Sunday Jan 3rd 2010 is our 1st year anniversary of the day we arrived at our new home in San Clemente. It has been a year of learning, courage, joy, sadness, loneliness, new friendships, acceptance, and family. As I look back at a year of photos I am overwhelmed at how blessed we've been this year! I wanted to just recap the year and share with you just a few blessings we've experienced.
January- We had our 1st ever In-N-Out, went to the beach, kids started at their new school, Eric started surfing, experienced our first earthquake (me no likey), went to the beach, 1st visitor- Longboard Larry, went to the beach and played at the park.
February- Monkey Syndicate started their biggest contract of the year with AT&T wireless and they got to travel to Georgia (where Eric got to see our good friends AJ and Shauna Campbell), we found the dollar theater in Irvine, Eric got his iphone, went to the beach, rode bikes, skateboards and scooters and due to all the traveling Eric was doing the kids and I ate at Denny's way to often!
March- Eric's 33rd birthday, the kids participated in their 1st Jog-a-Thon ( Amara ran 18 laps and Sully 19), we found out we even have allergies here (poor Sully's eyes swelled shut many times), we lost the iphone when Eric put it on the top of the van while putting Finn in and drove off with it on there. We then watched in horror as it flipped off the car and landed in the middle of the on ramp and was then run over by not one, but 2 big trucks! We also visited Treasure Island beach and tide pools for the 1st time (breath taking), Purchased 2nd iphone.
April- more allergies and then allergy medicine that actually works, Jeni and Clark Hall come for a surprise visit, we took Clark to the park for his 1st time, went to the beach, Sully's super cute Kindergarten play where he was a Fireman and Recyclarian, our good friend the Biddle's came for a quick visit, Sully lost his 2 front teeth, our friends the Hitchcock's came for Spring Break, more beach!
May- Brandi's 32nd birthday, where she received an amazing, beautiful and super cool beach cruiser bike ( that she hasn't used enough), our friend Mary Rodgers came for a long weekend get-a-way, Brandi got called into the ward Relief Society Presidency (What now?), Sully's 6th birthday, new boogie boards, Monkey Syndicate took a trip to San Fran, and we took our first trip to Disneyland!
June- open house at the kids school, our first trip to California Adventure, Amara won a Trimester Achievement award at school, Brandi's friends Sara and Marie come for a girls weekend ( note to self and everyone reading this: DO Not visit me in June, June gloom is real here and kind of a downer), swimming, 1st trip to The Hat :), Finn learns to ride a 2 wheeler, Eric started Brazillian Jiu Jitsu at Gracie Barra, and a fun visit from our friends Matt, Heidi and Mia LaPlante.
July- we drove 20 hrs to Oregon to spend a week there with our families and celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary, Amara cut off 10 inches of her gorgeous hair and donated it to Lock-of-Love in honor of our friend Heidi, went swimming alot, went to the beach, went boogie boarding, Finn's 3rd birthday when he got a hand made Humu from Longboard Larry, watching surfers and boogie boarders ride 20 ft waves at a place called the Wedge.....crazy! A trip to Palm Springs to see Aunt Tonya and swim, swim, swim!
August- went to the parks, more surfing, Sully and Eric started going bi-weekly to the skatepark, visit from Aunt Tonya, Uncle Sam and Lily, beach, pool, Amara started Brazillian Jiu Jitsu at Gracie Barra.
September- school starts again, Amara's 9th birthday, Uncle Josh came for a visit, Eric and Josh both meet Eric Estrada (from tv show CHIPS), Monkey Syndicate gets a studio and Aunt Lisa comes to visit and go to Disneyland with us.
October-Eric gets his white with orange racing stripes, 1970 Chevy Chevelle Wagon, Eric gets to travel to Seattle on business but gets to see family and friends while there (Amara was bitter and Brandi just a bit jealous), home made Thai spread at Manalo's... yum, our 1st Halloween in San Clemente, trick-r-treating on Bracelona, Amara was a Jiu Jitsu girl, Sully a glow in the dark skeleton and Finn was a Fireman.
November- Brandi and Eric celebrated 14 years of marriage, the Hinze family came for Thanksgiving, beach, beach and more beach, our dear friends The Billings surprised Amara and came and spent a whole day with us at the beach.
December- Amara received her 2nd Trimester Achievement Award, went to the beach, had a great Christmas dinner with the Manalo family, was very blessed with Christmas gift overload, got a Wii from the Mason and Williams families, many hours of Wii fun, payed our first babysitter so we could go to dinner and see Sherlock Holmes.
So that's it..... we have been blessed! Notice we only had about 2 months of last year where we didn't have a visitor.... we'd love to keep that up so everyone get out your calendars and call me to schedule your trip! We love you all, we miss you everyday but we do love it here! Come visit our paradise and maybe you'll want to move here too.
