Happy New Year!!!

I thought I'd do a little year in review post for everyone's enjoyment. (more to help me remember what's we've done this year....)

Year in review:

January - Daniel "learned" to ice skate....

February- My Mom and Dad entered the mtc. We had our first appointment with LDS Family Services and started our adoption paperwork.

March - sent my parents off on their mission to New Zealand

Dani's 5th transplant anniversary. I was able to give my sister a stem cell (bone marrow) transplant and she's made it to the 5 year mark! That is when they consider her "cured" from the Leukemia. (not all of the nasty side effects from the chemo etc, but at least the disease) We're ecstatic that she's doing so well. Bryan and I were able to take a short overnight trip to St. George and drive through Zion's National Park and Kolob Canyon. It was gorgeous! spent spring break in Utah ,adoption interviews, inspections, etc.

We spent lots of time at the Zoo.April -We went to a Yankee's Game in Cleveland where Daniel learned about the wonders of Hot Dogs, cotton candy and baseball.
Daniel and I drove over to the Cincinnati Flower show and enjoyed a day of walking through the beautiful sights.May - For Memorial Day we drove over to Nauvoo and met Dani and her family for the weekend. In mid-May we were approved for adoption, meaning our paperwork was finally done!!! We went to the Cheesecake factory for my birthday dinner and I finally found the local Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel!
June - School's out, Since Daniel's birthday is so close to Christmas we've decided to start having a bit of a celebration on his half birthday, so this year we went to the Kung Fu Panda movie and stopped at Handel's for some Ice Cream, Daniel especially loves the little smiley faces they put on their kiddy cones. Bryan started working at Nationwide children's hospital doing research and I started my etsy shop. ( http://www.littlemiddlesister.etsy.com/ ) July -for the Fourth of July we met up with a bunch of people from the ward and watched "Red White and Boom," it was a lot of fun to get together with all the people there, but for me the fireworks were a bit underwhelming, I guess I was just too far away. (and I've been spoiled the last few years by being right underneath the ones at Stadium of Fire) We took Daniel to see the big trucks at Cosi (children's museum) and he was in LOVE. The trucks were all out by the water front and the kids could sit in them and operate some of the equipment. We might renew our membership for this day alone! We met at Bear Lake for the annual family reunion and had a blast, this time no horrendous sunburns!!! (that's our only goal every year) August -

We were invited up to Island Park with my sister Shannon and her husband Erik.I had no idea how beautiful it would be! We spent the weekend hanging out, boating, tubing and going on the wave runners. It was so much fun. We'll definitely have to do that again! On our way out of town we stopped by Yellowstone National Park. I had never been and was again very very pleasantly surprised! We were only able to see the area near the west entrance, so I'm anxious to go back again some day and see the rest. In this picture you can see, we got hot and sweaty, but the views were well worth the effort.Inside the lodge right next to Old Faithful. (which was ironically running late that day)
We celebrated Bryan's bday and started school the same day.

September - well, a lot of this month went to preparing for (and getting over) the failed adoption, but we were still able to do a few fun things. Carol flew out to Ohio and we drove over to Washington DC for a much needed vacation.

October - Dan and Carol came back out to visit us and we had a great time. We went up to Kirtland again and Dan and Bryan took in a Buckeye game.

Of course we also made a trip to the pumpkin patch and trick or treating which I just blogged about not too long ago.

I think I'll give November and December their own posts. ;) This is already forever long!