I thought it would be fun to do a decade review with some of my favorite photos of the past 10 years. The 2010s was an era of littles turned preteen/teen. We put our kids through elementary school, I started teaching at Kinsey, Dan started working at Den Hartog's, I broke my ankle, we took a lot of trips, we got involved with RFKC, we moved to Sioux Center, and in between all of those things, we lived life and had fun doing it.
I've spent the last few hours looking at pictures, and it reminds me how grateful I am for the life God has entrusted to us. It's not easy by any stretch of the imagination, but I get to be the mama to three beautiful children. I get to be Dan's wife, and I get to be an aunt, a daughter, a sister, a teacher, and a friend to some pretty great people. I've experienced so many wonderful things in the last ten years, that I feel guilty for the moments when I am down on myself for life being so hard. While that is true 150%, it's a hard that not everyone gets to experience, and I don't take that for granted for a single second.
With that....here's our review!
Note: I am well aware that some pictures I chose are grainy and blurry, and I'm AOK with that. It represents how far our photos have come since then. Thank Jesus we no longer oversaturate photos like we did in 2012. HAHA!
Also note: There was no possible way I could add every picture I loved, so I chose only a few that represent our favorites. I already know I forgot a few things, but that's completely okay.
2010
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| Tenley Rose was born May 13, 2010 |
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| Sawyer turned one! |
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| Jae starts Kindergarten |
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| Carter started 4 year old preschool |
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| Dad helping the boys put the ornaments on the tree |
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| Lake Michigan Vacay |
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| Lili J |
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| Sidewalk summer memories |
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| Hudson Reed born August 15, 2011 |
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| Dad and Sawyer were UP characters for Halloween |
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| My first Broncos game |
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| Dan's homemade Barbie house for Jae's Christmas gift |
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| Sawyer loved his cars |
2012
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| The One March 31 that was 93 degrees. |
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| Hudson and I at Easter |
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| Sawyer |
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| Family pics taken by our friend Ashley while visiting in May 2012 |
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| Carter- the only one of my kids to have a graduation for kindergarten (Jae didnt have one at Hospers, and Sawyer got sick for his.) |
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| Monster birthday cake |
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| Love those buns |
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| The morning before the worst summer ever. |
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| If only we could see the future.... |
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| 2 surgeries- 2 plates- 14 screws later....I am bionic woman |
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| The one date Dan attempted to take me on. Drive In! |
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| Freedom! But I wouldn't be able to walk yet for another month. |
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| Red Hot Chili Peppers concert with Dan and friends. |
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| Sawyer |
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| Carter |
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| My babes |
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| Family pics |
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| Christmas Tree hunting |
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| Beginning to look like a tween! |
2013
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| Carter wrestling while dad, grandpa, and both uncles cheer him on |
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| Uncle Colin love |
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| When I found my knack for running |
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| Sawyer |
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| Lili and Marley |
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| Birthday bash |
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| I miss coffee dates with these three |
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| Pool time |
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| New adventure for the family. New boat! |
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| Father's Day swim |
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| Colorado with the fam |
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| Yankton |
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| One of many days hanging out with Amy and the girls. This particular day held much entertaitment by way of crummy driving in this jeep. |
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| One of few pictures of all my kids on the tube. |
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| Sawyer taking pics of his mama |
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| picnic afternoons with dad over lunch break |
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| Smiley stamps for going on the big boy potty |
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| Dad and Sawyer |
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| Carter catching |
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| Morgan and Jae |
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| Sleepy babe |
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| Falls park |
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| Tenley and Casey at Christmas |
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| Christmas overnighter with the fam |
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| Jae and Sawyer's Frosty |
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| Lili and Carter |
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
So on that note, despite the hard this decade has held, I am walking into 2020 with my heart open to the opportunities and possibilities. I vow to be a light for others and continue to show up for my people and for MYSELF. Intention and wellness will be words I hold in my heart as we flip the calendar in a few days.
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| Date to see Nickolas David from the Voice at Grand Falls |
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| Family Valentine's Date |
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| Mom can I have this dance? |
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| Celebrating Melissa's amazing achievement of getting her Master's. So proud of her. |
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| Taking the pup for a walk. |
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| Asparagus hunting |
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| Jae taking her shot at pitching |
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| Little league All Star game |
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| Brave boy going off the board |
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| Fishing with gramps |
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| Three Bears resort with the family and Melissa's family |
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| Lincoln and Sawyer's ball game |
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| One of the last trips to Potato Lake |
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| King of the Raft |
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| Dad's a crazy driver |
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| Our dock |
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| Birthday celebrations |
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| Walking Lili home from school |
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| Teaching Jae how to knit |
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| Running my first 5k in my first team triathlon |
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| Anniversary trip to Florida |
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| Softball |
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| Fell in love with Harry Potter and finished the series this summer |
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| RFKC |
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| Sawyer's best bud Brent |
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| Father's Day |
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| Cutting down the tree |
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| First year to get together with these old neighborhood friends. Rekindling friendships is so much fun. |
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| Dinner and Dessert Auction |
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| School wide sledding party |
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| Annual Shopping trip |
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| Jae's first and only play performance |
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| Porch hangs |
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| His obsession with the Flash was strong |
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| Schelling trip to Florida. Sunrise was beautiful. |
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| Universal studios |
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| Mud volleyball for Hosper's Celebration days |
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| Jenni's wedding |
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| Last family picture in front of our home |
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| Moving day |
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| My letter to the new family |
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| Annual Ozarks trip |
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| Grandma Patty passed away in November from cancer |
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| First Christmas in the new house |
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| Mom's birthday to Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith |
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| Snow storm |
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| Dad doing hair for the dance |
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| 2nd triathlon with friends |
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| Brady's senior pics |
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| Urban Plunge Omaha |
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| Grandpa died June 2017 |
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| Jae in her show choir Wave your Freak Flag |
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| Jen Hatmaker October |
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| Birthday at Bracco's |
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| RFKC |
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| RFKC dinner and dessert |
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| Only pic we took as a family |
2018
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| Trip to the Dominican with Rifly |
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| Shopping trip |
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| Mom finished my quilt after 16 years |
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| Wicked with my girl |
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| RFKC leadership meeting in the Black Hills |
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| Denver with Dan and Sabrina to visit Shalee. |
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| Black Hills |
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| Denver |
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| Ozarks |
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| Ozarks |
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| More Dominican |
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| Kansas City |
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| Mt. Rushmore |
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| Hiking |
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| Calm before the storm |
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| My happy place between Thanksgiving and Christmas |
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| New Year's Eve |
2019
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| Bridal Fair |
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| BASIC battleship |
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| Meeting Arley Jo |
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| Chicago Christmas Trip- February |
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| Griffin's basketball games |
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| Photography class Flat Lay assignment |
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| It's raining flowers |
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| Silhouttes |
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| Wipe outs |
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| Ozarks |
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| My girl |
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| Family pictures |
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| My team |
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| Last Christmas Program with a leading role as Balthazar |
So on that note, despite the hard this decade has held, I am walking into 2020 with my heart open to the opportunities and possibilities. I vow to be a light for others and continue to show up for my people and for MYSELF. Intention and wellness will be words I hold in my heart as we flip the calendar in a few days.
I pray that whatever this decade has impressed upon your lives, that you are able to squeeze the good from it, learn the lessons needed to move into the next year with hope and strength and confidence.
Happy New Year friends!
