12.30.2016

Friday Favorites - A Year in Review

Today, I'm linking up with Momfessionals, A Little Bit of Everything, and Grace & Love and sharing my favorites from 2016!

JANUARY
We rang in 2016 in Arizona with my family. (we were all in town for Maddie and James' Arizona wedding reception.)



Before going home to Iowa, my friends and I got the crazy idea to take a day trip to Six Flags in California. It was pouring rain and closed when we got there, so we went to the L.A. Temple instead and then somehow ended up in California Adventure that evening! We had a blast! (If only I knew then how many times this year I would be at Disney ;) I think I should title the year of 2016 as "The Year of Disney". I started the year at Disney, spent the middle of the year in Disney and ended the year in Disney. I doubt that will ever happen again in my lifetime!)
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David turned TWO on January 31st! My parents gave him a "lawn mower" like Jack's and he has been riding it ever since :)
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FEBRUARY
I made some winter goals to help me survive this winter - take vitamin D, run outside and play outside more, and plan a trip to Disney World :) I felt like this winter was a lot better than the winter before, but it might have just been because of El Nino and because my kids were a year older, and not because of any of my winter goals ;) We had a very mild winter, thank goodness!
I built my very first snowman ever :)
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I took my very first road trip by myself with kids to Kansas to visit my friend, Julie!
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We celebrated Spencer's birthday on the 28th! The high that day was in the high 50s (a February birthday miracle!) so we played outside almost all day long! 
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MARCH
We had quite a few "warmer days" so we played at the park with friends quite a bit for March!
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We had a great Easter!
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APRIL
We continued to play outside (an example of a day in the life in April) and took a day trip to Chicago!
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MAY
We went camping with friends!
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I spent a weekend in Chicago with friends (and no kids!) for Lisa's 30th birthday! (I lucked out this year - two girl's trips in less than 6 months!)
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We went to Disney World! We saved, researched, planned, dreamed, and talked nonstop about Disney World (ok, it was mostly just me! Sorry Spencer and friends!) for over a year for this trip and it was a dream come true! Planning for this trip turned me into a Disney addict. Seriously.
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Talking about Disney World nonstop really paid off because I convinced my family to come with us! We had a blast!
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JUNE
We swam a lot, Spencer and I celebrated our 6th anniversary, and we celebrated Father's Day! I tried (and failed!) to potty train David!
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JULY
We celebrated the 4th of July with friends, we camped in Nauvoo, I raced in the Bix 7, and we took a trip to Utah to visit family!
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AUGUST
We found our that we are expecting! Jack and David were so excited when we told them about their baby brother or sister!
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Jack, David, and I visited Arizona for a week. (Little did we know it was going to be one of our last trips to my parent's house :(
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Jack started 4-year-old preschool!
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September
September and October was a blur because I was soooo sick. (my first sick pregnancy) Somehow, David was potty trained in September but I don't remember how because all I remember was how much I threw up!
Our sweet friends took Jack and David overnight so Spencer and I enjoyed a 24-hour date!
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My friend, Elizabeth, moved to Texas (and then Lisa moved to Virginia two months later!) Whaaaaaaah!!!!! I'm not sure how I will survive this winter without them!
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 OCTOBER
My favorite month! We did all the Fall/Halloween things!
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We took a day trip with Lisa and her kids to the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago while Spencer was at a conference in Boston. It was one of the first days in a long time where I didn't feel too sick and I was so grateful!
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My sweet mother-in-law was diagnosed with ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease in October, and the doctors say she is in the final stages of this fatal rapidly progressive disease. October was a month of praying, mourning, and remembering what's really important in life. She is soooo loved by everyone that knows her and we have been amazed as we have watched God's hand work in her and my father-in-law's lives these last few months.
NOVEMBER
We celebrated Thanksgiving in Arizona with my family and said goodbye to Tradewind Court. (My parents moved to Utah in October!)
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Jack turned five and got to celebrate his birthday in Arizona with my family and then with his friends in Iowa a week later. (He had a Finding Dory party :)
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DECEMBER
We won tickets to Disney on Ice and loved it! I'm telling you, this year is the Year of Disney!
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We played in the first snow of the season! (the only snow worth playing in ;)
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We ended the year with a Hall family vacation to Disneyland!!! (Then celebrated Christmas in Utah with family) Two things on my mother-in-law's bucket list were to visit Hawaii and to take all of her grandkids to Disneyland. She was able to take both vacations this December thanks to the hundreds of people who love her and helped make her dream come true!
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2016 has been good to us. We are grateful for God's grace and presence that has been with us through the good times and the bad. Bring it on 2017!

2015 year in review

1 comment:

  1. So many great memories from 2016! Your little family is so cute!!! Here's to 2017 :)

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