2012 in Pictures

Happy New Year!

Since I slacked on my blog for the vast majority of 2012, I decided to post a quick Year in Review to catch up.  Obviously, I'm not going to have a picture for every event in our lives that happened in 2012, but I'm trying to touch on the big stuff.  Here we go!

Not much happened in January, so let's start with February.

I turned 35.  Ugh.  My mom made me my very own "birthay" cake.  (Sorry, Mom.  It's just so cute that I had to post it.  I kept my promise that I wouldn't post it on Facebook!)  In spite of the icing typos, it was absolutely delicious.

 

As a first grader, Jacob attended his first school dance.  He never passes up an opportunity to wear "handsome clothes".

 

In March, the big boys began their first season of baseball.  They even got to be on the same team (along with their cousin, Daniel), which was convenient for us, and fun & comforting for them. 

 

 

Jeff & I were very impressed with how well they played, particularly since it was their first time playing on a team!

 

Also in March, I got 6 inches chopped off my hair.  And since then, it's even gotten a little bit shorter.  As someone who has always felt more comfortable with a lot of hair, this was a pretty big event for me.  Hence, I feel it's worthy of the Year in Review.

 

 

Nan turned 60 in March!  My sister, dad, Aunt JoAnn and I worked together to throw a surprise party for her, and she was completely clueless.  About the party- not clueless in general.

 

In April, both of the big boys won the Game Ball.  Alex won for being the Offensive Player of the Game, and Jacob for Defensive Star. 

 

 

Just for kicks in April, I tied balloons around Will's wrist to make him scream.

 

 

Actually, it was my first attempt at a 2-year portrait of him. My baby turned TWO on the 23rd. Luckily, I figured out that the wagon would be more cooperative than Will about holding the balloons in place.

 

Will was going through a big Elmo (or, "Momo") phase, so that was the theme of his party.  He loved the cake I made for him, and did a fantastic job of blowing out the candles all by himself.  And not surprisingly at all, he loved being the center of attention as everyone he loves sang Happy Birthday to him.  Two years old!

 

 

In May, Jeff turned 35.  I love his birthday, because that puts a temporary hold on the jokes about being younger than me.  The joke resumes again on my next birthday.

 

 

Pop also has a birthday in May, and just like Nan did in March, he turned 60!  We had a fun celebration, that included billiards & ice cream cake.

 

 

Also in May, Alex stood on a hilltop waiting for rain.

 

 

Not really...really, he was a good sport and posed for his Mom while she practiced silhouettes in photography.

 

Speaking of photography, I had an idea in May to do a Michael Jackson themed photoshoot.  Following in his mother's footsteps, Jacob has become hooked on MJ music and dancing.  Funny how I was the same age when I was obsessed with MJ.  He loved the idea of the photoshoot, and did an awesome job.

 

Also in May, Alex graduated from preschool.  I cried during the ceremony, in part because Aunt Tricia made a photo slideshow complete with sappy songs about enjoying the time with your kids while they're young, but mostly because I knew Kindergarten was next.  Just as I did with Jacob, I knew I would struggle sending Alex to school all day 5 days/week.

 

 

You can feel both sad and proud simultaneously.  Such a bittersweet milestone, and I know I'll also be a wreck when Will graduates in a couple of years.  No, he hasn't even started yet, but I'm allowed to dread his graduation.  Actually, let's just not think that far ahead.

 

 

The following month, Jacob "graduated" from the 1st grade!  He won several awards in the 4th quarter (First Grade Superstar, Creative Writing Award, and Perfect Attendance.  And actually, he won awards every quarter), and had a fantastic year.  He even won his class spelling bee (he won again in his class this year, and was runner-up in the 2nd grade bee!).

 

 

The very next day after Jacob's last day of school in June, we headed to Kure Beach with Nan, Pop, Chris, Kerri, Matt, and Camden!  It was a blast.  We made the most of our time there, visiting the U.S.S. North Carolina, the aquarium, the playground, the Krispy Kreme restaurant, and of course, frequented the beach daily.  I took hundreds of photos, but somehow I have managed to only post a few.

 

On our first evening there, Jeff got a call on his cell from my sister-in-law, Tricia.  About 6 weeks earlier, I had lost my engagement ring.  Long story short, my hand was slammed in the driver's door of my van, and the diamond popped out and landed somewhere in Tricia's yard.  Or driveway.  Or rolled into the road.  I had no idea, but after hours of searching, we couldn't find it.  Due to much dedication and persistence, and in spite of 2 massive thunderstorms and a grass mowing, Tricia managed to find it in her yard!  This was my reaction to her phone call sharing the news. 

 

 

Fun on the beach!

 

 

Our family portrait.  It's rare to have all 5 of us in the same shot!

 

Even rarer to have our entire family in the shot!

 

Right after our beach trip came to an end, it was time to celebrate Jacob's 7th birthday on the 22nd! 

