2013 In Review
Well, now that we are officially 20 days into 2014, I am finally taking a moment to write up a brief year-in-review for 2013. I thought maybe it would be easiest to do this by family member. So, we'll go youngest to oldest...
Ms. Etta Loy - Went from 6 months to 18 months in the year 2013. She learned to sit up on her own, how to crawl, to walk, and now to run (or toddle, I guess...). She went from no words to about 10 (mom, dad, kyky, more, hi, hello, bye, pup-pup). And she is now eating regular food, drinking regular milk. In other words, she has gone from a baby to a toddler. And you will be happy to know that through it all, she has maintained her fiery little personality. For someone who can barely speak, she bosses those brothers around like it is nobody's business. And the crazy thing is that they listen! To say that the men of the household are wrapped around this little girl's finger is an understatement. They love her exponentially, and it shows.
Throughout the year, she's been battling ear infections off and on, just like her brother Kyler. So, we've started the process to determine if she needs tubes put in. At her checkup last week, we counted 4 infections in six months. Just for statistical purposes - she weighed in at 23 pounds (50th percentile), and I don't recall her height, but it was in the 34th.
Kyler Paul - Finished up his first year of preschool, to go on to year two - 5 half days a week! In the last couple of months, it's been fun to see him start to open up to the idea of learning. He's started to decide that learning new things can be a lot of fun. He currently can count by ones and fives up to 100 (on the ones, he needs a bit of help getting to some of the next sets of 10). He knows his alphabet and is starting to learn a few sight words. He knows all of his colors, basic shapes, and is starting to do simple addition. He is able to spell and write his name.
Kyler has had a busy year with many other activities as well, including his first soccer experience and graduating swimming levels (go level 2!!). He kicked off the summer riding his bike like a champ. The fact that he had that little red push bike all of the year before obviously worked in his favor! Never a day on training wheels! And both he and Braxton had opportunities to run track and enjoyed the first season of the "Bad News Bears" tee-ball league. As always, he was right by dad's side almost every night of racing. He is dad's number one fan!
And Mr. Braxton - Graduated from kindergarten with flying colors! He is such a bright kid! Top of he charts for all of his skills testing. Perfect grades. Top reading group. The whole nine yards. And even better - he left kindergarten with a bunch of great friends and an amazing school experience. To say he came out of his shell would be an understatement! He was so shy going into the year, and coming out, he was like a brand new kid. It is great to see him walking the halls "chumming" with his buds. And the first half of first grade has been more of the same - loves his teacher, loves his friends, loves to learn. His grades remain outstanding.
Braxton also spent 2013 doing a lot of the same activities as Kyler - soccer, teeball, basketball, football, swimming lessons, learning to ride his bike, track, etc. These two just love to go-go-go. They love any kind of sport or activity. Braxton, too, spent quite a bit of time out at the race track, as well as hanging out with the neighbor kids, and still loves to go camping. He really just enjoys anything that includes family time. He even let his mom coach his soccer team this Fall. I'm cherishing those moments as long as I can, because I know they won't last forever! His newest love - professional sports, especially football. Or watching any sport, really. His got a competitive streak.
Now, on to me. 2013, for me, was the year of the run! I decided I was going to tackle this running thing, since I have several great friends that have jumped on the bandwagon. And, well, I really love it! I have to say, I'm a bit hooked. In 2013, I ran a 10k, 5k, and 2 half marathons. I ran EVERY week except for one, usually three times a week. Currently, I am recouping from a nasty case of plantar fasciitis, with the hopes of getting back on the roads (or the treadmill) in the next couple of weeks. I have an elusive 2 hour finish time for the half out there calling my name in May!
Other than the afore mentioned little creatures and hitting the pavement, my life has been filled with work at the State Hospital. I continued the year providing supervision to a great group of women and prodding service to a great group of clients. I continue to enjoy my job significantly (though there are those days... ). And my "other" job continues to keep me busy as well. Pauly James Photography continues to grow year by year. I still have so much to learn in the world of photography, but I am doing so little by little. And I continue to grow in my confidence. Something must be going right, because I continue to get requests on an almost constant basis. I love having a way to get my creative juices flowing.
And last but not least - Mr. Jon Perkins - I am quite certain he would tell you the highlight of his year would be winning the Stockcar Stampede. I STILL hear people congradulating him on a regular basis! He had talked about hanging up the racing gear in 2014, but after that win, well, you can guess. He spent the year "co-racing" with a friend of his, but his friend has decided to join the big leagues, and thus Jon will be driving the #78 bomber solo this year to come.
Other than his big win, Jon continued to work his behinder off. Though he doesn't always have time to sit and enjoy his progress, it is great to see Advantage Electric continue to grow year by year. That little company continues to keep our little family afloat, which I am so greatful for. It also continues to support Jon's newest "hobby", developing and caring for our newly purchased dream-home-to-be. We've now owned our little piece of heaven for a bit over a year. 14 acres to call our own about 5 miles from town. And Jon loves to spend as much time as he can out there. What was before a grassy hayfield now boasts three rows of trees, a huge rock pile (the result of digging for the trees...), an approach, a gate, and a lot of Jon's blood, sweat, and tears. He has a two year plan before building a house out there. I have a 5 year plan (always the more sensible one, I say!). We will see who wins out.
To wrap up, I will just say that 2013 was a year of growth and new experience. It is amazing to sit down and actually write it all down. I feel so blessed every day to have this wonderful little family to call all my own. And my resolution for 2014 is to take the time to enjoy it. To stop and breathe it in. All too often, I get caught up in the day to day, and forget about the big picture. So, I'm trying to do better. I'm trying to enjoy each and every small milestone. Because when it's all said and done, that's really what this crazy thing called life is all about. Enjoying the day.
