a look back at 2010

since the blog was on my "to-do list" this last year - thought i'd start with looking back at 2010.  in no particular order, some of our favorite things this year.

1. time at home in 4 mansion street
2. bennett learns to walk, talk and play, play, play
3. little lambs - ella's pre-school and her teachers, mrs. mansfield, mrs. blenkhorn and mrs. mcglynn
4. friday night small group at the jackson's - our church family
5. summer vacation on the cape - 2nd time renting an old farm house in bourne
6. cheering on wes and the church softball team (2nd place this year!)
7. turning 30 and celebrating with friends
8. outings to local farms to pick strawberries, apples, pumpkins, sunflowers. blueberries, tomatoes
9. 1st annual cousin easter egg hunt at grandma & papa's
10. celebrating wes' 30th birthday with a fun weekend in boston just the 2 of us
11. throwing rocks in "charlie" - the charles river that runs behind our home
12. anya visits - what sorts of fun will she have her in bag this time
13. guacamole and drinks at ole with the girls
14. after dinner wrestling, tickles and horsey rides
15. quarterly afternoon tea with the old small group girls - dana, jody, alison, adrian, jennifer and dagmar
16. sleepovers and game night at the russels
17. step into africa outreach out our church
18. a fun day in princeton with justin, maggie and calvin at their family cabin
19. running mercer's 2nd annual global conference in washington, dc 
20. family game nights - zingo was the favorite this year
21. wes perfects his homemade kettle corn - a family favorite
22. my mom's group - a wonderful group of local friends and their little ones
23. letters to evelyn and difa our sponsored children in milawi, africa
24. uncle matt & tim visits and ella trapping them up in her room for some 1:1 play
25. spring outing to drumlin farm to visit all the baby animals
26. favorite kid snacks - rice cakes, carrots, frozen peas, strawberries, m&m and kix
27. cousin logan's sleepover (we've gotta do that again)
28. medway community farm and running the first fall festival and fundraiser
29. starting a meal swap with friends
30. 3 summer camping trips
31. busy year of work travel to london, new york, chicago, washington, miami, dallas, san francisco, philadelphia and long beach - and wes holding the fort at home
32. sending cards and kid art creations to relatives near and far
33. the princess phase with ella - sleeping beauty was her favorite. 
34. ran a 5k as a family with the double-stroller
35. favorite book of the year - help by kathryn stockett
36. favorite movie - eat, pray, love
37. hysterical white elephant and regifting parties with the girls
38. visiting katie in san francisco
39. browsing at the local fabric mill - so many ideas (must dust-off the sewing machine)
40. answered prayers
41. kid's first ice cream outing with grandpa and mary on their own
42. ella learns to ride her bike with training wheels
43. bennett's hair twirling snuggles
44. wes' promotion at work
45. visit from the weimer girls
46. california women's conference
47. tours-de-playground - how many playgrounds can we visit before lunch
48. dinner at the lobster trap on the cape
49. 2nd annual reardon family body surfing beach reunion
50. dressing as m&ms for halloween
51. game nights with our neighbors after the kids go to bed  and sad they moved away
52. easter at my mom's, thanksgiving saturday and new year's christmas at judy's
53. fun with the jansons family
54. $3.99 margarita night with the girls
55. dear friends become mommies - some for the first time and some for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th time
56. book club
57. wes - my love, rock and dear friend
58. ice cream at tangerini's
59. bennett falls in love with the world of thomas the tank engine
60. swimming at lake winthrop
61. ella learns to write 
62. humility
63. making meals for new moms
64. "big" parties in our "tiny" home
65. taking the bikes and the ferry to martha's vineyard
66. curious george; dora the explorer; thomas; peep & the big wide world; max & ruby
67. ella's first school concert
68. celebrating the niece & nephew birthdays
69. taking on the organizer role for the mom's group
70. fall hikes
71. ella's love for rainbows - god's promise
72. breakfast at galante's & reed's
73. sharing mary poppins for the first time with the kids and giggling right there with them
74. our church and its gifted pastor, active community, love for children and serving those near and far
75. day trips to cambridge to visit friends
76. the world of puzzles, tinker-toys, legos and tiniest of tiny toy pieces
77. saturday night wine & a movie at home with wes
78. swinging with the kids
79. recipes both new and old
80. connecting with old friends on facebook
81. special projects with ella while bennett is napping
82. wes' political excitement - he keeps me informed these days
83. taking the kids to circus night at camp putnam
84. picnics - at the beach, at the park, in the car and in the backyard
85. our new camera to capture even more of these busy kids
86. ella's field-day-fun 3rd birthday party at the local park with obstacle course, balloon toss, parachute and yummy picnic
87. morning snuggles & cereal with the kids
88. baking with the kids
89. parenthood - our new favorite show
90. blizzard on bennett's birthday
91. running with my neighbor, stacy
92. pillow pets and care bears
93. worship on sunday mornings
94. sledding and hot cocoa tailgates with friends
95. chats with our librarian
96. wes' burgers on the grill
97. buckets of beach treasures (though they can get a little stinky)
98. dance parties to the beatles in ella's room
99. ella's shyness and bennett's friendliness
100. quiet time (like the time now to create this list...looking forward to adding to it in the year to come