January 2025 in Review

 We have had a very mild winter. I am currently typing this post in February and we just got a somewhat moderate storm for our area. The entire town shut down today for the most part. Except, my husband, I suppose. He had to go to work today. The rest of us are home from school and went outside just to play in the snow. It's been a great day of just being at home for us. We've been so scheduled (overscheduled) that a total day of rest was just what each of us needed.

So, let's get to it. Our January:

We got out to eat as a family:

                                   

The kids will tell you Avery is super hard on our books but many of them were so well loved. She tore apart Corduroy's Day and I just couldn't part with it even though not a single page was together. So, I bought a new one, well worth the few dollars. The kids were so excited to see as well:

Speaking of Avery, she's growing like a weed. A few pictures of her as she spends all her time with me still and we are both better people for it:

This is her eye contest face she makes at meals. She loves staring contests:

The side profile of a girl as she begins to work just a bit on school with me:

She had gone to story time at the library and came home with a picture to practice her coloring.

My baby looking at all my babies:

A picture I think that she took of her toes that I just can't seem to get over:

Watching outside as her siblings sled:

We also went to the pool as a fam. I came back with only one picture, of Avery:

She also got cleared from her vision problems we were having back in March 2024 after she got extremely ill. That has been a huge deal for our family.

We had one of Payton's friends over for some fun and I let the kids get into the hot tub. They had a blast and talk about even weeks later:

Payton and Riley are back to doing archery:

I worked on ordering family pictures from November. I am working to put together some black and white frames of my kids:

Riley and I got out for a quick date together and went and found a geo cache:

Just us all lying around and watching a movie together:

At school the kids hit 100 days. To celebrate, Jayden made a shirt to wear to school:

I got to take the kids to the new sonic movie. We all thought it was great:

Riley tried the ymca's dart wars and he had a total blast:

A random picture of the sunset on the drive home. I am sure there is a story to this but I have no recollection. It is very pretty though and I can tell you it is of the road that leads to my home.

We took one final trip to grandma and grandpas house. They have moved to where we live! We went a few days before they closed on this house. It was a good, quick trip as they close out one chapter and begin another:

The trip was uneventful after a major event getting started. We blew a tire not even 4 miles from our house. Got back home and got the tire repaired. Then started again 2 hours later than we started. So that was great, but we did make it. The kids slept part of the way:

Here is the rock that ended up in our tire, delaying our departure:

Riley won a coloring contest in December and he won a gigantic pop this place makes. Wow, is he lucky:

I got the kitchen counter cleared and cleaned. IT is such a rarity now I had to document it. Remember when I used to have this place so clean it was a weekly picture? I miss those days:

We got some snow. So, outside we went. The kids went sledding and were also pulled behind the side by side. 

Riley made cinnamon rolls with me. They were fantastic, he's got a real skill with baking breads:

We also made sourdough muffins.

I got out with the kids to the children museum one day. This is another rarity to find the time to take them all. 

Jayden moved into a different bedroom. He and Riley are now in their own rooms, marking the end of a 7 year period of sharing a room. It was so sad for me. Everyone else was ready for the transition:

My mom came to visit for a few days. This is another real treat for us. It was a quick trip but we will always take what we can get. The older kids had book club so she spent some quality time with the younger two kids while they attended that:

And that's a wrap! Our January in a quick summary!

2024 Year in Review

Our 2024 video year in review is done and has been put together! We do this and make our kids watch all the videos annually.

The video from my husband's phone:

 And the video from my phone:

This year was full of so much good and also a lot of hard. We had some major medical stuff happen with our youngest getting really sick (possibly meningitis and then taking most of the year to make a full recovery) and I also had my appendix removed. Praying we are all in good health for 2025. 

