January
We spent our last New Year's Eve to New Year's Day on redeye flight going from Utah back home to Pennsylvania. We went to the Waffle Shop, and Ben started his last semester of Law School. We experienced lots of snow, ice, and below zero temperatures. We had a few ear infections and doctor visits. Ben shaved his beard, and I got food poisoning and went to the hospital! We also had lots of play time and cuddles!
February
We played, the Broncos lost the Superbowl, and we spent lots of time at the library and the indoor playground (State College was awesome!). James turned 2, and loved his Mickey balloons. Ben and I went on a Valentine's Day date and then Ben went to Utah for a few days for the job he landed! It was my first time being away from Ben for more than 24 hours, and the first time alone with the boys overnight. We celebrated when Ben came back by building a fort and reading books.
March
James had his first real haircut, and we went to South Carolina to visit Ben's parents! While we were there we went to Charleston, the Zoo, and a Children's Museum among other things. It was a lot of fun. James and Theo also both got some kind of virus that consisted of them constantly throwing up for a few days. Theo had a trip to the ER because he couldn't keep anything down. Ben and I got to go to a Harlem Globetrotters game on a date.
I turned 25! Ben had this note scavenger hunt type thing for me the whole week of my birthday. It was so fun. We watched General Conference, celebrated Easter, and started playing outside again! James also got a mild concussion and took a trip to the ER and even got a CT Scan! Luckily he was okay.
May
May was probably the biggest month of the year for us! We played outside a lot at parks, and just outside our apartment. We visited Old Main on campus, and James discovered the joys of sidewalk chalk. After 3 years of living in State College, we finally hiked Mt. Nittany! James loved it and ran almost half of the way. We went to the Pittsburgh Zoo, and picked up my mom from the airport. Then Ben graduated from Law School!!!! Ben's parents and my mom helped us pack up our apartment and then helped us move. Ben drove the truck with his mom, and my mom, the boys and I flew to Utah. In Utah we started to help finish my parents basement, we got reunited with old friends, went to splash pads, and bought a minivan!
June
Ben started studying for the Utah Bar, and he also started POST training for his job. He was training 11 hour days and studying at night. Whew! We managed to find time to have fun though! We went to the Eagle Mountain carnival, parks, Thanksgiving Point, and played outside a lot. We also went to one of my best friends from High School's wedding! The basement got finished and we got to move it! Theo also started crawling.
July
We contiuned to move our stuff into the basement, and of course played outside! On the 4th of July Andrew, Kristen, and Claire and Aaron and their families came over! We had a blast playing and visiting. Ben got pepper sprayed as part of his training (worst experience of he life) and Telsee (my brother's wife) had a baby shower that was fun, and my mom and sister Zoey both had surgery within a few days of each other. Theo started walking a few weeks before he turned 1!
August
Ben turned 27! He also started his official job as a law clerk/bailiff. The boys and I continued to play outside as much as we could. Grandpa showed the boys how to golf, we went to splash pads, and Thanksgiving Point Gardens! My brother Nicholas, became a daddy! Avery was born on August 14! One of my best friends, Kate and her family came to visit! Ben and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary on the 20th, and I got a double stroller! Ben's brother Justin, drove back from Alaska and came to visit. James got a toddler bed! On Memorial Day we went up American Fork Canyon to Tibble Creek Reservoir and had a blast!
September
We got to play with Avery! We found out that Ben passed the Bar! We celebrated by going to the Cheesecake Factory! My Grandma Riley came into town and my little sister, Taylor, went through the temple! James got really sick with Strep, poor guy. We saw horses, rode horses, and played!
October
We took a drive up Alpine Loop to look at fall colors and were disappointed. It was still very green! We watched General Conference and visited with family. Theo started climbing on everything, and we moved his carseat to forward facing. The boys wrestled a lot, and we visited BYU's duck pond! We went to Evan's Family Farm and picked our pumpkins, and Theo also got head-butted by a goat. We decorated Halloween sugar cookies with my family, and the boys helped my mom plant tulips. I made the boys' costumes this year. They were the Fox and the Hound! They loved Trick or Treating.
November
We got a puppy! We got Beau, a German Shorthair Pointer/Lab mix. Everyone loves him. Most of the time... Ben's Grandma Van Noy passed away so we drove up to Twin Falls, ID for her funeral. We also got a 4 generation picture with his Grandpa. For Thanksgiving we met up with the Van Noy crew in Huntsville, UT for a few days. It was a lot of fun seeing everyone, and Beau was a big hit. We also did family pictures! When we got back we got to hang with our good friends the Dorff's! It was so good to see them!
December was a flurry of activity! I made a countdown chain to Christmas with an activity to do with the boys everyday. It was a lot of fun, and motivated me to try new things! We made a fingerprint strand of lights and a handprint tree. Another thing we did was gingerbread play dough. James tried to escape out of the van one day, good thing I came back when I did! I got my haircut, and we took the boys to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point. On Christmas Eve we had lots of family over for dinner, and then we opened our christmas jammies! That night was one for the books. After we finally got done putting gifts together, at about 2am, the boys woke up and decided not to go to sleep until 6am. Needless to say we were exhausted. But Christmas was wonderful and the boys were spoiled rotten! New Year's Eve we had dinner with my family at Caraba's and rang in the new year with some sparkling cider.
Bring on the New Year!
