Sunday, January 06, 2013

Year in Pictures Pt 2

Whew, I so did not expect to make this huge long post. How do you sum up a whole year with a few pictures, and even fewer words? The tough selection process continued and we press on with the 2nd half of the year...

July:




I left you with a little teaser, as we went from Sara's recital performance in June to greeting July in Las Vegas for Sara's National competition. I just want to say I love Vegas. With or without kids, there are tons of things for all the senses. Vegas in July though? Well that I can do without. Shockingly, I actually blogged about this trip already, so you can read all about it here.

A few other things happened:



We had our first BBQ at the new house. A summer spectacular for mine and Britt's birthdays.


And softball tournaments took us all over. Watsonville, Livermore, Napa, a glamorous tour of the Bay Area...

August:



I started the month in another state again. This time, it was a work training trip to Milwaukee (told you my life is glamorous). Any trip that I can visit a new baseball park is a winner in my book. 


More softball. 


Beach visits. Birthdays. Birthdays AT the beach.


And our first family camping trip. To Yosemite. It was a good first attempt at being back at nature as a family. I hadn't gone to Yosemite since as a kid with my family. I had forgotten how ridiculously beautiful it is there. I mean, look at that view! Must try and make it a regular family vacation... with maybe some of our own supplies this time.


My favorite picture of the month came from this trip, of course. We spent pretty much all afternoon at this little river beach. The kids love playing in the water and it's not a bad place to just hang out either.

September:


Ah September 1st. When the air was full of hope of a new stadium... let's just move on.




Hannah started the fall season of softball and I think we were actually busier for it. Seemed like every weekend we were in Davis, Sacramento, Martinez...





Meanwhile this little one started dancing too. Busy busy...


And this one still had her thing. Busy busy...


Hey one of those panoramic picture thingies... I did find time to take in a game with Hannah. This is my FPOM (acronyms! super!) because it's the one of the most beautiful places around, and it was a good night (they did lose that night) where Hannah and I hung out early for batting practices, something I haven't been able to do in a long time.

October:


Ah October baseball. I was lucky to go to two games during the playoff. One a 10-0 catastrophe, but kicked off an amazing run of staving off elimination. I still get goosebumps thinking about it all...


Fall time is the best. If for nothing else but the colors. (this is a photography post, after all. hehe)


And Halloween! Hannah had been dying to be Katniss Everdeen since she read the books and she was excited to have put an outfit together. And to have an arena Katniss to match her District 12 Katniss, well she had the Halloween she always wanted.


 A little more softball for the PFOM. As it gets closer to winter, it means shorter days, and EARLY wake up calls. The lights are on because this picture was taken before the sun came UP! Sigh....

November:

Had a long day where I took Hannah to a softball tournament in Sacramento in the morning, then rushed back for a wedding in Oakland in the afternoon. It was worth it though as we had a blast. We love weddings. We'll make it more fun, promise. Oh, and please provide a photo booth. Those things are the best!


Then there was the week where I ran two 5K in a span of 5 days. Somehow my legs are still functional today to tell you about it.


Oh and this girl is officially a teenager now. Happy 13th...


 Egads she looks like an adult.


My FPOM was taken on the last day of November. I took the girls out to dinner before my third work trip of the year. A real glamorous trip to Boston! But that's next month...

December:



Sara was in a Christmas parade! and it was on TV! Except the TV broadcast didn't include the part where Sara dance. Bummer.. but here's proof. She was there.


I was so angry at the TV thing I left the state the next day... wait that's not what happened. The (non) broadcast didn't happen until after I came back... After the delay due to Hurricane Sandy, I made the trip to corporate headquarters in Boston for a week. 


We walked all over that city and it was blast. 


I have a great story that I share at work of a girl who I went to high school with here in the Bay Area and as fate would have it, she is now working in Boston...for the same parent company that I do in California! It was super cool to see her. She even brought me to a food truck, which scores bonus in my book.


The week was great but when we came back, it felt like Christmas was suddenly thrusted upon us. First was the winter dance recital for these two...


Then we saw these lovely folks. As family as I have without sharing genetic matter.


Then this girl turned 4. Not sure how that happened so fast...


Then it was Christmas! Thinking back, I'm not sure how we pulled all of that together. It has been a whirlwind of a last few weeks. But here we are, 2013. Ready to do it all over again.


Oh, one more favorite picture. So one more plug for my Instagram account. I love this picture. Might be my favorite all year. But that will require another long review of pictures, and I barely made it through this one. Thanks for coming along on this journey down memory lane. I honestly can't wait to see what this year as in store.