January: Our year had started out on a sour note. We lost our van in a wreck. Somewhere between Christmas and New Years if I remember right we had decided to take a side trip to the lake and were hit actually by someone I knew from way back when. We didn't think the damage was too bad and that we could get home but it turned out the axle was broken and there was extensive damage...enough to render it totaled later but we didn't get an insurance payment on it. We had to have it scrapped which led to this fun run around to get the information SSI requires for anything. In any case we got that done. Shortly after my mom broke her hip. She was not wanting to go get seen because she couldn't believe she had broken it and was shocked to find out she had in fact. She had to go to the nursing home for a bit for physical therapy and recovery. We found out shortly before that I think it was that she has Parkinson's. After a recovery period she was allowed to come home. My MIL had broke hers sometime either before or after I actually forget which it was at this point but I know both of them were recovering for a time. Anyway that was our January. So it was a rough start but we were determined.
The axle was broken and the wheel was falling off
beautiful skies
the moon shining over the trees
February:
we got to see the first ultrasounds of the Grand baby and knew she was a little girl. Reality set in for my oldest and for us all.
My youngest was still in Pre-K which is hard to imagine for some reason. I did some posters for them for their Valentines party. (and face painting some etc) I really liked her pre-k school. We still run into the teachers sometimes and they are wonderful people. They really care for their students :) 
February brought with it ice and snow 
This was a double yolked egg that I cracked open when I was making my banana egg pancakes. Apparently I was right in thinking it as a sign of good luck to come ;) Call me superstitious I don't care. :D
The weather got a bit confusing at times even for the plants. During February was when my mom was in the nursing home doing rehab for her hip. We spent half our time not knowing what was going to happen and when. It was a bit of a time of turmoil.
March:
This is the month of my son's birthday. He turned 15 this year. He also had an outrageous growth spurt and is taller than me and all of his sisters. He grew 2 shoe sizes and gained several inches in his height and it is amazing to look back over just the last couple of years and see the difference. It is also mine and hubby's wedding anniversary month. I have a tradition of picking on him by getting him one real gift and one sort of a gag gift based on the traditional gifts. Such as the year you are supposed to give cotton I gave him an envelope full of cotton balls labeled warm fuzzies. Just something I do. Around this time was also when my 2nd oldest made a big move. She and her fiance and a friend moved to Arizona for awhile. It turned out to be a major test for her and the fiance and they went through some very serious hardships while there.
The flowers began to bloom. I got into photography more when I got my first digital camera and I have to admit I am addicted. I guess in a way sometimes it reminds me of one of my uncles who was a professional photographer. I will never forget him showing us his dark room. He took photographs for magazines and such. I will never be that kind of photographer but I think I will always be a hobby digital one. It seems to go hand in hand with my artwork.
We began planting. Another somewhat newer hobby of mine and I love it. The kids sometimes will pick out plants to plant as well. 
A rose bush I planted
I also found a cousin of mine I hadn't seen since I was very little on Facebook and it seems we share a lot of interests. She got me addicted to loom knitting which has led to me wanting to learn regular knitting and crochet as well. I have now a good stockpile of knitting and crocheting supplies and looms and work on them constantly and am even self teaching and coming up with new ideas all the time. This hat was my first ever and was for my grand baby when she was born.
I made these slippers next.
April:
This month was the month that my MIL went through a surgery and a hospital stay. Also this was the month that my son lost his beloved guinea pigs. Someone got into the hutch and put two hounds in there. We couldn't believe it we checked it over to make sure there was absolutely no way they could have gotten in there on their own there was not. There was no question that someone had to put them in there. Will never figure out why someone would do that but we have had stranger things happen. My son did get to go to an airshow that month. We try to make sure he gets to go when they have them as he is a huge fan of aeronautics and can identify almost any plane you point out. (Love to have him do this when they fly over the house and he loves it too) He wants to get into this job wise later.
The local wildlife started making their appearances. This is a brown snake. (not being captain obvious I know it is brown in color but that is the type of snake it is) 
Nature can really put on quite show this time of year. 
One of my favorite times to photograph clouds as the storms build up in interesting formations. It is like artwork in the sky to me.
I always get super excited about it too :)
A little toad my youngest caught. (was released later) 
We started seeing a bit of reward for our efforts in gardening
I love when the wisteria blooms
This is my bicolor rose. I lost my beloved Pounce shortly after this. I wound up using the rose as a memorial for him and for a place to put my son's stepping stones (the son we lost at birth) 
More of the beauty of Mother Nature.
Oklahoma weather
I put my garden pots around here and this was taken at night but this is our memorial spot. Losing Pounce was a huge loss to me this year as I felt so helpless and he meant a lot to me.
This was a new trick we tried with the easter eggs. Crayon melted onto the shells.
