Wrapping Up 2021

 2021; another great year for us! Highlights include, but are not limited to this, my Top 9

Our 10 year anniversary,

8 camping trips in our new trailer,

Kasen losing 6 teeth plus his tonsils, 

 Visiting 3 new hot springs this year, 

2 family hikes; to Stewart Falls and Goblin Valley

Kasen and Tai both learning to ride their 2 wheel bicycles and play soccer,

Growing a pumpkin and a watermelon in our garden for the first time, 

and Kyle joining the DEU Detectives!!

A few things I learned this year:

1. Babies don't just grow out of severe eczema.
2. You can have a milk allergy, drink milk every day, and still not have a consistent rash.
3. Oreos are dairy free.
4. 120 feet of string is not enough for a Valentine's Day maze. Just buy the ball of yarn.
5. How to pull a flatbed trailer and back it into a driveway.
6. Eponine, from Les Mis, is not named Ebony. Only took owning 2 versions of the movie and seeing the play 3 times to know that.
7. It only takes 4 sessions of swimming lessons for Tai to dare bob her head underneath the water.
8. A 2002 Dodge Ram canNOT pull an 8,000lb trailer.
9. If your family acquires a trailer, your husband will want a new truck to go with it.
10. How to pump diesel gas into a truck.
11. Don't trust anyone to cut your hair that is too nervous to even brush it out first.
12. Day 6 after a tonsillectomy is actually the worst day.
13. Babies hands can sunburn.
14. How to use the clippers to give Kasen a haircut.
15. The unclaimed property website is legitimate. To the tune of $91.
16. I don't like dry shampoo. But I do like menstrual cups. Salt brand.
17. Pro Line waders will separate and leak after fishing a total of 3 times and no amount of flex seal, glue or air mattress patches will fix them.
18. 14 hours of sea sickness will convince Kyle to never go off shore, deep sea fishing again.
19. Kyle can catch a fish with his fly fishing rod.
20. When you interview for a job and don't get it, you still might get it.
21. When Kohen falls into Kasen's bathtub Tai thinks it's funny to see his eyes open underwater. But for me, it makes my legs go numb.
22. Steroids treat both croup and eczema.
23. Hippos don't have short, flat teeth like every illustration suggests.
24. I'm too old to sleep on a trampoline and Kasen and Tai are still too young.
25. Take cover when dust storms blow through at Vernon Reservoir.
26. Kids soccer is NOT co-ed.
27. How to not get nail polish off of a couch.
28. Squash bugs in a garden are in fact fatal.
29. Road Work Ahead signs are not made of plastic like the barrels. They are metal and will destroy the entire side of a truck. And then it will cost $1900 to fix.
30. But it only costs $32 to fix a trailer wheel that flies off while driving down a canyon.
31. A brand new microwave, melted on the stove, cannot be fixed.
32. A dog only has to bite twice before being re-homed.
33. Voles were actually the ones digging more holes in our backyard than Peeka was.
34. Little Caesars will always have your pizzas, ordered a week in advance, ready at least 30 minutes late.
35. Pedestals are a thing that washers and dryers are supposed to have, but don't actually come with when you buy them.
36. How to play chess. And Pickleball. Sortof, but not really...
37. The first covid vaccine hurts worse than the second one. And they don't even prevent covid...
38. Never tell someone you pass on a hiking trial that they are almost there.
39. Mormons and/or cops apparently like to blow up hot springs.
40. It takes 5 days to finish a 2000 piece puzzle. And if you end up missing the last piece, check the shower drain.
41. Amazon Freetime tablets can last about 3 years before the screens get smashed.
42. If you don't make it down to Kasen or Tai's room to sing BEFORE they fall asleep at night , they will hunt you down in the middle of the night and demand a song.
43. Christmas Vacation is NOT a family friendly Christmas movie.

Last year I didn't make any goals for the year. It was the first time ever.

So I'm going to pretend that I did accomplish all of the goals that I didn't make! lol Like reading 25 new books!

I do have a few resolutions for 2022 though. They mostly include wanting to be a better parent for my kids. 

-I want to read a few parenting books this year.

-Take them on one on one dates and spend time with each of them every day, besides our bedtime routine. -Give them more connection, love and respect to feel. Look them in the eyes when they talk to me. Remember how much their feelings matter. 

-I want to have more unplugged time with my family. No phones or TV during dinner. 

-We have a goal to go camping together 10 times this year!

-Kohen is starting the new year saying goodbye to his bottle. It's time.

-Kasen told me he wants to learn to cook more so I'm going to teach him to make macaroni and cheese, eggs and ramen noodles all by himself.

-Tai wants to get better at reading and keep getting ready to start Kindergarten this year.

-I'd also love to spend time with my Grandparents learning/helping to bottle food and make jam.

-Maybe even visit Jake's family in Texas?!

Cheers to the New Year!