1 Family x 12 (April)

April 14th:  2 to 6 inches of snow....

Prediction for Tuesday: 68 degrees 

April...you are too much for me!

And, with that, our April family photo.  Followed by hot chocolate, a fire and a movie.  Because if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

Jamaica!

We've never been on a destination wedding, but let me tell you what, there is little better than a trip to Jamaica in February, for a wedding!  In fact, we had such a great time that the cousins are considering upgrading cousin's camping into cuzzies all inclusive getaway - dubbed "Cuzzies Upgraded"  in Feb for all future years!

We weren't there for long, only 4 days but we made the most out of our time there and enjoyed every last drop of sunshine and warm before heading back to freezing Chicago and snow.  We're so grateful that Taylor and Wes gave us a reason to drop the kids with my parents and hop on a plane to paradise for a few days.  We'll be down for destination weddings from here on out...who is next!!?!

I mean, this was the view from our little balcony.  Ryan and I stayed on the first floor and we had a great view of the ocean.  I mean, the "slamming doors" neighbors weren't ideal (how many times could you go in and out of a room in one day!?!) but we spent next to no time in our room anyways. 

Wisconsin Dells (round 6)

It wouldn't be early March without a trip to the Wisconsin Dells.  After doing this trip yearly for 6 years now, mostly with the same group....we are all in a routine.  We're good at this trip now.  We're all on the same page, roughly on the same schedule and us mom's have the planning down pat!

Even the kids know what to expect and boy do they get excited about this trip.  I think it's a combination of them all getting along really well, the fun of getting out and doing something different, the warm water and the general desire to just put winter behind us....whatever it is...we really enjoy this trip every year.

Someday Conner will look back on pictures like this and realize what a lucky guy he was!  Who knows...there maybe a potential girl friend sitting right here....only time will tell!

It's funny - since we've been doing this trip around the same time each year my Timehop app gives me a string of pictures from years past in the days and weeks leading up to our trip.  It's always fun (and a little sad!) to look back and watch how the kids have grown over the year.  I remember posting one saying how big Abby looked (two years ago!) and now, here we are...she's turning into a real big kid!!  Good thing I still have my tiny sweet Hazel!

I said it at Halloween and I'll say it again...this age (Abby 6 and Hazel 4)...this is when we finally arrived.  We arrived at parenting where the kids can do a LOT on their own!  They go off, run and play and come back to check in with us.  They are independent and able to watch out for each other and stay together as a group (for the most part).  One more year and little Lucy will be tagging along with the big kids.  One more year and we'll all be here!!! I'm not wishing away the days....I know better than that!

I'm so glad I do the monthly family photos...otherwise the only pictures of me would be in the form of selfie.  At least I've got some pretty cute sidekicks!

1 Family x 12 (March)

It wouldn't be March without a family photo at the waterpark!  More pictures from this trip to come....

Also - Dear Warm Weather - we have been waiting for you for a long time.  Please hurry up!  We're ready for swim suit weather.....

1 Family x 12 (Jan)

It's been a relatively warm winter so far but we've had a few large snow storms that brought lots of snow and the girls have been LOVING sledding this year.  In fact, most nights when there is snow on the ground they ask to out outside and play (which, I love) and I promptly dress them up and put them outside with the dogs while I work on dinner and enjoy the quite house.  It's honestly, amaze-balls so to all you Mommies out there with little ones, know that there is an end in sight and it's not far away!

Christmas

The days between Christmas and New Years are always a crazy flurry of activity, fun, food, drinking, kids, presents and events.  I look forward to them for MONTHS leading up to the holiday season, but when it's all said and done I take a deep breath (maybe a sigh of relief?) and think back on how crazy it all was.  This year was no different and I don't think I'd have it any other way.

So many fun holiday celebrations with friends and family near and far.  We spent the weekend before Christmas in Freeport, then Christmas Eve with the McGrath side of the family, Christmas day at our house with Erin/Will/Dan and my parents...a few short days home and then off to the lake to celebrate New Years with the cousins....all leading us back home where now, maybe, we rest!

The kids had a great Christmas and I think all of us adults would agree that we did too.  The best gift is probably a toss up between the giant stuffed animal tigers Mom got the girls, and the giant bounce house that Santa left a scavenger hunt to find.  It ended in the shop with the bounce house all blown up and the girls yelling "best Christmas ever" as they bounced with glee.  Just what EVERY parent wants to hear on Christmas morning.  Made my day!

And, just like that, another year has flown by.  Before we know it I'll be posting pictures of camping trips and swimming pools.  It all goes by so fast.  I just try to savor the moments and memories as they whiz past.

Christmas Train

Even though I tried checking in AUGUST for tickets to the real Polar Express train in the city, we somehow were still too late and couldn't get our large-ish family all together - so we opted for this cheaper and closer to home version instead this year.

We tried the Santa Train in Union (just a few short miles from our house) last Christmas season and while I am sure the one downtown is nicer, this version worked for us too.  The kids seemed to like it, and really, isn't that all that matters?

The pictures didn't come out great, but I did get this great one of Mom and I.  It was dark-ish inside the train, but you can see the look of excitement on Abby's face as Santa got closer to her seat.  She asked him for a "giant stuffed animal tiger" which, I'm happy to report, Grandma picked up for her.  And, I can tell you it's one of her favorite gifts from this year.