Merry Christmas To All Part 1.....

If you are one of our lucky followers (yes, all 10 of you) you will get to read what we sent out in our Christmas Cards.  However, lucky you will get a BONUS as this post will also include photos.  (Something I didn't take time to add to our annual card.)  Consider yourself, SPECIAL!

Actually, we feel blessed that you take the time to read what we post on here.  (Even though at times it has been pretty sparse.)  Merry Christmas to you & may each of you know the true meaning of this season!

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Greetings from The Money’s

“WOW!  What a year!”  Is certainly something you will hear each and everyone of our family members say.  In fact, it was just this week that I overheard Hayley & Dylan talking about how quickly 2011 has went by and how there was so much that went on.

Without boring all of you too much, I thought I would try to do a quick year in review for each of you.  Strap in and hold on, because it sure was a whirl wind!

January:  Dylan played basketball on a travel team. 



Dylan receiving trophy after a tournament win!



Yes, he is taller than EVERYONE his age!



Nathan BEFORE opening his box of goodies.



And Nathan had the chance of a lifetime.  He was selected by The Pittsburgh Penguins to participate in the Little Penguins Learn to Play Hockey Program.  This is a program that is sponsored each year by, Sidney Crosby.  He not only had top notch training for ten weeks, but he also was equipped head to toe with hockey equipment from his helmet right down to his skates.  This made for an interesting winter as we traveled from Wheeling, WV (for Nathan’s hockey) to Northern Ohio for Dylan’s basketball games.  Many memories & miles were shared! 

 Hayley also got to ski for the very first time, traveling with a youth group to Seven Springs Ski Resort in Pennsylvania.

February:  Looked very similar to January.  And it was then, that God had a plan for me to enjoy winter for once.  Most winters you would find me pretty unhappy because I quite frankly do NOT enjoy cold weather.  However, when you are so busy with traveling from one place to another you don’t have time to realize how much you dislike cold weather, and there was no complaining from me.  (At least not that I’m aware of.)

March:  Again..January, February, March very similar only you add in Hayley started training even harder to try and perfect her skating skills in order to make the Wooster High School hockey team.  However, Nathan’s Penguins Camp was over so we weren’t traveling to West Virginia every weekend.   Our house also got pelted with hail at the end of March which led to an interesting journey with insurance companies & contractors.  

April:  Was Natalie’s very first skating competition. 

This was also held on Nathan’s 5^th Birthday. 

 It had been a few weeks since we had made the journey from one end of the State into West Virginia.  So, we decided to not only watch Natalie take a strong 2^nd in her competition in Cleveland, we went right down I-77 to watch our favorite ECHL hockey team Wheeling Nailers play in a playoff game.  If you ask any member of our family, it was one of the most memorable days of our lives!

April was also filled with great happiness & sadness. 

We welcomed Jayce Gordon Barton into our family. 

 I can still remember driving down the road when I got the call that he had arrived.  Hearing my brother just had his first child and it was a boy, was a very proud moment for me.

April was also was a time when my brother-in-law lost his father to evil cancer.  While we rejoice that we will be rejoined with, Dale, in heaven.  It truly was a life taken was too soon.

May:  Phil had a birthday. 

 Hayley played in her 1^st hockey tournament. 

And Phil & Dylan were able to bond on a trip to Kentucky where they did community service project for a local church there. 

When you see Dylan, ask him how many coats of paint they painted on the outside of the church.  This is also the time that my husband got the “bug” to have 4 wheelers for our family.  (Thank you, Kentucky!)  We also celebrated as our 3^rd year of schooling from home came to a close.

June:  Natalie & Nathan had swimming lessons. 

 And Dylan & Hayley started their “Summer-of-A-Lifetime”.  (Hayley’s words.)  It started with a trip to the Alive Christian Music Festival at Atwood Lake which went into helping with our church’s community sports camp which led to Community Service Missions projects around Holmes County.  (We almost forgot we had 4 children after a few weeks, Hayley & Dylan were gone so much.) 

I had the privilege of traveling to Wisconsin to witness my cousin, Liza, earn her black belt. 

If you ever have the opportunity to witness an event like this DO IT! 

This was also a month of scares for us, as Phil’s mother and father traveled to Europe, only to have their trip cut short from an unexpected health concern for Susan.

June was also a difficult time for our family, as we learned that one of our dear friends was very sick and at the time we were unsure as to why.  Later, it was discovered that he also was stricken with this horrible disease called cancer.

That concludes the 1st half of our year...check back to read part 2 of our 2011 Year In Review....