My rose for the front yard.
May: This was a big month for us. My daughter had her first child my grand baby not long after her own birthday.
This is the time of year it is warm enough that after a grocery trip we may stop at the park next to the store for a few minutes
I am glad that sometimes I can do this now
Our yard begins to be filled with color both in pots
and grown in the ground
It smells wonderful too
Especially the honeysuckle
Birds are hatching ...especially the mocking birds that hang out in our yard.
My grand baby. Hard to believe that just several months later she has 2 teeth and is trying to take her first steps.
I always do different colors in my hair (right now it is red) but at this time I was feeling experimental.
We are a family of practical jokers. This is my daughters "crab cake". A joke she and I started out of the blue one day that may never end. (this was also her birthday cake) She got to celebrate Mothers day and her birthday all in the same month as a first time mom :) Now it will be those plus her daughters birthday. May is going to be a busy month for her :D
I finally got in to see a Rheumatologist. This is a big thing for me since my agoraphobia/anxiety issues have prevented me from being able to go often. I was told my Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus are in remission (not active) at the time I went in though my liver showed signs of needing further testing which was actually pretty scary at the time. My mom was going through some continued health issues from her Parkinson's that also made things stressful. In any case during my trip to the Rheumy I wanted to try and push myself to go to a local attraction which happened to be the Norman Museum of History. We didn't get to take our son with us that time because he had to get done with his schooling before the term ended so was cramming on that. We did take him later though. I did get my blood tests done for my liver and it did come out okay which was a huge relief. 
Still wearing my tape (which matched my dress) from my RA/Lupus blood draw. My youngest also experienced a mystery illness around this time that really scared us. Took her in to ER because she spiked a fever and was really out of it. Later she had a bit of some kind of eye infection and we found out the hard way she is also allergic to the topical ointment she was given for it. Her eye was actually bleeding. Talk about freaked out beyond belief. (She has an anaphalactic reaction to the oral bactrim and I guess this was something similar but they didn't think she would have that type reaction til she did) She recovered though but was a bad scare. 
The library programs started and we actually really enjoy these. This was the disc dogs program and this pup shown here is one of the youngest disc dogs ever. The do shows and such. It was pretty hot out that day.
Changes were coming to town too. The tore down an old building to begin working on a really nice farmers market/old timey (but expensive) store.
Our favorite snow cone place. The lady here is really nice and if you ever get a chance to try a chocolate covered cherry or a mounds bar one they are something special. My son decided to make it his mission to try all the super hero ones. He did it too.
Just a close up of the rainbow hair. I may do some bright color this year too.
June: Month of my youngest daughter's birthday she turned 5. This was also a rough month because my mom had become increasingly worse to the point that while she was in complete denial that there was any problem (she wasn't aware) she had to go for a hospital stay. It turned out to be Parkinson's related but while she was there we were made to get rid of all her cats but one (they were not going to let her keep the one til the dr. put in the request that allowed it) During her stay her sister passed away. My uncle also had passed and now my mom is the last of her siblings and my dad and one of his brothers who now has hospice coming in is the last of his. It is a strange disconcerting feeling. On a better note I seem to remember this is the month my MIL got to come back home. My mom came home later in this month after they went back and forth about making us put her in a nursing home they did a 360 and decided she was fine at home so long as we continue to care for her.
More library programs seriously they were pretty cool
My youngest's first time fishing she lucked out and caught a ton of them. We had waited a long time to get a fishing license because we thought they were more than what they were but now that we know they aren't too bad at all we will be going more often. We were doing catch and release but my son kept hooking them funny :/ LOL
Painting class we did at the library (my son chose not to go) they usually allowed my daughter to work on stuff with my hubby (this was actually an adult class) and this is what she did. I believe it was because they were talking about barns and tornadoes LOL 
My painting
beautiful June sky. We do a lot of night time walks this time of year too.
My cannas blooming is another fave thing
Hard to see but my first time glass etching
Trumpet vine 
library programs she played some beautiful music on assorted instruments
Early 4th of July fireworks display this was the parachuters dropping in. 
This was right up my son's alley. He loved it. He also ran into an old teacher of his and hung out with her for a bit catching up.
Meanwhile this was my youngest daughters favorite spot. We got to try Don Cirro's tacos and I can actually eat them. (I am allergic to wheat and they had theirs on corn tortilla shells) My son is not so fond of them but they also had a green sauce (tomatillo) that I loved. My husband ran into an old friend of his and they stood and talked for a long time while we were waiting on face painting for the youngest. I did okay being there (I get panicky if I get left alone in crowded places some) but this was a great evening.
I will post the 2nd 6 months later but all in all as I said a lot can happen in a year. This was crazy even for 6 months. Trying to juggle the good and the bad (taking care of the bad while focusing on the good) It did continue to get better.
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