Year in Review

I thought it would be nice to recap this year, if nothing else, for my own use since I typically can't seem to quite remember things a year or a day after they happen. Of course my review won't be nearly as funny as this one, but it will serve its purpose.


For starters, I have to list a few things I learned that I LOVE this year, several of which were just discovered a week ago when I got them for Christmas.


1. My Shark steam mop. It's pretty much everything I never knew I wanted.

2. Scentsy warmer and fragrance bars (especially "Skinny Dippin'" and "Lucky in Love"). It literally fills the whole house. I came home from running errands yesterday and could smell it in the GARAGE. Awesome.

3. The Shack. I'm a little late coming into this one (its been out for a long while) but I love it. Go buy it. Check it out from the library. Borrow it from a friend. Just read it!

4. The Pioneer Woman cookbook...I can't decide which recipe to try first! I had heard about this book through the blogging world and also through friends, so when I saw it in the bookstore this week I sat down to quickly look through it. 30 minutes later I had looked at every single recipe and knew I had to have it!


5. The Twilight Series. I know this isn't new to 2009, but it definitely was something I continued to love throughout this year. Oddly, it is marketed as a teen/young adult series, but the author has said that they were not her intended audience. So no mocking or judging until you try it for yourself :)

6. Hobby Lobby. I wonder how many words I could type about Hobby Lobby before the blog finally just cuts off? Love their fabric. Love their sales (seems like EVERYTHING is always on sale!). Love their home decor. It's my second home.

What are some of your favorite things from 2009?

There were many significant events that shaped our lives this year. Some were wonderful and others I would like to never think about again.

*Allie potty trained at 2.5 years old. Those who know her know she can have a stubborn side (sitting on the potty for two hours, not "going", but not wanting to get down either...*sigh*), so this was quite a feat! And it only took 4 days until she had it down completely!

*Our firstborn turned 5 years old. That was a milestone I didn't realize I was NOT ready for. Something about "5" just seems so...old.

*Brent and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a trip to Chicago!

*The day before we left for our trip, my grandpa passed away after a very quick and sudden illness. Luckily we were within driving distance from Chicago to Iowa and were able to make the drive to attend the funeral and celebrate his incredible life.

*The girls and I traveled to Iowa a few weeks later and were able to visit with their Great-Grandmothers, as well as many aunts/uncles/cousins. (As a side note, when Brent and I married, we still had all 8 grandparents and they all attended the wedding. We have lost many since then, but what a blessing to have had them in our lives for so many years!) We also threw a surprise shower for my sister, Jessica, and her fiancee. It was a wonderful time to visit with everyone.

*Allie got her first ear infection on that same trip and we were both in tears by the end of that first day. Luckily my aunt had a family friend who was a pediatrician and hooked us up with some antibiotics.

*My sister got married and we welcomed Joey to our family! It was wonderful to be part of their special day.

*Our "baby" turned three years old. Did I mention that she's a BABY? Babies don't turn three years old. *sniff, sniff*

*Lauryn started kindergarten. I could write a novel on this subject alone. It was an incredibly difficult transition for her, and in turn, for us. Ultimately it was a bittersweet experience. It was a situation where we felt helpless and, in turn, could do nothing but put all of our faith and trust in God. We grew closer to Him as he led and guided us in finding ways to help her adjust to a "new normal". Eventually she came to like school. A month or so ago she even spoke the words, "I love school!" Music to our ears.

*Allison started a new pre-school all on her own...without her big sister or her mom there with her! I quit teaching pre-school this year to 1). Volunteer at the school and 2). To focus more on my sewing business. I can work uninterrupted two days a week while they're both in school. This way I don't have to work while the girls are running circles around me or late at night after they've gone to bed. It has been great!

*Brent's brother, Michael, returned home safely from his second tour in Iraq. There aren't enough words to express how thankful we are for his service and safe return.

*My mom underwent surgery to remove a large benign (praise God!) tumor in her uterus. It was a scary time of unknowns for our family, but through prayers and faith we came through it and she is recovering well.

*Many of our family members faced illness and loss of loved-ones. It is heartbreaking to watch those you love and care about go through suffering.

*We were blessed with snow in Texas on Christmas Eve (first time in 80 years!) and topped it off with a beautiful candlelight ceremony at our church celebrating the biggest blessing in our lives...the birth of Christ and ultimately His sacrifice.

We look forward to many exciting adventures in 2010 and pray for God's blessings on you and your families!