Ms. Etta Loy - Went from 6 months to 18 months in the year 2013. She learned to sit up on her own, how to crawl, to walk, and now to run (or toddle, I guess...). She went from no words to about 10 (mom, dad, kyky, more, hi, hello, bye, pup-pup). And she is now eating regular food, drinking regular milk. In other words, she has gone from a baby to a toddler. And you will be happy to know that through it all, she has maintained her fiery little personality. For someone who can barely speak, she bosses those brothers around like it is nobody's business. And the crazy thing is that they listen! To say that the men of the household are wrapped around this little girl's finger is an understatement. They love her exponentially, and it shows.
Throughout the year, she's been battling ear infections off and on, just like her brother Kyler. So, we've started the process to determine if she needs tubes put in. At her checkup last week, we counted 4 infections in six months. Just for statistical purposes - she weighed in at 23 pounds (50th percentile), and I don't recall her height, but it was in the 34th.
Kyler Paul - Finished up his first year of preschool, to go on to year two - 5 half days a week! In the last couple of months, it's been fun to see him start to open up to the idea of learning. He's started to decide that learning new things can be a lot of fun. He currently can count by ones and fives up to 100 (on the ones, he needs a bit of help getting to some of the next sets of 10). He knows his alphabet and is starting to learn a few sight words. He knows all of his colors, basic shapes, and is starting to do simple addition. He is able to spell and write his name.
Kyler has had a busy year with many other activities as well, including his first soccer experience and graduating swimming levels (go level 2!!). He kicked off the summer riding his bike like a champ. The fact that he had that little red push bike all of the year before obviously worked in his favor! Never a day on training wheels! And both he and Braxton had opportunities to run track and enjoyed the first season of the "Bad News Bears" tee-ball league. As always, he was right by dad's side almost every night of racing. He is dad's number one fan!
And Mr. Braxton - Graduated from kindergarten with flying colors! He is such a bright kid! Top of he charts for all of his skills testing. Perfect grades. Top reading group. The whole nine yards. And even better - he left kindergarten with a bunch of great friends and an amazing school experience. To say he came out of his shell would be an understatement! He was so shy going into the year, and coming out, he was like a brand new kid. It is great to see him walking the halls "chumming" with his buds. And the first half of first grade has been more of the same - loves his teacher, loves his friends, loves to learn. His grades remain outstanding.
Braxton also spent 2013 doing a lot of the same activities as Kyler - soccer, teeball, basketball, football, swimming lessons, learning to ride his bike, track, etc. These two just love to go-go-go. They love any kind of sport or activity. Braxton, too, spent quite a bit of time out at the race track, as well as hanging out with the neighbor kids, and still loves to go camping. He really just enjoys anything that includes family time. He even let his mom coach his soccer team this Fall. I'm cherishing those moments as long as I can, because I know they won't last forever! His newest love - professional sports, especially football. Or watching any sport, really. His got a competitive streak.
Now, on to me. 2013, for me, was the year of the run! I decided I was going to tackle this running thing, since I have several great friends that have jumped on the bandwagon. And, well, I really love it! I have to say, I'm a bit hooked. In 2013, I ran a 10k, 5k, and 2 half marathons. I ran EVERY week except for one, usually three times a week. Currently, I am recouping from a nasty case of plantar fasciitis, with the hopes of getting back on the roads (or the treadmill) in the next couple of weeks. I have an elusive 2 hour finish time for the half out there calling my name in May!
Other than the afore mentioned little creatures and hitting the pavement, my life has been filled with work at the State Hospital. I continued the year providing supervision to a great group of women and prodding service to a great group of clients. I continue to enjoy my job significantly (though there are those days... ). And my "other" job continues to keep me busy as well. Pauly James Photography continues to grow year by year. I still have so much to learn in the world of photography, but I am doing so little by little. And I continue to grow in my confidence. Something must be going right, because I continue to get requests on an almost constant basis. I love having a way to get my creative juices flowing.
And last but not least - Mr. Jon Perkins - I am quite certain he would tell you the highlight of his year would be winning the Stockcar Stampede. I STILL hear people congradulating him on a regular basis! He had talked about hanging up the racing gear in 2014, but after that win, well, you can guess. He spent the year "co-racing" with a friend of his, but his friend has decided to join the big leagues, and thus Jon will be driving the #78 bomber solo this year to come.
Other than his big win, Jon continued to work his behinder off. Though he doesn't always have time to sit and enjoy his progress, it is great to see Advantage Electric continue to grow year by year. That little company continues to keep our little family afloat, which I am so greatful for. It also continues to support Jon's newest "hobby", developing and caring for our newly purchased dream-home-to-be. We've now owned our little piece of heaven for a bit over a year. 14 acres to call our own about 5 miles from town. And Jon loves to spend as much time as he can out there. What was before a grassy hayfield now boasts three rows of trees, a huge rock pile (the result of digging for the trees...), an approach, a gate, and a lot of Jon's blood, sweat, and tears. He has a two year plan before building a house out there. I have a 5 year plan (always the more sensible one, I say!). We will see who wins out.
To wrap up, I will just say that 2013 was a year of growth and new experience. It is amazing to sit down and actually write it all down. I feel so blessed every day to have this wonderful little family to call all my own. And my resolution for 2014 is to take the time to enjoy it. To stop and breathe it in. All too often, I get caught up in the day to day, and forget about the big picture. So, I'm trying to do better. I'm trying to enjoy each and every small milestone. Because when it's all said and done, that's really what this crazy thing called life is all about. Enjoying the day.
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