2011 In Review

Wow, is the year really over?  I can hardly believe it.  We spent New Years Eve hosting a game night at our house with Jeramie's family.  It has been a really long time since we've hosted anything at our house.  And we had a REALLY fun time.  We played The Logo Game for HOURS.  It was fun and in the end I actually won.  I think we started playing at like 9pm and didn't finish until about 1am.  We played as six individual players though, so I think if you play with teams when you have that many the pace of the game would be quicker.  It's a really fun game though, and not too hard.  Definitely something I hope we start doing more often.   Game Nights are AWESOME!!  However, because I was so busy being the hostess I didn't take a single picture .. FAIL.

So here's a quick recap of our year. 

January:  I spent the entire month on  maternity leave from work.  Which was so fun to be home with all my kids.  I got my hair cut and colored for the first time in a YEAR.  We took the kids to the Dinosaur Museum, which was a highlight to the month because I was afraid to leave the house with all the kids on my own!

February:  Oliver got RSV at 8 weeks of age. I am so very grateful that he got through it quickly and didn't require a visit to the hospital or anything.  We left Oliver with my mum for the first time and took all the big kids to the Monster Trucks show.  Jackson and Baylee started some indoor swim lessons.  I began the Couch to 5K training program to train for my first ever 5K.

March:  It was a pretty quiet month for us.  We did a lot of swimming indoors, continuing with the kids swim lessons.  Wyland had his first scary pool experience.  Jeramie started P90X and I think quit after like 3 days.  I started my own Book Club, and it was really fun!

April:  We redecorated our kitchen and dining room as well as installing cabinets.  SUCH a big and expensive task, but so worth it.  We celebrated Easter with the family and it was so much fun, water fights included.  I ran my first 5K, and ran it the whole way.  It was such an amazing sense of accomplishment.  I worked hard .. trained hard and it paid off.  I was hooked.

May:  Jackson turned 5 years old.  My mum got a new puppy, Sailor.  The weather turned just warm enough that we could spend some more time outside.  Jackson graduated from preschool!  We took the kids to the zoo.  We headed out for our first camping and boating trip of the year to Yuba Lake, where Oliver experience the torture chamber (aka baby life jacket). 

June:  We went to Las Vegas!!  We took Wyland to Vegas so that we could introduce him to Wyland the artist he was named after.  It was a blast and the kids loved staying in the hotel.  Jeramie and I bought our first piece of "real" art.  It's still in storage until we redecorate our living room, that will be a highlight of 2012 I'm sure!  Baylee went to Camp K, a highlight in her summer every year.  It's always so strange having her gone.  Wyland turned 3 years old!  I continued training for my next 5K.  J'Von turned 10.

July:  We did A LOT of camping. Mike joined us in Yuba with his kids one weekend.  I stopped wearing shorts over my swimming suit.  Jackson started jumping off of the boat in his life jacket.  Jackson also started riding and enjoying riding on the tube.  I bought my first running skirt and was hooked.  Jeramie ran his first 5K, although I don't think he was hooked .. haha.  I was humbled after this second 5K, realizing that if I don't keep up with my training then race day will be harder.  We went to the zoo again.

August:  We went to Lake Powell!!  It was an awesome trip.  I look forward to this trip every year and it never disappoints.  We talked about trying to squeeze in two trips in 2012, not sure if that will happen.  And perhaps that's good, that way it will always feel like it's special.  I think it was this month that Oliver started sitting up as well.  Oliver also started doing some major combat crawling.  Baylee went for a very short ride on the tube, which is a big deal for her.  Wyland went on his first tube ride.  Evan ran his first half marathon, and we came down the canyon to cheer him and Rachel on at the finish.  I started riding my bike again with my friend Rebecca.  We went to the annual summer PWS Swim Party.  Baylee started her second year at Middle School.  We celebrated Jeramie's 32nd birthday.

September:  We headed to the zoo once more before the boys started school.  Jackson started kindergarten and Wyland started preschool. They were both very excited and transitioned well.  We started the task of nightly homework with Jackson.  Baylee turned 14 years old.  I ran my 3rd 5K and placed 3rd in my age group.  Baylee ran her first fun run and did awesome!  My parents came out and supported us.  We ran our first mud run with Evan and Rachel .. AWESOME fun! 

October:  We did quite a few Fall activities, including Cornbelly's and Wheeler Farm.  We also continued to watch a lot of football games (Utes of course).  I began spending my lunch breaks training and I will never stop.  I LOVE LOVE getting out of the office and burning some calories at lunch time.  It reduced the amount of stress I have over trying to squeeze in a run when I get home in the evening.  We took family pictures at Wheeler Farm with the whole family, turned out to be some of our best ones yet.  Took the kids to have their pictures taken professionally.  Carved pumpkins.  Celebrated another Halloween.  I started training for my first half marathon, which included weekly "long runs" on Sunday mornings with my friend Rebecca.  Jonathan turned 15.

November:  We had professional family pictures taken and I loved how they turned out.  We ran our first ever Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot.  So much fun and cold!  I continued my half marathon training, including a 10 mile run on my birthday/anniversary.  I turned .. well .. a year older.  Jeramie and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. 

December:  I ran my first Half Marathon!!!  It was amazing.  Oliver turned a year old!  We spent the month trying to prevent Oliver from destroying the Christmas tree.  Took the kids to Build a Bear to celebrate Oliver's birthday.  Wyland had his Preschool Christmas Program.  Oliver started walking!!  Oh .. and then there was Christmas too.

I feel so lucky.

Happy New Year!

Happy Birthday Little Brother

So I wanted to wish my brother Mike a very Happy Birthday. We are only two years apart and it was just the two of us for nine years (until Evan came along). Mike and I grew up the best of friends. We did most things together as kids and still spend a lot of time together as adults. Our two youngest children are literally only weeks apart in age. Every now and then I see him get excited about something in particular and it's the same expression on his face as if we were kids again. Mike is one of the best fathers I know. He works his butt off to support his family. There is nothing he wouldn't do for his family. I know that this is how we were raised and Mike took it to heart. We grew up going to eachothers games (in whatever sport we were playing at the time). I remember when we were kids we always wanted to sleep in the same room together. The only time I thought I might actually get into a physical altercation with anybody was when I was standing up for my brother. There is nothing I wouldn't do for him. He's an amazing person and I am so grateful for the closeness we continue to share as adults.

Us as kids (obviously).

My cute husband - Before and After

So here's a quick tribute to my husband, Jeramie. When we met he was skinny and muscle-ly. Now 5 years later he's soft and cuddly. All the time he tells me he wants to be in shape, "like when we met." Frankly I like him much better now. Just look at his face, he looks so skinny back then! I think he's more handsome now. Weren't we all so thin and fit when we met our spouses and then we all go soft! Therefore I had to throw a photo of myself in too. *sigh* I remember when I was that thin!! 2 kids later, not so much.

~Before~

~After~

New Years Resolution #1 for Kerry = Go back to the gym.

Ghosts of Halloween Past

2008

Jackson was a monkey.

Baylee was Hannah Montana

Wyland was a lion.2007
Jackson was a turtle.
2006
Jackson was a lion.

Baylee was a clown.
2005

Baylee was Annie.
2004

Baylee was snow white.