2012 Year in Review - Photo edition

We sure did have an amazing year. I was looking through our photos this morning and can't believe all the fun things we did this year. So many highlights and milestones!

Here are some (this post would be 15 pages long if I put in everything I want) of my faves:

 

Basketball

Learning (Kindergarten visitation day during Catholic Schools Week)

Love!

Celebrating birthdays and new friendships

Friendship!

Family :)

Surprises

Creativity!

Adventure

Inspiration

 









Graduation

Beach

 Historical

 Like the sign says, "1st day of K!"

 A great soccer season

Travel 

 Heaven (for 2 boys who love Legos)

 

 Cuteness

 

And finally, UPGRADES (new roof)



Merry Christmas!

Ah, what a nice day. This Christmas will go down in the books as the most relaxed Christmas I can remember. We're usually in 4 different places for the day but this year we started and ended at home (with a nice family dinner at the in-laws in the middle of the day).

 

Our Christmas actually started yesterday with breakfast at the Cracker Barrel with my family, followed by festivities, gift openings, the traditional Polish supper, and Christmas Eve mass. Some of the presents we got at my parents' house: guitars, Legos, DS games, Wii game. Dana and Nate got us a 1-year membership (not to the jelly of the month club) to the Altoona Railroaders Museum and Horseshoe Curve - can't wait to use it!

Me and Jude waiting for our breakfasts (peach pancakes are always my fave pick at Cracker B)

Aidan eating his Cheerios (and maybe, just maybe using them as boulders to fill up his dump truck)



Jude waiting to see Santa. He never really wanted to see Santa, but Jude decided he wanted to do it this year, so we did!

My boys were happy to take Aidan on a train ride at the mall. It's hard to believe we used to have to pull Jackson away from this train; now we had to twist his arm to ride it.

Aidan looking so intensely at Santa

The mall tree

Ready to head out to church

When we got home from church we found a box at our door step. It was from our friends, Paolo and Stefania from Italy. They sent a box of delicacies from Parma, their hometown!

PARMesan Cheese!

Today was a nice day full of lots and lots (and lots) of wrapping paper. Kinda looked like Hallmark threw up in our living room, Grammy Linda's living room, everywhere, but the kids were as happy as could be.

Santa arrived!

 The boys got a joint gift: A Nerf racing wheel for the Wii and the movie Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

 Jackson is a happy camper in his room with his new iPod dock/radio/alarm clock

 Trucks will always make this little man happy! He's playing with it as I write this blog post.

 Jude's squirrel - he found it hiding in the tree (he did a small reenactment of Christmas Vacation when the squirrel jumps out of the Christmas tree).

Jackson got a nice selection of books this year. Included in the bunch: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (the 3rd Wheel), Dragonbreath, and I Funny.

Once we opened our gifts from Santa, we went next door to Grammy Linda's house for lunch and more presents. Somehow I managed to not get 1 photo of our time at Grammy Linda's???? We had a delicious lunch after we opened presents. Some of the goods received: gift cards, games, Legos, books, workbooks, science kit, a marble run, Angry Bird stuff, so much stuff I can't even remember.

We've spent the evening enjoying, building, playing, building, relaxing, and eating cookies!

Although there are many post-holiday sales shouting my name, we're in for 2 days of crappy weather, so it looks like some more of the good stuff we had today!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012



Halloween 2012

#1 - We are still alive

#2 - I do still blog!

#3 - Yes, I realize it's been 3 months (and change) since I posted.

#4 - Yes, I'm sorry.

#5 - Yes, I'll try harder to keep this updated!

 

The boys both had super-simple costumes this year. We went to Kmart last Sunday, and within 5 minutes, they had their costumes picked out, and we were on our way.

Costumes were easy on, no frills.

Jackson was a strip of bacon. I really thought we'd see a lot of that year, but he seemed to be the only one.

Jude was a dinosaur. Kinda funny being that he's not into dinosaurs and I would have never picked this costume out for him, but it kept him warm and he was so cute.

