Merry Christmas everyone!!! We hope this blog posts finds you all ready to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Is your shopping done? Do you have your plans all mapped out? If not, you better do so, Christmas is four short days away!!!
This year has been a great year. We have had a huge range of emotion but all in all, a wonderful 2010. Camden, 10, decided to try horseback riding for a while. Now, in Virginia he does fencing. He seems to enjoy this sport more than anything else he has tried so far. On his off days, he liked to swim and play video games. Owen, 6, played t-ball. He managed to find all sorts of cool weeds and to play in the dirt in between hits. He is a left handed batter, so we are encouraging him to stay in this sport. On his off days he too enjoyed swimming and playing video games. Emma, 6, worked hard at her gymnastics and seems to be a natural. On her off days, she is also known as my shadow. She wants to do everything I am doing and it is a rare occasion to find her in a different room than me.
We also began playing Bingo once a month at a local nursing home. The older folks loved having us there and seeing our children. Little do these people know, they were also a huge blessing to us!! Neal was busy with ACSC (school to get another master's degree). Then when we arrived to DC, he began working with International Affairs and he works with three countries; Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. It has been a good job for him and he is home every night for dinner!!! YEAH!! He has also travelled for a few days, mostly to Ohio each time but so far no long deployments. I have been busy with taking the kids places and keeping up with our house. Until about six weeks ago, I took a nap everyday. I found it was much more draining to be pregnant in your 30's than in your 20's.
The year started out in Alabama as we rang in the New Year with Neal's brother Dan and his wife Christina and their family. Later in January we got news of my amazing friend Terri passing away after being hit by a car. This was by far the most sad thing I have ever experienced in my life. But I am rejoicing, knowing that she was a Christian woman and there is not a single doubt that she is in Heaven. I look forward to seeing her again one day. After taking a quick trip to Texas with Jenn Gordon and meeting up with Christina Hammond for Terri's funeral, it was back to running the kids from one place to another.
In February, we got pregnant with our little snowflake. We were shocked, but thrilled the day we found out we were finally expecting another child. During the month, I also met my sister in Nashville, TN where we spent three days talking non stop while scrapbooking.
In March, we had more sadness as we said goodbye to Neal's granpa. He was a kind man and we miss him a lot. We made two trips to Indiana (I think one of these may have been in FEB). One to say goodbye to him and one to support family during the funeral. We also made a trip to North Carolina to see Neal's parents. They made the move to a "beach house" as we call it.
In April, my dad came through Alabama and stopped for a quick visit.
In June, we moved to DC!! Just south of there really..... but DC none the less. This place is crazy busy, we are enjoying it, but we also know we do not want to retire here!!!
In July, we spent the 4th, overlooking the Potomac and watching fireworks over DC. We also made another trip to North Carolina and the kids stayed a few extra days while Neal and I came back to Virginia. At the end of the month, we travelled back to Indiana for the Newell reunion.
In September, Neal's mom was kind enough to come and stay with the kids so Neal could take me to New York City ( also a place NOT to retire). We went to see the US Open and Phantom of the Opera!!!
In October we took a trip to Hershey, PA where we met my mom and dad for a weekend. We had a great time and the kids were happy to have lots of chocolate and grandma and paw paw time.
In November we welcomed our sweet baby number four!!! Callie Lyn is such a blessing and miracle. We think she completes our family, but you never know, I may find one day that I need another one!! For Thanksgiving, my mom, dad, sister and her family all came for a visit. We are so thankful to have people visit us, it means a lot.
In December, we are celebrating Jesus' birthday and getting ready to make a trip to Indiana to see family and friends and introduce them to Callie. We also got to see the kids sled for the very first time. We had about three inches and the kids thought it was amazing! We are hoping for lots more!!
Have a Merry Christmas and a great 2011! Come and see us!!
This year has been a great year. We have had a huge range of emotion but all in all, a wonderful 2010. Camden, 10, decided to try horseback riding for a while. Now, in Virginia he does fencing. He seems to enjoy this sport more than anything else he has tried so far. On his off days, he liked to swim and play video games. Owen, 6, played t-ball. He managed to find all sorts of cool weeds and to play in the dirt in between hits. He is a left handed batter, so we are encouraging him to stay in this sport. On his off days he too enjoyed swimming and playing video games. Emma, 6, worked hard at her gymnastics and seems to be a natural. On her off days, she is also known as my shadow. She wants to do everything I am doing and it is a rare occasion to find her in a different room than me.
We also began playing Bingo once a month at a local nursing home. The older folks loved having us there and seeing our children. Little do these people know, they were also a huge blessing to us!! Neal was busy with ACSC (school to get another master's degree). Then when we arrived to DC, he began working with International Affairs and he works with three countries; Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands. It has been a good job for him and he is home every night for dinner!!! YEAH!! He has also travelled for a few days, mostly to Ohio each time but so far no long deployments. I have been busy with taking the kids places and keeping up with our house. Until about six weeks ago, I took a nap everyday. I found it was much more draining to be pregnant in your 30's than in your 20's.
The year started out in Alabama as we rang in the New Year with Neal's brother Dan and his wife Christina and their family. Later in January we got news of my amazing friend Terri passing away after being hit by a car. This was by far the most sad thing I have ever experienced in my life. But I am rejoicing, knowing that she was a Christian woman and there is not a single doubt that she is in Heaven. I look forward to seeing her again one day. After taking a quick trip to Texas with Jenn Gordon and meeting up with Christina Hammond for Terri's funeral, it was back to running the kids from one place to another.
In February, we got pregnant with our little snowflake. We were shocked, but thrilled the day we found out we were finally expecting another child. During the month, I also met my sister in Nashville, TN where we spent three days talking non stop while scrapbooking.
In March, we had more sadness as we said goodbye to Neal's granpa. He was a kind man and we miss him a lot. We made two trips to Indiana (I think one of these may have been in FEB). One to say goodbye to him and one to support family during the funeral. We also made a trip to North Carolina to see Neal's parents. They made the move to a "beach house" as we call it.
In April, my dad came through Alabama and stopped for a quick visit.
In June, we moved to DC!! Just south of there really..... but DC none the less. This place is crazy busy, we are enjoying it, but we also know we do not want to retire here!!!
In July, we spent the 4th, overlooking the Potomac and watching fireworks over DC. We also made another trip to North Carolina and the kids stayed a few extra days while Neal and I came back to Virginia. At the end of the month, we travelled back to Indiana for the Newell reunion.
In September, Neal's mom was kind enough to come and stay with the kids so Neal could take me to New York City ( also a place NOT to retire). We went to see the US Open and Phantom of the Opera!!!
In October we took a trip to Hershey, PA where we met my mom and dad for a weekend. We had a great time and the kids were happy to have lots of chocolate and grandma and paw paw time.
In November we welcomed our sweet baby number four!!! Callie Lyn is such a blessing and miracle. We think she completes our family, but you never know, I may find one day that I need another one!! For Thanksgiving, my mom, dad, sister and her family all came for a visit. We are so thankful to have people visit us, it means a lot.
In December, we are celebrating Jesus' birthday and getting ready to make a trip to Indiana to see family and friends and introduce them to Callie. We also got to see the kids sled for the very first time. We had about three inches and the kids thought it was amazing! We are hoping for lots more!!
Have a Merry Christmas and a great 2011! Come and see us!!
