2016 Highlights

Like everyone else, I love taking the time to make a 2016 highlights post.  For myself, if no one else.

2016, wasn't the easiest year, but it was a good year.  We're all healthy {praise be to God!}  Most of all, this year taught me to reprioritize my family.  When work gets demanding, it's easy for me to let it slowly overtake my life.  I've been blessed enough to have a hobby that's turned into a business -- a booming one at that -- but along with that, it's taken more and more time away from my family each year since I've started it.  This year, I finally pulled back from photography business to make my time for my husband and children again.  It's hard to say goodbye to the extra income, but in the end, I know I'll never regret spending the extra time wth my family.  2016 was the year I really started to feel a connection with God, too.  I started going to church because I want to, rather than feeling like I needed to.  I'm praying more and gravitating to those that have a good relationship with God.  I feel more 'centered' than ever.

If I had one goal for 2017 {though I have many} it would be to make more time for my husband.  I've been telling people for years now {honestly since we've had children -- not that I'm blaming this on them} that my poor husband gets the very worst of me.  He get's what's left after the kids, work, photography, the house and everything else.  It's sad, but unfortunately true.  We've been better about sneaking in dates here in there this year, but I want to make it more quality time.  More deep conversations.  More late night chats.  More dreaming big.  More love and less sharing of his {our} less than best side to others.

That got much deeper than I intended, so let's lighten this up a bit...

FAVORITES of 2016...
Movie | The only ones I saw were Sully, Finding Dory, Pete's Dragon, Storks, Zootopia & Bad Moms
Television | This is Us & the Chicago series {PD, Fire, Med}
Music | Chris Stapleton, Brett Eldridge, HOLY, Middle of a Memory, Record Year, House Party
Books | Bread & Wine & The Woman in Cabin 10
Podcasts | The Happy Hour w/ Jamie Ivey & Young House Living Has A Podcast

Okay, the real post...

January
We moved into our new house and took the kids to play at the Science Center, ice skate at Brenton Skating Plaza, skiing at Seven Oaks, and rock climbing at Climb Iowa.  Adam and I went to our first Drake basketball game.  I also shot stills for a video company--being on set was a first for me!

February
We celebrated watched the Super Bowl with friends, Valentine's Day, settled into our house, took the kids to the Iowa City Children's Museum with friends, and went bowling as a family.  I went to the Realish Housewives of Waukee and Jordyn took at Art Class at the Des Moines Art Center.  We also traded in our minivan for a Jeep.

March
Cullyn's room was completed, we went to SkyZone, Cullyn started Tumbling at Triad, and had built-ins installed in our living room.  Adam and I went and saw our favorite Jazz artist, Hamilton Loomis.

April
We celebrated St. Patrick's Day and Easter, had a picnic in the park, took the kids glow golfing, finished Jordyn's bedroom, went bowling for a birthday party, played with piglets at a farm, celebrated Cullyn's Birthday, went to Turks & Caicos, and cheered for Auntie Ashley as she quit her corporate job and turned her hobby into a full time business.  Jordyn had her 3rd surgery {1st Tympanoplasty}.

May
We delivered May Day goodies, celebrated Mother's Day with my mom & mother in law and Memorial Day weekend at the lake, spent an evening at Jester Park, and went fishing at the lake.  Adam and I went to a Garth Brooks concert, celebrated Cinco de Mayo, and went to a Kentucky Derby with friends. We also watched our 2nd oldest niece graduated from high school.

June
We celebrated Uncle Brad's graduation from Dental School, watched Jordyn's first dance recital at Stephen's Auditorium in Ames, took family photos in Iowa City with my family, spent a Friday morning picking strawberries and a Saturday at the Farmer's Market downtown, and Father's Day weekend at the lake.

July
Was tough, as we said goodbye to Alicia and Brad so they could start their new life in South Carolina.  We spent a quiet, rainy 4th of July at the lake with friends followed another super fun weekend at the lake the following weekend.  We had lots of picnics and a trip to visit my Grandparents and Great Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin.  I took the kids to see Finding Dory at the drive in and Summerfest.  We all danced to Adam's band at the farm. We also hit several Splash Pads and Adam and I went to Guthrie River Ruckus with friends.

August
We watched the iCubs with friends, had lazy family days painting rocks, making snacks & watching movies, and eating donuts in the park in preparation for school starting.  We went to the Iowa State Fair, the Farmer's Market downtown, and Wilson's Apple Orchard in Iowa City.  I celebrated my 30th Birthday in New York City with my mom and sisters. {I need to blog about this!}  I photographed my final wedding for the year and met my first blog friend.

