Looking back on 2012

This past year has been great.  We knew it was our last year in Europe and we tried to take full advantage of that.  I’d say we did pretty well.
We went to Carnevale in Venice, and Lake Barcis, and Gorgazzo.

Then we headed back to the States for 2 months while Mark did SOS at Maxwell.  Spending time with family, friends and at the beach??  It was a great time and I’m so glad we all went back with Mark and got to spend that quality time with him and our families.

And while we were in the States, Ben got baptized and Abbie celebrated her 3rd birthday!

We hit the ground running with our traveling when we got back, and took a  trip to Plitvice Lakes and Rovinj, Croatia and Baredine Cave.

Mark and I went to Venice, Murano and Burano on a day trip to celebrate our 6th anniversary.

We went to Caorle, Trieste, Miramare Castle and the Grotto with Mark’s mom and cousin.

And then Mark and I went on our Mediterranean Cruise!!

Then we went to Vienna, Austria and Bratislava, Slovakia.

We got to see Uncle Ryan be ordained a deacon, and then spent a few days on the Amalfi Coast with Mark’s family.

The same month we took a long weekend trip to Salzburg, and then a week long trip to visit Ireland with my parents.

And we also took weekend trips to Austria and Munich!!  It was quite the year of traveling for us!!

Abbie landed herself in the Italian hospital TWICE – once with an abscess in her throat and the 2nd time with a broken arm.

My photography and editing skills went from this, to this.

Abbie went from this, to this.

And Ben went from this, to this.

It’s been quite a year for us, and next year is going to be so different, but I am really looking forward to it.  We’re hoping it’s not going to be as hectic, and that we’ll be able to concentrate more on the day to day stuff, instead of all of the traveling and living overseas stuff we tend to concentrate on now.  We want to buy a house and settle down some and focus on each other and the rest of our family, which hopefully we’ll see more of when we don’t live an ocean apart from them.
2012 has been amazing, and we can’t wait to see what 2013 has in store for us!!