It’s that fun time of the year when we look back over the past 12 months and relive the favorite moments, as well as the more difficult ones. Today I am linking up with Dwija for a look at the top 12 photos of 2014.

January marked our second battle with Brian’s cancer. Here he is receiving Anointing of the Sick before his scheduled surgery and following chemo. (We are also replenishing our supply of holy water!) It was a difficult time but Brian’s incredible faith not only kept him going but was an inspiration to me and the kids. Everyone’s prayers and offers of help was appreciated more than words could express. Through it all, our love of family, friends and each other grew even stronger, proving that good can come out of bad. On the day of his surgery, I started journaling my thoughts here.

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With Brian’s health, that meant a change in all our diets. We (mostly) eliminated white flour, processed sugar and junk food. However, the kids still wanted their Sunday morning treat after Mass so I tried new recipes with whole wheat and more natural sugars. It is not the easiest thing to cook from scratch and use whole foods but after awhile it gets easier and our tastes buds have gotten used to eating healthier. To be honest, after this season of breaking the rules and eating sweets and treats, I am tired of feeling ill and sluggish and look forward to getting back on track!

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This year marked the last year that my little Matthew was home with me 24/7. My morning walks were accompanied by my little super hero. Once September came around, he started preschool part time. It was a weird adjustment at first but now I am enjoying combining alone time with kiddo time. 🙂

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This is my favorite photo this year of Andrew, John-Paul and Matthew. I love their playful smiles and I can almost hear their sweet giggles. Although the house is often filled with incredible NOISE, the tender moments like these make it worth it. 😉

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In spring we took an unexpected visit to So Cal to attend my brother’s graduation party and my brother-in-law’s going away party as he was being stationed in Afghanistan. We also made a side trip to one of our favorite places – Disneyland. We were able to time the trip on Brian’s off week from chemo. I love this photo of Brian and Bella. Their smiles reflect how much fun we had that trip. 🙂

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June is one of my favorite months because it means not only is school out but we get to make our annual trip to Lake Tahoe. We’ve been blessed to be able to bring my parents with us for the last couple of years. I treasure this time not only with my sweetheart and sweet peas but my mom and dad too. We always have such a fun time and the day we come home from our trip I am counting the days until we can go back. (Mark your calendar, Mom. Only 173 days to go.) 😉

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July means summer vacation and lots of swimming lessons! I snapped a spontaneous photo of the kids and it is now one of the year’s favorite because it captures a little bit of each one’s personality. 🙂

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August started the month I made a goal list and made small steps towards bringing them about. I was making good progress until the holidays hit. Then everything was put aside. Now that the holidays are winding down, I’ll be able to refocus and get back on track.

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I love this shot of me and Brian. He finished his last round of chemo and went away for the weekend to attend a Catholic conference. Meanwhile my sister came up for a visit. When Brian returned home my sister watched the kids so we could go out. We had such a lovely date; we felt like newlyweds again. My heart was filled with gratitude that Brian was in my life and that he was feeling better each day. #blessed

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October starts my favorite season of fall and I should have a photo of pumpkin patches and golden leaves but this quick shot I took after a morning walk continues to take my breath away.

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I’ve gotten closer to Our Lady this year. From relying on her to pray for Brian to seeking her help in being a better mom, it is comforting to know there is someone looking out for me and helping me grow closer to God.

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December marked the month of rain for our parched California. I loved when the rain stopped and the sun peaked through the clouds and everything just glistened. So pretty!

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Okay, I cheated on this one. I was done with the post but I decided to add one more. It’s a simple Instagram but it marks my favorite day of this Christmas season.

It was the day we put on Christmas music and sat by the twinkling tree as we roasted marshmallows in the fireplace. It was like Christmas magic was sprinkled on the house as there was no wild playing or yelling or arguing over who got more marshmallows.  We just talked and laughed and had fun together. Then as the fire died down and the kids went into the other rooms to play, Brian and I snuggled on the couch and enjoyed each others company. It was the perfect afternoon. They don’t happen often but when they do they are fiercely cherished! 😉

Here’s to hoping that we will have more wonderful memories for 2015! 🙂 A big thanks to Dwija for hosting!

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post – A Year in Review with Favorite Posts. 🙂

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