2014 Highlights: Our Year End Review.

2014 I can't believe your almost over. It has been a good year at the Newman house. A year full of changes, adventures, lots of lessons learned and our fair share of little girl drama.

Here are a few highlights. 
January

We said goodbye to the crib, gave it away and moved Emily into a "big girl bed".

Russ turned 34!

February
I started plants for my garden from seed for the first time.

Emily turned 3!

March   In early March, this blog was re-born on a new host. I wrote my first post declaring that I was a terrible blogger and I have been blogging faithfully ever since. 

I also won a small March Madness bracket. Which is hilarious since I don't know a thing about college basketball. 

April

I set a PR on my 5K time (25:09) and placed 3rd in my age division at a race.

Celebrated Resurrection Day,

Went on my first double digit run, 10 miles, to another state.

May

Marissa finished Kindergarten.

Marissa finished her first fun run. She ran the entire mile holding my hand. I will never forget that moment with her.



The next day I completed my first half marathon.

May 22nd marked the 3 year anniversary of the Joplin Tornado and for the first time I was really able to open up and write about our journey. 

June

I ran my first of 3 summer night 10K races.

We celebrated Fathers Day.

Marissa turned 6 and lost her first tooth on the same day!

July

We took the girls to see the big fireworks for the first time.

Marissa learned to ride her bike without training wheels

I ran my 2nd 10K in my summer night series.

 

August

Marissa started First Grade.

We celebrated 7 years of marriage.

I finished my final summer night 10K

Went on our first camping trip

September

We started a new project car.

Emily started Pre-K

We ran a virtual 5K

October

We took a field trip.

Went to a corn maze.

Visited the drag strip.

Trick or treated with a beautiful butterfly and Minnie Mouse trick or treating. 

November

I ran my second half marathon

We played in the snow

Gave thanks

December

We took a day trip with friends

Had a great Christmas.

Beth turned 30!

2014 you did not disappoint.
 You were full of changes, trials, blessings and achievements that I never would have imagined. Sure there were some tough blows and more than one teary day. But at the end I look back on this year and see countless blessing after blessing. 
God has and will continue to be faithful.

Always.
What was the best part of your year?

Happy Birthday To Me: Turning 30 Again!

Sunday was my birthday, my 30th birthday *cough* 31 *cough* Just so you know this isn't the first, or the last time I will turn 30.
If I am being honest, I hate my birthdate, but you really can't choose your birth month can you?! I feel sorry for anyone I know that has a birthday that falls between 12/24 and 12/31. Those are the birthdays that are just so easy to forget. 
But I have never felt forgotten. As a young child my parents always went out of the way to make my birthday feel special (they still do). I am also blessed by a husband and two awesome daughters who spoil me.

Yesterday we woke up and did our typical Sunday routine rushing around to get ready for church. I was surprised to see a present sitting on the counter right before we left. As I have previously said, we're not really gift people. I had to open it right away. 

It was a Garmin Forerunner 15... you know the one I posted on my wish list.

I was surprised and so excited.

Okay, not completely surprised... seeing he had casually asked me about colors a few weeks ago. But still opening that box made my day. I plugged it in to charge and off we went to church
After church we met my parents for lunch. Then I came home and went on a birthday run. It was the first time I have ran outside in WAY to long. The weather was beautiful and the company was even better.

Plus I got to try out my new "toy"!

We ended up running 3.1 miles (a 5K) and I am so glad we did. I almost forgot about the time Desiree ran 3.1 for 31 and I thought that was a GREAT idea. I guess when I am 80 and I am supposed to run 8.0 miles it may be a bit of a problem. 
After my run I relaxed with my favorite girls, folded some laundry and worked on some scarves for the Etsy shop.

We wrapped up the day with a birthday date night. We took advantage of a gift card and tried out Longhorn Steakhouse. We both ate the chicken of course. What can I say we're just not a beef eaters. 
It was such a great day and I am thankful I got to spend parts of it with so many of my favorite people.
I am feeling excited for 31 (I mean 30) and a New Year starting soon.

Christmas Recap 2014

Happy Monday!

I hope this week after Christmas Monday finds you well. We have been in a sort of time warp for a over a week now. Dad was home, school was out and if you asked me what day it was I had to check my phone before answering. It was wonderful. I really hate sending the hubby back to work after having him home for 9 day but at least this week will be a short one.

I thought it would be nice to give a little holiday recap on the blog today.

Let's start with Christmas eve.

Christmas eve was celebrated with Russ' parents. We met up at their house for dinner, then went to Christmas eve service. 

I love Christmas eve service.

This picture is a bit dark, but apparently I missed the wear red and black preferably plaid memo. 

After service we met Russ' parents at our house for cookies and presents. First Christmas presents of the year meant the girls were just a little bit wound up and overly excited. They practically tackled their grandparents. Games, cookies, talk of Santa and we all ended up staying up to late. 

The next day we woke up and I put our traditional breakfast right in the oven. We always make cinnamon rolls of some kind. This year the girls chose orange rolls.



. After breakfast and what felt like FOREVER (to them), we finally let them open up their gifts



"Bob" had the idea to leave them elf dolls.



And hearing this girl scream and jump around the house yelling "I got my Christmas wish" when she opened her panda brought tears to my eyes. 

Marissa brought out her homemade presents that she made in secret and wrapped in shoe boxes. What a huge heart that lovely young woman has. She made me a pot holder, Russ an ornament and gave Emily a pouch full of her change she collects. 

Next up was lunch and more presents with my parents. 

It was a great Christmas with so many reminders of how exceedingly and abundantly blessed we are.

How was your Christmas?