If you're reading this, you either check in occasionally or.... Ta Dah! I got the Christmas cards sent out!!!!!! This has been a wonderful year and we just wanted to share a few snip its with you! Let's start with:
January - All I can say is we were sugar highed, spoiled, and ready for grumpy mommy to have our baby. It was a VERY cold month for the state of Georgia and in Feb. we even got snow.
February- Jonah turned 5! He has truly grown up so much. He's calmed down and is such a delight to talk with. He LOVES Lego's and Star Wars.. and loves when they are together. He loves church and loves to make the girls giggle.
March - Our sweet Mia was born on the 27th. She has been an amazing baby. Very content and happy. She's just now getting stranger anxiety, but if mom's around, she is never upset. She even deals with all the hugs and loves from 4 older siblings.
April - My mom had to leave and Brian had to go back to work. I had to figure out how to juggle 5 kids and a semi- normal life. I really missed my help leaving (thanks mom and Beth and Bob for all the help), but we slowly but surely figured it out. This also started my life of eating healthy. To date I've lost 33lbs and feel great!
May - Mollie turned 10... oh my, a whole decade. She had a Hoedown Throw Down birthday party. We cleared the furniture and danced to country music. She loves to dance and sing and sing and sing and sing.... and sing. She also loves to blog and take pictures. She is so helpful with all her younger siblings and we are truly grateful for her.
June- We went on our annual Charleston trip. It was VERY hot! but fun. We went to the water park, the beach and we all rode bikes this year. Even Jonah! Amie and Mia were pulled in the trailer and they loved having the royal treatment.
July - Another vacation month! Our cousins came down from Minnesota and we were so happy to spend girl time at Hilton Head beach and the boys down at Kennedy Space Center with a real astronaut! We spent the rest of the time swimming and playing at Grandmas house. Oh, and of course, Brian turned 37, I turned 32 and we've been married for 11 GREAT years!!
August - Back to School! The kids have truly done double time this fall with school. We were a little more relaxed with Mia being born, but boom.... Benjamin went from a 1st grade reading level to a 4th and his writing has really improved. Jonah is reading when he wants to and counts and adds EVERYTHING!, Mollie is learning long division and doing wonderfully and Amie... LOVES mommy school. We've done lots of crafts and have learned that she's an artist.
September- What a wonderful month this was. Our Benjamin chose to be baptized. He truly understands and is an amazing example to us. He even finished reading the Book of Mormon this year. Our Granny and Grandpa were also able to come for his baptism and we had a blast with them... too short, but loved having them. We took them to the boys favorite place.... Fort Pulaski.
October - Wow, seems like yesterday. We ALL dressed up like Greek gods and goddesses. We've been reading Percy Jackson and had so much fun at all of our parties. This was also the month Mom was very jealous of Brian and Benjamin... they went on a cruise... and ate and ate and ate and had such a wonderful bonding experience.
November - This month just flew by for us. We are very Thankful for all of our blessings and had a wonderful month of service. We also shared our Thanksgiving day at the Grandma and Grandpa Russell's house... and of course participated in the ultra crazy Black Friday!
December - We've had a wonderful month. We've been Christmas caroling, been secret elves, read the Forgotten Carols, enjoyed way too many treats, and of course, had a wonderful time sharing Christmas memories with each other. The kids had Santa come early and we'll be having 2 Christmas'! The kids of course have been spoiled, but I really feel we've done our best at sharing the true meaning of Christmas with them. This is also the month Amie turns 3! She is our very independent, strong willed child. We're learning how to work her and she is a delight when we do figure it out. We've learned to give her outlets through art and much to my dismay, movies. She is potty trained day and night and talks a mile a minute. She has an amazing vocabulary and we are truly thankful for her.
Which brings us to our blessings of having amazing family and friends like you. We are so thankful God has brought you into our lives. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas and want you to know you are all in our thoughts and prayers.
Love, The Russell Family
