Hello 2020!

Hello 2020!! And bring on all the fun jokes and phrases about how we will have 2020 vision this year, etc!  I am somewhat in disbelief that we are already entering a new decade!  In the 2010's we welcomed our first pet, our two children, two brother in laws, a niece and two nephews!  This is also the decade where we took some pretty incredible trips.... to the beach (annually), went on a couple cruises, visited some major cities along the east coast, saw the Grand Canyon, went to Jamaica and took the boys to Disney World!  This is also the decade where I ran two full marathons and made a pact with my sister that we would strive to run a yearly half marathon.... our one for 2020 is already scheduled and paid for!  It is hard to imagine that when I entered the 2010's, I hadn't been married very long and now this year we will celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary!  This decade is also when I took on the biggest role of my life.... mom!  It has been the greatest adventure, filled with some of the best memories and some of the most challenging obstacles!  I am so thankful I am looking at two healthy boys who keep me busy on a daily basis!  It is hard to imagine that 10 years from now they will be 16 and 14, navigating the high school years and us approaching the stage of empty nesting.  (I am going to stop there because I refuse to fast forward to that point right now)!  So....to keep things in the present.... here are some of the things we have been up to in the days between Christmas and returning to work in the new year.  We love having Zack home for a few days, to give us some quality family time!  We are so blessed!

We attempted to play Parcheesi, a board game Zander loves.  Maddox might have knocked over the game pieces a few too many times, but I can see where a weekly game night will be fun in the future!

We went bowling with the Williams family and the Kennedys!  This was Emerson's (and Eli's) first trip to the bowling alley!

 I got some smiles from Eli! I love my new little nephew!

We went on a hike and spent time at the playground with Sarah, Luke and Laurel while the daddies did manly things! haha

We got fresh hair cuts for the new year.  The boys enjoyed having their hair styled while they were there!

I got to see the new Little Women movie with my mom, Linds and Eli!  It was fun to pass him around while watching a movie we had watched when we were kids!

 The boys enjoyed bike riding and testing out Zander's new skateboard!

Zack finished working on a board for our wall..... it has his hand print for the O, Zander's hand prints for the V, Maddox's hand prints for the E and Burke's paw print in black at the end! I love it!

We attempted fishing again!  No ducks were harmed during our second attempt.  However, we still haven't caught a fish yet!  These boys need to work on talking quietly and waiting patiently! ;) Also, Maddox's favorite thing to do right now is swing at the playground.  He does a pretty good job propelling himself forward and back with minimal help from me!  I am thankful we have a neighborhood playground that we go to often for his swinging "fix".

We celebrated New Year's Eve at our house (until about 9:00 p.m.) with eight children (ages 6 and under).  We had a blast!! I'm so thankful for these friendships and that the kids were healthy and happy for the festivities! On New Year's night we got together with the Whites again where Chris grilled us steaks and chicken!! We have had fun celebrating the new year!

 Zack snapped a picture of Zander reading to us one morning.  I have loved the leisurely mornings in our comfy clothes, cuddled on the couch!  As you can see, all three boys love being near mommy!;)

Maddox love his new jacket and time outside.  I have tried walking Burke multiple times over the break.  Since I'm still recovering from some sinus issues, the 60 degree weather has been perfect for some casual exercise!

Today we took the kids to the science center. This was our first outing with the four kids and their mommies!   Linds and I would say it was a huge success!! Everyone was typically happy and we timed Eli's eating around the big kids' fun!

 I saw this on someone's page earlier this week.... I thought it was pretty crazy that in my "young" life, I have seen so many significant milestones when it comes to time periods.... ya'll know I love dates so here is to moving into a new decade!  I can't wait to see what life in my late 30's and early 40's has in store!!  I am trusting God as I listen to His will for the next decade!  A goal I have for this year is to be more intentional with the time I have been given... time with God, time with family, time with friends, and time for myself.  The word "time" has continued repeating itself in my devotions and when I am reading scriptures.  I will end this post with one of my new favorite scriptures which ironically includes the word "time" in it......Ecclesiastes 3:11..... "He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."