2011

I can't believe it's the end of the year 2011! It's funny how nothing is how I expected it to be, even just a few months ago, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I am so blessed and have been able to do so many great things this past year. Here's a recap:

January:
*Started the year off in Arizona...the best place to be!
*Spent a weekend in Ohio visiting the sites. I got to do a session at the Columbus Temple, see a really cool museum, see Cincinnati, go ice skating outside, and realize that I would be a happy girl if I NEVER lived in Ohio in January. :)
*Endured another month of teaching :) (I'm not going to lie...it was a tough school year, that 2010-2011).

February:
*Flew to Orlando, Florida and met up with my parents and brother for President's Day.
*Went to Disney World for 2 days. Not NEARLY enough time, but we did get to hit 4 parks in those 2 days!
*Visited Daytona Beach, one of the places my mom grew up.
*Got to see my friend and old roommate, Erin, who is working at Disney.

March:
*Got a new addition to the apartment: a fish tank! Plus our first 3 fish. We are now on #387. :) Not really, but we've gone through several...
*Discovered Sephora...thank you, Debra!
*Went to see Deb in Tale of Two Cities...3 times. I loved it!
*Survived the longest month of teaching with NO breaks for vacation. :)

April:
*Flew home to Gilbert for Spring Break!
*Went to the Mesa Temple.
*Saw the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple.
*Toured the University of Phoenix Stadium...HUGE!
*Went to the Phoenix Zoo.
*Saw a Diamondbacks game!

May:
*Went down to SUU to walk for my Master's graduation! I still had classes in the summer, but they let us walk early.
*Spent the weekend in Mesquite with my grandparents and family!
*Finished up my 4th year teaching (don't you love my little ducklings following behind me??)!
*Took pictures of my class on the playground (that's the picture of me taking a picture, duh!).

June:
*Had a birthday/Africa party for Ash and I!
*Flew to Arizona for my birthday. Drove to Albuquerque and Denver on the way back to Utah with my family. Visited with family both places.
*Played lots with Mason and Jade at family parties and the Lehi Rodeo.
*Went to the Pleasant Grove rodeo with Steph & Dave's family from North Carolina (see picture of me with my cute cousin, Owen).
*Painted a wall in my house red! (Ok, my dad did most of it, I pretended to help!)
*Finished all of my coursework for my Master's degree. DONE!!

July:
*Went to Stadium of Fire.
*Drove home with Melanie, Mason, and Jade for 3 weeks!
*Spent LOTS of time in the pool, with Mason being a great swimmer by the end!
*Went to see Pinocchio at the Hale Center Theater.
*Had Gecko Grill and a girls night out with Mel and my mom! (Don't mind my hideous bangs...I had just gotten my hair cut and didn't know how to do them.)
*Ate at Bahama Bucks at least twice (of course!)

August:
*Went to Lagoon for the first time in my life. (Utah's idea of an amusement park.)
*Started my 5th year teaching a MUCH happier teacher!! I was blessed with a class full of angels.
*Spent a weekend in St. George and Vegas.
*Saw The Little Mermaid at Tuacahn.
*Went out on Lake Las Vegas for an afternoon of food and fun. :)
*Walked around downtown Las Vegas, ate at a yummy restaurant, saw the Bellagio fountains, etc.
*Played with Deb's family's tortoises.

September:
*Did the craziest/stupidest thing of my life for Labor Day...a 5 mile walk/run. It was only crazy/stupid because I didn't train a BIT for it. But it was for a good cause. From Oquirrh Mountain Temple to Jordan River Temple. A few weeks later I did my first 5k (kind of backwards, I know) and that one went MUCH better.
*Met up with Melanie's 4th grade teacher, Mr. Williams, in Salt Lake for dinner. He was in town and it was great catching up!
*Went to 2 weddings...one for my good friend Todd in the Draper Temple, and another for my good friend Josh in the Logan Temple!

October:
*Went to see Thriller for the first time. Not a fan of the zombies in the audience, but the stage production was cool. :)
*Picked pumpkins with Melanie's family, as well as my parents and Brandon who came to town for their Fall Break.
*Flew to Gilbert for my Fall Break and celebrated Brandon's 16th birthday! We threw him a surprise party and all, where I made he and his friends play some pretty fun games.
*Had dinner and caught up with old roommates!! (Except Liesel who we missed very much. :( )

November:
*Flew home (AGAIN) for Thanksgiving with my family!
*Read LOTS of Disney princess stories with Adeline.
*Took lots of photo booth pictures with Xander.
*Ran around lots with Mason.
*Walked around lots with Jade.
*Went to a little family adventure place in Phoenix with Mason and Adeline LOVED! We all took a train tour of the place and this was pretty much our family picture for the year...sad, I know!

December:
*Played some more with Mason and Jade (I know I do that at least once a month, but I can't help but put their cute faces on here!)
*Celebrated Christmas with my roommates.
*Went to see A Christmas Carol at the Hale Center Theater in Salt Lake and was kind of creeped out (they did a really good job with the Jacob Marley scene).
*Flew home for a LONG Christmas break.
*Watched Brandon win a tennis tournament.
*Played lots of tennis myself!
*Sat outside a whole lot, basking in the sun that I won't see for the next 6 months.
*Reflected on the past year and realized what a lucky girl I am!!

This year has been full of travel (so much so that I've had to buy myself 2 new suitcases), site-seeing, family, school, house renovations, etc.I have been so blessed with so many things in my life and I am grateful for every single person and event who has helped shape who I am today.

2012 is coming and I am ready! I'm grateful to be alive at such a neat time as this surrounded by so many amazing people. I've got my personal goals set and hope to be able to accomplish a lot! Here's to a happy and healthy 2012!