When I sat down to put together this little year in review, I literally teared up a few times. It's been an amazing year for us Thompsons, and here's a few of the highlights.
JANUARY
We kicked January off with a bang. Phase one of Operation Bye Bye Paci was officially under way. It was gut wrenching...and lengthy. The paci didn't finally go bye bye until the end of May. If I'm being completely honest, and at the risk of having to duck and cover from my husband, I really kinda miss my paci baby. She was the cutest paci sucker ever.
Just see for yourself, my friends!
FEBRUARY
This year was the first year for Chloe to really "get" what the different holidays mean. Here she is on Valentine's day with her yummy gifts she picked out for Jade and Jenna.
I also turned 33 in February. Like I said, time. is. flying. Usually, Rusty isn't in town on my birthday, and, of course, I always have to work. Last year, he was out of town, so Chloe and I met Mimi at Chuck E Cheese after I got off work. Yes, I spent my 32nd birthday at Chuck E Cheese. This year, I worked past 8 o'clock with Chloe in tow the two consecutive nights prior. So, my birthday night was spent relaxing, taking in sweet snuggles with the cutest girl in the world. Photo creds to my old, crappy iPhone. #peaceoutiPhone4s #terriblepixelation
MARCH
March. March was BIG.
For us Thompsons, March means baseball. March means dusting off the Rangers gear, pulling out the glove, and taking in a few home games. Chloe loves baseball. Have you ever seen a two year old actually watch the game and cheer them on???
Chloe also got her first passport in March. It took me 27 years to get a passport. It only took her two and a half. Afterwards, she got rewarded with ice cream for being such a patient, good girl during the hour and a half wait.
The biggest part of our March, though, was our Spring Break. We, along with 24 other students, my mom, and a few parents, traveled to Washington DC and New York City for some Spring Break fun. It was amazing. It was exhausting. It was SO WORTH every penny I spent getting there, every hour I spent planning out all the details, and every freak out, second guessing moment of "What AM I doing taking middle schoolers AND a two year old under my wing for 5 days?" We had a blast. Here are a few of the highlights. I've said it before, and I'll say it again; my kids are simply THE BEST. All my pictures from March were deleted from my junky iPhone during a reset (thank GOD that phone is gone now), so I had to grab these pictures from my Instagram. Sadly, the quality is, well....blah.
Miss independent got her own luggage.
NYC from the top of the Empire State Building.
At The Capitol Building all bundled up. Did I mention that an artic blast hit the day we arrived and it was FREEZING the whole trip?
We were waiting on President Obama to drive by. Eventually, we decided he wasn't worth the wait and that lunch sounded way more appealing.
In the elevator, headed up 86 floors at 20mph to the top of the Empire State Building is kinda scary.
FAO Schwartz was a must stop. Anyone ever seen the floor piano in Big?
We were on the ferry headed for the Statue of Liberty. She was SO good the whole trip.
The boys at the Statue of Liberty.
Briley and I were braving the subway for the first time.
Finally, one day, when Chloe asks to go to the White House, I'll tell her how boring she found it the first time she went.
APRIL
Happy Easter! As always, remember the reason for the "season."
Matthew 28: 5-6
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: fore he is risen, as he said.
John 11:25-26
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."
He is risen, we are saved, and I stuffed just a few eggs.
MAY
May brought on a busy month of "end of school year" hoopla, but nothing compared to Chloe's end of year FIRST DANCE RECITAL! She did a great job and we were all SO VERY PROUD of her!
JUNE
In true fashion, I blinked and June was over. June is big in our house. It's goodbye school and hello, summer! With saying goodbye to school, Chloe said goodbye to Jakki (for forever this time), and we let the summer fun commence. Chloe's last day at Jakki's began by getting up early that morning to make her a goodbye card.
Swim lessons began the first day of summer.
We played hard, acted silly, and stayed up late.
And, of course, we turned THREE! We celebrated in style with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed birthday party, took the little miss on a Vera Bradley shopping spree, and made sure her stuffed animals joined in the celebration by blowing up balloons for the birthday girl to wake up to.
