Old Blogger Attempts New Tricks...2013 in Review!

Or is that *Old blogger attempts old tricks?*  I mean, I was a regular blogger once before, so that makes it an old trick, right?  Okay then...

With that out of the way, here is the Memo to Self family at the end of 2013, by their humble chronicler.

The Memo family moved house in August, we sold our family home in September, and are in a fab (and HUGE) house closer in, which we are loving.  The joy of not having the extra 25 minutes drive out to the "country" is still pretty fresh and awesome.  We have a pool here, and Lolly has become at least 70% mermaid.

A Mermaid and her Dog

Lolly, DinnerDad and I scampered off to the US in Sept-Oct for a holiday (except for the bits where DD had to work :p), we took in a weekend at Disneyland, a few days in New York, and just over a week in Washington (unfortunately, when the government shut down was on, so not the most action-packed time to go, to be honest!).

Toys about to embark for the US!

Lolly and her favourite princess!

The Princess thing really stuck! Eating a street hotdog in New York!

Empire State Princess

Lolly has finished Prep, which here in sunny Queensland, is her first full year of school!  She goes to a fabulous alternative, democratic school nearby, which she has loved.  We've had a couple of moments of separation anxiety, funnily, more at the end of the year than at the start, but we're still doing great, having fun, and producing innumerable items of art!

At School (end 2013)

Snail had a mixed year, early on we were still feeling the effects of a pretty awful surgery and recovery, which saw her have 6 months off school, be in a lot of pain, and need a lot of therapy.  We got our fab wheelchair adapted car in April, which has been quite simply amazing, so we've got heaps more mobility.  As the surgery got further away, and we got a pretty good 12 month report from her surgeons, along with some drug changes for seizures, Snail has been fabulous this past month, back to her smiling, interactive, chatty and playful self.  Without getting too deep about it, we were kind of afraid that she had gone, so it's been beyond awesome that our bright happy girl is still in there!  Still getting seizures, but hoping for more balance with meds to come next year.

Intrepid bushwalkers!

OMG Eyes! Xmas 2013.

Smash has had an eventful year, but is hanging in there, slightly bruised, but still going strong.  Some of the bruises are real ones, from all the skilful and scary-to-watch BMX and skateboard tricks he can do these days.  Best for parents to look away, really...

Also, he turned 18 - first legal drink at his birthday dinner!

DinnerDad is going strong, and I've been working a few hours a week at Lolly's awesome school, which has been good fun, I'm continuing on with that in the new year.

Princess and Me on a carriage ride in Central Park.

I'll be back blogging some more, so tune in :D  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all!

Our awesomest Xmas Wreath, ever.