Things I did instead of blogging…

So it’s obvious I have not blogged in….hmmm…awhile.    It’s crazy that my last post was about when Henry was born.  He’s 17 months now!  The more  months that went by the more overwhelming the thought of blogging was.  I was just getting more and more behind and I never had the day that I could just Spend all day catching up and blogging (I wish though).  So I have finally decided that instead of catching up with every detail of the last 17 months of our lives I will just give a brief summary of what we’ve been up to.  Maybe a month to month description.

January 2011

January was a busy month in the sense that half the month we were still on vacation in Utah from spending the holidays there.  Craig took Katelyn skiing for the first time and had a blast.  Something I think they missed getting to do this year.  It’s also busy too with getting home and getting back in to your routine.  Henry was 3 months and so it is always nice to come home to your stuff with one that small.  They just require so much stuff that you have to pack up. 

Craig also found out that he was accepted to Duke’s Cross Continent MBA Program.  We were so thrilled!

February 2011

This was the month of our crazy winter blizzard.  Chicago got 20 inches of snow.  Craig didn’t even try to go in to the office that day.  He just worked from home.  It was crazy how much snow we got!

Henry also rolled over for the first time on Feb. 08 and sat up sometime in the middle of Feb.

March 2011

Henry started crawling the first of March.  It’s crazy how fast he did everything.

April 2011

We had Easter at the end of this month and were able to spend it with all my best friends!  It was bitter sweet day.  I don’t remember exactly now but I think it was the very next day that our “R” was leaving us.  I miss her so much!  :)  Kids had fun hunting eggs in the yard.  It was a good Sunday.

May 2011

May was a very busy month.  Now that Craig was going to be starting school we knew we were going to stay in Chicago for another couple years.  Our condo we were living in was so small and the kids were getting bigger so it was time to move.  We found a place we liked in Mundelein and moved there the end of the month.  SO all month it was packing every day!  This was also a hard month because Mundelein is a 1/2 hour north west of Evanston where we lived and so we were moving out of our ward and stake.  We wanted really badly to stay but just couldn’t find a place in the boundaries that fit our needs.  Luckily I go down there a lot and stay in touch with all my friends there.  We miss them.  We’re fortunate to be in a great new ward.  They are very friendly and I have made many more new friends.  You can never have too many right The new townhouse is good too.  There are things we love and things we hate but all and all the space is MUCH better and things are good with that. 

June 2011 

The start of June was pretty busy.  We had just had the move and Kate still had a few days of pre school that had us driving to Wilmette a lot.  Kathy and Taryn also came the first of June which worked out really nice because it forced me to quickly un pack all our boxes and settle our new home in 2 weeks.

The rest of the month consisted of strawberry picking, Craig and Kate camping, and Kate starting her first swimming lessons; which she passed with flying colors.   

July 2011

Another busy month.  First thing, we had lots of fun celebrating the 4th of July with old  friends down in Evanston and then finished off with fireworks with new friends in Libertyville. 

Then the middle of July we set off on our 6 week vacation to Utah/Idaho.  That’s right.  I said 6 weeks!  Crazy right!   We started off in Utah with a family reunion and baby shower my sister Sydney and I had for Dani who had a baby in October 2011(cute pictures of him later in the post).

After Utah we headed to Idaho which was filled with lots of busy days and busy weekends. 

One weekend; fishing…well Brandt fished.  Being in   the mountains was fun though.  Thanks Dani for the photos!   

Girl time for a few days in Idaho Falls

and the good ‘ol fair and rodeo

That’s just to name a few things.  We ended our trip with spending a few days at the Fryers which of course is just as much fun! 

Sleeping outside with Dave and Mimi.

Riding horsy

Swinging

and Jungle Jims

So since we didn’t get back until the end of August this entire section will take care of that month.   

Craig goes on his first school trip to Shanghai in August.

Milestone: Henry started walking the end of August while we were in Idaho!    He was a cruiser!

September 2011

It’s funny I started this September section by saying how this month was little calmer.  Then as I started writing I realized it actually was pretty crazy too.    I had to go back and re write.  Katelyn started at her new pre-school.  She loves it!  Her school was in a parade for Mundelein High School Homecoming week.  Kate said that waving to all the people and throwing candy was her favorite.  The theme was hippie/60’s.

