A Year in Review - 2015
This holiday season has been extra hectic with us going to Edmonton for New Year's. I haven't had the time to sit down to write down the top 10 for 2015. Better late than never! Here we go! (In no particular order)
10.) My cousin Andrea and I have been preggo together twice. It just happened that way and not on purpose. The first time, it was Mackenzie who came 5 months before Addie. This time around, it was Jackson who came 5 months before Alastair. Jackson was the first boy in the family (Andrea and I both have 2 girls each!) and it was a very big deal! I know Trevor was super excited to have more "men" in the family ;) Although we don't see them often, Jackson has been a joy every time we visit. He brings on tons of smiles to everyone he sees. I love you Jackson!
9.) When one of my best friends moved back to Vancouver from Halifax, it was awesome. Then her husband became an RCMP and got posted to Saskatchewan. Thankfully, distance did not deter us from keeping in touch. This past year, she came home twice, first time when I was 33 weeks preggo and managed to walk 5K at the Color Me Rad Run (in hindsight, that might not have been a great idea) and the second time on her way back from Italy so she could see the little one. Anita - I am so thankful for our friendship where you are just one facebook chat away for me to vent about anything (mostly my children). And you are always up for the banter and never think I'm crazy. I am SO looking forward to our miracle tickets concert (Adele) this coming year!
8.) Being as social as I am, I tend to take vacations and invite everyone along. Bryan and I didn't take a trip alone until Seattle in 2013. That means 10 years into our relationship! I vowed to take family trips in 2015 with just us. We managed to squeeze in 2 trips with our family of 4 the first half of 2015! The first trip was to Victoria where the kids had an absolutely blast! Not to mention we got free crabs from the Airbnb that were staying at. I was super blessed to be able to combine my work trip with a family trip.
We also decided to take a trip out to Oregon around May. Although the drive was long with the kids and the weather didn't necessarily cooperate, I learned that kids don't necessarily care about the same things I do about vacations! They wanted to spend majority of their time at the indoor pool at the resort, while I thought a good vacation meant being in the wind at the beach.
I am so thankful we were able to spend some quality time with the girls this year.
7.) When Bryan and I were going through our rough patch, we read dozens of books to continue growing personally and in our relationship. Conversations With God was a book that completely changed my life. When I found out Neale Donald Walsch was coming to Vancouver to speak, I didn't hesitate to go. And when I found out there was a contest to do a meet and greet? I jumped at the chance. I won't bore you with the story again about how I won, you can read the details here. It was an experience I will never forget. Lessons that kept my heart full. Thank you to everyone who supported me!
6.) Baby Group - Honestly, I cannot live without this group.It's now been 4.5 years and we still get together once a month at a pub for nights out to chat about how tantrums, the fournados, school, parenting, husbands, and so on and so on. The dads even had their second annual night out (wow!). 2015 camping trip (with Al being 5 weeks!) was epic with a slip and slide, adult jenga blocks, outdoor movies, and ice cream making. We are seriously the coolest group! Thank you for being my rock and support when I thought I was the worst mom in the world. You are always there to lift me out. Thank you!
5.) I was a bit over ambitious in 2015 and wanted to cram in as many camping trips as possible before #3 came along. I am not exactly sure how I went camping at 34 and 36 weeks preggo, but I did it! And am so thankful I did.
4.) Preschool - It was interesting that the beginning of the preschool year in 2014, I didn't really get to know a lot of parents. By the end of the school year, I was going camping with a couple of the families.
Sam - you have been my partner in crime in So Fun and am thankful you are along side me as VP this school year. Thank you for always planning fun things to get all of us together.
Being president of the school has been challenging this year. To the executive - you guys have simply been amazing. Thank you for bearing with our late and sometimes frequent meetings. You have been supportive and encouraging with the changes. Thank you for making the learning curve a bit easier to handle!
Preschool parents - we may not chat all the time, but I so appreciate you. You guys love Mackenzie during duty and I have enjoyed my time with your kids during duty too. I am so going to miss them when this school year ends and can't imagine not seeing their beautiful faces and souls!
