Goodbye 2011

Tomorrow is the last day of 2011. A great year. Filled with a million memories.

In the quiet of a late night on the couch with a computer full of pictures I reminisce.

We had some great belly laughs didn't we?

and some times we tried something we didn't like...

or something made us sad, or scared, or worried...

but we found something to smile about again. art projects always helped.

of course high fives from dad help too.

and paint! messy glorious paint with glitter. that makes us silly.

sometimes we felt crazy. we screamed. sometimes loud.

but we found ways to get up again. toys help!

this year we learned alot.

we played and hugged and cried and rode our bikes.

we worked and played and went to the beach together.

we went to parks. lots and lots of parks.

we made really good friends.

we tried to get more sleep.
we watched babies grow up.

we had a party for iz biz!

bodes walked, talked...grew into toddlerhood.

iz started preschool (2!), and was fabulous.

g traveled and swam with sharks.

shell worked crazy hours, but had an impact on families

we had iz and mom dates at the museum

we had neighborhood happy hours

we went to starbucks and had chocolate sprinkles

we drove to see friends, flew to see family

we said welcome to the family oliver

we welcomed visitors, saw cherry blossoms in the rain

we took a scary trip to the ER

we swam, ran, biked

we packed up and moved

we said goodbye and hello

we gave up jobs and started new ones

we danced and did art projects

we were together

Reflecting on 2011, first a sadness comes over me as I look at the last pictures I took of our days in DC. Beautiful times in a beautiful area with my kids. I miss our parks, our walks, our smoothie shop, our friends. Even our crazy tiny little old dirty townhouse I miss sometimes. What amazing memories we had there. The life you had made, the groove you had gotten into. Did we have fun and friends? Yes! Was it hard? Yes! Did I seek a slower pace of life? Yes! But I think it's still okay to say I miss it.

What I most look forward to in 2012.... time with my kids and watching them grow up. Being together. Getting into a groove here in this area, making friends, setting down roots in some form. Family time! Love my g, and am so lucky to have you as my partner in this crazy parenting game. Outside time- can't wait. Seeeing my big family more and watching my oli grow up. Work? hmm...thinking more on that. Feels like a good time for the new year.

Whew, writing that down feels good.

Goodnight and goodbye to 2011. You were very good to us.

See ya on the flip side.

Ayres-Wilhelms out