So Long 2011

I believe in life there are years that you will never forget, years that are your favorite and years that you just don't want to let go.  HOWEVER, there are years that you can't wait to be over, years that you feel you didn't accomplish much, and years you don't feel you grew much at all.  Not to be down and out but 2011 was just not my favorite year, not that good things didn't happen, because indeed they did.  Maybe it's the fact that I'm actually growing more than I realize that is making me think 2011 wasn't the greatest, when indeed it really was.
Here are some of my favorite moments of 2011...
-Christmas 2010, actually celebrated on Jan 1, 2011!  It was such a great Christmas, I think because I worked Christmas Day.
-Visiting cousins in Alabama in February, enjoying the beautiful spring weather and a mardi gras parade.
-I did love our Mad Hatter RS Birthday Party.
-Going to 2 sessions of Conference in April with the single kids.
-Meeting Orange Leaf and USwirl, if you haven't had it yet, make an effort.  So addicting!
-My cousin Deborah coming to NC for an unexpected visit and spending time with her and her kids in Charleston.
-Going to the temple monthly with my friend Emily as well as our Panera dinners; I sure miss them both.
-Surprising my mom for mothers day, by flying home and going to Wicked.  She had no idea, her reaction when I walked in the door was priceless.
-Our annual Hilton Head Memorial week CME with family.  This year it was fun to have Alabama cousins meet us there.  I love HH.
-June I made the decision to move.  At the time it felt like a great decision, now I'm definetly questioning it.
-Meeting my new niece Bridget in July.
-Watching Tanner's debut in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers.
-Going to New York twice!  Even better the second time with my sister by my side.
-Touring NC with Tenielle and at times by myself.
-Pool Time at the Middlebrooks!
-Lunch with Girlfriends, especially @ Amelies.
-A beautiful Fall in NC, it was so beautiful the day I left.
-The love, kindness, and gratitude I gave and received from those I worked with at EMP as we departed.
-Halloween week.
-It was so fun spending 10 days with my sister Tristen even though it was because of surgery.  We are so grateful for answered prayers, surgeons hands, and quick recoveries.
-Coming to understand more about charity as it was offered by those in Charlotte and in DL.
-A new opportunity at a new job in Urgent Care...Can't wait to start!
-Being home for all holidays for the first time in many years.
So maybe 2011 wasn't that bad of a year.  I'm sure if I listed the not so great moments of 2011, the good would out weight the bad, so I think I'll just leave it at that and look forward to favorite moments that will come in 2012.

New Face Lift

I will totally admit that I'm not a computer pro.  I can type and type very fast, but technically I stink at computer stuff.  That's why I use the men in my life to put things on my ipad and ipod, however I can finally put songs on my ipod by myself!  Today however, I finally figured out how to change the 2 year old picture on my blog. Don't you like the new fresh look?  I sure do!

Christmas 2011 In Pictures

I loved that Christmas fell on a Sunday.  We had 9am church, so we got up and went to church and then at 11:45 we finally opened presents.  Since we have married kids in our family we did ours with the single kids Christmas Day.  Today we had Christmas Day with the rest of the family.  I like it this way, none of us feel rushed and we are able to enjoy both days.  Here is what Christmas looked like at house:

See it was almost 11:45am

I love surprises!

What girl doesn't love a small box with a delicate piece of jewelry?

Have you ever seen someone get so excited over a pastry brush?

Dad reading his trip to Disneyland...where is the excitement?

Super excited to get Canadian Tenor Tickets in Las Vegas!

Finally mom got around to getting their scout badges on.  

Going to see Grandma.

Excited about their new toothbrushes!

Tenielle and Tanner's Favorite Thing...a popcorn bowl that takes out the seeds!

Becky and Troy's Favorite Thing

So excited to give handmade quilts of our great-great grandma's to my sisters.  Just had the pieces and found someone in Charlotte to put them together.  She did an amazing job!

Until next year...

Christmas Eve 2011

Christmas Eve is a huge tradition for my dads family.  It is the one day each year when everyone who can gets together, to eat yummy food and drink Christmas punch.  Each year we enjoy the Christmas story and nativity put on my the children and if we are good Santa makes his annual appearance.  This year didn't disappoint and I believe will be a year that we all will never forget.  We were all so grateful to have grandma there even though she didn't know where she was or why she was there or who the people were around her, but she did remember with assistance the words to silver bells.  I don't think there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd of over 100, knowing that we probably would never hear her sing this again.  Grandma did practice her occupational therapy by helping out Santa and I think she did a mighty fine job.  

The twins didn't like Santa at all!

But Aidree and Bridget Loved Santa

We always go home to my parents and read the Christmas Story again rather fast, because the kids are always tired by that time.  Of course we also enjoyed Christmas Eve PJ time.  It was rather late this year and the kids were tired, so we didn't really get any good pictures and Bridget was already in her seat ready to go home when we took them, but at least we got a few pictures.  Aidree loved her silky princess like red night gown and she looked so cute too.