3.) We just came back from staying with my best friend and this beauty right here! I am so thankful that Amanda and I have been friends for going on 22 years now. No matter the distance, we have somehow still found ways to laugh until we are in tears not only in person, but through facebook messenger too. Friend, you have kept me grounded this year and I was so blessed to spend time with you during Q's first birthday, Christmas break, and New Year's! Somehow, we never run out of things to talk about and you always give me a different perspective to look at.
2.) It would be crazy not to include these 2 women right here. Just this trip, Mack was worried she was forgetting Mama Chan. When I pulled up a picture of my mom, Mack breathed an audible sigh of relief, kissed her and a peacefulness washed over her. Their love is still ridiculous!
Our kids are not always the easiest, but that doesn't stop the auntie love from my sister! She entertains them on the phone when they ask to speak with her and loves reading them stories. We are all lucky to have Yi Yi in our lives!
1.) When we found out we were having a boy, I was in disbelief. I didn't actually believe it until he was actually born! I won't bore you with the birth story, you can read that here. This time around, I am appreciating the newborn stage more. I am savoring the moments a little bit longer.
The girls have been incredible with Alastair the moment he was born. I wish I could bottle the loving moments. But maybe I don't need to. Maybe they will be this loving always.
We have been blessed this year that Bryan's business suddenly took off. Although it meant more nights away, Bryan has been amazingly supportive on all fronts. We have become more organized as a team with how our day would go and meal planning. I am filled with gratitude with my year maternity leave. I am enjoying every moment with all 3 kids at home. We have squeezed in more quality time in the past 5 months than I had imagined.
Alastair has helped me slowed down when things get chaotic in the parenting world. He has helped fill more love in this house than there already was! I am so looking forward to watching him grow!
That about wraps it up! I couldn't fit everyone in there, but of course there's always daycare (Crystal, you are our sanity - thank you!), Mack starting musical class, learning to swim on her own, and so many more moments! 2015, you have been good to us. I am so looking forward to seeing what 2016 has in store for us!
Cheers!
-Carly
10.) My cousin Andrea and I have been preggo together twice. It just happened that way and not on purpose. The first time, it was Mackenzie who came 5 months before Addie. This time around, it was Jackson who came 5 months before Alastair. Jackson was the first boy in the family (Andrea and I both have 2 girls each!) and it was a very big deal! I know Trevor was super excited to have more "men" in the family ;) Although we don't see them often, Jackson has been a joy every time we visit. He brings on tons of smiles to everyone he sees. I love you Jackson!
9.) When one of my best friends moved back to Vancouver from Halifax, it was awesome. Then her husband became an RCMP and got posted to Saskatchewan. Thankfully, distance did not deter us from keeping in touch. This past year, she came home twice, first time when I was 33 weeks preggo and managed to walk 5K at the Color Me Rad Run (in hindsight, that might not have been a great idea) and the second time on her way back from Italy so she could see the little one. Anita - I am so thankful for our friendship where you are just one facebook chat away for me to vent about anything (mostly my children). And you are always up for the banter and never think I'm crazy. I am SO looking forward to our miracle tickets concert (Adele) this coming year!
8.) Being as social as I am, I tend to take vacations and invite everyone along. Bryan and I didn't take a trip alone until Seattle in 2013. That means 10 years into our relationship! I vowed to take family trips in 2015 with just us. We managed to squeeze in 2 trips with our family of 4 the first half of 2015! The first trip was to Victoria where the kids had an absolutely blast! Not to mention we got free crabs from the Airbnb that were staying at. I was super blessed to be able to combine my work trip with a family trip.
We also decided to take a trip out to Oregon around May. Although the drive was long with the kids and the weather didn't necessarily cooperate, I learned that kids don't necessarily care about the same things I do about vacations! They wanted to spend majority of their time at the indoor pool at the resort, while I thought a good vacation meant being in the wind at the beach.
I am so thankful we were able to spend some quality time with the girls this year.
