So, other than one post in January I did absolutely ZERO updates. At least I've made New Year's Eve fun and exciting - second only to watching the Mariah Carey DISASTER on live TV. WOW!!
Photo onslaught. Hoping this catches you up on the goings on in our lives this past year. We did not send out Christmas cards. A first in a very long time! We just ran out of time! Plus, we'll be sending out "We've Moved" cards as we are in the process of building a new house. We made it through the color selection still married, so we have that going for us in 2017!
We hope you had a blessed Christmas and have a very Happy New Year!
Love,
The Landers
FEBRUARY
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| My view in February. I'm thinking it'll be slightly different in 2017 |
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| Orange County Zoo |
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| DISNEYLAND - waiting in line for Mater's Junkyard |
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| It's a small world! |
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Deployment Halfway Dinner at the Ritz Carlton. FANCY!
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MARCH
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| One last ladies night with Carly |
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| Saying "see you later" is ALWAYS hard! We miss you, Jobes family |
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| Disneyland |
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| You play in puddles any chance you get when in SoCal! |
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| Supporting our super awesome BAMR friend! Miss you, Red! |
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| Happy Easter! |
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| He is risen! |
APRIL
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| Eleanor's Trike-a-thon moment |
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| Ethan's turn, while mommy and her friends were running! |
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| Ragnar SoCal 2016. Van 1 FOR LIFE! |
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| Loved meeting up with our awesome Stroller Warrior volunteers! |
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| Late night Chili's run. |
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| Van 1 FINISHED! |
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| It's Bloody Mary time!! |
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| One of the 3 teams Stroller Warriors Camp Pendleton fielded. So awesome! |
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| Thanks, Nannette & PawPaw for watching the kiddos! |
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| Getting in a few miles together! |
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| Cramming in as much as possible...Ethan's birthday at Pizza Port |
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| Ethan & his buddy Drew |
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Makai & Ethan.
Ethan talks about his SoCal friends all the time. He's constantly asking if we can go visit them! |
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| Happy Birthday, buddy! |
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| Sometimes you just gotta find some space all by yourself! |
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| Wingman Foundation Run around Lake O'Neill |
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| Bubble Run 2016. You know you've found a good one when she swears she'll never run a themed run and yet she's out there with you because it was $20 & would be fun for the kids! |
2016 - BEST DAY
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| Early morning picture....hurry up & wait. |
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| Thank you, Wagner family, for being our photographer! |
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| You know you're jealous of my sign making skills!! |
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| Phone tracking means you know exactly when they'll arrive. |
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| Except that's not our bus....womp womp! |
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| THERE IT IS! |
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| They did a great job waiting....hard to explain to a 5 and 3 year old why Daddy was going to be the last off the bus. |
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| Those faces!! |
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| Those hugs are the best!! It's what gets us through the times apart! |
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| Feels so good to be together again! |
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| We made more signs! |
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| And it's business as usual....bedtime stories. |
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| Happy Birthday, Daddy! |
MAY
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| The last time running with the double! My how those 3.5 years went so quickly! |
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An impromptu ladies Sunday afternoon. What a fabulous time!
Thanks for the laughs, Megan & Erin! |
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SWCP going away party surprise!! Finally able to post these pictures!
Meeting baby Elizabeth for the first time! |
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| Adding one more girl to the mix. Eleanor is in love! |
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| What a wonderful surprise! |
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One last swim in the San Mateo Point pool.
Hoping we get to do it again! |
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| Pizza Port dinner with Ethan's school buddies. |
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Uncle Brax showed up too.
Look at all those boxes! |
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Another Pizza Port visit with our SWCP buddies.
We miss that place and the friends we left behind!! |
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These two. The power couple....always!
Jack & Eleanor |
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One last picture with Mrs. Hardison!
Oh how we (I) miss her! |
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| Mrs. Banks - what an amazing assistant! Miss her smile! |
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| One last hug from Ms. Jacque & Noah! |
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130 McCormick
How we've grown since we first moved in!
Day 1 of our drive across country! |
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| Day 2...still smiley! |
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All's good, Mom!
Shaka! |
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| Day 4 - we're over it! |
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| Next stop....Nashville! |
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| Daddy's new ride! Fitting right in here in Nashville! |
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| Our house! |
JUNE
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| Marathon training - 3 sweaty miles. Ethan biked like a pro! |
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| Eleanor's first haircut. Not super exciting! |
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| Alright....it's time to start this crazy! |
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Jon, you're in charge now!
But we really know that nothing is official until the blackberry is handed over. That came quickly after the ceremony! |
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Everyone has said to us how challenging RSCO is on the family.
