Year in review 2012...

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* Top row (l-r)
Charlotte and Mom on Mom's birthday; Charlotte's Valentine's Day crayons for her Kindergarten class; Winter Hawks game with friends; Mrs. Davis' Kindergarten class auction project; Maddy & Charlie at Wicked; Lost her first tooth in March
* 2nd row
Cirque du Soleil's OVO; Captain American CANstruction at Aloha Campus; Charlie and Grandpa Cina after her flight; Four generations; Star Light Parade float; Fun with the Rohr's in Gig Harbor
* 3rd row
Relay rummage sale; 4th of July parade; Ginger, Melissa and Kathy at the TOP of Black Butte; Big Philly, mom and Melissa at Relay; AFO's summer picnics at Oaks Park; Kids Day in Aloha
* 4th row
Director Team for GPTW 5/10k FUN Run; Portland To Coast - Team Slow Poke; First Day of First Grade; Fun times at Sam & Logan's wedding; Parkinson's Walk; Batgirl
* 5th row
Monsters for a Cure; Instagram costume; Mom's first day driving; Purple Solo Cup at  Summit; Disney World at Christmas; KGW Toy Drive in Aloha
* Bottom row
Ray came to visit; WeBees annual Christmas Extravaganza; Christmas morning; Christmas with my folks; Family photo as Christmas gift; Dave, Uncle Terry, Aunt Lil, Claire and Marilyn after Christmas

THANK YOU Shelley for the idea & continued inspiration!  You can see our past year in reviews: 2011, 2010, 2009 and 2008.

2012 was a good year, one that we have SO many things to be thankful for!

• Kathy and Victor both celebrated their 43nd birthdays
• Charlotte turned six and lost 5 teeth
• We are both still employed at Intel and we are VERY grateful for both of our jobs!!!
• Charlotte started First Grade and loves it!
• Charlotte continues gymnastics and loves it too!
• Thanks to Intel's GPTW (Great Place To Work), we were able to attend several hockey games, many movies, Charlotte's first musical Wicked at the Keller Auditorium and lots more FAMILY fun events!
• 2012 will be the year of the crocheted Mini-Monsters, Gnomes and Owls for a CURE!  Thankful for my partner in crime Rosemary!!!
• Kathy walked in my 2nd Portland To Coast Relay and LOVED IT!  Team Slow Poke ROCKS!!!
• Many of our friends were diagnosed with cancer, continue to fight their battle against the disease and we pray for and miss those who are no longer with us...
• Charlotte continues to grow into a smart, beautiful and funny little girl
• We went with my folks and my brother and his family to Florida in November...Universal Studios and Disney World - AWESOME!
• We had lots of fun with family and friends and are so blessed to have so many amazing people in our lives!
• My mom continues to have more good days than bad and despite all the obstacles, we count all our blessings and remain positive!!
• We are blessed with good health and look forward to a fun and fabulous 2013

We hope that 2012 was good to you and your family. Blessings to you in the new year and THANK YOU for being part of our lives.

Love - Kathy, Victor & Charlotte

Christmas cards 2012...

I took down the Christmas cards today and made our 2012 album. Got the idea from this post here
I will continue to make them each year and keep them out during the holidays so we can look back and remember!  Heart all our friends and loved ones.

The four amigos...

Rachel had sent me a text to see what we were up to today. Victor headed back to work for the first time in two weeks and the kiddo and I headed over to Rachel's so the "four amigos" could play.

We ended up later going to lunch with Kaitlin and her parents.  Then Rachel and I took the four kiddos to see the movie "Parental Guidance".  I still had all four of my Intel GPTW (Great Place To Work) movie passes, so we used them.  GREAT movie for the entire family!

Matthew reading to the girls.

Maddy leading morning yoga class.

Cousin time...

Aunt Lil & Uncle Terry came down to Dave's home on Christmas day and spent a few days with them. They spent last night and then tonight with my folks. Dave only lives about 45 minutes away, but it's always nice for mom/dad/Terry & Lil to get adult time to visit.