Sept. 06 I got my first set of stitches on my elbow.  I was taking out the garbage and had garbage in both hands.  The garbage can was pretty full and as I was struggling putting the garbage in my elbow slipped and cut on a tuna can.  It was really deep and I was losing a lot of blood.  I don’t know where the main arteries are so I kind of freaked.  Called 911 and they wrapped me all up and Craig came home and took me to the insta care.  The doctor said we only have to do about 5 stitches.  It would be more if it were anywhere else but because it’s the elbow and it bends we need to do less so they don’t rip.  It hurt and hurt for a few weeks after and now I have a really ugly scar. 

  Turned 27 on the 13th.  Had beautiful weather.  Katelyn started ballet and tap which she LOVES.  She struggled the first few weeks with listening to the teacher.  Before when she thought she was going to dance she thought she was going to just dance however she wanted.  So it was hard to listen and do what the teacher said.  Doing much better now though. 

The end of this month Kate, Henry, and I went apple and pumpkin picking with Katelyn’s class.  Her first field trip.  Had so much fun!

October 2011

October 22, 2011 my very first nephew was born.  Little Jack is just the cutest.  Kate, Hank, and I all flew out to Utah and drove straight up to Idaho Falls to meet this new little guy.  Ended up staying there again for a few more weeks.  Kate went to Utah to visit mimi and apa for a week and spent Halloween there.  SO it was just me and Hank to go trick or treating but it was a great time.  Katelyn was Strawberry Shortcake this year and Hank was a big fat gorilla.

 

Zach also got his mission call.  Everyone was in IF visiting the baby so him and Sydney drove up to us so we could all watch him open up his letter.  He is going to the Tokyo Japan Mission.  Yay!!!  I’d post the video of us watching him but we were all so excited we did things that I’d rather not show….That sounds bad…what I mean is there was a lot of hooting and hollering and high fiving (high fiving-not done by me-I’m not that weird, Syd and Kyler).  haha JK  SO excited for Zach!!!

November 2011

Still in Idaho first of the month. 

SO we mostly relaxed and enjoyed being with family

So since we were just with family earlier we were home in Chicago without family this year for Thanksgiving.  All good cause the kind Walker family invited us over to their house for dinner.  It was really fun and we had lots of yummy food!

December 2011

Well December right off the bat we celebrate Kate’s birthday.  This year she had a Tangled party and she and her friends had so much fun.  I had fun planning it too but it was a lot of work and I was happy when the party was over.

Then we had Christmas which I’m kind of bummed because I can not find anywhere the pictures we took from that day.  So sorry no pictures from that day.  Kate got everything she wanted from Santa.  Share Carebear and Cheer Carebear and a baby set.  Henry just liked unwrapping all the presents.  :)  Then we finished out the year with our friends from Wilmette at the Kings New Years Party!  Always a good time there.

January 2012

The end of this month we headed out once again to Idaho.  I know you’re probably thinking “AGAIN”!  This time we went out for my brother Zach’s farewell.  As always, a great time with the fam.

February 2012

Valentines Day this year was fun.  Craig surprised me and got me a Kitchen Aid.  I was totally not expecting it so it was fun to open it up.  He did good.  Made the kids pink heart pancakes with pink milk for breakfast.  They thought that was fun.  Then Craig and I went out to dinner at an awful Mediterranean restaurant.  The whole evening at this place was so crazy awful that Craig and I were laughing about it all night.  It was crazy how bad it was.  We were going to go to a movie but the service at this place was so bad and slow that we missed the movie so we just went to the mall for a little bit and then went home.  All in all it was fun cause I finally got a night out with my man. 

March 2012

So here we are finally in March and it’s been great.  The weather this winter has been so mild.  Usually by this point everyone around is dying and just needing spring and summer to come so badly cause it’s so cold.  Today is the 21st and the last couple of weeks it’s been 70’s and 80’s.  Today was 85.  I can’t believe 80 degree weather in March.  CRAZY!!!  So we’ve been out at the park a lot and taking full advantage.

St. Patrick’s Day was another fun filled busy day.  We started off with another festive breakfast with shamrock shaped green pancakes and green OJ.  Then we went to the park and had a picnic lunch.  Then we drove up and went to the Jelly Belly factory and then did shopping at the outlet malls.  Then out for dinner.  Very fun day!  

So if you’re still reading….Thank You!  I know I said I would be  brief but that wasn’t so brief was it.  Oh well I’m caught up now and now hopefully it won’t be another 18 months before I blog again.