2013 :: Year in Review

365 days since our last Year in Review and here we are another full orbit around the sun. Time to recap this year of transitions for our family!

January

We celebrated with two Winter Wonderland-themed birthday parties for the boys who turned 2 & 4 and celebrated with our friend, Elijah. I celebrated my Fashion Challenged-ness. We celebrated getting older by heading to Jamaica – a honeymoon and our first full trip away from the boys. It was everything you would imagine & more! I wrote a meaningful post about Motherhood & Breastfeeding and elicited some laughs with my Garage Sale commentary.

February

We visited Charlie Brown & the Great Exhibit, I won tickets to see Bon Jovi, and Charlie continues to master Tae Kwon Do. A Valentine’s Day celebration with Charlie’s class. Surprise! I get cast in Listen to Your Mother Chicago.  Manly Mondays gives some quips about the Oscars.

March

Surprise! We sell our condo. Another surprise? We have to move EVERYTHING out in two weeks. Hip Hop Hooray! This month is filled with cardboard boxes, moving, cleaning, and keeping little ones underfoot. Fourteen years celebrated with my love (dating). Hey there, Princess Leia. My niece turns 13. Say whaaaat!? And we head out on a great adventure saying goodbye to the first home we owned and where we shared many firsts with the boys. Bittersweet, but on to the future!

April

We move into Momma & Poppy’s house. Charlie spreads his wings. The Elephant & the Whale is spectacular! Can you say GRILL?! Tragedy strikes in the U.S. Super Why LIVE! is amazing! Quickest month ever flies by – Mariano’s, haircuts (p.s. Jack’s hair in the first picture? I died.)

May

I performed in LTYM. On stage. In front of people. I feature my piece on the blog. K gets thisclose to C. Dixon. I HEART MARIANO’s! My boys are the sweetest. Co-hosted my first Pinterest party. Animal insides and the MSI – for the win! A blogger opp that would prove to transition some things for our crew…Daddy gets a promotion as well this month!

June

I head off to see Pitbull & Ke$ha – one of the best days ever! Charlie finishes his first season of t-ball and we survive as coaches. We touched trucks in Crestwood. Daddy = steak. Baby Nathan arrives! Charlie grows up a TON at the playground!

July

YAY for July Fourth! We are insanely busy. Jack is successfully potty-trained (and all the mommas said AMEN!) We get active with Quaker and enjoy all the crazy scenes we put ourselves in. Can you believe we’re already thinking back to school?! Egads! Check out this wardrobe! Say hello to Bon Jovi, the Jonas Brothers (THEY BROKE UP, SAY WHAT?!),  and a new home as we land the gem of the century with a GIGANTIC (no exaggeration) backyard and amazing neighbors.

August

We go bowling with friends! Daddy shaves in style.  Hey there, Chicago Fire & Toyota Park. We win a vacation. To Florida. For free. With airfare. So Daddy, Mommy, Momma, Charlie & Jack head on this unexpected adventure to Universal Studios and plan one magical day at the Happiest Place on Earth. It’s just as fantastic as you would imagine. I transition jobs in a big way and prepare to head back to school teaching again.

September

Change is the theme of the season. We buy a couch. Charlie works on writing. Jack learns how to swim alone with a puddle jumper in Poppy & Momma’s new pool. Charlie starts pre-K and I start crying. The boys prepare to start their first swim lessons. Fall has almost arrived! Mommy officially starts her new job!

October

I try out this fabulous new restaurant in Rosemont. The boys become little fish. One of my favorite people in the whole universe celebrates a birthday! Jack gets the special treat of Building a Bear! I celebrate turning another year older and we experience a very wet Halloween with one reluctant Batman and an extensive LEGO Flash character costume.

November

Said costume. Charlie tries out a new sport – ball hockey! We’re oh-so-thankful. We raise over $1,800 for children’s cancer research by walking in lieu of Christmas presents.

December

I appear on TV and begin a Treadmill Challenge (because I’m crazy). Jim offers helpful male gift suggestions. And Charlie literally tries to steal the show. Jack managed to stay on the stage without screaming. Christmas came and went in a whirlwind and the month of December is winding down.

It was quite a year of transitions for our family, but I wouldn’t change a thing! What were your most memorable moments from 2013?