Year in Review:2019

As I sit here and write this, it’s New Year’s Eve. James and the boys went skiing, but I volunteered to stay back and watch Leo. I’ve got Desperate Housewives playing in the background and the dog beside me chewing on his bone and not my shoes. A little alone time is the perfect way to end a busy 2019. After months of being quiet on the blog, it felt good to hammer one more post out before closing out the year.

January

On a very cold and snowy weekend in January, we used Santa’s coupon to take the boys to Edmonton for a weekend of fun at the mall. I think this may easily be Grady’s favorite place in the world! Santa splurged on a theme room and we spent a full day at the water slides. A great family weekend away! 

February

The girls and I go to Edmonton every fall to shop so when the Justin Timberlake concert was supposed to be the same weekend, we bought tickets! Then JT got sick, and the concert was canceled. While at first we were disappointed, the bonus was that we got an extra trip in February for the make up concert! JT quickly became one of my favorite artists and is a frequently played album on my play list. Ironically, I am wearing this sweatshirt right now. What a memorable night!

March

March is always a heavy hockey month for us. Each March for the past three years our team has hosted a tournament in Banff, and this year was no different. Grady’s team made a run in city playoffs, and Cooper’s Team headed to the mountains!

After the hockey season wrapped up, we headed to Maui for two weeks. This was the first year that the boys really appreciated Hawaii, which makes James and I happy since it’s our happy place!

April

In April, I made a trip to Saskatoon to celebrate my BFFs 40th birthday. I love that as part of her celebration she chose to have professional pictures taken of all of us individually, and most importantly, together. When I look at this photo, I still see the girls that I’ve known for 20+ years. Though we’ve aged, we’ve gotten married, we’ve had children, I know these gals will always have my back.  Always. 

May

The highlight of the month for me was attending Grady’s spring camp at Fort Steele. Though I don’t get to spend a lot of direct time with him, I get to watch him with his friends and his teacher and experience first hand what he does at camp.  The fact that he lets me keep volunteering means that I don’t embarrass him quite yet. Soon enough, soon enough…

June

The biggest event in June is this dude turned 11! Enough said.

July 

July was a big month.  Big.  HUGE.  In July, I turned the big 4-0! We celebrated by going on a biking pub crawl and a house party.  We also made a trip to Saskatchewan, had weekend visitors, and headed to Kelowna for our summer vacation! We crammed in ALL the fun.

August

In August I ran my third half marathon and earned a new PB. The next weekend, after burning all those calories running, we headed for our annual camping trip where we consumed nothing but hot dogs, chips, and beer.  My kind of combo!

September

The boys started grade 3 and grade 6. Its the last year they’ll be at separate schools! I’ll no longer have to color code my calendar, all smiles here!

October 

We always look forward to Thanksgiving weekend when my Dad and family come to visit! We watch hockey, shop, and attempt to do a fall walk, weather permitting. This past Thanksgiving we were dog sitting a black havapoo named Lovey which made the weekend extra memorable with all the pee I had to clean up! We’re lucky we got a dog after that weekend… Ha!

November

November may go down in the books as one of the best months ever! We did a family trip to Disneyland, I had a trip to LA with my girlfriends, and we welcomed Leo to our family. It will be a long time until another month tops this one.

December 

This year, because of Leo, we drove back to Saskatchewan for Christmas. We had a great time celebrating with my side of the family.  We are so lucky to have so many people to celebrate with!

2019 was a great year, and though I haven’t had time to document as much of it as I would like to, I will always remember it as a good one.

2019 was great one, bring it on 2020... Happy new year!

A Year in Review:2018

Each year when I look back at what we did and the places we went it is amazing to me how many good memories can be crammed into 365 days.  Even with just the highlights our year was pretty darn good.  Were all the days good?  Certainly not, but the good ones far outweigh the bad.  On to the highlights of 2018!

JANUARY

We rang in the new year with a ski day at Nakiska since we had spent the night at the Kananaskis lodge the night before.  We had so much fun last year that we are repeating it again this year.  The lodge and the skiing.

FEBRUARY

The winter months are always full of hockey with little time for much else.  We went to Golden, BC for Cooper's team in January for which I have no photos.  There is no team photo taken after losing 4 games straight!  In February we headed back to BC for Grady' team, this time to Sparwood, home of the former biggest truck in the world.

MARCH

After a slow start to the season, Cooper's team took home a gold medal in a shoot out that they actually televised on the news!

Grady's team finished the season as the south side city champions!

Then once the hockey season was officially done, we hopped on a plane and headed south to Mexico for spring break.

APRIL

In April my Mom and I headed to watch Ellen live at the Dome.  The performance was really good, but short.  It took longer to get out of the parking lot than it did to watch her show.

MAY

We had some visitors in May.  Sophia and her parents came to visit and this was about the time the kids started asking for another baby.  No thanks, we'll just enjoy having baby cousins!  Another one will be arriving shortly!

May also brought one of my most memorable trips.... a class trip to Frank Slide with Grady's class.  I am so happy I was able to join on such fun trip. No cooking or cleaning, not fighting siblings  It was almost like vacation. Almost.

JUNE

In June, Sara and her kids made their annual trip to visit.  It is an anticipated trip each year and always very memorable.  Next year the goal is to make it to the mountains if the weather cooperates. Fingers crossed. 

In June I also ran my second half marathon.  I struggled with injury this year which held me back from achieving a personal best.  I love that I have this group of fit moms that support me and have the same running goals as myself.  We've already registered for another next fall!

