18 Looks Back at 2018

It's so good for this mama's soul to look back over the year and give thanks for all of our blessings and adventures.  

So here's 18 photos to sum up 2018.

For Christmas stocking gifts, we gave each child a coupon for a date with Phil and I, and we spent January cashing in those coupons.  It was so fun!  We went to breakfast with the little boys, lunch with JP, dinner with Andrew and Eamon, and lunch with Maggie.  This is something we kept up with through the year...every kid had 2 or 3 dates with us.

JP turned 15 and I turned 39 in February, which means 2019 is a big birthday for us both!

Phil and I snuck away for an overnight to Freeport, Maine and it was amaaaaazing.  We went to the Harraseeket Inn, shopped around town, and ate our way through Maine.  Can't wait to go back!

The winter held lots and lots (and lots) of basketball games as we had four kids on four different teams.  It's definitely our favorite sport to watch though, quick games, indoors, and mad skills.

These three leprechauns celebrated St. Paddy's Day and became thick as thieves in 2018.

Lots of snow!!  It is New England, after all.

We stole the kids away during Spring Break and surprised them with a visit to Hershey Park.  It was so fun, and such a great family memory for the books.

Then we headed down to Maryland to visit with Phil's whole side of the family.  The kids go nuts to see all their cousins and the adults always have fun catching up.  Plus, it's always been beautiful weather when we visit in April!

JP got confirmed and Haley was his sponsor (before she entered the convent in August!)

Memorial Day with the Three Amigos!

Declan graduated from Preschool 3 - so cute!

We dropped the big boys off to my brother in NH and continued on our way to Story Land with the youngest four.  I missed the older boys, but it was so much fun to have this precious time with the younger set.  

We went to Patriots Training Camp in August - it was hot and sticky, but worth it to see our favorite players from afar.  Andrew and Eamon got a lot of looks with those masks!

School Started!!!  10th grade, 8th grade, 6th grade, 5th grade, 2nd grade, and Preschool 4.

Apple Picking 2018 - we go more for the photos than the apples :)

Maggie had her tonsils removed and her auricular pit closed up.  It was a rough but smooth recovery (she was in a lot of pain but healed nicely - no complications).  Hoping we don't have many more surgeries in our future!

Alexander made his First Confession and loved how great he felt after :)

And here we are nearing the end of December already!  I say it every year, but it's been a busy, crazy 12 months and I wouldn't want it any other way.  Looking forward to 2019 and whatever God has in store for us!  Merry Christmas and I'll see ya next year :)