Our December 2024

 The end of the year is always so quick. December seems to be our busiest month of our lives. Before we know it, we blink and it is the slow of January. But, before I move forward with life. Let's look quick on the pictures of December I had:

                                                 

First and foremost, Merry Christmas from my family to yours! We had the best year and having my family still in one home and gathered around the tree, while also simultaneously all doing life together is the total best. I love every second of it. Even the hard. 

We got out and went bowling! Seems like we only make it a few times a year and December is a time we are sure to shove it in before the new year:

Payton is in quiz bowl this year so I got to watch a few meets:

The kids are learning lots and growing all the time. They are so brave to take on this challenges.

The kids got an animal balloon making kit and I was impressed with how quickly they learned all the skills needed to make the items they get at the fair each year:

                                                         

Having a little one around means bathtime is never boring! We keep Avery entertained:

Or does she keep us entertained? My guess is as good as yours.

I love a good toddler side profile and this picture just does not disappoint. Her second Christmas I might add, gosh, does it get any better than that?

I also loved it so much, it's in black and white, too:

I swoon. Give me all the heart eye emojis.

She also loves posing for pictures now and demanded her brothers sit down for a quick tree session:

Grandma came to visit and we soaked up all the time we could get with her:

The kids had their school concert together. They looked great and sang great! Payton also played the drums with band. Always means a late night with a mad dash back home to get everyone to bed. 

The new coffee shop is open and we missed it so much! It was closed for months for renovations and we barely survived. We love our dates here, albeit rare, but we live for them!

Can you go December with kids and not see Santa? Apparently, we can not.

We also got out to see Christmas lights, not as much as we wanted, but we did do it! We also made it to the lights display that we walk through annually. 

We started playing pickleball this month, courtesy of my Christmas gift to my husband. We have become quick fans of the game:

We made easy gifts of sourdough and a sucker for our teachers and sent them off to school before break started:

Over break, Payton and I snuck off to a free showing of the Grinch. We even sat in VIP seating, which I have never done before. It was fantastic!

Avery found a cloth mask from covid circa 2020. She will never know this season of life but Jayden wore this mask all the time. She quite fancied it:

I was surprised with gifts and treats from neighbors and friends this holiday season and it always leads me to pause. There are some really fantastic people out there and it means so much when you are surprised with a touch of kindness from another.

We made it to the annual parade of lights show, a parade at night with all exhibits decked out in Christmas lights. Monte's parents made it to see the parade as well. 

And just a random pause at basic, every day life. 

The kids reading together, side by side:

Avery out in the cold, she loves the outside and insists on going constantly:

And, lets not let this month pass without saying it. Sometimes, families just get knocked down in December. And we did. Our kids had a quick stomach bug. I was thankful it wasn't anything more than that. 

As we rotated through kids being sick, it was the first year ever I did not take all my kids to the annual gingerbread decorating event our YMCA hosts. Only 2 kids made it:

I also hosted a quick girls night with a few moms, a reminder that maybe I should make more time for myself. Oh well, once a year or so seems to work for now:

Monte made a new variation to the chocolate chip cookie to work in the holiday. These were then taken by Jayden as treats for his birthday. See more about that day here.

I continue making sourdough bread regularly and apparently keep documenting it:

I got an art project from the library and complete it:

We volunteered our time and rang the bell for the Salvation Army, something my kids look forward to each year. We got lucky and the day wasn't as cold as it could have been nor was there snow. 

The kids got a craft from the library as well and completed it, complete as a present to give, inside includes candies:

Time with Avery is the best and I have so much fun with her. Here we are exercising:

She's about to fall asleep:

She got outside to play:

She did fall asleep:

She brings so much joy to our family and we are so thankful for her.

I completed a few bible studies this year and wrapped up this one with my bible study group in December: 

I also challenged myself to read more books and I did it! I read 100 books in 2024 and completed the log:

And my last and final picture on the roll was from Christmas morning. Golly, I feel so blessed to see this photo of these 4. 

We are also so glad Jesus was sent to Earth. Happy Birthday, Jesus. 

Merry Christmas and well wishes for 2025.