Victor, Charlie and I went up around noon and Dave, Claire, Marilyn arrived a little after.

Victor made the main course, with Claire assisting. 

The girls had a blast playing together and there was lots of laughter!  Love our family!

The three amigos...

We had dinner at the Hoffman's home tonight. The kiddos hadn't seen each other in weeks and they had a blast! The grown-ups got to visit and then the kiddos exchanged gifts! We are so blessed to have them in our lives!!! Friends for LIFE! Thank you Hoffman family! We love you guys!

I forget the names of these blankets, but Matthew & Maddy each got one for Christmas and they got Charlie one too!  The three of them then proceeded to SING the infomercial song, which I'm sure I will now start hearing anytime Disney channel is on.

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas morning...

The kiddo was up and in our bed before 6am...I asked her to take a little bit more of a rest...which she did...She'd already been downstairs to make sure Santa had arrived and got his cookies and milk! Fun stuff this Christmas morning and we'll be heading up to my folks to spend the day! Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Happy birthday Jesus!

She got a new swimsuit.

Cool shirt from Grandpa Cina!

I think she's gonna have to grow a few inches to fit into these pants... :)

Barbie "Legos" from Great-Grandma Charlotte.

Great mystery from Grandpa Cina.

Knitting, not exactly "knitting" but it's knitting!

Junie B. Jones, First Grade TOOTHLESS Wonder!

Tooth #4 & #5...

She can finally say "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth"...

Tooth #5 FINALLY came out early Friday (Dec. 21st)...

Tooth #4 came out Nov. 17th while we were at Disney World.

Numb...

Today started out like any other Aloha Friday here in Oregon!  It was chilly and rainy, but it was  FRIDAY and Fridays, they are always FUN!

My friend Rosemary was working her last morning with us at Intel.  I'm sad I won't see her at work everyday, but due to the environmental changes at work, all the contract workers are being let go.  Things will eventually turn around and if we need her back, Rosemary is always willing and able to help out where needed!

Around 10am I checked CNN.com and that's when I saw the news....then I looked on FB and many of my friends were posting about the tragedy in Newtown, CT. 

I cried at my desk...I cried in the car as I listed to the local news radio.  I cried on the phone when I talked to Victor.  I cried when I got home. 

Victor and I picked up Charlotte at school together...I've never wanted to hug my kiddo so much in my life! 

20 children were taken away from their family and friends today.  Six adults were taken away....

I pray for those taken all too soon and their loved ones left to deal with the unfathomably act...I'm NUMB, simply numb...

Thanksgiving 2012...

Considering we just spent 11+ days together with my brother and his family, having just the five of us together this year was a slower change of pace. We spent 6.5 hours up with mom, dad and the puppies and had a very relaxing day! So much to continue to be thankful for this year!

Found this photo from '69, my first Thanksgiving!

Relay Summit 2012...

It was great...I didn't take enough non-blurry photos...just a few highlights for me personally, including our Survivors coming in to kick things off Saturday morning...they were lined up by their diagnosis...most current (my friend Lewis, just two months) to my friend Selma (47 years)...AWESOME!!! Survivors in Portland, 2012!

Anna, myself and MJ!

Luminaria...

MJ & Anna did a most excellent job emceeing our event!

Pat Flynn and I...the "mother of Relay" spent the weekend with us!

Happy Halloween...

Today was a GOOD DAY! Had fun dressing up at work and more importantly, the weather held out (it was actually fairly warm outside) and Charlie had a blast going door-to-door around our rather large neighborhood. Didn't take too long to fill up her entire fuchsia pumpkin bucket! She did have a slight meltdown coming off her sugar high before bedtime...yeah, we will stick to TWO piece per day from her on out! Happy Halloween!

Batgirl never looked so good!

Charlie trying on MY costume!

Found some superheros at work today!

The loot!