2015: our year in review

This year was a great and busy year for us. I'm sure I say and think that every year, but this year it's especially true. We started the year with several celebrations of birthday's and milestones, we hired our first employee at the office, we went on some very exciting adventures and crossed 9 States off our list, we said a hard goodbye to my Grandpa, I ran my fourth half marathon, Alex (finally) got glasses and can see, Alex's parents moved just a block away from us, we got to celebrate the weddings and engagements of dear friends, we got a new roof and Alex's dad refreshed and repainted the front of our house, we pushed ourselves outside of our comfort zones, we grew our business and last but certainly not least we found out that we're expecting a sweet baby girl! Phew, that's a lot!!

I say we, but I know full well that God has provided every opportunity, experience and event for us and for our good. Not that this year has been all sunshine and roses, there have certainly been challenges, disappointments, struggles and arguments. It's easy to list the good for the public eye and sweep the bad under the rug, but we live a real life and I don't want to perpetuate a lie that we have it all together. We rest in God's goodness and He is who we find our hope and identity in, so when we do have hardships we turn to Him and when we have triumphs we turn to Him.

I don't think we have any New Year's Resolutions this year, but 2016 looks like it will bring many firsts for our little family and a lot of excitement and new challenges. I cannot wait until the arrival of this little girl and to see how God will use her.

Here are just a few of our photographed highlights:

celebrating Amanda's birthday

completion of my 4th half marathon

Alex soaking in the Pacific

hiking in Oregon

checking out Beale Street

spending time with all of my siblings in the same place

bowling with some of my favorite tiny humans

waiting for the fireworks on 4th of July

we found out we're having a baby!!!

Riedle family vacation in Florida

some brotherly love at the Bishop wedding

exploring the Grand Canyon

watching the Cardinals play in the NLDS

last but not least, this little pup posing with our Christmas tree

I hope you had a Merry Christmas and that you have a wonderful New Year!

bumpdate: 28 weeks

Hello third trimester!! We only have a little ways to go before we get to finally meet this sweet little babe and I cannot wait. The last few weeks have flown by with the holidays and festive busyness. I hope the next few months go as quickly.

I had my 28 week appointment with my midwife today and both the babe and I are doing well. I passed my glucose test and thankfully I don't have to worry about gestational diabetes (hallelujah!). Other than that, she is growing right on track and her heartbeat sounds as strong as ever. I am so thankful that this pregnancy has been so smooth this far.

We have decided to deliver at Gateway Memorial for a lot of reasons, one being that they have a birthing tub and other area hospitals don't offer/allow water births. We still need to schedule our birthing classes but we do have an appointment to meet with a pediatrician next week.

I am still full of energy and feel great. Although I'm much slower, I've been able to continue running and "athletically walking" -that's how I convince Alex to join me on the trails, running sounds less enticing to him and my fast walking speed is his normal speed...it's a win-win. Moose is just happy to be outside when it isn't raining.

There is a rumor that you lose your second trimester energy somewhere in the third trimester and I'm not looking forward to that...we still have to finish her room and I have a to do list as long as my arm to complete before she arrives. Here's hoping I can get it all done!

life lately: holiday edition

It seems like as soon as the holiday season is upon us, life explodes with busyness. From Thanksgiving on we haven't had a spare weekend, let alone minute that wasn't accounted for. But, don't let the busyness come across as burden, it is all very welcomed and very much enjoyed.

We have gotten to go to the Fox to see Cirque du Soleil Holidaze, hang out with our high school students, celebrate an early Christmas with friends and of course shop, bake and decorate. I am proud to say that I have completed all of our shopping, including Moose's gift- he knew I got him something because when I sat the bag down he wouldn't leave it alone, so now his new antler is in my closet...I really hope I don't forget about it.

This weekend will kick off our first family Christmas celebration at Alex's grandparents. Then we'll celebrate Christmas Eve with our church family and Alex's immediate family and then we'll head to my parents to spend time with my side of the family. All in all it seems busy when it's written down, but I wouldn't want to celebrate any other way.

Alex and I have been doing an advent devotional every night and it has really helped us to focus on what is important about this season and why we're celebrating in the first place. We are following along with the She Reads Truth (or He Reads Truth if you're a fella) advent and I highly recommend it. It's so easy to get caught up in finding the right gift or baking the perfect sugar cookie, but Christ's birth is so much more important and needs to be the central focus.

bumpdate: 25 weeks

This week, according to the "Bump" app, this babe is the size of head of cauliflower! I walked through the grocery store yesterday and those suckers are big! It seems like every week that goes by I'm surprised that she's getting so big and she/we still have a long way to go.

I still feel great and full of energy, but Alex has to remind me that I'm pregnant a lot so I'll stop climbing around to reach things in the kitchen. When we were decorating our Christmas tree he had to take my stool away so I wouldn't precariously balance on it to reach the top- this year he had a much more active role in tree decorating.

We have started on her room and are at a bit of a standstill due to lack of time. This time of year is always busy, but I feel like life is moving at warp speed. Once we get her room finished, I promise there will be pictures.

She has started to get more power behind her kicks and for our evening entertainment we watch my stomach bounce up and down, it's pretty entertaining. At our last appointment, she was measuring right on track and continues to have a nice strong heart beat. I know that everyone says it, but all I want is a healthy baby and so far she's doing great. I have scheduled appointments for us to tour both of our local hospitals and once we decide on one, we'll start taking the recommended classes.

I have also scheduled my glucose test and our appointments with the midwife through February. Then I'll start going for weekly checks. It seems like it will be here before we know it, but I am so excited to meet this little girl!