I've complied a random list of highlights from our year!
Kevin Promoted to "Point Person"
Kevin took a new job at the end of last year (still at Mead Johnson, just a different line). He loved his old job but was ready for a change. The new job was a bit overwhelming, we had several bad weeks, but like always, Kevin learned quickly and excelled on the line. He was such a stand-out worker that just after a couple months on the new line, he was promoted to "Point Person". The title means that when the manager is off work, he's the boss! It came with a nice raise, and added responsibility that Kevin's really enjoying! We wrapped up this year finding out the lady with more seniority on day shift retired, therefore giving up her point person position, so Kevin will be moving to day shift hopefully some time in February!
Trip East: Virginia, DC, New York
The girls were asked to be flower girls in one of my best friends wedding. The wedding was over spring break, so we made a family trip out of it! We traveled to Virginia to see more of our best friends (The Henry Family), spent the day in DC looking at historic monuments, and then finished the trip with several days in New York. My parents met up with us in New York and we had such a great time! Traveling with 4 kids is never easy, so having a set of grandparents made the trip much more enjoyable for us all! The girls looked precious in their flower girl dresses, and the wedding was a beautiful ending to our trip!
Adopted 8 Chickens
Our trip to Virginia to see the Henry family (mentioned above) sparked Kevin's interest in getting chickens. Our friends had 5 or 6 chickens and my friend Sarah cooked some fresh scrambled eggs for us for breakfast one morning. Kevin was sold and kept saying we were getting chickens when we got back home and I didn't give it much thought... but when we got home, he was seriously wanting chickens. I agreed as long as he agreed to take 100% care of them. And he did. So on our 8th wedding anniversary, he brought home 8 little chicks... 4 ISA browns, and 4 Rhode Island Reds. He took great care of them, built them a lavish chicken coop (with my input on a few things), and they are still thriving. The kids have fallen in love with them, and I have fallen in love with the fresh eggs daily. I also love taking my scraps out to them daily, and they look forward to it too! They eat like pigs, and are the happiest chickens I've ever known. We have plans to add to our flock this coming spring and we're already looking forward to it!
The girls were asked to be flower girls in one of my best friends wedding. The wedding was over spring break, so we made a family trip out of it! We traveled to Virginia to see more of our best friends (The Henry Family), spent the day in DC looking at historic monuments, and then finished the trip with several days in New York. My parents met up with us in New York and we had such a great time! Traveling with 4 kids is never easy, so having a set of grandparents made the trip much more enjoyable for us all! The girls looked precious in their flower girl dresses, and the wedding was a beautiful ending to our trip!
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Adopted 8 Chickens
Our trip to Virginia to see the Henry family (mentioned above) sparked Kevin's interest in getting chickens. Our friends had 5 or 6 chickens and my friend Sarah cooked some fresh scrambled eggs for us for breakfast one morning. Kevin was sold and kept saying we were getting chickens when we got back home and I didn't give it much thought... but when we got home, he was seriously wanting chickens. I agreed as long as he agreed to take 100% care of them. And he did. So on our 8th wedding anniversary, he brought home 8 little chicks... 4 ISA browns, and 4 Rhode Island Reds. He took great care of them, built them a lavish chicken coop (with my input on a few things), and they are still thriving. The kids have fallen in love with them, and I have fallen in love with the fresh eggs daily. I also love taking my scraps out to them daily, and they look forward to it too! They eat like pigs, and are the happiest chickens I've ever known. We have plans to add to our flock this coming spring and we're already looking forward to it!
Adopted Charlie
At the years end last year, I contacted a local Maine Coon breeder about a new littler of kittens that were born on 12/30/14. I expressed my interest in an orange kitty, but it was a couple weeks into January when I heard from her. She had one orange kitten out of the 7 that were born, and she was willing to let me adopt him. I couldn't reply fast enough that YES, we'd take him! I inquired about visiting him, and the breeder thought I was a bit nutso (my words, not hers) and we just agreed I could pick him up when he was 11 weeks old. I watched him grow week after week from the pictures she'd send me. In early March he was ready to come home. He was the cutest, sweetest, softest, most playful kitten I'd ever been around. I love this cat so much! The kids love this cat so much! Even when hes really rotten (and knocks over every drink he finds, and attacks my feet in the middle of the night, and pesters Harry till he cries) I wouldn't trade him for the world.
