Happy New Year!! 

Well I know I have said it before, but this year really was our best year yet! Not just for the 4 of us but we have many things to be thankful for, for our close family too. 

Our boys are thriving. Happy. healthy. rambunctious. They have had their own big year of firsts. Hunter potty trained in July, a little over 3 years old. He also began to swim on his own this summer and even likes to go under water! He can now ride a bike and continues to be a good big brother. Deacon has transitioned from a 1 year old to an almost 2 year old with all of the exciting milestones. He talks a bunch, loves to sing, dance and cheer himself and others on. He climbs, rides his brother’s battery powered vehicles and loooves football! We got to enjoy week long vacations to Destin and Aruba with their grandparents this year too! The boys sure do love the beach, building sandcastles and searching for sea shells.

And boy do they grow up so fast!!

My husband continues to amaze me as he grows his business and takes on new challenges. Breaking a bone would have been a setback to anyone else but Josh used it as an opportunity to take on more help and new equipment. He also got to take a hunting  trip of a lifetime with friends to Newfoundland where he got a moose! (And I was lucky enough to have family stay with me during his week away.)

AND we are celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary tomorrow, January 2nd. I am blessed to have my best friend and life partner on this journey every single day.

2016 was the year I made a job transition, having left my employer of almost 10 years. That was my first career out of college and I am so grateful to have learned SO much there, waaaay more than 10 years worth with all of the opportunities and challenges it afforded me. Being just 4 months new to my role, I honestly feel honored to be a part of my new team and to work on campus. But mostly, I now have a job that no longer requires me to travel and I can be home with my family more. This, by far, is the most important to us right now at their young ages.

Also, I was able to travel for PCMA, the association in which I belong. www.pcma.org

 
With them, I visited 3 countries- 

Vancouver, Canada

Barcelona, Spain 

and Mexico City and Puerto Vallerta, Mexico.

 With this, I had my first 2 professional speaking engagements. The most rewarding was to talk to a group of 700 college students about the meeting planning industry and how I got to where I am today. 

In October my little brother got engaged! We couldn’t be happier for Kevin and Joann. We were so lucky to have been there for the occasion and actually watch the proposal in the middle of Philadelphia. She was completely surprised and my brother did an amazing job organizing everything. So many exciting things to come for them!

AND on December 27th my parents moved from NJ to Indiana to be closer to us. We are thrilled for their new home and all that it will offer all of us. This, by far, is the boys’ greatest gift, whether they realize it now or not. Having them close by and to see them so much more often will have a great impact on all of us. We know this is an enormous change for them and we will support them all through their transition and as they get settled here in the midwest.

And my sister in law moved into her own home a few days ago too. Aunt Jaclyn has a great, big first home and we couldn’t be happier for her, her puppy Ruger, and her independence. We are really thrilled that she moved back into town this year too!

And of course so many of our closest friends and family have had babies, engagements, weddings, new homes, pregnancies- and the list goes on! Whew!

 All of it gives us the chance to thank God for his many blessings. All of these good things happen through Him. 
I am constantly reminded that the best things in life are free. 
We wish you and your family the very best in 2017. 
Thanks, as always, for reading. Xoxo