2023 // a year in review

 Happy New Year (almost)! I hope 2023 was full of happy memories and growth for you, and that next year holds lots of exciting plans to anticipate. We had a busy year with lots of construction work for Chris, concerts for me, homeschool for the kids, and hiking for us all.

As many of you will remember, we entered this year very weary. On December 12th, I ended the day in bed with extreme abdominal pain. By morning it was excruciating, so we decided to wake up the kids early so Chris could take me to the ER. I thought it was appendicitis, but after tests and ultrasounds with multiple doctors, the closest guess anyone had was that a cyst had ruptured. They basically told me to go home, load up on ibuprofen, and wait for it to get better. :( A few hours after getting home to rest, Matthew fell on a stick in the yard and sliced his cheek open. Back to the ER Chris went. It was around midnight when they finally got home. Matthew was such a trouper! However, he caught a nasty sickness from someone in the waiting room, and that turned into a double ear infection. It was a very long stretch of weeks, and God used so many of you to comfort and take care of us. You know who you are; thank you. <3

January

- My parents visited for New Year's.

- The kids built some skiers at the library's STEM program.

- Chris was amazing and started cleaning/painting/sealing our old and moldy bathroom. We've dealt with a ton of sickness in this house, and I'm pretty sure this gross bathroom was the cause of a lot of it.

February

- We took a tour of the Table Rock Tea Company with our homeschool group, and got to see the house my in-laws would eventually move into!

- The kids did another STEM program.

- We visited three new state parks: Oconee, Croft, and the Battle of Musgrove Mill.

March

- Safe Haven, an animal rescue organization, visited our homeschool group and the kids loved it!

- We went to a children's program where The Story of Ferdinand was read while a violinist from the Greenville Symphony played selections from Carmen.

- Mom and Dad came down for St. Patrick's Day!

- The kids built a bridge at the STEM program.

- We took Mom, Dad, and IL friends to Issaqueena Falls and the Stumphouse Tunnel.

April

- Chris's dad enjoyed having several grandkids around for his 70th birthday.

- We visited three state parks: Caesar's Head, Sadler's Creek, and Rose Hill Plantation.

- We went to the Greenville Zoo and the Pickens Azalea Festival.

May

- We visited eight state parks: Jones Gap, Hunting Island, Colonial Dorchester, Givhans Ferry, Edisto Beach, Colleton, Paris Mountain, and Calhoun Falls.

- I turned 30. :(

- The kids did several super cool field trips: Happy Cow, Mushroom Mountain, sheriff dogs at the library, and one on lifecycles in mountain streams.

- Peter started 3rd grade and Matthew started K4.

June

- Chris and I got to go to a very special concert by Nickel Creek!

- The kids had two fun library programs: Critter Keeper and the SC Aquarium.

- Matthew turned 4!

- Work on my in-laws' house really started taking off.

- The kids and I went up to IL for almost 4 weeks.

- Went up to MI for a day to hang out at the lake.

July

- Went to a parade for the 4th. I really miss doing this every year with my family!

- Peter participated in a Tiny Art display at the library.

- The kids enjoyed two library programs: Magic Story and Wildlife Geeks. I was brave and held two roaches!

August

- We loved exploring the Clemson Botanical Gardens.

- More library programs! 

September

- Chris and I celebrated our 11th anniversary!

- We visited 4 more state parks: Myrtle Beach, Huntington Beach, Woods Bay, and Lee. Explored the Atalaya Castle which was very unique. 

- We went to Sky Top for the first time, and the boys liked picking apples.

- Chris's brother and his family visited from SD. We are close to them but don't get to see them often, so we treasured our time together. 

- The boys went on an eventful camping trip. I tried not to freak out about letting Matthew go. :P

October

- Peter got to dissect an owl pellet during what he says was his favorite field trip ever.

- He and Matthew participated in a second Tiny Art display, this time at our local library.

- My grandma generously gifted us with a trip to the Disney Hilton Head Island resort. We had the BEST time.

November

- I joined a Bible study group with my sister-in-law and a friend from church.

- My mom, dad, and sister visited and we did all the things!

- Went to Table Rock State Park; and Whitewater, Bridal Veil, Dry, and Silver Run Falls in NC.

- Peter turned 9! We had to get a second birthday cake made last-minute because I dropped the first. :(

December

- I went to a Sarah Brightman concert, and got to watch a friend perform in A Christmas Carol.

- We loved going to Tiny Town and a live nativity to get us in the Christmas spirit. ;)

- We did our biggest cookie delivery yet - 14 people!

- We hiked at Hickory Knob State Park on Christmas Eve.

- I hiked with a friend to Hooker, Triple, and High Falls in NC.

Random Stuff

- Chris's parents and sister moved down, and it's been absolutely wonderful getting to spend more time with them. The childcare is nice, too. ;)

- Panera Sip Club saved my life. I get my free drink every single day. lol

- I played 8 concerts, and have enjoyed getting to know my fellow orchestra members a little better.

- I feel way more established in the homeschool community here, and I'm so thankful for the group at Rock Springs Baptist Church that organizes so many awesome activities. 

- I found out I have cataracts in my right eye, which helps explain why driving at night has gotten increasingly stressful.

- I read 81 books. My favorite fiction reads were The Beatryce Prophecy, Tom Lake, Go as a River, Foe, The Ferryman, Hamnet, and The Marriage Portrait. Favorite non-fiction reads were The Lives We Actually Have, Honey for a Child's Heart, Dinner in Rome, and All the Living and the Dead.

- I watched 52 movies, and my favorites that I hadn't seen before were the Oceans films, The Sixth Sense, Alien: Covenant, The Menu, D&D: Honor Among Thieves, Good Night Oppy, Happiness for Beginners, and Leave the World Behind.

My two goals for 2024 are to break my phone addiction, at least a little bit, and lose the weight that I gained back this year due to major stress. :((((( This year was so not my favorite, but whatever.

If you read all this, wow. Thanks. Happy NYE, peeps!