Well, CHALLENGE ACCEPTED! |
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| A free water park saved this Mommy's sanity! |
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| Keeping cool during the blazing hot summer! |
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| And they wore themselves out! |
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| Exploring Cookeville for a few minutes. |
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| Date night #1 while here in TN. |
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| CMA Fanfest 2016 |
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| Heading to our seats |
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| We had some awesome seats! |
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| It was a bit toasty that day! |
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| Dinner with Daddy in his new office |
A little painting project
JULY
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Catching up with my HS friend, Julie, has been AWESOME!
So glad she moved here the same time we did! Downtown Nashville is always a good time! |
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| We love living off the 40...we're an easy stop for our friends who are moving cross county! |
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| Thanks for the great time, Cain family! |
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Fireworks - on July 8th
It was a bit wet before that! |
Our big trip up to VA and MD
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We were so close to Nannette & PawPaw's but I couldn't wait any longer to eat.
10+ hours in the car....they did awesome! |
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| Keeping it real while waiting for the Metro. |
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| Natural History Museum. |
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| Tourists for the day |
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| As sweet as can be! |
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| A little Marine Corps history lesson. |
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| Meeting up with SWCP friends while at Quantico. Another super hot day! |
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| We love Aunt Ally! |
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| She's so silly! |
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| Udvar-Hazy Center |
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| Watching the Endeavor's maiden voyage video....Mommy was there in person. |
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| Our first IMAX theater movie! |
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| Fairfax water park |
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| So much fun! |
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| I love that she plays with them....so I get a minute to sit! |
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| Now it's time to head to the beach, hon! |
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| Meeting baby Mason! |
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| Cousin time! |
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| Because getting seven kids & two grandparents to smile at the same time is easy! |
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| Trumper's amusement park. It's tradition! |
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| Ethan & Big Guy! |
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| Bentley & Caleb |
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| They're too much! |
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| Sisters & friends...always. |
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| Our last day on the east coast....spent at the ball park is a-thousand degree weather! SO HOT!!! |
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| We got home in time to see Ellen before she headed to her BeachBody conference! |
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| When you've never danced in the rain with umbrellas before, you enjoy every second of it! |
AUGUST
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| Nashville Zoo train |
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| Chattanooga Aquarium |
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| King crab photo op! |
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| Mine & Eleanor's favorite! |
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| Our trek up to Cummins Falls |
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| Eleanor was not too sure about walking through the water. |
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| She finally warmed up to it! |
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| This probably could've been our Christmas card....if I had my act together! |
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| An alley we found after the West GA/Chattanooga family day. |
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| Meeting up with our friends, the Bakers, in Gallatin. |
SEPTEMBER
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| It's birthday day! |
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| Party time....with 2 of our cousins! |
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Look at those little cuties.
Thankful she's made new friends at school! |
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Water ballon fight!
And whomever came up with the insta-fill water balloons - AMAZING! |
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| Taking just a moment from entertaining the kids! |
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| Ethan & Eleanor's first chicken wings! |
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| A little park time before they have to leave. BOO! |
Marine Week 2016
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Jon meeting Ashton Eaton - 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist in the Decathalon.
His brother, a retired 1st Sgt, is a silver star winner |
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I had the honor of hosting a coffee and sit down with Mrs. Gail Walters.
Justification for moving my grandmother's and great-grandmother's china & tea cups. |
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| General Walters taking a moment to speak with us. |
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| Kids are ready to see some static displays and parade! |
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| Who doesn't want to have their picture taken in a Humvee? |
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| It's Cobra time! |
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| Fire the missiles! |
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| Our buddy, Jayden! |
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| The parade got rained out...boo! But we enjoyed a fabulous dinner with SgtMaj and his family! |
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| The first "purple" of the year for Ethan. |
OCTOBER
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Meeting up with the Wagners as they pass through from California to Virginia.
I love being on the "south" route! |
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| Bash 'n Dash |
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| GOOOOOO! |
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Parents were asked to run a lap with their kids. You know this momma isn't running only one.
He earned his snow cone! |
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| We train early in this family! |
Nashville Oktoberfest
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This could've been a Christmas card too.
Man, I should look through photos more often! |
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I enjoyed a few minutes of down time.
My training run that morning was 23 miles |
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| Eleanor wanted to take a picture! |
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| This is Ethan starting his "cartwheel." |
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| A pretty epic snapshot by Eleanor! |
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| Enjoying a few moments at an empty playground during fall break |
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| Exploring Chattanooga with Jayden. |
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| And this is what a big kid does with the "monster fish" exhibit. |
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| Catching butterflies |
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| King crab photo-op |
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Catching a short mile with this ultra-athlete. Running from San Diego to NYC, to support the Chris Kyle foundation and to raise awareness for our heroes suffering from PTSD.
