Wednesday, December 29, 2010

2010 Photographic Year in Review - part 1

I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite pictures from 2010. I will have to say that after looking at all that we did through the year, it may have been a chaotic year, but it was also a fun one!

Olivia received a Tinkerbell costume from Santa for Christmas 2009, and thus began the obsession with dressing up. This sweet child was often seen wearing wings or a floor length dress. She was also able to improvise (like the bowl as a hat, below?).

Mitchell turned 6 in 2010 and we celebrated with a party at his very favorite place - Chuck E Cheese! The night would have been perfect if that pesky giant mouse would've left the kids alone. But otherwise, it was fabulous. Still can't believe my baby is 6!!!

In May, we decided to go away for the weekend and we took a trip to Cincinnati! We spent the first day at an indoor water park, which was very fun!!! Then we spent the night in a hotel, which the kids loved. Finally, we went to the Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. This museum is actually a group of several different museums. We spent our time at the Children's Museum (Olivia's favorite) and the Museum of Natural History and Science (Mitchell's favorite). We also took in a movie at the Omnimax Theater. It was an ocean movie, and obviously very soothing because Olivia fell asleep! We hope to make this trip an annual event.



My mom and dad were gracious enough to get the kids a play pool for the summer. The kids enjoyed playing around in it, but I must admit it lost it's magic quickly. I think we are all hoping for a pool membership next summer.


Once again, Mitchell was given the opportunity to walk in the city's annual Fourth of July Parade (which is followed by the big Celebration at the park). Since Mitchell's uncle is the mayor, Mitchell got to walk in the front of the parade and hand out candy. Super-fun!!!



Be on the look-out for Part 2 of the Photographic Year in Review, coming soon!!! :)




























































Where in the World Have We Been???

Back in 2009, I was happily blogging away and I seemingly disappeared. What happened? Well, our lives were sort of turned upside down quickly and blogging went by the wayside. In September, Brendt (Jake, hubby, etc.) was given the opportunity to work for a company in WV in my hometown. He decided to take the position, but only as a temporary measure, as we weren't sure how it was going to work out with us. For a few months, the kids and I did the back and forth thing...living in Ohio sometimes and living in WV sometimes. Finally, after the holidays, we decided enough was enough and we were moving to WV permanantly. Brendt and I spent spent Spring of 2010 back in Ohio on the weekends packing up our house and then readying it to try to sell. We got the house on the market late spring and it wasn't until December 2010 that we had any movement. Finally, a couple decided that they would rent our house, with the intention to buy within two years. We were ecstatic!!! We would now be able to look for our own place to live. And that is where we are now! We have found a place, yet we don't move in until February 2011.

That was the short version (very short!) to what seemed like a VERY long year. Did I mention that we lived in my parents' house through this entire process? Yup, I moved my husband and my two kids in with my parents for what will be 16 months. And we didn't kill each other! How many other people out there could say the same? Now, that's not to say that we didn't have moments (we did - mostly me!). But I truly believe that I have the absolute best parents in the world. Seriously...the BEST. And I only hope and pray that someday I will be to my kids what my parents have been to me. Sniff, sniff...

I am so blessed!!!