2024
We had a very eventful 2024. Our family spent the year continuing to settle into Minnesota, spending time with family and taking a few trips here and there. It was a big year for making new friends, reconnecting with old ones, and spending time with each other and our extended families.
Hannah completed kindergarten in June and started first grade in September. She’s become an avid reader and is absolutely crushing her math homework. She took a break from dance and started gymnastics in its place, and is having a blast mastering some new skills. Swim lessons is a constant love and she enjoys moving up the levels. She turned 6 in July and has been showing off her wonderful creativity with art projects, singing songs, and making up dances to teach her brothers. She has also fallen in love with turtles of all shapes and sizes.
Owen started daycare in January and just moved up to the preschool classroom. He turned 3 in September and loves all the new things he can do. He loves to cook with Evan and be a kitchen helper. He loves play doh, playing with his siblings, and has recently started physical therapy to help his balance.
Nolan also started daycare in January and moved up to preschool. He turned 3 in September and is so excited with every new big kid thing he gets to do. He has been working hard in speech therapy and loves puzzles and animals. He also looks up to his big sister and wants to be big just like her. He’s always helping his family by tidying up and loves swim lessons just like Hannah.
Sara is currently with IBM Research and travelled to San Francisco for a conference in September. Evan has been working at Zoom since January and feels lucky to be a part of a talented team of delightful writers.
We took some trips this year, mostly to get the kids used to traveling after a few years where recreational travel has been more difficult.
In June, we took a summer trip to Nebraska, where the kids got to hang out with their cousins and Evan got to spend some time with his sisters and parents.
In August, we stayed overnight at a cabin in Whitetail Regional Park. It was as close as we’re going to get to camping at this age for the kids.
In August, we also took an overnight trip to Duluth, so the kids could see the ships in the harbor and we could practice staying at a hotel.
In November, Evan and Hannah went to Colorado for a week to see their old stomping grounds, spend time with some old friends, and help Hannah give Colorado a proper goodbye.
All in all, it was a good year. Good to see family and friends, attending a friend’s wedding in June, hosting some holidays at our house. We spent time at some places we loved, like the Science Museum, the Children’s Museum, and the Minnesota Zoo. We’re still on the hunt for allergy friendly restaurants, but that’s something we’re getting better at, too.
We’re hoping for our trend to continue to 2025, and we’re looking forward to all of the adventures our family will have coming up.