September
School started back for both kids, Dance resumed for Jordyn, and we took the kids to Adventureland for their first time.  We ate at the food trucks, took final bike rides for the year, and spent an evening at the Apple Orchard.  We even stopped to splash in the puddles one afternoon and went to the Lake of the Ozarks for the weekend with friends.

October
The kids tried soccer for the first time, I planned Jordyn's fall party at school, I took the kids to the Luminarium exhibit downtown, Aliya and I took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch, we had a girls' spa night while the guys has a superhero night, Adam and I celebrated 7 years of marriage, and Jordyn turned 5!  We cheered on the Cubs all month long -- until they won the World Series and Adam and I went to an Iowa Football game with friends.  We took a family trip the TN, NC, & SC.  We had our family photos taken at the lake, took the kids trick or treating and trunk or treating for Halloween, bought the kids a trampoline for the backyard, and took at nature walk at Saylorville Lake.

November
November was supposed to be a quiet month for us, but ended up being a brutally exhausting one because Jordyn got head lice that ended up taking so much time & energy.  Work was also extremely demanding for Adam during this time.  We did celebrate a nice Thanksgiving with Adam's family.

December
All of us ended up getting the stomach flu in December, which really limited our Christmas activities, but we still managed to do 12 dates of Christmas -- Christmas tree shopping, the Snowflake Express, Breakfast with Santa, Jolly Holiday Lights, Jordyn's Dance Recital, several Christmas Parties {Adam earned another trip}, amazing Christmas' with family, and a New Year's Eve with friends.  Jordyn also had her 4th surgery {3rd set of tubes, tonsils, & adenoids} and is recovering well.

2014 recap

The Lake House {3 Years Later...}

On June 30th, 2011 we bought our lakehouse.  It was built in the 1960's and hadn't been updated since.  I have so many plans for this house, but it's always fun looking back to see how far we've come.  

In 2011, we made some bigger {more urgent} changes.  Tore out all flooring, painting everything, added hardwood & carpet, painted kitchen cupboards, redid the fireplace, tore out tons of overgrown trees/bushes etc. 

In 2012, we redid the entire bathroom & got new kitchen appliances.

In 2013, we installed new windows & doors, insulated the attic, replaced the soffit & fascia, and started siding the house.

In 2014, we finally purchased a table! :)

Repainted the guest room & decorated in an Iowa Hawkeye's theme.

Finished siding the house... 

Added a parking area to the bottom of the drive & a retaining wall at the top of the drive...

Added a few smaller details like hooks to hang the hammock between the trees in the front yard, add a bottle opener to the tree, install a tire-swing for the kids, etc. 

Installed four outdoor lights...

And hung a new kitchen light {not pictured}

A few other snapshots of the interior...

In 2015, I hope to finish the trim around the interior windows of the house & mount the TV! :)

Lakehouse updates in 2011 | Lakehouse updates in 2012 | Lakehouse updates in 2013

It was a good year! [2014 recap]

Since I'm wide awake at 1:30a, I figured I might as well finish this post up and publish it.  
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I can't help my smile when I look back through our year.  I'm not saying we didn't have stress {both financially--I've mentioned before that 5 years of double daycare is brutal and logistically--Four people plus a large dog in a small condo is anything but easy!} but man did we have a lot of fun this year.  Not only were the large things like family vacations incredible, but the small things like afternoons spent splashing in mud puddles, evenings watching our nieces/nephews  play sports, Fridays spent exploring the city with the kids, & weekends hanging out at the lake.  I will forever be grateful for living close to family and having a job that provides flexibility for our schedule.

Here are a few of our many highlights in 2014....

January 
We relaxed and caught up from a busy December.  Our sitter took a week off, so the kids spent a week with my parents, giving Adam and I several days to focus on each other again.

February
Adam & I attended Baconfest for the first time.  We also attended the Balloon Charity Classic again.  And, we traded in our Hyundai Santa Fe for a Dodge Grand Caravan.

March
Jordyn & I went shopping for bridesmaid dresses with my sisters and mom & started planning their showers.

April 
We celebrated Easter in Montezuma with the Hubbard family & took family photos, but most importantly we celebrated Cullyn's 1st Birthday!

