~2017~
The hardest year of my entire life. The saddest year of my entire life. The year with the most change. 2017 will be a year I will never, ever forget.
Here was last year’s year in review:
2016 Year in Review
January

On January 3, 2017, my Dad passed away in his sleep, and my world, the way I knew it, was forever changed.
Blakesley, Sonoma and Cora at pA’s funeral |
Marcus and I also made the decision January 1, 2017 to stop eating meat. It was one of the best decisions we have ever made.
February
Thank goodness for baby snuggles to help get us through the cold, long, winter.
Daddy Daughter Dance at school |
Great Grandpa moved into an awesome new assisted living facility
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My three valentines |
Trip to American Girl store for lunch, hair salon and shopping over President’s Day Weekend. |
Modeling auditions and gigs downtown |
We watched Sonoma compete her first year of USA Gymnastics |
March
Off to the school carnival! |
Preschool Spanish program! |
We had a tree planted in my Dad’s honor at our house |
For Spring Break, Sonoma and Cora went to Bloomington to visit Grandma and T and also visit their adopted Lion and Tiger at the Feline Rescue Center.
April
We were ready for Spring after a long winter.
Right after my Dad died, Marcus was offered an incredible job opportunity with Anheuser -Busch. It was a new job that would move our family back to Indiana. After a long interview process, we announced to friends and family in April that we were moving. We started to list our house, but sold it before it was even listed.
Easter |
Marcus and his brother took a trip to Lexington together. |
We celebrated 6 years since Marcus’ stroke |
My first baby turned 7 years old!
May
Marcus went to the Derby – his first event at his new job with A-B. In May and June, he commuted to Indy almost every week, while I stayed back and packed up our house and got everything ready to move. |
Kane County Cougars baseball game |
Modeling day in the city |
We went to the city for one last classic Chicago weekend before we moved.
State Gymnastics Meet |
Preschool Wizard of Oz Play and Graduation |
Kicking off Summer at the Memorial Day parade |
June
Before we moved, we took a family vacation with my Mom and Sister’s family to Sanibel Island. My Dad had told all of us before he died that he was going to take us this year.
Cora had her big dance recital:
We said goodbye to Aurora, Illinois and our home on Verona Ridge.
And, we moved to Westfield, IN and said hello to our new home!
We were excited to get a pool! |
July
Happy 4th of July!
Mom, Krista and I traveled to San Diego to accept Dad’s award at One America’ convention.
Cousins Adair, Flynn and Lilah from Georgia came to Indiana for a summer trip and we all got together!
We went to the Union for brunch at the Tudor Room with Mom in honor of her and Dad’s anniversary. We also visited Great Grandpa.
We celebrated Blakesley Ann’s 1st Birthday!
August
Some of Blakesley’s modeling work is out and about in stores!
We went through some major construction in the basement, as we found out our foundation was leaking. |
Cora started Kindergarten! Sonoma started 2nd grade! And the girls started their brand new school together! |
We took Blakesley and Cora to their first Colts game and it was Sonoma’s second game, the first she actually will remember! |
We celebrated Cora Brighton’s 5th birthday with a tea party!
September
We said goodbye to Summer! And, celebrated Scarlett’s 2nd birthday.
We went to an apple orchard to kick off Fall festivities |
We went to the Indianapolis Wine Festival with my sister and Marcus’ parents. |
Kicking off IU Football season! |
Marcus and I did a weekend in Chicago for the Windy City Wine Festival with his brother and Carrie. |
We participated in Hoosiers Outrun Cancer, one of my Dad’s favorite charity events. |
October
I traveled to Las Vegas for my Rodan + Fields Convention. It was an amazing trip.
My Book Club from IL came to visit me and we did a weekend downtown in Indy.
Marcus went to Mexico with the Colts |
Marcus and I celebrated 12 years of marriage in style at a masquerade ball downtown! |
We celebrated Great Grandpa’s 90th birthday. Such a special celebration.
We took Sonoma and Cora to their first NBA game and they even got to be on the court for warm-up and in the players’ tunnel! |
Happy Halloween!
November
Blakesley started walking!! |
I earned a trip to San Fransisco and Napa/Sonoma for Rodan + Fields. It was incredible and Marcus got to come along with me!
While we were gone, Sonoma had her 1st gymnastics meet on her new team here in Indiana. My Mom and Sister took her to the meet.
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Happy Thanksgiving! My whole family together. |
The three greatest blessings. |
December
First Christmas in our IN home
1st snow in our IN house! |
Ready for Christmas! |
What a year. I’m really hoping for a low key 2018. Love, health and happiness to you and yours in the new year!