. Although the decision of where we should go for our fifteen year anniversary still hasn't been made, and we keep bringing it up and never deciding :-)
Greg and I both turned 40 this year. Which was a super low key thing and we still haven't decided what we should do for our birthdays :-)
My graphics business has grown into a real part-time side hustle that keeps me busy and has been a blessing to our family and made some of our fun adventures possible.
Ellie guilted me into signing on as PTA President because it was 'her last year in Elementary school!" So it was now or never. I thought about never, but decided to go for it :-) It's been great, actually. I get to work with awesome women at a school I love.
The kids continue to learn and grow in their Spanish skills, which proved very useful in Spain and is something I'm always in awe of!
Greg and I got to teach the 7-8 year olds together in Church this year -- it was so great working with Owen and his class. These kids are incredible, and I've loved serving in Primary and have enjoyed getting to spend my time at Church just discussing the basics of the gospel with these amazing little humans and singing beautiful music!
Owen had a wicked case of mono this year, for most of Summer and going into Fall -- and it was awful. It could've been worse, but I just felt so bad for the kid who could never stay feeling well! We didn't figure out what it was until about 7 or 8 weeks after he first started showing symptoms, and he wasn't really feeling normal again for a month or two after that. Turns out he does NOT do well with blood draws. Something we learned repeatedly this year.
