Looking back at 2011

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone and we are looking at a new year. Looking back it has been a full year.

Bella accomplished two seasons of soccer and is gearing up for her third in February. She really has enjoyed it and is always hustling. She finished up gymnastics in the fall and in the spring had a gymnastics competition...where she lost her first tooth on the way home. She lost a total of two teeth this year, but has another loose one so I'm sure 2012 will bring the tooth fairy back to our house a few times. Bella started swimming on her own this summer too. In the fall she started a semi-kindergarten program and I can't believe she'll be in big school come August. She loves to write things and asks how to spell everything. She is doing a great job reading us the books she brings home from school. Art is something she practices all the time and she loves her art set from Nana and Papa. She also had her first dance recital and was amazing. The biggest gift this year was her accepting Christ a few weeks ago.

Gabby has just grown into a spitfire. She has a rationale and answer for everything. She is still our comedian. She is getting better at her letters. Tracing dots help and she can almost do a G on her own. She also started gymnastic in the spring and soccer in the fall and loves scoring goals and she might start gymnastics again in the spring, but we'll have to see. She loves being a big sister. In the spring she was in ICU and we hope that she will stay healthy in the upcoming months. So far she has done great with keeping her asthma under control.

Jeremiah will be six months this week. How the time has flown by. He is starting to sit a long time by himself and has discovered how great food is this week. He is an eating machine and still our smiley guy. He has started to giggle at funny noises we make, but right now seems to want to make his own noises.

As work has had a lot of ups and downs this past year I am excited that things seems to be evening out and we have a great staff right now. I am happy that Joel is enjoying his job. He works really hard to provide for our family and I'm glad he has found his niche.

Looking ahead this up coming year Joel is hoping to run the half marathon in January and a full in San Diego the beginning of June. We are hoping to make it a small 9th anniversary weekend. In May we are planning on heading to Disneyland for Gabby's 4th birthday. Jeremiah will turn 1 in July and Bella will start big school the beginning of August and will turn 6 in October. Our big hope for the year is that we will be in our own house. We will see what God has planned. Happy New Year.