2013 Year In Review

Another year has come and gone and I can't help but wonder where the time goes? It seems to move much faster the older I get and I'm not happy with that. But I had a very good 2013 as did my family and I thought I'd take a moment to share it with all of you before my dementia kicks in and I forget it all.
Lets see.... 2013 started with a New Year's Eve party since Andy and the rest of the 110th had finally returned from Afghanistan in December of 2012. Yep he's been home a year and there's no deployments on the horizon (knock on wood). I got to spend time with some of my favorite girls and we had a blast, did up the New Year right and rocked in 2013. 

Shortly after the New Year started, my dearest friend Jean had a stroke. It was very scary for everyone. Normally I wouldn't put her business out there like this but it's important for me to share with all of you the signs of a stroke and how you might be able to save someone's life. I was able to get Jean to the hospital in time for them to administer TPA Drug (which can reverse the effects of a stroke if given within 4 hours of the stroke). In hindsight I should've called 911 and I should've done it when I was on my way to her house and she could not communicate with me on the phone. It took her a couple of weeks in the hospital and a few months of therapy to be fully recovered but she is doing better now. I'm thankful to have her and Dylan in our lives.


Momma (GMA Toni) came to visit us in March, she tried to leave, ended up having to catch a plane right back to Colorado Springs from Dallas on the day she left due to massive snow storms that basically attacked the entire northern US.

It's VEGAS BABY!! I took my first ever girls get away vacation! I went to Vegas with my Bestie Jeanie. I couldn't believe I went anywhere without my kids!! Andy did really well the entire week I was gone and they all survived! It was my first time to Vegas and I had a blast! Did some gambling, drank a lot, acted like a tourist, stayed up all night, slept very little and just enjoyed everything about it. We went for NASCAR weekend of course so not only did I go to Vegas for the first time but I also went to my first ever NASCAR Race! I got to see Dale JR. race it was awesome! There is nothing quite like the rev of car engines and them zooming by you, and there is for sure nothing like NASCAR Fans!!!

The rest of the Spring saw cool temps and us getting ready for summer. Baseball season for Billy and Dylan was great! They played a really good season and only lost like 3 games.

 Nelson came to visit which we enjoyed. He got here just in time to watch Billy play at SkySox Stadium for Little League.

Colorado saw another devastating fire happen local to us. Many wild fires happened but the Black Forest Fire hit very close to home. We helped Jean pack up her home and come stay with us for a few days as everyone was uncertain which way the fire was going to travel. 500 homes were lost. Many people were displaced, but Black Forest has started to rebuild. 

This summer we visited Missouri. We spent time with Grandpa Dickie and Grandma Gail who had just moved back to MO and bought a big house with lots of land for the kids to play. We had a lot of fun! Well, minus that snake I ran into leaf blowing. That was not fun. We also went to Ben & Amanda's for 4th of July.

After returning home to Colorado, we packed right back up and headed for Mississippi with Jeanie & Dylan to visit Aunt Carolyn and Aunt Kathy. While in Mississippi, we took an over night trip to Nashville, TN and saw Uncle Donald and Aunt Kristen. This summer was full of vacation and fun times We had a summer to remember for sure.

Grace reached huge milestones this year! She started kindergarten and turned 5 years old!

Emily also had a big year as she turned Sweet 16! And got her driver's permit at the end of this year.  It's crazy for me to think that this little girl of mine is becoming quite the young lady, is a junior in high school, is driving and will graduate next year! Who Knew? 

The boys are doing great as well. In fact we're all doing pretty well. 

Andy works a lot as usual. We see shift work again, which we all hate but we survive. 

I got my real estate license in July. I decided to take some huge leaps in my career this year. I made a move to a new company called Z, Inc., in September. It is a venture capital company and business consulting firm. It's the parent company to Eco Cabins LLC, which I've been left to my own devices with. You'll have to check out our websites and FB pages to learn more about that. I love both companies and all the other opportunities that have been made available to me through the move. In November I decided after much thought and consideration to transfer my real estate license to a new company that I thought would help me better build the future I am looking to for myself and my family. Nextage Realty Pikes Peak Properties is where I now call home for my real estate license. With my moves I took my first ever business trip and have been enjoying the crash courses in business management, building and marketing I've received over the past few months. 

We saw good friends leave us this year. Particularly Starre and her family moved away. Jean G. and her family moved away. And Rachel and her family moved away. That is the part of the Army I never really can get use to, it's always sad to say goodbye. I miss you ladies.

In November, I had to take a rush trip home to NY. My Papa passed away and next to my Nana that is the hardest thing I've had to go through. I take comfort knowing that he is with her now and they both watch over me from Heaven. I know they are quite proud of the woman I've become.

The end of the year was easy peasy. We celebrated Thanksgiving with friends, we enjoyed our Christmas together as a whole family and we rang in the New Year excited as ever about what our next year holds. I hope this finds all of you well and enjoying the first couple days of your new year.