May
Adam & I took Jordyn to Sesame Street Live.  Both kids started Swimming Lessons.  We celebrated Ashley & Myles' Bachelor{ette} parties.  We sided the Lakehouse.  I co-hosted Alicia's Bachelorette party at the piano bar & hotel.  Adam went to Rocklahoma with the guys while I hit up Minneapolis with a girlfriend!

June
I ran a 1/2 marathon for the first time. We had an outdoor movie night with the Hubbards. We spent Father's Day at the lake.

July
We spend 10 days in Florida, watching my baby sister & Brad get married.  We also took the kids to Walt Disney World for the first time!  I traveling to Mexico to photograph a wedding.  We watched Adam's band play at the annual Balloon Festival.

August
Adam and I had an 'adult boating day' and casino/mini golf date.  We took the kids to the state fair, I spent my 28th birthday at the spa and then photographing another wedding.

September
Was spent in Mexico celebrating the marriage of my sister & Myles and my mom's 50th birthday!  We went to the Apple Orchard & watched Iowa lose to Iowa State. :(  Jordyn also started Preschool & Adam turned 34!!  Ashley & Myles also had a reception back home.

October
We took the kids to a couple of pumpkin patches and got professional family photos taken for the first time ever!  I ran a marathon relay with Alicia, Ashley, Katie, & Myles. And most importantly, Jordyn turned 3!  We celebrated Halloween & Adam & I celebrated our 5th Wedding anniversary.

November
I volunteered with my sister for the final time in 2014.  We hosted our first {& possibly last?!} friendsgiving.  We attended Thanksgiving at my sister & brother in laws, and I got a bad case of strep throat, causing me to cancel a photography session for the first time ever.

December
We celebrated Christmas all month long, with several parties & family get togethers!  I got sick again.  We rang in 2015 while listening to Adam's band play at the marina with friends.

Of course, throughout all of this we celebrated nieces/nephew's birthdays, anniversaries, did over 100 photoshoots, worked out, read over 100 books, and worked full time. It was a busy year, but it was filled with amazing memories!

2014 Resolutions

Finally, a year that I actually accomplished my resolutions {with the exception of the half marathon, which I am SO doing this year!}  This year is going to be tough financially, we have two kids in daycare {obviously} and both of my sisters are having {destination!} weddings, as well as 3 of my cousins getting married, so I'm trying really, really hard to keep our daily spending in check.  Less dinners out, less 'stuff' that we end up throwing away a year later, and more planned purchases.  With that being said, I also really, really want to be more intentional about family time; a monthly date with my husband, a weekly date with my kids, and more 'paying it forward'.

{COMMUNITY}

Goal::Pay it forward once a month

{FINANCIAL}

Goal::Pay off credit card & medical bills

Monthly Goal:Follow Dave Ramsey to stay on budget & buy less 'stuff'

{HEALTH}

Goal::Run a 1/2 marathon

Weekly Goal:Go to the gym 4-5 times 

Daily Goal:Track food & drink 100oz. of water

Summer Goal:Bike 100 miles with the kids in the carrier

{HOME} 

Goal::Install trim around the windows & finish the siding at the lake house

{KIDS}

Goal::Make Friday mornings about them & take each kid on an individual date once a month

Weekly Goal this Summer:Explore a new park in town

{MARRIAGE}

Goal::Have a date night at least once a month

{PHOTOGRAPHY}

Goal:: Grow my photography business through Wedding and Senior photography

Monthly Goals:Take a nature photo monthly to help develop my skills.

Personal Goal:Organize and upload photos of the kids each month 

{TRAVEL}

Goal::Take a vacation with the kids & a 5 year anniversary vacation with Adam

Planned Trips:Florida in July, Mexico in July, Mexico in September

2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013 resolutions and Bucket List

2013 {a recap}

I couldn't end the year without a little recap.  Looking back at this year has reminded me how much we are blessed.  We experienced so many wonderful things and made so many amazing memories this year.  We are blessed to have done most of these with our family and close friends.  I'm also thankful for this blog and happy I {try} to take a few minutes each week to write down the highlights of our life.  It goes by in the blink of an eye, but it's truly the little things that make the best memories.

