Its 11-11-11

Thank you Beverly at Be Glorious for a wonderful blogging opportunity.
A great day for those who get into dates, I for one probably would not have noticed except for the fact that it seems that everybody is talking about it.  I worked with a nurses aide a few years ago that really wanted to have her first baby on 6-7-08 but she ended up having him on 6-8-08 and was so happy that his last number rhymed with his name Nate.  But in honor of the date, I decided to go with 11 of my favorite photos from 2011.  It has been a busy year, Camping in Colorado, and California we live in Utah.  Trips to Disneyland x2( if you count next weeks trip), Las Vegas and China, knee surgery again and with that a visit from Mom which was great.
 Also today in the United States it is Veterans day and I want to honor four of the very special men in my family that have served our country.  I am not the worlds biggest patriotic person but I do think that these men and the service they have given are special.  3 of them served in WWII and are some of the greatest men I knew save for my father and husband, and my cousin who is still serving in the Navy to all of you and my friend Destiny and her husband who were in Yugoslavia thank you!

Sunset at Mesa Verde, Colorado

Rachel and her Gramie.

My parents and brother taking in the sun? Oregon coast.

Old building with sunflowers in the fog, California

Rachel on the Oregon coast

Abby in the river camping, I did not get many photos of her face this year.  A challenge I will take on for next year for sure.

Brittany in the river camping

Three wise men, statues in Xi'an China

Kai a self portrait

Disney California Adventure

 

City wall Xi'an, lantern festival

These may not be my best photos of the year but they do the best job of telling a story to me when I look at them.

Next in this blog event is 11 things I want to accomplish in 2011
1. Finish my Ethics class
2. Start the next class in my Masters program
3. See the Ocean (take an Oregon girl away from the beach for too long and she gets home sick)
4. Spend more time having fun with the kids
5. Cook more meals at home, we have become lazy and eat out way to often
6. Mail Brittany's presents to China
7. Send off Rachel's application for her passport, and take her to pick up her drivers permit
8. Decorate the house for Christmas this is one I am looking forward too
9. Fold the laundry when it is first dry, I have a terrible habit of letting the clean clothes pile up on the dryer.
10. Spend more time crafting
11. Spend less time on the computer.

11 things I have learned in 2011
1. Durango Colorado is not as close as it looks on a map
2. I enjoyed visiting China it was something I was not really looking forward to, now I can not wait to go back
3. Third time might be a charm for my right knee but I am not going to test that theory
4. Rachel le wee is a good driver but she still makes me nervous
5. 3 dogs is more work than 2
6. If you do not see the humor in things you will go crazy, i.e. Kai outside in 32 degree weather without pants, and the following visit from the city police.
7.  There is a thing as too much work
8.  The kids seem to need me more as they get older even if they do not seem to think they do.
9. I take much better photos of things than people, but that the people mean the most
10. I still love living in Utah
11. Family camping trips are stressful, but when I look back all I remember is the fun parts.

Thank you Beverly for this opportunity for a special post in honor of this once in a lifetime day.