Farewell 2013

What a year! 2013 was easily the hardest year of my life- full of changes and challenges, but also full of great joy and amazing blessings. The greatest blessing 2013 brought us was this little angel-

 This blue-eyed beauty has brought more happiness and peace into our home than I could have imagined and I am so thankful every day that he is here! Also, can't forget this crazy little boy-

This kid makes us laugh every single day. Multiple times a day. And also makes me want to pull my hair out at some point every single day. But we will focus on the laughing.

Highlights of our year were:

• Attending Will and Katie's beautiful sealing in the Bountiful Temple on the coldest day of the year. We are all super thrilled to have Kate as part of our family.
• A crazy drive to the hospital during Utah's first ice storm in 30 years to deliver our sweet Hudson- and spend the next several weeks and months just swooning over that precious baby boy.
• Seeing Chase grow into his role as big brother and watch in awe as he picked up amazing vocabulary and learning something new every day.
• Amid disappointing and trying times feeling the loving embrace of friends and family and knowing that we are surrounded by truly amazing people.
• Ben getting a new job and finding great success there
• Teaching Chase to swim on his own and spending many beautiful hours playing and relaxing in the pool
• Moving into our current home that we love
• Enjoying reconnecting with our friends in Utah and making new friends too
• Experiencing "the best Halloween yet" thanks to so many fun fall activities and the excitement of our 2 year old
• Finally getting a second car after 5 years of marriage
• A beautiful Thanksgiving with the Smith family
• A visit with Ben's family right before Christmas and attending his cousins sealing to her family in the Salt Lake Temple
• A truly amazing Christmas season full of parties, concerts, family and lots of Christmas lights. And the most exciting Christmas morning with our kids.

Farewell 2013- all in all you were good to us!