The cake:  (Michael Jackson and his impersonator)

 

 

Me & my sweet 7-year old (well, almost 7 when this was taken a few days before his birthday).

 

 

July was filled with countless trips to the pool, ice cream & popsicles, daily outdoor play, and gallons of sunblock.

 

Alex had swimming lessons in July, and went from being terrified to put his face in the water to this:

 



 

On August 24th, Alex turned five years old!

The cake: (Legos, of course)

 

 

On his actual birthday, Tricia and I took the 4 big kids to the beach.  Since Will hates long car trips and during our family vacation in June, only tolerated the beach for hour long increments, I decided to leave him with Nan & Pop.  This way, we could let the big kids enjoy hours on the beach, plus Will got special 1 on 1 time with his grandparents, and when you're 1 of 3 kids, this is something that does not happen often!

 

Our family trip to the beach in June was very close to Jacob's birthday, and was almost a part of his celebration.  This way, Alex got to enjoy the same kind of celebration.  In spite of the off & on rain, we had a blast and made the most of our time there.

 

 

 

 

Soon after turning 5 and making the age cutoff for Kindergarten by exactly 7 days, it was time for the 1st day of school!  Jacob entered the 2nd grade, and Alex was starting Kindergarten. 

 

Jacob was excited on his 1st day, and has done wonderfully academically, socially, and behaviorally in school.

 

 

 

Alex was a little nervous, which was difficult for me because I was fighting my own emotions about yet another bittersweet milestone.  As I dropped him off in his classroom, he raced out moments later, clung to me, and while fighting tears, he said, "I don't know what I'm supposed to do."  Luckily, he has one of the sweetest teachers ever, so she helped escort him in the class with her arm around his shoulder, and gave him a worksheet to color and write on.  Then she gave me her personal cell phone number so I could call her later and check on him.  I was so appreciative.  And when I greeted him after school that day, he had the biggest smile, and told me he loved Kindergarten!  And ever since then, he has thrived and excelled in the classroom. 

 

At the very end of August, conditioning for tackle football began.  Jacob enjoyed flag football last fall, and eagerly awaited the start of football season.   

 

 

It was intense. Practices were held 3 nights/week for 2 hours and games were every Saturday. Jacob was awesome, and impressed me & Jeff so much with his blocking.  Having said that, after seeing 7- and 8-year olds play, I'll be really nervous if Jacob still likes tackle football in junior high and high school.  (That's Jacob on the right, blocking a kid bigger than he is.)

 

Also in August, Alex finally conquered his fear of the slides at the pool!  And right after he did it, he said, "I wanna do that again!"  Finally, he would be able to join in this activity with his big brother and cousins.

 

 

On August 30th, I got a new niece!  Kerri gave birth to Macey Jean, and she is a beauty!  (And a sweetheart.)

 

 

Macey's cousins are crazy about her.

 

Just a few days into the month of September, Alex learned how to ride his bike with no training wheels!  It was a big week for him, since he had also just turned 5 and just started Kindergarten!

 

 

Also in September, I did a lot of keeping Will busy outside so he wouldn't miss his big brothers too much during the day.  That meant a lot of parks and playgrounds, and time with his best friend/cousin, Camden.

 

 



In October, we took the big boys to their very first football game.  Virginia Tech Hokies, of course.  Nevermind the fact that it was 90 degrees, full sun, and the Hokies lost miserably to Carolina (ugh)...it was still a fun experience!  Except the losing part.

 

 

Also in October, Jacob started losing a whole bunch of teeth!  He currently resembles a jack-o-lantern with his top & bottom rows of missing teeth.

 

 

On the 26th of October, Jeff and I celebrated 10 years of marriage.  Ten years of marriage, but 18 years as a couple. 

 

On Halloween, I went trick-or-treating with Super Mario, a stealthy ninja (who was actually very difficult to see that night as he wore all of that black), and a dog.  Yes, he's Scooby-Doo, but since he doesn't know who Scooby is, he's just a dog.

 

 

In November, I decided I wanted to attempt to recreate a painting by one of my very favorite artists: Norman Rockwell.  Instead of painting, I did my own version with a photograph.  Jeff was a great assistant, and the boys were super about cooperating.  Here's Norman's:

 

And here's mine.  Clearly, Will takes the place of Mr. Rockwell's dog.  Fitting, since he always acts like a dog.

 

 

 

And I think that brings us up to speed since I'm caught up in December.  Add in lots of fun with family and friends, field trips, weekly volunteering in Jacob's classroom, and tons of playing outside, and that about sums up our 2012.

 

In addition to my other resolutions for 2013 (to better myself physically, mentally, and spiritually through exercise and more regular church attendance, as well as to continue taking pictures), I want to keep this blog up to date.  And I want this to be a very happy and healthy New Year for me and my family!