7.) When Bryan and I were going through our rough patch, we read dozens of books to continue growing personally and in our relationship. Conversations With God was a book that completely changed my life. When I found out Neale Donald Walsch was coming to Vancouver to speak, I didn't hesitate to go. And when I found out there was a contest to do a meet and greet? I jumped at the chance. I won't bore you with the story again about how I won, you can read the details here. It was an experience I will never forget. Lessons that kept my heart full. Thank you to everyone who supported me!
6.) Baby Group - Honestly, I cannot live without this group.It's now been 4.5 years and we still get together once a month at a pub for nights out to chat about how tantrums, the fournados, school, parenting, husbands, and so on and so on. The dads even had their second annual night out (wow!). 2015 camping trip (with Al being 5 weeks!) was epic with a slip and slide, adult jenga blocks, outdoor movies, and ice cream making. We are seriously the coolest group! Thank you for being my rock and support when I thought I was the worst mom in the world. You are always there to lift me out. Thank you!
5.) I was a bit over ambitious in 2015 and wanted to cram in as many camping trips as possible before #3 came along. I am not exactly sure how I went camping at 34 and 36 weeks preggo, but I did it! And am so thankful I did.
4.) Preschool - It was interesting that the beginning of the preschool year in 2014, I didn't really get to know a lot of parents. By the end of the school year, I was going camping with a couple of the families.
Sam - you have been my partner in crime in So Fun and am thankful you are along side me as VP this school year. Thank you for always planning fun things to get all of us together.
Being president of the school has been challenging this year. To the executive - you guys have simply been amazing. Thank you for bearing with our late and sometimes frequent meetings. You have been supportive and encouraging with the changes. Thank you for making the learning curve a bit easier to handle!
Preschool parents - we may not chat all the time, but I so appreciate you. You guys love Mackenzie during duty and I have enjoyed my time with your kids during duty too. I am so going to miss them when this school year ends and can't imagine not seeing their beautiful faces and souls!
3.) We just came back from staying with my best friend and this beauty right here! I am so thankful that Amanda and I have been friends for going on 22 years now. No matter the distance, we have somehow still found ways to laugh until we are in tears not only in person, but through facebook messenger too. Friend, you have kept me grounded this year and I was so blessed to spend time with you during Q's first birthday, Christmas break, and New Year's! Somehow, we never run out of things to talk about and you always give me a different perspective to look at.
2.) It would be crazy not to include these 2 women right here. Just this trip, Mack was worried she was forgetting Mama Chan. When I pulled up a picture of my mom, Mack breathed an audible sigh of relief, kissed her and a peacefulness washed over her. Their love is still ridiculous!
Our kids are not always the easiest, but that doesn't stop the auntie love from my sister! She entertains them on the phone when they ask to speak with her and loves reading them stories. We are all lucky to have Yi Yi in our lives!
1.) When we found out we were having a boy, I was in disbelief. I didn't actually believe it until he was actually born! I won't bore you with the birth story, you can read that here. This time around, I am appreciating the newborn stage more. I am savoring the moments a little bit longer.
The girls have been incredible with Alastair the moment he was born. I wish I could bottle the loving moments. But maybe I don't need to. Maybe they will be this loving always.
We have been blessed this year that Bryan's business suddenly took off. Although it meant more nights away, Bryan has been amazingly supportive on all fronts. We have become more organized as a team with how our day would go and meal planning. I am filled with gratitude with my year maternity leave. I am enjoying every moment with all 3 kids at home. We have squeezed in more quality time in the past 5 months than I had imagined.
Alastair has helped me slowed down when things get chaotic in the parenting world. He has helped fill more love in this house than there already was! I am so looking forward to watching him grow!
That about wraps it up! I couldn't fit everyone in there, but of course there's always daycare (Crystal, you are our sanity - thank you!), Mack starting musical class, learning to swim on her own, and so many more moments! 2015, you have been good to us. I am so looking forward to seeing what 2016 has in store for us!
Cheers!
-Carly
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