2016 Year in Review

Rather than send out Christmas Cards, I thought I would sit down to the ol' blog and share a little of our year with friends and family.

January 2016
I was teaching first grade full time during the last school year.  This was the primary reason I stopped blogging and focused all my energies on re-entering the work force and parenting two young children.  I found joy in teaching, despite late nights of working at school and feeling overwhelmed for most of the school year.  I am grateful I got to figure out how dependable God is to provide strength, strength and more strength.
June doing gymnastics class and our favorite "pop up" park in the Edwards Greenhouse every winter.

February 2016
Our Mimi (Dad's mom) passed away, which was bittersweet because she was gone, but she brought all of us together when I didn't know the next time that would happen.

March

Easter and fun with mom

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April

Kenny left for Rwanda, his second trip there, to capture stories for Africa New Life. Aunt Addie came for a visit while he was gone!

May-June

As school ended, I was able to move out of first grade into a part time kindergarten class for the next school year. Nash turned two years old at the end of May. We began our summer with a trip to the Grand Tetons with Kenny's parents.  Kenny and their team of filmmakers won first place in several novice categories for their short film in the i48 film festival!  You can see their movie "Make it Count" here.

July

Summer fun continued as I reveled in my time off with the kids- cherry picking, trips to the zoo, and lots of creative play! As Kenny headed off to McCall to do two weeks of summer camp (playing music), me and the kids headed for another family adventure to Missouri! We saw friends and family and June turned into a little fish.  We caught fireflies, which is something you can't do in Idaho!

August

My trip to Sweden with Addie!  We visited four cities in eight, whirlwind days.  We had as much coffee, sister bonding, ancestry and history appreciation as you can pack in a short trip.  I got back two days before contract time started at Barbara Morgan STEM Academy where I now teach Kindergarten part time.

September-October-November

June went to preschool a few mornings a week and I was so grateful I could walk her some of the time. Nash got really good at "perkisizing," talking in full sentences, and is getting smarter everyday.  I try to say "yes" to June as often as possible to her creative thinking, and we have made some interesting things this fall. Kenny and I snuck away for a weekend trip to Portland to watch his films at the Africa New Life fundraiser gala.  Halloween is all year long for us, but these pictures show some of the fun we had.  For June's birthday, Yaya came to visit and spend Thanksgiving with us! 

December

As the year closes, I am glad for all the travel we have gotten to do this year.  I am also glad for the constant challenge of being a working mom, as it has revealed what is really important to me and has given me a new gratitude for the time I got to stay home with the kids.  We are enjoying a long Christmas Break and have hope for joy, clarity, and a less-picky toddler in the new year.  Love to all my friends and family reading this!!