Dusting off the blog

Time to get this blog rolling again! Happy 2012!
I've selected a few resolutions for this new year. Mostly fitness related goals, but a few other 'be a better' person sort of resolutions and some get organized goals too. Sometimes I think I pick too many challenges to accomplish, then I get overwhelmed and achieve nothing. That ever happen to you?

One thing I have done differently this holiday season is to take note and reflect what I and we, as a family accomplished this past year. It was such a year of change!
-we moved our family of 4 across the country.
-we sold a house (without losing our pants in this market!) and bought another one.
-alli started kindergarten and we are transitioning to life with a school aged kid.
-Dan started his career in a perfect fit practice.
-I found the best job of my career yet.
-I ran a PR half marathon(1:52) in Philly this fall. Then repeated it again in Denver 3 weeks later.
-the girls completed 4 months of swimming lessons this fall. They went from scared of the water to being little fish!

Here's to an equally successful 2012.

A few pics from our new life.

We found a park in our neighborhood. Luckily it has swings...Sidney's favorite.

This is Alli's latest favorite piece of playground equipment. She calls it the "tater totter".

The girls have spent a lot of time playing in the water in our backyard.

All the Shadrick cousins. Emmy, Alli, Maddie, Erin, Sidney and Peyton.

For all you wondering if we have successfully weaned Sid from the binkey...well, no. She has found that she can multi-task with it. However, she is now potty trained!

Farewell tour of Pittsburgh, Fallingwater.



In attempt to cram in all the sites of the Pittsburgh area before we move, Dan & I visited Fallingwater. Fallingwater is a  Frank Lloyd Wright home built essentially on top of a waterfall in the 1930's in western PA.





Beautiful.



Farewell tour of Pittsburgh

Oliver, Heather, Callum, Alli and Sidney aboard the Gateway Clipper.

Pittsburgh.

The view from atop the Monongahela Incline, or as Oliver likes to call it the "Mon-cline".

Cal, Oliver and Alli.

Shadrick girls.

They're FIVE!

Friends since birth, Alli and Oliver have pretty much celebrated all their birthday's together.

Alli, Ava Grace and Ava Belle. Daycare Best Friends.

Chaos. Well, not really.

Watch out Kindergarten

Alli @ Pre-K graduation.

Pittsburgh Marathon Kids Race



Alli has dreamed of running with the Pierogies for a full year! She high-fived them as we ran past.




Can you spot Alli and I early in the race?




Lifelong buddy, Oliver and Mom, Heather also ran the race.




Cal, Oliver's ittle brother, was not too interested in this race.




Sidney was much more interested in her toy than the race.




Oliver and Heather approaching the finish line.




Alli and Mom almost to the finish!




Oliver and Alli with their medals!




Awe, what a little cutie!




Now this is the way to travel!