Chloe also said bye bye to her paci for good finally. She was such a brave, big girl as she stuffed them in a Build a Bear that we now have donned Paci Puppy.
Finally, how can I leave out Chloe finally getting her very first haircut. It was three long, bald years in the making!
Sigh. June was intense. My baby is never allowed to do that much growing up in 30 days ever again.
JULY
In July, Rusty turned 33, and we took a family vacation to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico...and took almost no pictures. We were in the water most of the time, so you know how that goes. Here's a few highlights I did manage to capture.
Our view from the balcony was gorgeous.
Rusty caught a really big fish...which we then had to pay to be processed and shipped back to the United States. Thanks, babe. ;)
Chloe was promised she could swim with the dolphins if she gave up her paci before we went on the trip. She was SO excited until we stepped in the water. Then, she totally freaked out. We were in the water with this beauty for over an hour. It was amazing. Since I had swam with them before, they let me do an underwater swim with her rather than a boring ole dorsal tow or foot push. I literally put goggles on, grabbed onto her dorsal fin and flipper, and away we went 15-20 feet down into the water, fast as lightening. I can't even describe the feeling. It was such an awesome experience that I have no documentation of. I do have this beautiful picture of Chloe and I with the dolphin hanging on my refrigerator, though! Excuse the quality; it's a picture of a picture.
AUGUST
August was marked by another trip, this time with Mimi and Mamaw to Branson, Missouri, and the start of a new school year.
We road tripped it up to Branson and took in countless shows and sites. It was a great girl's trip! I also funded the entire trip by selling a mere three dresses from Chloe's winter collection of Sweet Honey. I know lots of my friends comment on how beautiful those dresses are. They're not just beautiful, my friends, they're profitable!
Here is Chloe outside of Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. It's a beautiful property, and you can visit all the horse stables as well. Chloe was in horsie heaven.
Chloe took this picture below. Aside from the slight blur, I think she did pretty good!
She also managed to cut her finger on a piece of glass at the Old Time Five and Dime. It scared the crap out of me. She bled and bled, cried and cried. Once we finally got the bleeding to stop, she didn't end up needing stitches, but I sure did feel awful for her. :(
Road trips can be fun...and boring. We took selfies to pass the time and when we got extremely bored...well, see for yourself.
With the start of the new school year, Chloe also started PRESCHOOL! The first few weeks went something like this...
Talk about breaking a momma's heart!
SEPTEMBER
September brought with it a happier little girl when it came to school, cheer season kicked off, and, oh yeah, we kinda got a tractor. You know, because everyone living in a housing community with a yard small enough you could pee across it needs a tractor...
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OCTOBER
Happy Halloween from the cutest little girl horsie I know!
NOVEMBER
November was exciting. I took another trip without my girl, this time to Rome. It was beautiful, it was amazing, and it was by far the best trip of the year. I only wish my little family could have joined me.
DECEMBER
Bring on December! This is by far my favorite time of the year. I love to decorate the house. I love sitting in the living room with all the lights off and beautiful Christmas lights illuminating the room. Christmas means so much more, too, now that we have Chloe. I think it's super important to not get so caught up in all the hoopla and forget the reason for the season. A baby was born to be our savior, to provide us eternal life, to sacrifice for our sins.
December just flies by way too quick. Here are a just a few pictures from our festivities. Somehow, I managed to not get one family picture this year of the three of us. :/
There it is! My little family's year in review. I must say, though, what I cherish more than any of these "big" moments are the small ones; the daily morning picture we take of Chloe to send to daddy, the mommy/Chloe selfies, the nightly cuddles in the recliner, the sitting at a toddler table playing games, eating fake food, and putting the same ole puzzles together for the bazillionth time. Tomorrow is never promised. Remember that and cherish those average, everyday moments because they're not so average; they're spectacular. 2014 was a great year. I can't wait to see what 2015 holds. We kick it off with a big trip to London and Paris in about 2 1/2 months! See you soon for a peek at my 2015 goals!
Until next time,
Happy New Year!
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