Favorite 2011 Photos

It's been a great year! I've really enjoyed revisiting it by looking through all the photos I (and others) have taken along the way. Here are 101 of my favorites.

Cheers to all our family and friends for a wonderful 2012! Every day is a gift...enjoy life!

Love, love, love it!

A cooler day by Floridian standards, is still a glorious day in our book. We couldn't pass up the opportunity to spend the last few daylight hours outside, so we took the boys over to Turkey Lake Park. It's an awesome park with a lake, fishing pier, playgrounds, nature trail, camping, swimming, picnic area, disc golf, Children's farm, etc.

The boys enjoyed checking out the animals at the farm and playing on the playground equipment. I love that we can enjoy the outdoors again in December!

Fantastic

I had a difficult time getting into Christmas this year. I probably would have felt like bypassing it all together if it weren't for Zach and Ben. All they know at this age is the excitement of it all, and it probably won't be until next year that they realize there's a lot more to it. I guess it's all that "more" stuff that weighed heavy on me this year. I didn't even realize how much I had been Grinchy this year until today when I thought about my attitude over the past few weeks. Unfortunately I allowed things outside my control to foul my mood and then unleashed that foul mood on my family. For that I feel really terrible. I have a ridiculous list a mile long of the things I'm lucky to have, and I lost sight of how blessed and grateful I am for those things.

There are always going to be people with more than what we have, less than what we have, and some that tragically have hands dealt to them that seem ridiculously unfair. This year I read, watched, and heard of people hurting and struggling, and it broke my heart. Despite our own situation, being less than desirable by some standards, we're rich in all that we do have. I feel ashamed that instead of showing gratitude for those wonderful things, I got caught up with worry about what we didn't have. How shallow of me.

This year I didn't lose a home in a fire, flood, tornado, or foreclosure. My family didn't suffer any devastating health crisis. No one stole our car or broke into our home to steal the boys' gifts. I didn't lose a child in a flash flood or in a fire on Christmas morning. I wasn't abducted and taken away from my family. Nothing awful happened at all.

I am blessed with healthy children, a husband that loves and respects me and provides for our family (not to mention puts up with my unpredictable moods). I find myself waking up to sunshine and warmth nearly every morning. I have cupboards that have plenty of food in them. I have an extensive list of people that I am lucky enough to call friends and family. The list keeps going. Life is pretty fantastic.

I can't fix all that is wrong in this world, I can only do so much. I can however stay grounded, humble and appreciative for the good in my life and teach my children that the blessings they do have will almost always outweigh that which they don't have.

To all my family and friends, thank you for being part of the awesome which is my life. I hope the holidays found you all well and celebrating all that is right.

"Jolly" Old Elf

I think it's great that Ben and Zach's first encounter with Santa was actually with my dad dressed up as the man in red, and he was by far a much better Santa than the one we visited a couple of days ago with the boys. This Santa very much looked the part but that was about it....zero personality. It was a good thing that we didn't wait more than a few minutes to see him, or I would have been very disappointed. The boys probably didn't notice, but I think Zach was a little confused when he came away from Santa without him asking Zach what he wanted for Christmas, which Zach definitely had a specific answer.

 

Ben wasn't worried about any kind of interaction with Santa and wouldn't go anywhere near him without Darius accompanying him. The sunglasses were not our idea for a cute picture....totally Ben's doing. He had been wearing them in the car and still had them with him when it was his turn to visit Santa. I guess he figured if his eyes were hidden then Santa couldn't see him and it would be safe to approach.

Tonight we got together with the Bacon's at their home for a little Christmas Eve dinner with them and the Tomer's. We had a great meal and enjoyed great company. Clay helped Darius put together our big gifts for the boys, and he and his wife Tammey were so sweet to give the boys robots. They are such kind people, and we have really enjoyed getting to know them better over the last few months.

 

It's great to have the opportunity to spend the holidays with awesome people. That alone is the best part of being back in Florida. We're so grateful to have the friends we do, and for how generous they are with us and our boys.

I Do - x4

It really does get better. Standing on the same beach 4 years later, I love this man even more than the day I married him. I love our life together. We're blessed to have each other, and it's as simple as that.

Happy Anniversary Darius. I still love you more.