2016 Highlights

Hard to believe it's already the end of 2016.

This year has had some extreme highs and extreme lows.

I'm hoping for an easier 2017.

A few highlights....



Garret got his first apartment (click here to read about it) in January.

Later that month, we spent an awesome weekend in Vegas celebrating Garrett's 21st birthday.

Click here to check it out.

Jim and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary in February.



State Farm sponsored a polo match in the spring.  So much fun!



Delanie's winter drumline (Grove Area Percussion) won 2nd place in the Minnesota Percussion Association's competition.







I spent an awesome weekend in Texas during April.  We made a quick trip down to Waco to check out the Fixer Upper silos, participated in the MS Walk and even got sister tattoos.  

In May, I started volunteering and selling my Etsy signs at Art2Heart.

Delanie goes pink for her school's Center Stage production.  

She went straight from Center Stage to her Marching Band season.

Garrett & Maci drove to Minnesota for a quick visit the weekend of July 4th.  

Tracey came too!

Jim battled kidney stones for over a month.  

I had my first bunion surgery.

Favorite part of the year:  Jim and I spent two glorious weeks in Italy.

Garrett's softball team won the championship.  

Election day.

Delanie's high school musical - Pippin.

My second foot surgery.

Garrett gets a new job at the UTA Shorthorn.

Pictured above at their Christmas party with ugly Christmas sweaters.

Delanie was accepted to Texas Tech University.

Maci gets a nursing job at Baylor.

Then graduates from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Worst part of the year:  We have to say goodbye to Bailey.

So long 2016!!

 

Maci

This little cutie just graduated from nursing school!! 

Garrett FaceTime'd with us so we wouldn't miss out on the ceremony.  

Such a sweet kid!

Maci received her nursing degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.  

They have a super difficult program but she made it look easy.  😉

The only thing left for her to do to become an RN is take her tests next month.  

Aren't her parents the cutest?!  

They have raised such an amazing daughter.  She loves the Lord and we are so glad to be part of her life.  She just glows from the inside! 💜

We are so proud of you, Maci!!!

Heartbroken

We had to say goodbye to our sweet Bailey this past week.

Our hearts are broken.  

Bailey has been part of our family since 2003.  

We just can't wrap our hearts around what life will look like without her.  

A few years ago, Delanie started an Instagram account for Bailey the Basset.  

We are watching this video (link below) on repeat lately.  

Video:  Tickling Bailey

I bet this is what she was doing when she met Jesus.  💛

Life lately

Oh hi there, December! 

Lots of fun stuff happening around here.  We got our first snow storm last week.....yay!!

It's starting to feel a lot like Christmas! ⛄

Here's life lately.....



I had a GREAT birthday!  This one kind of snuck up on me but turned out fantastic.

Tracey sent me a coffee table book of Italy and these awesome wrapping papers.  She knows what a freak I am about paper products (stationary, etc.).  

I made these adorable snowmen photos for Charlene.  I loved them so much I had to make a set for me too!

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Delanie's Fall Musical opened two weeks before Thanksgiving.  They performed "Pippin" this year and we were so impressed.

Opening night, she posted this on Instagram....

Translation:  My mother, she is really beautiful, right?

I mean.....how sweet is that?  On a night that all the focus should be on her and the musical, she posted this and my heart exploded! 😊

The musical was fantastic!  It's amazing what these high schoolers can put together.  We are always so impressed!

It hit me right in the middle of the show that this is my baby's Senior year.  

How did that happen so fast??

She also had a Crimson Winds performance that week.  Being in every single band at the high school has this chick-a-dee super busy.  

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Maci sent some pictures of her and Garrett.  She always gets the funniest shots!  Here they are head-banging in the car.  👱

Love these kids so much!

My second foot surgery was the day after Thanksgiving so I've been running around crazy getting ready.

My right foot is still swollen most of the time so I've only been able to wear my loafers.  Now that Winter is here, I had to find another solution for when I head back to work after the surgery.  

It only took five years for me to buy these silly shoes but I'm so glad I did!!  

I knew I would be "sick up in the bed" (Ha!  That was for you, Mom!), I had to get everything ready for Christmas BEFORE Thanksgiving  That was no easy feat!

That meant the Christmas decorations went up on Thanksgiving Day!  

I did 90% of my Christmas shopping done online this year.  That means I was able to wrap several gifts and get them under the tree by the end of the day.  

It feels so good to be able to sit back and enjoy the season.  The timing of this surgery has really forced me to slow down (or stop in this case!) and take a look around me. 

 I am truly a lucky girl.  💗

You know I'm a list girl so I have a looong list of things to keep me busy after surgery.  

On top of the list was to send out Christmas cards and our annual family newsletter.  

By midnight the night before the surgery, I had everything set up to be productive during my recovery period.  Jim walked in, saw this and literally laughed out loud!   He said, "Honey.....it looks like you don't plan on moving for two weeks!"  😜

On the list to keep me busy.....

Update my bullet journal.

Catch up on Bible journaling.

2017 Etsy designs

Christmas rag wreath

Finish a few books I've been neglecting.

So far.....the only thing I've gotten done is more online shopping.  Eeks!  Between Amazon Prime (my new best friend) and the super-cute Etsy shops I've found recently, my American Express has taken a hit.

I'm a sucker for anything monogrammed or personalized with my name.....

My surgery went really well and the foot is healing nicely.  I've got a few more days of being stuck in bed so here's hoping I'll feel like tackling that to-do list.  If not, at least I'll have some adorable stationary to write it out on.  😏

And last but absolutely not least, Delanie found out she got accepted into her dream school......

Texas Tech!!

She is on Cloud Nine!  It's been so fun to watch her plan out her next chapter in life.  

Congrats my baby girl!!