Happy New Year!

March 13th I became an aunt of the most beautiful girl, Ellie Caroline

April 20th, my very best friend experienced the best role ever, becoming a mother of Cam.

July-I took my first ever solo vacation down south. Hilton Head, Savannah, and Charleston.

One for the books that's for sure.

August 6th, started my new career with an amazing company, Novo Nordisk. I haven't looked back once and I am so excited what the future of this company will bring in my professional career.

As I close up 2012, I look at our most recent family portrait. How we are the same family of three, yet each of us have changed over the past year. Tripp, you have matured so much. Yes, you are still my hyper active social butterfly, but your manners amaze me. You hold the door for complete strangers, you say ma'am and sir to all, your love for reading makes me glow with elation, and your eagerness to help with the chores around the house makes my life so much easier. Baxter, you are the Pre-K student of the week almost weekly. Your teachers tell me how wonderful you are in helping them and following directions. But you are my pleaser. Always have been. You are slow to warm up to strangers, almost always reaching up for me to take you, until you realize your safe place and then you are my funny, witty, outgoing Bax cracking jokes to your new found friend. Tripp you are no stranger to danger, and Bax, you hold back to even spicy beef tenderloin "examples" at Costco!

I think back over the past week that we have been able to spend the past eight days together and how very grateful I am that I have been able to reconnect with you two without school and work knocking on our mental reminders. We have out played the new air hockey machine, made craft after craft after craft. Ice skating in Reston and sledding at Ahma and Graddaddy's. Made our daily appearance at the cafe reminding the Town of Woodstock that we are indeed residents of our beautiful town and had dinners fit for kings at home. I think back to our breakfast at Panera and the older couple making a point to stop and tell us what a happy family we are. Because we are. Six years ago I never would have thought that my two best friends would have been two young guys, but you truly are. I would be lost without you two.

2012 was amazing for us. 2013 is going to be five times better. There are many things in store for us and I can't wait to experience all of them with you! Happy 2013 from A, T, & B!!