Happy New Year!

I'm behind on blogging (again).  I had so many ideas of blogs, but in the interest of just moving on I am doing just that.  Here is a cap of 2008 in our house:

-Sam finished all of his requirements for his special education endorsement.  He now has the piece of paper that says he is qualified to do what he's been doing for over 8 years.

-We bought a mini-van.  A white one.  Yes, I am a mini-van mom.  sigh...  Two things I never wanted was a mini van and a white vehicle and now I have them both all rolled up into one.  But honestly, the whole circus of trying to buckle all 3 boys into the back of our wagon was getting out of control and I was getting desperate.  You do what you have to do.  Lest I sound ungrateful, thank you to my sister who made the mini-van and all of its comforts possible (I didn't know you could actually, as a family, get in a car and leave without someone getting gouged, screamed at, or body slammed, let alone in less than 13 minutes).

-We didn't move, or even switch callings at church. That's a first our whole married life.

-I discovered I love Tide.  I love how clean my clothes are and how nice they smell, even days after being washed.

-We didn't go camping, once.  My goals was at least twice, besides the ward camp out.  We got none, including the ward camp out.

-We made some trips: in February Miles and I went to visit my sisters in Utah; In June all 5 of us went to visit Sam's sister and her family in Tennessee;  In July Kincaid, Miles and I went to Idaho for my mom's side of the family reunion (a first since I was pregnant with Kincaid); in August I got to be a unit mom at girl's camp (a whole week of outdoors with a bunch of ladies ages 12 to grandma - what a blast!);  in September we went to California with most of Sam's family for Sam's Aunt Karen's wedding and spent 2 days in Disneyland while we were there (I'm not sure what was more magical, Disneyland or seeing 26+ Adams' all travel together in one plane, cram together in one bus [with their 50 pieces of luggage, 18 car seats, 6 strollers, 7 carry-on bags, and 4 leashes] and go together to various other places over the weekend without losing anyone or anything except a stuffed Piglet).  A note: I think IHOP is rethinking their" kids eat free with paying adult" policy after the Adams' family ate every meal there that weekend.

-Kincaid started first grade and therefore, all day school.  He loves it and has an awesome teacher.

-For my birthday Sam bought me a membership to the YMCA and I have been going 4-5 days a week every week (except Christmas break) since.  I haven't really lost any noteworthy weight or inches, but I feel great and have more energy, and can now run up the stairs or across the street to the neighbors house without getting winded.

-I went to my 10 year high school reunion.  Weird that I'm old enough for that, but we've already covered that subject earlier.  I hear from most people what a drunken waste of time and money theirs was; but honestly, I had a blast!  Everyone seemed genuinely excited to see what everyone else has been up to and sincerely happy for and supportive of what everyone chose to do.  I think I was tied with one other person for who had the most kids.  I got a few eyebrow raises and 2 "I'm sorry's" when I told people that I had 3 boys.  But one of the I'm sorry's was from someone who is the oldest of 3 boys and remembers what they put their mom through and the other one was so stinking drunk I am not sure he even knew who I was.  Apart from the drunken "I'm sorry" I am looking forward to my 20 year reunion, and wishing that there was going to a be 15 year one too.

-Henry has spent most of the year in what we call "Yanni-land."  Yanni is his nickname because that is what he called himself before he could say Henry.  And Yanni-land is an imaginary (or possibly 4th dimension) world that he co-exists in most of the time.  I will need to get a video of him in it some time, it is hilarious.

-Miles turned 1.  He is finally walking (although that was in 2009 in the past week, not 2008) is not allergic to peanut butter, is a major climber and is into everything.  His favorites are the used Q-tips from my bathroom garbage and the toilet brush.  (And yes, I do close my bathroom door, but there are 3 other bathroom users in the house and I can only spend so much mental energy thinking about closing bathroom doors).

-Thanks to Sam's "new" (acquired summer of 07) job, he can ride his bike to work and home everyday and he only has to leave 5 minutes before he needs to be there.

-Thanks to becoming a science/special ed teacher Sam has discovered deep down he may just have a repressed scientist.

-In November we removed the tree in our front yard.  We are planning to fill the muddy void with new grass this Spring and then maybe our front yard will look decent again.

I am sure there are plenty more noteworthy things that happened in 2008, but this is really long and I ran out of thoughts, so mercifully for those of you who are still reading this, I will end.  I apologize in advance for anything I left out.  Happy 2009 (yes, I know it's March).