Adios 2008, Welcome 2009!

2008 was a great year for our little family. Here are a few of the highlights...

• TONS OF SNOW! They even cancelled church on Super Bowl Sunday because it dumped about 2 feet of snow overnight.
  
• Greg barely survived a bout with the influenza in March. He missed two straight weeks of work, spent two lovely nights in the ER, and lost 25 pounds in that time. The timing couldn't have been more spectacular--he pretty much missed Garrett's birth and first week of life.


• Our little Garrett joined our family in March. He decided to come a week early and right in the middle of Greg's illness, so it made for some interesting times. We survived it with the help of family and friends. My aunt Paula stayed with me in the hospital while my mom took a week off of work to spoon-feed Greg soup and pudding and nurse him back to health.


• Despite the craziness surrounding Garrett's birth, he has been an absolute angel and is truly the joy of our lives. He is a wonderful little guy and is such a good boy. He is a crawling fool and is really getting brave and wanting to walk. He is a great little sleeper and LOVES to eat. He will eat anything, anywhere, anytime. He has 6 teeth--4 on top and 2 on bottom. He is so friendly and loves everyone, especially Santa Claus. :) He loves his blankie--to the point it's getting almost ridiculous.


• We enjoyed vacations this year in Bear Lake, St. George and Yellowstone. Simple, but fun!


• We planted our first real garden as a family and had a great time watching it grow and enjoying the harvest.


• We farmed our own land this year and even entered a bale of hay in the county fair. We won 2nd prize and got $50!


• I "retired" from my job as a Jr. High English teacher, went back to school at the last minute to cover for a teacher with a pre-mature baby, and "retired" again in November to stay home with Garrett.


• The highlight of Greg's year was a successful hunting season and securing meat for our family. (What a guy...) He shot an elk with his bow, helped his brother Eric shoot his first deer, and downed a coyote (which was so wonderfully recorded by "me" on this blog) and some other small varmints. I actually think 2008 was a record year for him in that he didn't buy any new guns (that I'm aware of)...


• We celebrated Greg's 30th birthday in September with a "surprise" party at Maddox with 60 of our favorite friends and family members.


• Greg has worked so hard to build a giant shed/barn/mancave on our land. It is pretty much finished except for the siding. It has been a big project and is looking great!


• We have made lots of new friends this year and are really enjoying life in a small town. We now have two horses and a crazy dog!
  

Here are some of my favorite memories from 2008. WARNING--This slideshow is really long!

2009 is already promising to be another wonderful year. Here are a few things we're looking forward to.

• Celebrating Garrett's first birthday in March. Get ready for the party of the century! :)


• Garrett is really excited to become a big brother in July. (Just kidding...Gotcha!)


• Greg's little brother Mike will be graduating from Medical School in May and we are flying back to Wisconsin to celebrate with him. We are planning to visit Chicago and Nauvoo while we are there. I'm so excited!


• A wedding from one of Greg's siblings...(There are 3 eligible candidates!)


• Welcoming Miss Annabelle next month--Finally a cousin on the Phillips side!


• Speaking of cousins, we wouldn't mind some more on the Petersen side, either!


• Seeing "Wicked" in April!


• Greg will be getting his General Contractor's license and will hopefully be able to start making money for us instead of someone else.


• We are really hoping 2009 will be the year for us to move out of my aunt and uncle's basement and into our own home. Greg built over 20 houses in 2008. Hopefully he can build us our very own in 2009!!!


• We will celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary in June. I'm thinking a cruise around the Hawaiian islands sounds like a great way to celebrate. Don't you think?


• And much, much more!!!