The 2023 Retrospective

 Here is a look back on our year and some of our december holiday and birthday fun. 

 Our family visited 4 countries, 3 states, 3 state parks, and 3 national monuments/seashore/refuge areas this year. 

We switched down to one car and are trying to bike more instead of driving. This winter will be the true test of that decision, but so far we like it!

2023 marked my post-pandemic, post-baby return to theater. I did two shows at Center point theater and it was a very positive experience both times. I set a goal to track my reading throughout the year, like I'm in grade school, and I am happy to report I finished 62 books. I started working at the rec center day care, where it is a bring-your-kid-to-work day everyday! I get a gym membership out of it as well, so that gives me a slight advantage at those notoriously difficult news years fitness resolutions.

Lee had a busy work year with lots of overtime. He biked to work more that I think even before covid kept us all home and managed to fit a Spartan race or two in last summer. 

Lee has also kept busy with house projects, like finishing the basement playroom, doing all the framing and sheetrock himself. Lee also took up pickleball this year (we're getting old), so we can add that to his list of athletic hobbies! It's just the least athletic of them all.

Paul turned 10 this year. He is in 4th grade and has turned into the kid who finishes his work early so he can read or be the "noise police" who keeps everyone else from getting off task and being loud. We're very proud, I'm sure it's made him very popular with his peers. He is quite the story teller and likes to lead the group.

Laszlo just turned 7. He has been in the French immersion program at school this year, which he loves. He's been playing soccer and loving it, but he would like to try a little of everything. He may seem shy, but he makes friends everywhere he goes and he's pretty hard to beat in a foot race.

Arthur turned 3 this year and he has thing. to. SAY. He doesn't just talk, he talks in run-on sentences. I'd say at this point he is potty trained. HALLELUJAH. Arthur is so independent and capable, it's hard to know what to do for him and what to just sit back and watch him do for himself.

We visited the Hogle Zoo for their holiday lights with our Johnston cousins. The kids got to sit on Santa's lap, Arthur asked for "a present." Nothing more specific than that.

We went with Grandma Jamie and Pa Duane to get Arthur a fun birthday surprise at Build-a-Bear.

No shock here, he picked out a Paw Patrol dog. It can be hard to make a Christmas Eve birthday special, but I hope being able to make your own furry friend helps to do that.

At the Burnett family Christmas Shindig, Santa Pa stopped by for the kids to come ask him for presents.

The older grandkids weren't off the hook either! Though sitting on an old man's lap presents difficulties for the adults...

I didn't get very many photos from Arthur's Christmas Eve/Birthday party, i was too busy making food and generally celebrating, but his aunties and uncles and grandparents spoiled him and I made sure there was a big menu of festive foods.

After a big birthday party with cousins and cookies, you'd think the kids would need a rest. Nope! They were amped up and ready for Christmas fun to begin!

Grandma Karen and Grandpa Dave stayed over on Christmas Eve so we got to be together to open presents.

The rest of the day was spent on new video games and building Legos and fighting over who got to do what first.

The day after Christmas, we kept the festivities going at the Thanksgiving Point Luminaria with Grandma Jamie and Grandpa Duane.

The lights were fantastic and it was all more kid friendly and fun than I had anticipated. It was a hit with the whole group, big kids, little kids, and grandparents.

Our year wrapped up with a New Year's Eve party with our Johnson/Johnston cousins and a whole lot of shrimpies. I was too busy snacking and trying to figure out what "bubbly topper" is to take any pictures.