2009...

2009..  it was a fun year!
January- I celebrated the last birthday for my twenties..  I am looking forward to 30!  This month our house was also blessed with a Dyson..  the gift that keeps on giving. :)  Snow was also awesome this month bringing Merrill up the hill in the backhoe more than once.
February- Our baby turned one.  A new little red-headed boy named Tyler was born to Austin and Brooke. We also started practically living at the hotel..  the end was nearing!  My decision in re-decorating the craft room amid the chaos is something I question to this day.
March-  If we thought life was busy in February, we were quickly corrected in March..  the hotel was our life.  We learned who our best friends were when help and endless offers of help poured in.  We spent more than a few late nights down there and learned how to make beds in record time!  We were happy to finally open mid-month.
April-  This month brought us our 9th wedding anniversary and a new computer.  With the new computer came PhotoShop and my life was digitized.  My love for digital scrapbooking just began..  We also planted our first real garden and looked forward to enjoying lots of home-grown goodies.  Ashley graduated from her first year of pre-school and was sad it was over.  She couldn't wait to get back at it!  Lynn was really reading..  writing and illustrating her own books.
May-  We ended a hard year of kindergarten with Lynn graduating, looked ahead to summer, relaxing, and a new year in first grade with a new teacher.  We also spent our Wednesdays at the fair grounds, softball was in season!
June-  We just began our summer and what a way to start it off..  we went to the Ogden temple for a primary activity then followed it up the next week with a family trip to the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house.  Such neat experiences to share with our girls!  When it wasn't raining, we spent our days in the sun, near the pool.  If it was raining, we were playing inside, or enjoying a dip at the hotel.  We also went to the Air Show and watched the Thunderbirds.  The girls cheered in the South Ogden Days parade.
July-  A month of celebrating, parades, and fireworks began..  we went to Lagoon and spent a fun-filled day there.  I also captured some of my favorite pictures of our little family there.  I got to learn some really cool tricks while taking digital classes online.  At the end of the month, we started to enjoy some goodness from our garden.
August-  Life picked-up and we started sprinting in August.  Clint and Britney were married the beginning of the month at the Salt Lake Temple.  We enjoyed our day there.  We had some home improvement projects online.  We were working all summer on the outside, and it kept on going!  Back to school was beginning in the PTA realm of things too.  Talk of moving began, and the work on the house got kicked into high gear.  Peyton broke her arm...  School started.  Merrill turned the big 3-OH NO! ;)  Mindy got a new camera and turned into a one woman paparazzi.  This only helped the digital addiction.
September-  Merrill enjoyed a cruise while Mindy (& company) prepared the house for how many appraisals?!  Oh, and walk-troughs...  we moved at the end of the month, so happy to finally be out of boxes!!  Again..  we are so blessed to have the friends and family we do...
October-  Ashley turned 5!!  We settled into the house and really began to enjoy our space to stretch...  Kevin and Randee welcomed their long awaited little girl Chace.  Merrill ran off to Arizona for work and I stayed at home, painting over the horrid blue in what was to be my craft room.  Halloween brought out some fun with an increase in the number of trick-or-treaters at our new address.
November-  The holidays officially began in our new home and I wanted it to be special.  I had the bulk of Christmas gifts taken care of early so we could enjoy...  until I got sick, and threw us off track for a little bit.  Lynnie turned 7!  We had two Thanksgivings..  one with mom and dad while Merrill worked and one at home the following day.  We put up the tree, after cutting off a few inches and leaving off two rows of branches. :(
December-  We packed it in this month!  We picked up old traditions and started a few new ones.  We enjoyed the month, but wish it would have gone by a little slower.  We were especially thankful to have our children really grasp the true meaning of Christmas.