2017: Year in Review
It's time for 2017 Year in Review: wherein I look back on some of the high(and low)lights of our year.
1. In January we took our first big family vacation. Thanks to some amazing deals and some incredible generosity from loved ones, we were able to fly to Florida, stay with my brother, and create some awesome memories with our kids at Disney World, the Crayola Experience, and the Lego Store.
2. While we were in Florida, we got to celebrate Lena's 4th birthday with a trip to Clearwater Aquarium (home of Winter and Hope from Dolphin Tale).
3. We finished paying off our student loans and were debt free for a hot minute!!!!
4.I finally got Lena potty trained and overcame her various fears along the way (wearing undies, using a public restroom, pooping on the toilet, etc.)!!!
6. Levi learned to scoot just before his birthday, and walk at 16 months (with a little help from Early On)
7. We celebrated Levi's 1st birthday with a fishing theme.
8. I got my hair permed
9. I went to Traverse City for a Moms' Weekend with my best friends.
10. After a couple months of being debt free, Justin's car literally fell apart, so we went back into debt to buy him a "new" car.
11. I discovered how to get free books in exchange for reviews.
13. We went to a hotel for Lucy's 7th birthday.
14. Justin and I went to a Craigslist cottage for our 12th anniversary (and didn't get murdered). It was a glorious weekend of reading, fishing, and relaxing.
15. Levi had lots of ear infections, a visit to the ENT, and an allergic reaction to amoxicillin.
16. Lucy started 2nd grade and Lena started school for the first time!
17. We survived another weekend of Labor Day camping.
20. My sister and I threw an adorable book themed baby shower for our niece.
21. The girls started gymnastics. Lena was awesome at it, but they both hated it after a few weeks.
22. I struggled a lot with overcoming selfishness/laziness/irritability.
23. I became a great-aunt!!
24. I set and accomplished a reading goal, keeping track of everything I read on Goodreads. My goal was 75 books, but I actually made it to 101 (including 2 novellas that I count as 1 book.) According to Goodreads, I read 32,510 pages this year! Thanks to the Goodreads community, I discovered a few new Indie authors that I love: Pepper Basham, Jenny B. Jones, Hallee Bridgeman, and Julianne Donaldson. I also fell in love with a few more well-known (in the Christian fiction community) authors: Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Kara Isaac, Connilyn Cossette. I gave 15 books a 5 star rating this year:
1. True to You by Becky Wade
2. Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade (book 2 in a series - reread)
3. Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz
4. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
5. An Aria for Nick by Hallee Bridgeman (book 2 in a series)
6. A Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham
7. The Thorn Keeper by Pepper Basham (book 2 in a series)
8. The Thorn Healer by Pepper Basham (book 3)
9. Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette (book 2 in a series)
10. Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette (book 3)
11. Honor's Disguise by Kristen Heitzmann (book 4 in a series - reread)
12. Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
13. Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (book 2 in a series)
14. Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson (nonfiction)
15. Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle (nonfiction)
My favorite TV shows this year were: Hawaii 5-0, Bluebloods, and NCIS
Here's to a great 2018!!
1. In January we took our first big family vacation. Thanks to some amazing deals and some incredible generosity from loved ones, we were able to fly to Florida, stay with my brother, and create some awesome memories with our kids at Disney World, the Crayola Experience, and the Lego Store.
2. While we were in Florida, we got to celebrate Lena's 4th birthday with a trip to Clearwater Aquarium (home of Winter and Hope from Dolphin Tale).
3. We finished paying off our student loans and were debt free for a hot minute!!!!
4.I finally got Lena potty trained and overcame her various fears along the way (wearing undies, using a public restroom, pooping on the toilet, etc.)!!!
6. Levi learned to scoot just before his birthday, and walk at 16 months (with a little help from Early On)
7. We celebrated Levi's 1st birthday with a fishing theme.
8. I got my hair permed
9. I went to Traverse City for a Moms' Weekend with my best friends.
10. After a couple months of being debt free, Justin's car literally fell apart, so we went back into debt to buy him a "new" car.
11. I discovered how to get free books in exchange for reviews.
13. We went to a hotel for Lucy's 7th birthday.
14. Justin and I went to a Craigslist cottage for our 12th anniversary (and didn't get murdered). It was a glorious weekend of reading, fishing, and relaxing.
15. Levi had lots of ear infections, a visit to the ENT, and an allergic reaction to amoxicillin.
16. Lucy started 2nd grade and Lena started school for the first time!
17. We survived another weekend of Labor Day camping.
20. My sister and I threw an adorable book themed baby shower for our niece.
21. The girls started gymnastics. Lena was awesome at it, but they both hated it after a few weeks.
22. I struggled a lot with overcoming selfishness/laziness/irritability.
23. I became a great-aunt!!
24. I set and accomplished a reading goal, keeping track of everything I read on Goodreads. My goal was 75 books, but I actually made it to 101 (including 2 novellas that I count as 1 book.) According to Goodreads, I read 32,510 pages this year! Thanks to the Goodreads community, I discovered a few new Indie authors that I love: Pepper Basham, Jenny B. Jones, Hallee Bridgeman, and Julianne Donaldson. I also fell in love with a few more well-known (in the Christian fiction community) authors: Laura Frantz, Lori Benton, Kara Isaac, Connilyn Cossette. I gave 15 books a 5 star rating this year:
1. True to You by Becky Wade
2. Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade (book 2 in a series - reread)
3. Love's Reckoning by Laura Frantz
4. The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
5. An Aria for Nick by Hallee Bridgeman (book 2 in a series)
6. A Twist of Faith by Pepper Basham
7. The Thorn Keeper by Pepper Basham (book 2 in a series)
8. The Thorn Healer by Pepper Basham (book 3)
9. Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette (book 2 in a series)
10. Wings of the Wind by Connilyn Cossette (book 3)
11. Honor's Disguise by Kristen Heitzmann (book 4 in a series - reread)
12. Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson
13. Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson (book 2 in a series)
14. Desperate by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson (nonfiction)
15. Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle (nonfiction)
My favorite TV shows this year were: Hawaii 5-0, Bluebloods, and NCIS
Here's to a great 2018!!
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