Oh, What a Year!

I clearly remember this time last year when I kept thinking to myself, "I cannot believe it's almost 2011.  2011!!"

And now, here we are.  And it's almost 2012.  Where does the time go?

When creeping on all the blogs I follow, it seems popular to wrap up a years worth of blogging with a recap of sorts.  So here goes nothing.

As far as you are concerned, I (or this blog, rather) didn't exist in January.  Here's what you missed!... Or I failed to share.  Either way - we had flown to St. Louis to be with Ryan's family for Christmas and rang in the New Year there, too.

Bring it on, 2011!

January brought on starting a new semester and my first work-trip of the year to Port Hueneme, California. Our nephew, Riley James turned 1, and we learned the most exciting news of all - Ryan's sister, Cara and her Hubby were expecting and due in October!

Riley's First Birthday

February was a boring month.  I started this blog and we started attending services at newlife.

March started with a bang.  My dearest Hubby turned 27, we bought some new furniture, and took a little over-night trip to Great Wolf Lodge with some friends.

April was another uneventful month.  My parent's celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary, and I took my another work-trip to Norfolk, Virginia.  It was during this month that we both got to commence drinking our caffeinated and alcoholic beverages at the completion of Lent.

I think April was slow to allow us to charge our batteries for the coming months.  In May, my semester ended (whoop whoop!).  We headed back to the Midwest for my dear friend Clare Bear's wedding where I got to catch up with some of my best gal pals, and we surprised Ryan's Mom for Mother's Day.  We finally found a food regimen that would help Brock's allergies and also found out that the Cara and her Hubby would be welcoming a baby BOY!!

Brock is a happy boy!

June.  Another uneventful month.  It was certainly highlighted by Ryan's parents visiting from St. Louis and by me tour-guiding, losing my keys, and convincing my in-laws that 33 years of marriage was worth jumping for.

July. July, July, July.  A bird flew in our house, causing my Mom to have to come rescue me.  And the bird.  I took two more work-trips - one to Fort Huachuca, Arizona where I got chased by a roadrunner, and the other to D.C. where I got to see my cousin Kristen, and get an amazing tour of our nation's capitol.  Our house transformed from pink to blue, and we celebrated our one-year anniversary in Portland.

August was hands-down the craziest month of the year.  But in a good way, of course!  We celebrated our actual anniversary on August 1st, and soon after I took off on yet another work-trip to Groton, Connecticut where I got sick as a dog.  My best friend, Tiffanie and her Hubby visited us and we toured the hell outta this place.  It seemed like as soon as they left, we were preparing for the arrival of Ryan's Aunt Debbie, Uncle David, and Sonny's sister, Izzy!  Oh, wait - that actually was the case.  Our friends found out they are expecting their first child in April.  I was put on a no dairy diet and also started a new semester.  Joy of joys, people!

September was filled with yelling at idiots, celebrating Mom's birthday with a surprise dinner - (where Kennedy showed us all what it means to be a fashionista), taking yet another work-trip to San Diego (and getting sick on that trip, too!), and attending the wedding of my best friend growing up, Kristi.  I also fell in love with plum crisp and participated in Sar's [life of love]: 15 day blog challenge.  Congratulations, you now know now more about me than you ever wanted to!

Some of the surprise-birthday-dinner group!

Oh, October.  We had been looking forward to this month all year.  We went back to St. Louis to attend the wedding of one of Ryan's best friends and hoped that we might catch the birth of one Baby Webb.  We missed the birth, but I did receive the best birthday gift ever when a week later - Liam Daniel Webb made his debut on my 26th birthday.  Oh, and as usual - I tortured Brock and Sonny on Halloween.

Silly, wedding photo-booth fun!

November.  Another slow month that included my first vlog, a slumber party with our newly-11-year-old niece, Jaiden, a day I would like to re-do and a day I will likely become more familiar with in the coming years.  I caught a craft bug.  And oh, yeah.  We ate a lot on Thanksgiving.

December is shaping up to be my favorite month of the year - the anticipation of Christmas and the holiday season was magical.  We bought lots of presents, our Christmas tree, put lights up, and jammed to our favorite Christmas tunes.  I finished yet another semester of grad school, had one last (eventful) work-trip to Bonita Springs, Florida, was wonderfully entertained by my favorite three-year old, and had some wild dog-walking adventures.  We also had a wonderful Christmas at home this year.

Whew. 

I am tired.  I'm tired after typing it, let alone just thinking about our year as a whole.

But the truth is - I cannot wait for 2012, and all it has in store for us.

Happy New Year!

Take Luck,

LP