Some final words on 2013

What a year it has been for us! Back in the US after living in France for well over a year now, our time overseas often pops up in everyday life, although less than it did at the beginning of the year. We still miss our friends from Clermont-Ferrand terribly, but have started making new friends here in Greenville. We’ve celebrated a first birthday and a third birthday, with family visiting us more frequently than in the past two years combined. We’ve found new favorite places to play, eat and explore right here in the city, and done some exploring further from home, not just in South Carolina but in the neighboring states as well.

 

My favorite trips this year: my visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Auldbrass Plantation in Yemassee, SC, our vacation on Sapelo Island, GA, the day-trip to Bulls Island SC while staying on the coast, two Blue Ridge Parkway experiences this fall (in NC), the weekend in New York City, the cousin’s confirmation in Toronto, the Key West experience and finally our family’s trip to Latvia to experience the National Song Festival.

Throwing rocks at Paris Mountain State Park yesterday

 

Unexpected surprises close to home: the Greensboro Science Center, Congaree National Park, the Carl Sandburg Home Historic Site, Columbia SC, the Georgia Aquarium and Balloons Over Anderson.

 

Fun blogging firsts: I hosted my first giveaway, was voted into the top 5 SouthernMom Bloggers by you guys, hit the 300 post milemarker and am nearing 10,000 pageviews a month.

 

We continue to honor our Latvian roots; in addition to the Song Festival in Rīga, we also attended a family reunion while in Latvia. We hosted the Upstate (and surrounding area) Latvians for Latvia’s Independence Day celebrations, continued with Latvian traditions such as dying Easter eggs with onion skins and baking piparkūkas for Christmas, represented Latvia in the International Festival in Spartanburg, and participated in the Jāņi (midsummer’s eve) celebrations here in Greenville.

Our tree is still up - and will stay up at least another week

The French sneaks in as well, with the bells on Easter, Bastille Day brunch, making gateau au yaourt with the boys, meeting our friends from Chatenet in Chicago and celebrating Kings Day.

 

But there is one thing this year has been all about, and that is family. After our time in France when we averaged only a couple visits with close family a year, it is as though we have been trying to make up for this deficiency the last twelve months. We rang in 2013 with my husband’s parents in Michigan and are sending it on its merry way with my parents right here in Greenville tonight. In between it’s been all of our favorite people, in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, New York and even Latvia. If only Seattle weren’t so far away…

 

I’ll end this retrospective with a few New Year’s resolutions. First, I resolve to spend more time with the boys (not just supervising); getting down on the floor with them to play trains, throwing the football around in the backyard and involving them in regular household activities. Second, I resolve to spend more time outdoors, walking or playing in the park, even in the backyard, but outside. Finally, I promise to worry less about the little stuff, like clean floors and put-away toys.

 

We wish everyone health, happiness and adventure in the coming year; the strength to fulfill all your resolutions and the resolve to know which ones are important; time with family, friends and loved ones. Happy 2014!!!