I can’t believe that 2018 is over. This year has had so many changes, that it’s hard to believe that it was all packed into 365 days. I’m kinda hoping that 2019 is a little more mellow!

January started with a trip to Chicago to visit friends and ring on the New Year. We visited an Ikea in Illinois while we were there. Lily also started flute lessons to help her catch up with the rest of her band. I started playing with my cooking gadgets. Navy loves wrestling club.

February always starts with Navy’s birthday. He turned 7 this year. Doug and I finally celebrated our anniversary. Dinner was delicious. Lily learned a valuable lesson about friendship. We had some unseasonably warm weather, so there were plenty of puddles to play in.

March was so fun. We went to see Disney on Ice, which is always so much fun. Doug and I went to a trivia night fundraiser. Our team did terrible, but it was so much fun. Lily had an osteochondritis check-up. There is still a slight hole in her talus, but it seems to be shrinking every time we go. We celebrated Lily’s 11th birthday with two friends and a trip to her favorite restaurant.

April is the start of summer, sort of. Wrestling ends, but baseball begins. Lily has had a Girl Scout spring campout. We almost lost my dad. It was a very scary and difficult time because we weren’t sure how things were going to turn out. We went on a weekend getaway with some family. It was a much needed time to unwind.

May was met with the end of the school year. I found a letter from Navy that he wrote to Papa while he was in the hospital. It was the sweetest thing. Lily ran her final 5k with Girls on the Run. She has now aged out of the program. I started running again, too. It did not go well. Navy received a math mastery award. We celebrated Cloey’s 18th birthday with kindness.

June was so busy. The kids ran the Canal Days kid’s Amazing Race. Lily’s Girl Scout troop went to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. It was such an amazing trip. The Power of Children exhibit left me speechless. There was also Hoagland Days. The kids always love the parade and the rides. I like that it wasn’t too crazy busy. Doug and I flew to Minneapolis for a work recognition event.

July started off with a trip to the emergency room for Navy to get three stitches in his eyebrow. We went to the July 4th game at the Tincaps, like we have for the last several years. We had a fun trip to Pine Lake with some family and friends. I perfected my mojito recipe, which was a tasty way to spend summer evenings. And, probably the biggest news for July was WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!

August was busy. We closed on our new house and started moving. Navy started 2nd grade, while Lily went off to middle school. We attended out first HS football game of the season, which was a lot of fun. Navy had allergy testing, which revealed that he is allergic to cats, dust, mold, some trees, dogs, and cockroaches. Awesome. We played Beanboozled, too. Never again.

September was a little slower for us. We spent a day away at the beach, which was much needed. Too bad it was already starting to get chilly. I got to test drive my dream car, a Lexus ES 350. Someday. Navy went on his very first Cub Scout camping trip. Lily had a Girl Scout time to the corn maze. Doug and I ventured to Chicago for a family wedding. My nephew turned 10 with a sweet party at the waterpark.

October is always so much fun for me. It’s my birthday month. We started it with buying a new car for Doug. It’s a pretty sweet ride. We all participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. I know that we can do it! Navy, being the baby, gets picked on by his lipstick-wearing step sisters. Lily ran the River City Rat Race.

November was a bit stressful. Lily was awarded 1st chair for flute in the school band. Went went to a painting and wine fundraiser, which was a ton of fun. We finally caught we was eating our pumpkins. Christmas packages were starting to arrive. Lily and Doug went to the Girl Scout Father-Daughter dance. The month ended with the sale of the company I work for being finalized. So many mixed emotions.

December started with Navy’s first wrestling meet. He did good for it being his first meet and having to be up insanely early on a Sunday. We celebrated the love of two amazing individuals with their wedding. Christmas was so much fun. The kids both received some great gifts from family and Santa.

I am pretty sure that 2019 in going to be pretty awesome, too.