The recap

It seems appropriate to start 2012 with a recap of 2011. This is literally my third time starting a blog. I am on the computer almost every day now and I added blogger to my favorites so I can stare me in the face and remind me to post every now and then… hopefully.

2011

January had Mat down in TX for a few weeks working, while there he volunteered for a 12 month active Army contract, including a deployment. Nice way to start the year right?!

February and March had a lot of family time including some weekend trips and Lilla’s first birthday.

 

April started with Mat leaving for NC on the 7^th. The rest of April was fairly boring and sad without him. We did go to Lava Hot Srings with my dad for Easter weekend and discovered kites! 

I got to go out to Raleigh and see Mat in May.

This was one of the best trips I have ever had. So fun and it was just me and Mat. I love NC.

 

Mat also made a surprise trip home over Memorial Day weekend. June July and August were filled with lots and lots of sun. The kids and I spent most of our time in the back yard running though sprinklers and eating popsicles, or at the park riding bikes, or at the zoo… Hey, that is what summer is for!

My younger brother graduated from HS on June 3^rd. It made me feel (temporarily) less old to think I had sibling who was just graduating! We took a two week trip up to see my mom in Montana and played with bees and puddles!

I had a nice uneventful birthday in June. Followed by my 10 year HS reunion where I drank entirely too much and no doubt ended up looking like an idiot. - I think I did what I was supposed to at a 10 year, next time I will act like a grownup! The kids loved everything about the 4^th of July, food, carnivals and lots of fireworks.

 Mat came home again for another visit in August and we had a really good time. Oktoberfest a few times, HAFB, family pictures, Labor Day bbq… We made the most of the week!

Lukas started preschool in September and is still loving it, and I am loving it too (a little less noise in the house for a few hours). Lukas also discovered and fell in love with Transformers in September and had a nice Transformers birthday party.

 I participated in the Dirty Dash (10k mud run) It was so much fun and Mat and I are already signed up for the next one in June 2012! So exhausting and so fun!

 I made a quick trip back to NC the first part of October to see Mat before he headed overseas; nice to see him, not so nice to leave him.

 The kids made the rest of October fun. They were in some sort of super hero costume every day and dove head first into everything that is Halloween. He loved the Witches at Gardener Village and we went trick or treating with some friends and Lukas stayed out until he literally couldn’t walk anymore.

November flew by. (I guess thats why I don't have one picture from November!) I barely remember any of it except Thanksgiving. I guess that’s all that needs to be remembered in November! We did both grandparents again this year so we (I) ate too much x2. Eehhhh. So tasty though. My in-laws had a million homemade pies so after I was stuffed I stuffed some more in there! Mmmmm pie!

December started slow for me. I had really hard time getting in the Christmas mood without Mat here. Especially because (for the first time) my mom, brother and grandparents also were absent.  Lukas is old enough now to actively participate in holidays and he LOVES Christmas. He asked me on December 26 when Santa was going to come back and see him with his reindeer… He still asks.  

 We went to Festival of the Trees on December 4^th and Lukas got to see Santa for the first time (that he can remember). We also went to Zoo Lights and saw Santa there, he was a little confused as to why that Santa looked different than the first one, I told him that Santa had just got a haircut and people always look different after a good haircut. (Seriously, he is 3; he shouldn’t be figuring that out yet!) We saw Santa again when he made a surprise visit over to one our friends house while all the kids were playing. He was really excited about this visit because Santa gave him a present and a candy cane. We had a fantastic Christmas Eve dinner at the “Big” Sharp’s and Christmas day came with all the joy and wonder that only children can bring and I finally felt excited about it.
 I rang in the New Year with my oldest and dearest friend and had a blast, as only the two of us can when we are together! Even with the husband gone 2011 turned out to be a pretty good year. Here’s to 2012 being even better!