On January 1st, we found out H2 was {is} a Boy!  And we held a Gender Reveal Party at Seven Oaks Ski Resort in Boone.  January 28th to February 2nd I spent in San Francisco, California.  The beginning of February, we played a fun game with friends during the SuperBowl.  I took my glucose test and failed, so I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes. We celebrated Valentine's Day, we had a date night, we made Sushi at home, and Adam put his two weeks in at his job {which was a blessing!}  In preparation for Cullyn's arrival, we made the spare room a guest bedroom/toy room.  In March {at 15 months} Jordyn transitioned to a big girl bed, I learned to see who is pinning my things on Pinterest, and we celebrated St. Patrick's Day.  In April, we celebrated Easter. I {finally!} made photo books of J's 1st year! Most importantly, we welcomed a healthy Baby Boy, Cullyn Dean.  Jordyn Lynn turned 18 Months. The beginning of May, Cullyn turned 2 weeks and then 1 month before we knew it.  And we celebrated Memorial Weekend at the Lake House.  In June, Cullyn turned two months and Murdock turned 5 Years.  We celebrated Father's Day at the lake as well.  Jordyn got bit by a neighbor dog, we visited the Strawberry Patch, we vacationed in Michigan, and I went back to work.  July brought Independence Day and Cullyn turned 3 Months.  We spent many afternoons enjoying Summer Treats.  My siblings and our men went to Chicago. We celebrated my 27th Birthday in August.  Cullyn turned 4 Months, we found Free Little Libraries, and went to the Iowa State Fair.  September started at the Iowa Football Game over Labor Day and celebrating Dad's 50th Birthday on a pontoon.  Cullyn turned 5 months and we went to the Apple Orchard.  We cheered for the Minnesota Vikings and had a TON of photoshoots this Fall, too.  Jordyn turned TWO and we celebrated with an Ice Cream party in October and then got tubes.  We also visited the Pumpkin Patch and celebrated Halloween, lots.  Cullyn turned 6 months and we took our family photos.  We also took Koeff family photos.  Cullyn was sick most of November.  Murdock turned 5 1/2 and Cullyn turned 7 Months.  We celebrated Thanksgiving at my sister's new house and spent many days at the ENT clinic.   Adam and I snuck out for a date with friends to see the Keith Urban concert.  We started an Advent Calendar full of books and activities on the first of December.  Both kids got tubes.  We had Breakfast with Santa, cut down a Christmas tree, bought lots of Christmas gifts, did lots of Christmas activities, and celebrated four Christmases.

2013 Top 5's 
Moments on Instagram {@MurdcoksMama} :: http://instagram.com/p/iRucIWkOR_/
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Merry Christmas [2012 Holiday Card]

Sorry for the quality-- this was a scan of the cards that were mailed out

Thank You for 2010!

I'm not sure the technical way to determine success, but I'm definitely marking 2010 down for it.  The year wasn't without any trials, but if going on strike and scaling back our friend list was the only major change I would say we were pretty blessed!  

Looking back we had hundreds more amazing memories than ugly ones.  In {January} I started this blog, going from zero followers to almost 200!  Gaining gobs of friends!  {February} we celebrated our 3rd Valentine's Day together at my most favorite local restaurant and took four of our six nieces and nephews to a hotel & waterpark in Omaha, NE that I apparently didn't blog about so here... 

{March} brought lots of ski trips and even in impromptu trip to Kansas City.  In {April} we took the plunge and purchased our first SUV.  In {May} we celebrated Memorial weekend with one of many pool parties which I also failed to blog about..here

  

 Here is your proof... My baby sis turned 19 in {June} and we celebrated my parents 25th Anniversary!  {July} I ran my first 5k & the Midnight Madness 5k with my sisters right before my middle sis turned 22!  I turned 24 in {August} and switched jobs.  I surprised Adam with a trip to Las Vegas on Labor Day weekend and Adam turned 30!! in {September}.  In {October} we discovered Hamilton Loomis and celebrated our 1st year of marriage in Mexico!!  I saw the Rockettes and joined Twitter in {November}.  And last but not least {December} brought a trip to Chicago with my mama, Blue Man Group, Wicked, and Mannheim Steamroller performances.  I shall call 2010 the year of LIVE PERFORMANCES!

This list doesn't even touch the memories we have made.  So many fun times with friends & family...my grandparents 50th Anniversary, Weddings we attended, Holidays we shared, Birthday parties, and even the survival of our 1st year of marriage!

Thank you so much for joining me in this journey.  This blog is one of my favorite passions!  I can't wait to get 2011 started...I already know it's going to be great!  

[I'll post about our NYE celebration & maybe even Christmas soon...for now here are my 2011 resolutions!...It's okay to laugh...I had a 20% success rate last year!]