2013 Wrap up

I love to look back over the past year at New Years and see all the blessings that have unfolded during that year. I can never just pick one highlight of each month so sorry there are multiple pictures for some months!

January- we started 2013 at the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl. It was so much fun and something we will always remember! We also went to Kauai with the Warrens!

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February-we added sweet little Leo to our family! He makes us smile and laugh every day.

ImageMarch- Rachel got her Mission call to Spain! Mark and I celebrated our 24th birthdays and lots of other family birthdays.

ImageImageApril- we got to go to the temple with Rachel, it was a great experience. I love my family 🙂

ImageMay- we got to meet our newest niece Coraline! Taylor turned sweet 16!

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June- our family said goodbye to middle school and went to Courtney’s promotion.

ImageJuly- this was a busy month for our family. My mom, Rachel and me went to southern California for my cousin Natasha’s wedding. While we were there we hit up Disneyland. It was a blast! We then said goodbye to Rachel for 18 months and our family headed to Utah for a Barker family reunion. It was great to be with family and especially my 99 year old great-grandfather! While there I got to catch up with my favorite roommates and their husbands! It was definitely a highlight of the year.

ImageImageImageAugust- Mark and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary with a getaway to beautiful Jenner, CA. Mark is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I’m so blessed to share my life with this cute boy.

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September- I went shooting with my little sister Courtney.

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October- We were very fortunate to get to go to Hawaii for a 2nd time this year! This time we went to Oahu. I got to check paddle boarding off my bucket list, I loved it! We also threw a Murder Mystery Halloween party.

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November- we celebrated my wonderful dad’s 50th birthday!

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December- it has been a very busy month for us, per usual. We started the month off by going down to southern California for our niece Belle’s baptism. We obviously couldn’t pass up an opportunity to go Disneyland and see the Christmas Decorations. It was the BEST!

We also got to spend LOTS of time with family.

My dad took us to the Fight Hunger Bowl at AT&T Park to watch BYU & Washington State. We love going and especially love the perks of my dad’s job! Thanks Dad!

December was a tough month for our little kitty. He turned 1 this month! We had to take him to the vet a couple of times and also thought we were going to have to put him down a couple of time. It was emotionally exhausting but we are happy we get to have him longer. Hopefully 2014 is a little easier on him.

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2013 was a good year, we were so blessed to have the opportunity to go to Hawaii twice, adopt Leo, send off the cutest little missionary, and spend lots of time with family and friends. I’m so grateful for everyone in my life. I’m excited to see what 2014 holds! Happy New Year!

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A different view of San Francisco

invented the mission burrito
please excuse the bird…I didn’t mean to flip the camera off, I was just struggling to hold the burrito that weighed that of a small child

me&mark

us&nieces

What three year old can wink?! This one!
These girls did work on that banana split!
I thought this house was gorgeous with the succulents on the stairs
Sweet baby Cora
A post isn’t complete without Leo…who is now a lap cat!

While Dave and Lauren were here we went to San Francisco with them for a little day trip. I knew I was in for an adventure because Dave is not one to do the typical touristy day. He beats to his own drum and makes everything more fun. First stop of the day was the Mission. I had never been over to this side of the city, it was like driving into Tijuana or Ensenada! Dave and Mark love Yelp and Dave found the place that made the mission burrito famous. We went there for lunch and boy was it delicious! I scarfed down that monster and enjoyed every bite…I’m embarrassed to admit that I ate more than Mark and Dave but it was so worth it!

After, we went over to Lands End Trails and Seal Rocks, which I had never been to before. It was so beautiful, but a bit chilly. It’s on the West side of the Golden Gate bridge near Bakers beach. I will be going back there to explore the beaches. We drove around the city a little, went down Filbert street, the steepest street, went past Lombard street which was absolutely gorgeous filled with amazing bright hydrangeas, it was unreal! We wanted to go by again to get some pictures but it was too busy.

America’s cup is taking place in the city right now so it was packed! After vetoing Pier 39 due to the crowds we decided to head across the bay and over to Fenton’s Creamery, I was all for this decision. If you have not been to Fenton’s you are missing out big time! They have the most amazing sundays and even their food is great. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

It was also our niece Coraline’s baby blessing so we had a great time all getting together for dinner. I love this sweet little baby and she melted my heart when she smiled at me this weekend!

8th grade promotion and visitors

courtney baby
Please excuse my dumbo ears, I hadn’t quite grown into them yet. But how cute is baby Courtney as a bunny?!

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sisters

The past week was a busy one for our family. My baby sister had her 8th grade promotion and is now on to high school! Courtney and I are 10 years apart in age but so close. I am very blessed to have close relationships with all three of my beautiful sisters. But I think the thing that brought Court and I so close was that I was the only one who could understand her toddler talk! She had a hard time pronouncing her vowels but for some reason I could almost always understand what she was saying. Courtney is one of the sweetest people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She’s very thoughtful of others and is a light to everyone around her. She is growing into a beautiful young woman and I’m so excited to see what’s around the corner for her, even though she is going to my rival high school, Monte Vista…traitor! 😉

We also had the wonderful pleasure of spending time with my Sister-in-law Dani, her husband Scott, and their three adorable kids, Paige, Emma and Colton. I have the three best Sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law I could ever ask for. I love spending time with them and their cute kids. They each have made my life better and I can’t thank them all enough for welcoming me to the family the way they have. We had a blast having Scott & Dani’s family here and wish they never had to leave.

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