Year in Review - 2025

Three funerals, two baptisms, one national park visit and lots of local exploration and temple service. That about sums up the year. It's definitely been a memorable 2025.

January: We started the year with a trip to Utah for Dallin's priesthood ordination. While there, Mom passed away so we stayed for the funeral before heading to Texas for Savannah's baptism. We ended the month by renting some kayaks and enjoying the beauty of south Florida in the winter.

February: Michelle's family escaped the cold and came to visit. We had a wonderful time exploring Palm Beach County and just spending time together. After they left we did another hike at Loxahatchee Slough.

March: It was nice to have our schedule slow down a bit, but we did take a couple trips to the beach (here and here) and checked out a new county park.

April: After a couple of weeks of normal routine - which included more picnics at the park - we decided it would be wise to visit Dad in Utah during the temple's cleaning closure, so we did and had a great time.

May: Stake conference, with a new stake presidency called, was a very special experience, but a lot of work and we celebrated its completion with a springtime staycation. Then it was off to the west where we thoroughly enjoyed our vacation to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, combining that trip with a visit to Montana for Adam's baptism. May was a very memorable month!

June: My brother-in-law lost his battle with cancer (although actually died of heart failure) and we were grateful for the opportunity to drive to Virginia to celebrate his life and also check in on my dad.

July: We had some "repeat" activities this month - a sunrise at the beach, a picnic at the beach, kayaking at the state park and another hike at Loxahatchee Slough. We don't spend all of our time hiking and boating and picnicking, but I don't always take pictures of our normal routine. We also, fortunately, don't have to spend a lot of time on home improvement projects now, but we did work on our sprinkler system this year and got it working better.

August: Some more hikes (here, here and here) and celebrating our anniversary (part one) were the highlights of this month.

September: Even if it was a couple weeks late, our anniversary staycation was memorable and enjoyable, and we also returned to the state park and natural area we're currently exploring.

October: We've enjoyed the opportunity we had the past couple of years to spend a few days in St. George in the fall, so were happy to do that again this year, particularly since it allowed us to visit Wayne's dad again, and our Utah kids as well (here and here).

November: This month started with visiting the beach, playing tennis, and taking a hike. While preparing to spend Thanksgiving with my dad, we learned Wayne's dad had passed away. So, after Thanksgiving dinner in Virginia we flew to Utah. That allowed us to attend a BYU football game and harp recital, which we quite enjoyed.

December: Dad's funeral was bittersweet, filled with lots of memories and joyful tears. After returning home it was time for our regular Christmas traditions, but we also made time for a hike or two.

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! What will 2026 bring? Stay tuned to find out!!