2014 Highlights and Review

January-

We stayed home a lot with cold weather, snow, and Michael traveled out of town for a couple of trips.

Isabella had her first hair cut. Which was a little scary for her! 

February- Michael traveled more for work. We brought the snow inside to play, instead of braving the cold, and I plugged away at my 365 photo project.

Isabella saw her first in theater movie.

Michael and Isabella went to the father/daughter night at church.

March: The kids and I went to California to visit the Rollings while Michael had another work trip. (I'm hoping, hoping his work travels this year will bring us enough frequent flier points to go again!!) We had a family day to Meers and Mt Scott, spent a weekend in Dallas with Michael for work and went to the Arboretum, and Heather found out she was having a girl!!

April: Michael got a box of his books in the mail! Isabella went to the dentist for the first time, we had a great Easter, and Benjamin turned one!!

May: Isabella and I went to the mother/daughter night at church, and we had fun trips to San Antonio and South Padre with our families.

June: Benjamin got his first hair cut! Isabella took swim lessons for the first time, and we spent lots of time at the pool, parks, and splash pads. I took a weekend trip to Dallas with Mom and Heather.

July: We celebrated the 4th of July and went on a work trip with Michael to Chicago and visited the Blue whale on the way home.

August: We celebrated our 12th anniversary with a night away and the Michael Buble concert. Michael took a trip to St. Louis with his dad and brother to a Cardinals game. We took a daytrip out west, and I took maternity pictures for Heather.

 September: Jillian was born on Michael's 33rd birthday, and Isabella turned 4!

Michael had shingles for some of September and October. It was really awful.

October: We went to Tulsa for a weekend for a wedding Isabella was in, enjoyed all things fall and Halloween. Michael traveled to Portland for work.

November: We enjoyed more fall and playing outside with no mosquitoes before it got too cold. We enjoyed a season of giving thanks.

December: The last part of the year seemed to come quickly. We had a full month of holiday fun and making memories with family.

2014 is in the books. There were many great, just OK, and some not so good experiences. I enjoyed the trips we took this year and the many other fun things we did. I enjoyed taking pictures and the books I read for me and to the kids. I enjoyed Benjamin starting to say some words, begin to walk, and watching his personality emerge more. I enjoyed Isabella's vast imagination and the funny or sweet things she says sometimes. We started small groups at church and that has been good. I loved meeting my new sweet niece...  With small kids the days can be very long sometimes, and its also so true that the years are short. Another one has flown by. There were days that I was weary, not patient, and felt like I was failing in my parenting. And other days that I soaked the moments in knowing this is the good life.
I did not enjoy Michael's work travel so much (other than the points for free hotel nights and flights it brought). We had some issues with our old house and spent a lot of unplanned money on rent on two places and things that had to be fixed with frozen pipes and things that had to be done before we could sell. We sold the Hasley house in July and that was a little sad, but mostly a big stress gone. Michael's shingles were bad and went on for 3-4 weeks and then he threw out his back and was in pain for a week from that. I greatly missed how much he helps around the house and with the kids during that time!
I'm so grateful for this life we have been given and the family we have. 2014 was a good year overall and I'm looking forward to what is to come in 2015!