Here we are again, another year almost in the books! I love doing these yearly wrap ups more for me then anyone else. A good reminder of how faithful the Lord has been throughout the year
The absolute highlight of our whole year happened in the first month. John and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary back in November 2020. We planned for a big trip but obviously that didn't happen. Finally, in January 2022 we got that trip! We spent a week in Huatulco, Mexico at a beautiful, fancy schmancy resort. We will probably never stay somewhere that nice again so it was so fun to be completely spoiled for a week. It was absolute perfection and the perfect way to kick off a new year.
My parents stayed with the girls. Unfortunately, both girls got covid during our trip, as did my parents but they all recovered nicely. I also got covid a month later and it hit me a little harder but I made a full recovery fairly quickly and I'm so thankful for that.
March was birthday month. Both girls chose parties at home with friends and it was a crazy busy month but so fun! By then all covid restrictions had lifted and it felt so good to have a house full of their friends!
We also got a paper route in March! Cassidy and I currently do it together but the hope is for one day her and Avi to do it. It is quite a large route but mid summer we were blessed to randomly cross paths with some people we'd met once before, who happened to be moving to our side of town and whose son was looking for a paper route! We happily agreed to split our route and I've never been more glad for that then I have been on these cold winter days!
In April, my niece Kendra turned one and we went out to Sylvan Lake over Easter weekend to visit them. We had a great time!
In May the girls had their first ever piano recital! They've been taking lessons for a while now but this was the first time we could gather for a recital. They both did such a good job. They are still both taking lessons and loving it. They have their lessons at school which is super convienent. They also had a track and field day at the end of May. It's been so wonderful to have all of these events again after two years.
We kicked off summer vacation with family camp at Cypress Hills! We've been wanting to do a family camp for awhile and I was looking up different camps in the province and I realized there was one in Cypress Hills. We've also been wanting to visit there, as John had never been and I only went once as a kid. It was so so wonderful! We are already talking about going back next summer. Family camp was so fun and the setting is beyond gorgeous. I kept saying it felt like we were in BC. Cypress is truly a gem in our province. We added a few days on to tent after family camp and boy, that was interesting! It POURED rain the entire time we set up camp. It was a miserable experience but we put our heads down and did it with no arguing, so I'd call that a win! Thankfully it didn't rain the rest of our time there. We can look back and laugh now!
The rest of the summer we spent at home and it was a perfect mix of busy and relaxing. We had a family reunion on John's side, my siblings came out and we spent some time with them, we went to the fair, the girls had a lemonade stand, lots of park visits, and the girls spent two weeks doing swimming lessons in Martensville. Avi finally conquered her fear of going underwater and Cassidy passed her level and improved so much. Another highlight of the summer- both girls attended their own summer camps at Redberry. This was Cassidy's 4th year and the first time for Avi! She just did a two night camp but loved it!
Summer went by too fast, as it always does. The girls started grades 3 and 6 in September. I had a little bit of turnover in my daycare with some kids aging out and adding a new little guy to my crew! We also did something crazy and impulsive and got a puppy! The cutest, cuddliest labradoodle named Oscar. He's currently growing at a rapid rate and I'm kind of terrified of how big he'll end up being! He is such a good boy and we love him so much.
Fall has definitely been the hardest part of our year. Back to school also brought some crazy viruses. September and October were brutal. Every one of my daycare kids were sick, and not just a minor cold. The four of us also got sick in there too. It was mid November before we finally made it through a week of no sick kids. We seem to be over the worst of it (I hope!) and I'm praying for good health from here on out.
We also had quite a few unexpected house expenses which has been discouraging but those are the things that come with being a homeowner, and when it rains, it pours.
A bright spot in a difficult fall season was traveling to Vernon, BC to attend my cousin's wedding and celebrate my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary! It was so wonderful to all be together and the weather was fabulous.
The worst part of this year was saying goodbye to Maya, our dog of 13 years. We put her down at the beginning of December. We all feel her absence and miss her very much.
We are all looking forward to Christmas and time off from work and lots of good family time. A few things that are coming up next year are a trip to Vegas in April to show Avi where she was born (this has been in the works for quite awhile and we are all so excited!) and a job change for John! More about that at another time! My daycare is as busy as ever and I'm so thankful for these wonderful families I get to work for.
We are so thankful for good health, good friends and family and a good God!
