2.0.1.3.

Welcome 2013!!

So glad to see 2013 come our way with new hopes & dreams.  We had a busy & fun New Year's Eve.  We started the night off at dear friend's house.  It was festive with lots of good food & drinks.

My handsome New Year's date

Paige & I

We the proceeded to another dear friend's home.  It was a lot of fun.  There was more good food & we played a white elephant gift game, along with a trivia game. Wish we could have stayed longer, as we enjoy them so much!

Festive table

At midnight, we went to another friend's house & we got the girls then.  They had been babysitting at a house across the street.  The tiredness was kicking in at that point, so we all headed home on the rainy evening.  

Midnight champagne

Late night girls ringing in the new year!

Happy New Year 2013!

Recap of 2012:

I began this blog as an online journal of our lives & I am glad to share that with you.  In my recap, I won't post pictures since I do so much of that during the year.  Here are the highlights:

January - I started this blog & Brook got a personalized, autographed picture from her favorite astronaut. I was introduced to fun Canasta nights.

February - Isabella turned 11 & celebrated her birthday with the most fun William & Kate party! We updated our bathroom with new fixtures, & got our dog, Beckham.

March - My older sister & I had a fun night out together celebrating her birthday. Spring break was spent at home truly enjoying the break!

April - Easter weekend is always a highlight camping with our friends.  We spent Easter Sunday with the Greens which was so nice & relaxing.  The girls & I drove to Charlotte to be with Avery's family & celebrate my nephew's birthday.  I went to the homeschooling conference in Memphis which is always inspiring, energizing, & a fun time with friends.

May - Brook did great at her first piano & ballet recitals.  Avery & I celebrated 14 years of marriage!

June - Sadly, the Greens moved from Memphis, but we did have a fun going-away party for them.  The girls had VBS at church & Brook did great in swim lessons.  Oh, & I almost forgot, I went a cruise with my mom, sister, & niece.  Good things we have pictures to prove this trip :))

July - We did a surprise camping trip with the Greens in Kentucky!  It was definitely one of the best days.  Then our camper fell apart :(. We enjoy our new 4th of July tradition at the French residence.  I had some blood clot issues (but thankfully all better now!), which consumed a lot of time this month.  My dad took all the girls to Chicago for a fun week & Nicole & Tyler got engaged!

August - Our family went to a camp with our church.  The girls & I took a trip to Greenville, SC, Charlotte, NC, then met Avery in Pigeon Forge, TN for our first family white water rafting trip.  Isabella started 6th grade & Brook started 3rd grade in school.

September - Avery turned 40 years old!  We also were able to see the Greens again this month.

October - Brook turned 8 years old & we had a simple, but fun & creative Lego party.  We also went fall camping with our Easter camping group.  I was able to go back to my college for a sorority reunion.

November - Isabella went on her first Jr. High trip.  Brook got partial braces & we began routine orthodontist appointments for both girls. Oh, and I had a birthday this month too!

December - Isabella & I did the St. Jude 5k. Avery did some more work on our new addition, including a fire pit.  The Greens came to Memphis!  We hosted 18 people at our home for Christmas Eve for the first time.  We ended the year with a fun night to see my favorite musician, Huey Lewis.  

Let me close by saying how I do welcome the thoughts of fresh starts.  2012 was full of many fun things & people, for which I am so grateful. It also came with some hard times.  Fun & hard times will come in 2013 too.  Thankfully, I don't have to wait 365 days to feel hope again though.  I have this hope living in me daily & here is a great promise to remember each day:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  Lamentations 3:22-23