2009 - A Year in Review

Happy New Year! I was really looking forward to 2009 ending, and to the New Year beginning. I am looking forward to starting some new projects, accomplishing some new goals, and putting behind me what has been a really rough financial few months for our home. But this morning, I was inspired to look through some photos of the year after reading my friend Cindi's blog, and in retrospect - 2009 was a really fantastic year for us. Here is a little recap of some of the milestones and events that our family encountered in 2009:

Ella turned 2 in January!

I received a ticket for speeding (shame on me) to a Saturday Morning Scrapbook gathering event in February. Uh-oh!

Katie finished Kindergarten and started First Grade this year! Way to go Kate!!

We added a fun playhouse to our backyard! The girls enjoyed this all summer and fall!

We traveled to New York to meet my nephew and Godson, Carlo Gianni Della Ragione, in May. God Bless Baby Carlo!

We enjoyed lots of goodies at the Wisconsin State Fair this summer!

Katie and Phil had a great time at the fair, too!

Katie turned 6 this year!

Daddy spent lots of time with the girls doing lots of great stuff, including a visit to the Zoo!

Both Katie and Ella discovered the joy of fishing with their Grandma Lill!

We grew some absolutely beautiful sunflowers in our backyard this year!

Katie played in a soccer league, and learned lots of new stuff!

And Ella cheered her on at each practice and game!

Phil and I enjoyed an amazing U2 concert at Soldier Field.

And we had a fantastic Halloween Party this year (that Phil was in town for! Yea!)

Ella made great improvement in the potty training area!

And I've watched my daughters take care of each other, play with each other, and enjoy each other more and more each day this past year.

We survived the flu in our house this December.

And we reconnected with some dear old friends.

Phil spent some great time sledding with the girls at his dad's home.

And we had a Wonderful Christmas at home. Together.

Some other stuff that I don't have photos of: We enjoyed a trip to Las Vegas with our friends in February, and got to see Billy Joel in concert during that trip. I moved my office from my basement to a "real office space" in March. I then recouped from pneumonia in June and we all nursed my mom back from a knee replacement in July. We spent lots of time in a new blow-up pool in the back yard this summer, and we have had 2 wonderful weeks with Daddy home in the end of December. It has been one heck of a year. And while I look forward to putting some of it behind us, I am so grateful for the fun and laughs that we had. I look forward to tomorrow, as my goal to CREATE this year will begin (I'm working on a particular project that I can't wait to get a handle on.)

I wish you all a Wonderful New Year's Day and hope you are all enjoying some time with those you love!