At the years end last year, I contacted a local Maine Coon breeder about a new littler of kittens that were born on 12/30/14. I expressed my interest in an orange kitty, but it was a couple weeks into January when I heard from her. She had one orange kitten out of the 7 that were born, and she was willing to let me adopt him. I couldn't reply fast enough that YES, we'd take him! I inquired about visiting him, and the breeder thought I was a bit nutso (my words, not hers) and we just agreed I could pick him up when he was 11 weeks old. I watched him grow week after week from the pictures she'd send me. In early March he was ready to come home. He was the cutest, sweetest, softest, most playful kitten I'd ever been around. I love this cat so much! The kids love this cat so much! Even when hes really rotten (and knocks over every drink he finds, and attacks my feet in the middle of the night, and pesters Harry till he cries) I wouldn't trade him for the world.
Privacy Fence
While we were on our East Coast vacation, we had a cedar privacy fence put up. We were having problems keeping our dog, CeCe, in our yard, and I loved the idea of containing the kids to one place. I convinced Kevin that the fence was a good idea, and hiring someone to do it would be an even better idea. We spent our entire tax refund check on it, but we will both tell you it was the best money we've ever invested in our house. We love being able to send the kids safely out back to play, we love that we are able to keep CeCe in our yard, and we can let our chickens free range often (when the dog is put up!). Kevin likes to say, "I'm so glad I talked you into getting that fence..." and I just nod and agree. ;)
Trip to Destin
Right after school started, we took a week long vacation to Destin, Florida with Kevin's parents. We stayed in an amazing condo that was a 2 minute walk to our private beach. We ate at delicious restaurants, we zip lined, we shopped, we cooked a lot in the condo, the kids put on shows for us, I took lots of pictures, we went swimming, and the boys went fishing. It was just an all around great trip that I was so glad we were able to take.
Our 1st Garden/Harvest
We were late in planting our 1st garden. I was a total beginner to gardening, and still am really. Kevin built me some raised beds and I picked up some seeds and planted them. My tomato and pepper seeds that I planted early never did anything. My yellow squash took off and did so well. The cucucmbers did good too! I didn't have the patience to let my carrots grow and I ended up pulling them early and feeding them to the chickens. We hope to do a bigger garden this year, and plant it earlier so we can get a bigger, better harvest. It was so much fun and so rewarding for us all.
While we were on our East Coast vacation, we had a cedar privacy fence put up. We were having problems keeping our dog, CeCe, in our yard, and I loved the idea of containing the kids to one place. I convinced Kevin that the fence was a good idea, and hiring someone to do it would be an even better idea. We spent our entire tax refund check on it, but we will both tell you it was the best money we've ever invested in our house. We love being able to send the kids safely out back to play, we love that we are able to keep CeCe in our yard, and we can let our chickens free range often (when the dog is put up!). Kevin likes to say, "I'm so glad I talked you into getting that fence..." and I just nod and agree. ;)
Right after school started, we took a week long vacation to Destin, Florida with Kevin's parents. We stayed in an amazing condo that was a 2 minute walk to our private beach. We ate at delicious restaurants, we zip lined, we shopped, we cooked a lot in the condo, the kids put on shows for us, I took lots of pictures, we went swimming, and the boys went fishing. It was just an all around great trip that I was so glad we were able to take.
Our 1st Garden/Harvest
We were late in planting our 1st garden. I was a total beginner to gardening, and still am really. Kevin built me some raised beds and I picked up some seeds and planted them. My tomato and pepper seeds that I planted early never did anything. My yellow squash took off and did so well. The cucucmbers did good too! I didn't have the patience to let my carrots grow and I ended up pulling them early and feeding them to the chickens. We hope to do a bigger garden this year, and plant it earlier so we can get a bigger, better harvest. It was so much fun and so rewarding for us all.