Our Halloween celebrations included a party at a friend's house on Saturday (27th), trick-or-treating in Cresson, and school parties.

 

 

Trick-or-treating in Cresson

Halloween morning @ Cafe Gubio - a special Smiley Face cookie for Jude (Jackson was at guitar lessons, but no worries, we picked him up his very own cookie for later).

 

Jude at school

Jude getting mummy-wrapped by his church buddy, Maddie.

Find the bacon!

Vacation 2012: Part 1

We decided to split our summer vacation into 2 parts this year. A little time at the beach, a little time at the lake. First off, OCM (that's what us repeat visitors get to call Ocean City, MD)!

We left Saturday morning, stopped at the outlets in Hagerstown, MD, then continued onto Annapolis for supper, a visit with our friend Nick, and to stay over.

This was my way of hinting around it was time to leave!

 The boys were a tad excited to find this beaut in the parking garage.

The boys with Nick!

We arrived at the beach Sunday, early afternoon and stayed until Wednesday afternoon. We packed our days with swimming, swimming, boardwalk fun, eating, and a little more swimming. The days seemed to fly by and I kept telling the boys to remind me that we need to book the beach for an entire week next year. There was seriously n-o down time - we packed every minute of the day!

The animal lovers feeding the seagulls (it started out with just a few gulls and, well, you can see how it ended)

Aside from my hair doing its humidity/beach weather thing, I love this picture of me and the boys.

It's funny because we love going to the beach, but we really only spend 1-2 days on the sand/ocean.

This year we only went over to the beach in our swim gear 1 morning (for about 3 hours). The boys would rather swim in the pools and that's OK by us. The waves are a little too rough for us.

Break time @ the pool - the boys waited so patiently!

Our tradition - supper @ Hooper's!

Jude always get a good picture on the Good Humor truck (@ Hooper's). 

A big surprise for us!
Francis Scott Key Resort, the place we stay, was celebrating their 40th anniversary. Part of the celebration included this rock climbing wall (which Jackson ascended a dozen times)......

 ...and this bouncy house obstacle course (Jude's all air on this photo).

I think the family would agree that the best part of vacay was spending all day together. We really didn't split up at all, except for my morning runs.

You can just feel his sentiment. This picture was taken Wednesday right before we left for home :(

Up next:

Family vacation, Part 2: The Lakes



Firecracker!

We had a birthday this week - Mr. Jude! He turned 5 on Wednesday - he's our firecracker!

I can't believe he's 5. Where has the time gone?

Jude keeps saying that this is going to be..'the best year ever!'

We started out his birthday with me running the 4th of July race in Altoona. I was so lucky to have my support crew (the 3 Js) chasing me around the city to switch out my water bottles, cheer me on. It was an early morning adventure.

We came home and packed what seemed like 100 bags and coolers for our next adventure, which was the best part of the day:  our family trip to Glendale Lake for a picnic, a swim, and a boat ride.

It was so hot out, but the perfect day for a picnic and to celebrate little man's special day.

The birthday king

Serving up the burgers and dogs!

Time for cake and candles

Several years ago I made a construction cake for my friend's little boy and Jude requested that same cake for this birthday, so I made it. But don't worry, Grammy Linda's got a cake in store for him for later in the month when we have another party!

The kids are all squinting because the sun was so bright - but I love this picture of them!

Unfortunately, the day ended with Jude spiking a fever, sore throat, belly ache. A trip to the Dr's the next morning confirmed a case of strep throat. Really strep throat? On my little man's birthday? That's not fair. It's been a quick recovery, though!

Oh! And everyone was kind enough to support Jude's quest for an iPod. So we're headed out today to pick it up. You might wonder if 5 is too young for an iPod.....um, maybe, but when Jude shows me how to use my iPhone, I'd say he's ready for his own device!

JUDE - here's to the best year e-v-e-r!