Speaking of cute pictures, this one is from LL's mom's birthday party this past Wednesday. Collette smiles, but it's usually brief and it's hard to catch it on camera. But here we are both smiling:
So 2009 was quite a year for us! My friend Amanda did a decade in review, and I love that idea, but I didn't quite get that far (maybe I still will). Here is my year in review:
January: Lloyd’s brother Andy and his family came for their annual visit/hunting trip in Mississippi, and helped us begin the moving process by taking half of our furniture and possessions back to PA with them. We rang in the new year with no idea we’d be ending it with a BABY!
February: I ended my job with Community Counseling and we moved from MS to PA. Lloyd completed externships for school while I began to work on our new old house. I moved in with his parents during this renovation time, since our house was in no shape for me to live in! This is when I learned about renovation time lines...I ended up staying with my in-laws until May!
March: We found out we were expecting our first baby! I went to the Doctor by myself, because LL was on externship and we decided to wait to tell our family and friends. I passed out when they took all of the pregnancy blood work. I also declined a Mobile Therapist job and decided it wasn’t worth getting a job for the months before I had the baby. More time was devoted to working on the house.
April: we told both sets of parents they would be getting a new grandbaby. And the day we had been dreaming about and praying for for sooooooooooooooo long arrived-- Lloyd graduated from vet school! Both of our families were able to come, which was great. And we announced to our pregnancy to our Mississippi friends. Their reactions were priceless!
May: we took a fabulous week vacation in Perdito Key, FL with our friends Phillip and Amanda. It was amazing to just relax on the beach, with no school or jobs to worry about! After that, LL began work as associate veterinary position with the Sunbury Animal Hospital.
June: I ditched my vocational goals (short term) and began “checking in Fluffy,” working as a receptionist at Sunbury Animal Hospital. My first (and only) job with my Master’s degree--$8.00/hr receptionist! Lol.
July: we were able to take our last vacation as a family of two, and went to Seattle for LL’s AVMA conference. We saw the Space Needle, zoo, aquarium, museums, and Pike’s Place Market among other things, and got to fulfill our “foodie” desires by eating at some fabulous Food Network recommended restaurants!
August: my mom was able to visit, and helped us continue with house projects. I helped can HUNDREDS of jars of tomato juice, sauce, whole tomatoes, ketchup, spaghetti sauce and salsa. Learned the new pregnancy math—August + no air conditioning + standing for hours over stove = really impressive cankles!
September: we celebrated 5 years of marriage. We spent a fabulous weekend at the Hotel Hershey. It included a seven-course gourmet Chef’s dinner at the Circular Dining Room, treatments at the Hershey Spa, and shopping at the Hershey Outlets.
October: my parents came from WI to visit for my surprise baby shower. I had many freak-outs, both large and small, about the nursery renovations, which ultimately ended by tearing the whole thing down to the studs and starting over. Painting at 36+ weeks is quite the challenge! The end of October also marked the end of my employment with the animal hospital.
November: (of course) we became a family of three! I learned the meanings of the words “ C-section recovery” and “sleep deprivation.” Began formulating interesting responses to the statement “my, that baby has a lot of hair!” My mom was able to come visit and help us spoil our sweet new baby girl, and we were able to celebrate Thanksgiving together!
December: my dad and grandpa were able to join my mom and visit us. Sweet Collette decided to take pity on her mama and started sleeping approximately 6-7 hours a night, usually from about 1:00am until 7:00am. I try to refrain from talking about that too much because everyone tells me how entirely unfair that is! Collette also helped get her first Christmas tree, saw her first snow, and celebrated her first Christmas!
And a quick run-down of the two most time consuming activities of this year—pre-baby. Our house renovations and my new “farm wife” activities!
House Renovations:
•Entire downstairs —ripped up old cat-pee carpets, sanded and sealed hardwood floors.
•Bathroom—knocked out the tiny half-bath wall and turned the enclosed porch into a continuation of the bathroom. The bathroom got new everything—walls, tile floor, toilet, shower, laundry sink, washer, dryer, lights, windows, paint, etc.
•Kitchen—all new appliances, new counter tops, new cupboard build-ins around the new appliances, new self-assembled island, paint, new flooring, new lighting.
•Dining room—new paint and light fixture.
•Living room—new paint, chair railing, and light fixture.
•Study—new paint and light fixture.
•Nursery—down to the studs! New insulation, drywall, ceiling, refinished hardwood floors, new repositioned closet, paint, and light fixture.
Farm Wife activities--foods I picked, canned, made, or froze this year:
•Jams/Preserves: Strawberry, strawberry banana,and grape
•Froze: Strawberries, cherries, raspberries, sugar peas, sweet peas, lima beans, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, cabbage (made sauerkraut), pumpkin, and hubbard squash
•Canned: whole tomatoes, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce, salsa, ketchup, red beets, pears, pears with cherries,and grape juice
Whew! It's been quite a year! Can't wait to see what 2010 brings!!
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