The biggest event in June is always this little Dude's birthday!  Double digits this year, 10 years ago this feisty young man made me a Mom!  He's a fire cracker that one.

 JULY

Our summer is always busy and full of travel... we kicked it off with a  weekend of camping.  We are all fair weather campers meaning we have electricity, heaters, and slow cookers!  My kind of campers! 

We closed out July with a trip to SK to visit the family.  The cousins had so much fun that the kids asked if they could move there. It was short lived when they realized they couldn't bring all their friends and hockey teams with them.  The just have so much fun talking, can you tell?

AUGUST

Our trip to Kelowna was a little louder this year as we headed west with 2 other families including 6 adults, 7 kids, and a dog!!  This will go down as the kids favorite vacation, and you know what, it may be mine to!

The biggest event of the summer was James turning 40!  We celebrated in style with a big shaker with all his friends and lasted until after 3am.  We partied like rock stars!  James has his work cut out for him this year as I celebrate this milestone birthday in 2019...

This kid also starts school in August.  Grade 5.  Am I old enough to have a kid in grade 5?

SEPTEMBER

Two weeks later, Cooper started grade 2.  One more year until the kids finally get to go to the same school.

OCTOBER

Our annual Thanksgiving table is was a little fuller this year while our friends and family gathered around the table to feast on our gigantic bird with all the fixings!

NOVEMBER

This guy turned 8 on November 8th.  A champagne birthday before you are 18 is no fun.  Ha!

DECEMBER

We spent the month celebrating the season with friends and family. We enjoyed hosting our first Christmas dinner and celebrating with both sides of the family.  We enjoyed waking up at home on Christmas morning and watching the kids open the presents under the tree.  It was a fantastic way to close out 2018.

Thanks for all the memories 2018! You've set the bar high for 2019!

Have a safe and happy new year!

2017 a year in review

Wow, what a year!

Sometimes it takes sitting back and looking at your year in pictures to remember how much you did during the year.  This year was a big year, big, HUGE.  Why you ask?  Let me tell you.

January

Look how young Grady looks

In January, Grady's Novice 2 hockey team won Esso Minor Hockey week. This is a huge deal in Novice since they don't play in the playoffs like the older kids.  Grady played in net for the final and the final score was 8-0.  Grady earned the Heart and Hustle award for his shut out and all the Mom's wore the kids red jerseys.  It was such a great moment in his short little hockey career.

February

Hockey, hockey, and more hockey!

Of all the months of the years, based on my pictures, February was the quietest.  Not quiet boring, just quiet, didn't do anything major.  Which through the winter months means we keep busy with hockey games, practices and social events.  The hockey network has added so many friends to my network, it's my favorite part of the sport.

March

March for us always means spring break!  The kids have the last week of March off every year so we head to find some sunshine.  In 2017, we went to Phoenix with Grandma and Grandpa.  We rented a great house with a pool in the backyard. Nothing beats a good book in the sun!

April

In April, Uncle Dave and Auntie Bo got a dog!  Sunday dinner at Nana's just got a bit more exciting!  I love seeing the kids love for Blix - it was right about then that they started asking for a dog of their own.  Keep dreaming boys....

May

First day of school from the new house!

At the end of May we moved into what we think is our forever house.  Looking back I still can't believe that we actually did it.  After looking for 2 years I thought that we were never going to find the one.  But, we did.  We packed up the old house over the course of 6 weeks.  Looking at the photos of it still make me emotional.

And over the course of 2 weeks I had all but 1 box unpacked at the new house.

It seems like a life time ago now but also like it was just yesterday.  I very memorable month in our home that is for sure.

June

June is a big birthday month around these parts.... This guy turned 9 and celebrated with a trampoline party.

Nana turned 70 and we celebrated by splatter paining a big canvas for her wall.

AND little miss Sophia was born making me an aunt once again. 4 nieces, 1 nephew and counting....!

July

The last week in July we headed west for our summer vacation in Kelowna.  It was a fun filled week of swimming, drinking, eating, reading, laughing, and fun!  

August

Grady started at a new school this year in August, 2 weeks before the public kids went back.  It is a charter school focused on technology and outdoors.  We were worried about he would do.  He is our shy kid and he was leaving his BFF behind at the old school.  Well, boy did Grady surprise us.  He loves the school, the bus, and his new friends.  It makes you wonder why you spend so much time fretting when in the end it generally works out.  These kids are more resilient than we give them credit for.

September

Two weeks later Cooper started grade 1 at the same school and his first year of full day school.  He was ready for it!  He is lucky enough to have his 2 besties in his homeroom.  I am constantly told that he is the responsible one and listens so well.  I wish he'd use those skills at home!

Part of the reason that Grady starts school in august is so they can get a camping trip in during the first few weeks.  So... Grady spent his first 2 nights away from home sleeping in a tent with 4 of his new classmates.  Again, we spent so much time worrying about it and he came back happy and full of memories.  

October

Halloween is always an October highlight.  This year the kids dressed as Freddy from Five Nights at Freddies and a scary clown.  Don't worry he switched out his scary masked for a more traditional clown wig for school!

November

In November Cooper turned 7 and celebrated by having a Nerf gun party. There was no doubt that this was 100% boy party and even included James!

December

We enjoyed setting up TWO trees in the new house and finding new places for our decorations.  This year was our away year so just before Christmas we hopped on a plane to visit my side of the family.

2017 treated us so well!  I can't wait to see what 2018 had in store for us!

Happy New Year!