Monday, December 31, 2012

Sayonara 2012! Hola 2013!

2012 is a few a hours away from being nothing but memories. 

2013 is knocking on the door and it wants to start the New Year off with a bang! At least I hope it does. Well, actually, we'll probably be sleeping when the clock strikes 12 where we live...but ya know...

2012 was a quite a year.  There was sadness and happiness, laughter and tears.  Anger, frustration, fun, and enjoyment made their appearances as well.  Boredom and stress popped in to say "Hellooooo" occasionally too.  Adventure and travel whisked us away to some exciting places and a moving truck transported our belongings from an old home full of memories to a new home full of possibilities.  Injuries were sustained and PR's both physically and emotionally were gained for all 3 of us. The end of the world was shouted from the mountains tops but would look at that! We're still here....or are we?

January 2012 marked our first full year as a family of 3 and Wee Man's 3rd birthday.  So we combined the two (as the anniversaries are only 6 days apart) and had "Yay Wee Man is 3 and It's Been a Year!" party. I also made my first homemade birthday cake! 

 
 
 

2012 also saw loss and heartbreak.  Our "Little Grandma" passed away in February at the young age of 88.  We lost a beautiful, gregarious, intelligent, kind, funny, witty, fierce-loving, firecracker of a wee lady.  Nora had integrity and family values that outshone anyone I know. She wasn't afraid of a little hard work but she also knew life was about having fun.  She is missed every single day by all those who loved her dearly.  2012 saw me celebrate my first birthday without the 7a.m. "Happy Birthday" call and chocolate cake (she knew it was my favourite) or the excitement she brought to each and every Christmas.  She loved Christmas like no one else. 

She may be gone from our daily lives but she lives on in our hearts forever and she will never be forgotten.







In March, The Hubs and I took a much needed vacation.  ON. OUR. OWN. Sans kidlet. 

"Just the two of us we can make it if we try, just the two of us, building castles in the sky, just the two of us, You and I."

One might say it was "Afternoon Delightful" - "Sky rocket's in flight, afternoon delight, Afternoon delight, afternoon delight" but maybe I shouldn't kiss and tell!

We left on a jet plane and headed to Cancun where we checked into an Adults' only all-inclusive resort. We spent 7 glorious days bathing in the sun only getting up when it was too hot. We waded into the pool, grabbed a seat and partook of an adult beverage (or 2) at the swim-up bar.  I'd say we slept in but we didn't because we were up and at the pool deck ready for the next day of lounging by about 7:30a.m each day.  I mean, who needs to sleep in a hotel room when you can sleep next to the ocean!






We did some fun stuff in April but I can't remember what. Easter was in there somewhere and I thought I had photos; however, Wee Man was going through his "don't take photos of me" phase so sadly I have none of him discovering the glorious treasures the Easter Bunny left for him.

Ooooh, oh, oh, oh.....COLDPLAY!! We saw Coldplay in April and they were AAAAHMAZING! ( I can tell you I will never look at dolphins the same way again)


May saw us "VIVA LAS VEGAS". We found ourselves in a "Mirage" in the middle of the desert and wouldn't you know we ran into "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" while we were there.  (Aka we stayed at the Mirage Hotel and saw "Beatles Love".)  We walked the strip and hung out in a chandelier - literally - all while hangin' with the coolest peeps around.







Lest you get the wrong idea and think we didn't spend anytime with our kidlet, we did. Lots and lots of time...after 2 years of not having more than a night away we took a few liberties, er, ahem, or was it libations. Whatever!

This guy hurt his back at the end of May and spent the next 6 months in agony waiting for surgery.  Thankfully, the doc did what he does best, fixed him up and he is on the road to recovery.


June saw us put our house up for sale and watch as what seemed like an endless parade of people come through our lovely home and pick it apart or delight in what they saw.  We didn't actually witness this as we packed up and left the house every time there was a viewing but we did hear the feedback which was more than enough for me.  A lucky family decided they wanted to make our home their home so we signed on the dotted line and suddenly, we were homeless. O.k. not really. We had the other house in progress and the people purchasing our home were kind enough to let us stay until September.  We moved in August just to be safe!

We took Wee Man to the Jazz Festival for the first time.  Michael Franti came to town singing the much needed "Sound of Sunshine" and we danced the night away.  All of us except The Hubs who rocked out in his zero-gravity chair.



In July, Wee Man and I packed up and went out west to visit the "Outlaws" as Hubs calls them.  It was a fun-filled 9 days of visiting the zoo, fantastic family, and friends near and dear to our hearts.  We listened to tunes on the iPad while travelling, had our faces painted and got to sit in a fire truck.

 

 
Momma got a 4 day break down in L.A. with my crazy, fun, lovable Synergy Strength family where we took in the Crossfit games and saw some amazing athletes kick some WODs in the ass.
 

August saw us pack up our belongings and move from our home of 9 years and the only home Wee Man has known since we joined our family.  A tear-filled good-bye was said by all of us on the day we moved.   

We said our last good-bye with a run a through the sprinklers...



 
....and christened the new home by playing trucks in the saw dust and having a back yard fire pit.



August also saw 4 lovely, adventurous ladies fly off to San Francisco for a 4 day, whirlwind, mother-daughter getaway.  We managed to see a whole lot of San Francisco...even a little sausage in The Castro, if you know what I mean, but I might I have been the only one who actually saw "the goods".

 
 



 


 
 

September we enrolled Wee Man in a creative movement class and he was a natural.
 
(I had a video to post but sadly you won't get to enjoy the next "So You Think You Can Dance" Winner just yet. It won't upload.)
 
October brought fall winds, socks and shoes, warm jackets as the leaves changed colors and left their homes in the trees to cover the ground.  Pumpkins were carved and crazy costumes were donned.
 




 
November - well I wrote about November here.  The hubster had his back surgery and spent time recovering.  Well wishes abounded from family and friends alike.
 


December lights shone bright as Christmas trees and outdoor holiday scenes started to appear.  Christmas parties, eats and treats adorned our waist lines.  Wee Man sang in his daycare pageant and we sighed in delight.  Stockings were hung by the staircase with care and St. Nick didn't disappoint with tons of presents and good cheer.
 
 

 
 
2012 was a fun year full of struggles and triumphs.  We all have our wishes for the New Year.
 
The Hubs is working on his much anticipated back flip now that he has had his surgery. In fact, I caught him practicing tonight.
 





Ade wants to play more, eat more cake and snuggle with mommy and daddy.




Me, well I hope 2013 brings more travel, adventure and fun times with family and friends.  We intended to pack as much in 2013 as we did in 2012 and even more if we can.  I might also have my second ever glass of red wine in 2013.
 
 
 
Cheers to the most excellent adventures yet to come!
 
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!