2012 A Review in Pictures

2012 

The year started just like any other 

 and then turned super awesome when Lilly and I took a long weekend trip to Indy to visit dear friends and visited the Indy Children's Museum - it was amazing!

We celebrated very fun Valentine's Day parties at school

 The Easter Bunny was very good to the kids and left far too much sweet stuff for them

 The boys made new rockets and raced them at the Cub Scout Rocket Race

Topher's 4th Grade class took a field trip to the capital and met with a Senator

My Cub Scout group + Nathan assisted with a Food Truck in our community.  They learned amazing lessons about giving back and gained perspective on how fortunate they really are.

Halloween was... um... interesting 

 Lilly celebrated her 7th birthday and had an "owly" great time

 We may have also had a little fun at the school Christmas parties this year.... 

  The year ended very well, we even had a Rudolf sighting at the Schweri house!

2011 (was it really that long ago) Year in Review

  2011 - what a ride!

A little dune sledding at the Sugar Bowl,

a few teeth lost,

a race completed,

cabin time enjoyed,

honor given, 

(9/11 continual salute at GR Ford Museum)

dancing shoes fitted,

and a long nap, very overdue for our little kindergartner

2010 - A Year in Review

2010

Who, What, Where... Why?

At the beginning of the year, the boys built super amazing Pine Wood Derby cars and raced their little hearts out....

We attended Tulip Time in Holland, our favorite festival, with our dear friends and watched Lilly twirl until she was ready to puke up her elephant ear...

We were able to take a trip to the U.P. and snap this little pic for Topher's birthday invite.....

Christmas in July theme!

Topher was so happy to have his Great Grand Dad and Abuelita make the trip over to celebrate with him

...Lilly wasn't buying this whole 'holiday in the wrong month' gimmick...

thankfully a little jolly mischief with her Grandpa Ballard helped bring her around

Nathan was a great sport and even posed in the 'Christmas in July' holiday photo-op

In August we ventured out for our annual Ballard Family Camping trip, this year we went to Mackinac City.  

They grow their mosquitoes extra thirsty up that way {shudder} 

The boys started school - Nathan in 4th grade (big man on campus) and Topher in 3rd (almost but not quite big man on campus)

This is Nathan - he turned 10 this year - this is a picture from when he turned 9.  Why?  Clearly my photo organizational skills are top-notch, no?  I think he had a good one... I hope anyway

Christmas was very special and Lilly's very best-est wish came true, she received an American Girl Doll that looks just like her.  She named the doll Ashley, after her favorite pre-school teacher.

Lilly turned 5, despite her sassy stubbornness, by some miracle

In hindsight, perhaps having Hello Kitty smoking a big fat one in honor of Lilly's birthday was sending the wrong message....???

Let me translate that look - "I don't care if it is my birthday, I don't care if you have already put down a non-refundable deposit, I will not go out there looking cute and adorable with all of my princess themed friends and have fun - I am the birthday girl and will choose to stay in my grubby street clothes despite my fabulous up-do,  thank you very much!"

2010 was much busier than all of that, certainly, but an unending post doesn't make for good reading.  Besides, I have 2 whole years left to catch up on -   

Now if I could just remember where the 'super-safe, will not lose these ones' place I stashed 2011 photos for the next post are....