Top 2011 of 2011

Since it is New Year's Eve, I figure it is a great time to reflect of things I have learned and experienced in the past year. So may I present my Top 2011 of 2011.

(Never fear- a picture is worth 1,000 words, right?)

1-1,000 Here we are on Christmas Day 2011. I am so blessed to have a wonderful family. Being a mother is the most challenging, most rewarding thing I could ever do. I am grateful for a temple marriage that gives us the start we need to end up together as long as we choose the right and keep our focus.

 (Did you notice Mack from the Cars movie in the background. Josh insisted on bringing it to church. It seems appropriate that it ended up in the family picture.)

1,001-2,000 We took a family trip to Disneyland in September. My parents went with us, otherwise I don't think I would have been willing to brave the "happiest" place on earth with a three year old and a one year old. Thanks to tips from my expert sister on how to manage small kids at Disneyland, and thanks to the help of my awesome parents, it was actually a pretty enjoyable trip with minimal unpleasantness. Of course, in this picture, we are experiencing some of the unpleasantness. We quickly discovered the kids were not too excited to take pictures with the characters, which freed up a lot of time!

And now for other insights/events from the year:

1- I can do hard things. Like lose over 30 pounds. I think I am at the plateau stage now where you have to work even harder to get results. But I am proud of myself. I got size Large Christmas PJs this year. That may not seem impressive to all you fitness nuts out there, but last year they were XXL. So I am pretty proud to be "large". Now if I could just get the dang Wii Fit to quit telling me I'm obese, I would really be making progress!

2- I lost a nephew this year. He was stillborn at around 23ish weeks at the end of August. It was devastating. The 20-week ultrasound revealed some serious complications that meant his life would have been a huge trial, so in a way it is a blessing for him that he doesn't have to experience that. But it was heart breaking. I am so grateful for the knowledge of eternal families. I am also thankful for a trial to help me remember to put my trust in His plan.

3- I am blessed to be able to see the interaction between my kids. The good, and the bad. It is so rewarding to see them snuggled up on the couch together looking at a book, or watching Josh show Abby all the neat tricks her play kitchen can do. And, I probably shouldn't say this, but I love that Abby is big enough to fight back now. Not that I endorse or condone fighting.

4- I have a hard working husband that I am grateful for every single day. He teaches at the middle school, teaches a couple night classes a week for Snow College, paints murals whenever he can, and even teaches summer school (alright- an 8 week session at Snow College), all so I can stay home with our kids. What a blessing. And on top of all that, he still loves me.

5- I can cook. I have tried this year to be a better cook. Don't get me wrong- we still have Hamburger Helper at this house, but I am proud of the progress I have made. I can make soup that isn't condensed and doesn't include the instructions "Put giant frozen chunk of soup in the crock pot and add milk" (although I can make that too). I can bake. From scratch. Not fantastically, but well enough.

6- I can craft. Like many others, I discovered Pinterest this year. It has, indeed, taken over a part of my life, but it has actually unlocked some untapped creativity as well. We used Pinterest inspiration for some of our homemade Christmas decor this year, and I am currently working on an art project for the wall. But what surprises me most is that I can do it. And it actually looks kind of like the picture.

7- I have a life- at least one night a month anyway. I am in a book club. Go ahead and judge me. My brother already has. But it is my one night to get away from kids and have fun, eat great food, associate with fantastic women, and occasionally discuss books. It is nice to do something just for me.

8- I can DIY. I guess the correct term is DIM- Do it myself. Or more accurately- DIO. Do it ourselves. We tiled our backsplash this year like true Weekend Warriors.

9- I absolutely love my church calling as Primary Chorister. Lately I have really had my testimony increased about the importance of my calling and that it isn't just about putting on a show- it is about teaching the gospel principles.

10- I am grateful for Josh. Of course, he is 3 1/2, which poses challenges, but he is learning and growing. I don't know what he is "supposed" to know at this age, but he sure seems smart to me. I am excited to have him be a sunbeam in this upcoming year. Mostly to show off how many primary songs he already knows! I can't believe my little boy is growing up right before my eyes. During the hard times, I keep telling myself "It will all be worth it when he serves an honorable LDS mission!" Since my brother just came home from his mission, that is my new "light at the end of the tunnel".

11- I am grateful for Abby. She is an angel. I am grateful for her little jabbers and the fact that she is suddenly saying so many words. It is a huge responsibility to raise a daughter of God. I hope I am up for the challenge. 

So there you have it. The top 2011 of 2011. In no particular order. Pat yourself on the back for reading and go do something nice for someone else.