Auld Lang Syne

Can 2008 really be gone already?! What a year.
Here is a summary of our "Auld Lang Syne":

January

Sick Days

Lots, and LOTS of colds!! One turning into Pneumonia.

Needless to say, we went through a lot of tissues that month

February

Potty Training 101

Amelia finally made the request to wear big girl pants. I can now say we are FINALLY, MOSTLY, trained. She's good when she wants to be. *sigh*

March
Celebrating Spring

Easter was earlier in the year than normal. We loved going to the temple in our easter dresses and enjoying the beautiful flowers and the beautiful spirit that was there. March was a month filled with feeding ducks, going to the park and zoo and just enjoying the beautiful weather.

April:
Visitors

Aunt Kim and Uncle Jeremy came to visit. We had a lot of fun going to the Botanical Gardens, the zoo, swimming and having a cupcake party with lots of balloons and CUPCAKES!

BirthdayHappy first birthday Lucy

Anniversary Trip

Dallan and I got to leave the kiddo's for a week and enjoy the place of our original honeymoon, Park City Utah. *swoon*

May
More Traveling
Happy 90th Birthday Grandma GG!
The girls and I flew to Boise to be there for the celebration.

While we were there, Lucy practiced her walking, which she got much better at later.

June
Gardening

We grew a garden! Well, we tried anyway. I think we got 12 tomatoes, a handful of zuchinni, and one canteloupe before the squash bugs took over. But we are excited to learn more and our gardening story isn't over yet.

Happy Birthday's
Swimming Lessons
July
Family
Homestead Simper Reunion! Yea, cousins!

After the Simper reunion and a Scouting super activity, Dallan triggered a Baker's Sist to erupt in his knee which left him hobbling around with swollen legs.

After all that, the girls and I went to Utah, AGAIN, so I could attend an oboe conference at BYU.

The girls had lots of fun at the zoo, park, Grandma's house and at the pool.
I was just flat out exhausted!
August
Playing at Home

Amelia and Max learned how to play "doctor". Should we really be letting our kids even start down this road?! It's wrong on so many levels!
It was a peaceful, NON-traveling month at home. Ahh...

September
Happy Birthday, Mostly

It was kind of a dreamy like birthday for me. A fun day with kids and my best friend, and an evening spoiled by my wonderful husband. It was the next day when Dallan lost his job, and thus began the greatest learning experience and greatest trial we have had thus far in our marriage.

October
God's Angels

We took a helpful trip to Holbrook when my parents sent some food storage home with Dallan's folks for us to help in our hard time. I look back in awe and the number of times God placed little angels and tender mercies at our feet when we needed them the most. I thank my Heavenly Father for sending his angels.

November
Thanks Given

We were able to make it to Utah (thank you gas prices) for an early Thanksgiving with my family. We got the best of both worlds spending actual Thanksgiving with the Simpers. We had so much to be thankful for. Especially thankful that an end to our poverty was in sight.

December
Rejoice

Dallan got two jobs, one for the month of December and a permanent job starting in January. We were so greatful, extatic, humbled... I can't even find the perfect word to describe our emotions. We feel truly blessed. I am most greatful for the last three months of this year and the lessons of humility they have brought.

We are greatful for a wonderfully interesting 2008 and look forward to the joys 2009 will bring.
Happy New Year to all our family and friends.
(and to all those who made it to the end of this blog post...)