Hayden Repeating 1st Grade
This was actually one of my hardest decisions of the year, but God was so good in affirming this decision in more ways than I could even dream up. Hayden was not enthusiastic about 2nd grade - even though he loved his teacher, he always felt behind, he lacked all motivation to be a good student, and I was at my wits end trying to figure out what else I could do. I remember telling him if he wasn't trying, he'd have to repeat 2nd grade next year. That's when the wheels started spinning, that maybe I should just plan on holding him back at the year-end and not let him go to 3rd grade next year. And then I started thinking about the areas he was struggling and how most of those things should have been worked out in 1st grade (slow reading, letter reverals, poor handwriting). That's when I talked to Kevin about putting him back in 1st grade. Hayden was able to go back to the original teacher he was assigned to on his 1st day of 1st grade, Mrs. Boris, and he was thrilled to be back in her class. His 2nd grade class and his new 1st grade class had lunch and recess together so he was still able to see all of his friends he'd made this year. The school staff was so supportive of our decision, which was totally unexpected. As parents, we were so confident in this move that it made him so confident in the move, and it was a beautiful thing to watch unfold! Hayden is a leader in his class this year. He's excelling at everything he once struggled with and his effort is through the roof. We couldn't be more proud of him.
And no year would be complete without the bad too... Kevin's brother unexpectedly passed away, Austin got hand/foot/mouth days before we left for Florida, Hayden had a bad bike accident, money was tight when the fridge went out and when my van needed new tires. There were growing pains, fevers, stomach bugs, and pink eyes. Marriage provided plenty of "growth opportunities" while we argued and disagreed, but always came back together. I like remembering the good times more than the bad, but the mix of both is what makes this family of mine mean so much to me. We love each other. We are here for each other. We support each other the best we know how. Kevin, and these kids... I can't even put into words how they fill every ounce of my heart.
Looking forward to writing about all the blessings/adventure/and good times this next year brings!
This was actually one of my hardest decisions of the year, but God was so good in affirming this decision in more ways than I could even dream up. Hayden was not enthusiastic about 2nd grade - even though he loved his teacher, he always felt behind, he lacked all motivation to be a good student, and I was at my wits end trying to figure out what else I could do. I remember telling him if he wasn't trying, he'd have to repeat 2nd grade next year. That's when the wheels started spinning, that maybe I should just plan on holding him back at the year-end and not let him go to 3rd grade next year. And then I started thinking about the areas he was struggling and how most of those things should have been worked out in 1st grade (slow reading, letter reverals, poor handwriting). That's when I talked to Kevin about putting him back in 1st grade. Hayden was able to go back to the original teacher he was assigned to on his 1st day of 1st grade, Mrs. Boris, and he was thrilled to be back in her class. His 2nd grade class and his new 1st grade class had lunch and recess together so he was still able to see all of his friends he'd made this year. The school staff was so supportive of our decision, which was totally unexpected. As parents, we were so confident in this move that it made him so confident in the move, and it was a beautiful thing to watch unfold! Hayden is a leader in his class this year. He's excelling at everything he once struggled with and his effort is through the roof. We couldn't be more proud of him.
And no year would be complete without the bad too... Kevin's brother unexpectedly passed away, Austin got hand/foot/mouth days before we left for Florida, Hayden had a bad bike accident, money was tight when the fridge went out and when my van needed new tires. There were growing pains, fevers, stomach bugs, and pink eyes. Marriage provided plenty of "growth opportunities" while we argued and disagreed, but always came back together. I like remembering the good times more than the bad, but the mix of both is what makes this family of mine mean so much to me. We love each other. We are here for each other. We support each other the best we know how. Kevin, and these kids... I can't even put into words how they fill every ounce of my heart.
Looking forward to writing about all the blessings/adventure/and good times this next year brings!