Check out www.beastmodeforthebrave.org |
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| Disney on Ice - a relaxing event before my marathon! |
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| Just a few Stroller Warriors, from all over the US, showing up to beast the 2016 Marine Corps Marathon & 10K. |
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Stroller Warriors Camp Pendleton Alum - Nana, Laura, Jen, Mia, Kyla
Lift your visor, they say so you don't have a shadow on your head. Not my best look! |
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| At the start line with Mia & Monica! |
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Hugs on the course from Rachel.
So awesome!! |
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| Such a pick me up! |
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| They are such troopers. My running buddies! |
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| The finish line....seeing my sister! |
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| I don't even remember taking this photo! |
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Can't believe I saw them at the finish!
Thanks again for being there!! |
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| LOVE that they were there for me! |
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| Thank you, Laura, for documenting! |
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| Just so happy to be finished! |
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| They all are such troopers! So good! |
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| This little guy offered to take off my socks for me, without even hearing a grunt or moan from me. I think I'll keep him! |
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| Happy Halloween from Annapolis! |
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| Tired of being behind the camera all the time! |
NOVEMBER
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Laura planned for us to get pictures of the grandkids from Grandma & Grandpa.
Again, another opportunity for a Christmas card. I know, I know. Completely unorganized! |
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| How are they all old enough to eat at the kid table, in the other room?? Where did our babies go? |
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Wedding rehearsel day for Uncle Brian & Aunt Casey!
I'm thinking the kids finally figured out how to smile for the camera! |
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| So happy to welcome this lovely lady into the Landers clan! |
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| This ring bearer and flower girl were phenomenal! |
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| Our one moment for the day! Glad we got it out of the way, early! |
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| She was a dancing fool! |
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| She danced with EVERYONE! |
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| It was such a beautiful wedding! |
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Date night #2 since living in Nashville.
Only 5 months after our first night out! |
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The RS Nashville Marine Corps Birthday Ball was on my birthday.
Having a bunch of Marines and spouses sing "Happy Birthday" is pretty special! |
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| We clean up pretty well! |
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| SgtMaj (Ret) Esway and Jon...looking sharp. |
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| What an honor to cut the cake! |
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| Genuine laughter...sign of a pretty good time! |
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| Probably one of the coolest guest of honor gifts I've seen! |
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We make those boys look good!!
Happy Birthday, Marines! |
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Ethan & Eleanor loved raking the leaves.
Again, something they've never seen! |
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| So happy the Mashburns came to visit for Thanksigiving! |
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| A little pre-turkey football! |
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| I loved smooshing on this little! |
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Happy that Chris & Julie joined our crazy dinner!
Thankfully they didn't mind eating at 5pm, even though we had said 3pm. (I cannot wait for a new oven!!!) |
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| Pre-dinner snoozing! |
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| Love all these littles! |
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| A wonderful day, celebrating Jon's entry into the Catholic Church |
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| Jon's sponsor, Mr. Bud. |
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| Jon's Confirmation. |
DECEMBER
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| Meeting some of the RS Nashville families at a reading of the Polar Express. |
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| Little man is quickly on his way to reading on his own! |
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| Another fabulous photo opportunity! |
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| She definitely loves the jellyfishes. |
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| He loves having his picture taken in the fish bowl! |
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| Eleanor's Christmas show. Such cute little angels! |
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| Ethan & Eleanor loved the truck! |
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| A few RS Nashville ladies meeting up for dinner! |
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| Their first experience with ice!! |
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| Ethan's kindergarten Christmas sing-a-long. |
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| What a cute elf! |
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| In line waiting for Santa. This picture was better than the one with the big man! |
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| Meringues. It's taken me 13 years to get them right! |
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| Christmas Eve movie present....The Polar Express. |
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| WOW....another photo we could've used! |
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| Dinner at Oishii's Japanese Hibachi. So much fun! |
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| Spreading out the reindeer food! |
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| Christmas morning! |
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| They did this on their own! |
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| Enjoying his new Minecraft legos. Jon did too! |
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| Playing with her new pony castle. |
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| Ethan lost his first tooth on Christmas day....as he brushed his teeth. The tooth went down the drain. |
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| They day after Christmas, we traveled to Spartanburg to visit with "Big Grandma" and "Big Papa." |
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| A little post-Christmas football action! |
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| It was a great visit! |
We wish you all the best that 2017 has to offer!
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