2011 in REVIEW

I was pregnant the first 4 months, nursing and living the newborn haze the middle 4 months, and settling into a routine in the last 4 months. There were days we packed full, weeks we kept simple, beautiful times and other just plain survival mode times. Here are things remembered from 2011:

Passing around winter colds ALL of January. Could have had a better start...

Attending, designing the newsletter, and being a table leader at a moms Bible Study called Nurture. A definite highlight of my week for so many reasons.

Saying goodbye to my sweet grandpa. So lucky to have had him in my life all these years and I look forward to seeing him again in the true eternal life!

Meeting Charlie.

Rian went camping with some of his best friends on the Channel Islands.

The first of our wedding series this summer. Rian's sister, Bri married Mace, and Wally was their ring bearer.

Wedding #2... Wally a ring bearer again and myself a bridesmaid in all my postpartum glory. Sara and Sean's beautiful whimsical wedding on sprawling greens. Loved!

So many peaceful summer mornings on the bay. The best.

Summer softball.

Camping in Malibu.

Joining the Y again... good workouts, great childcare and 2 hours to myself! Sometimes much needed bliss.

A wedding in Ohio. Rian's best friend Colby got married, and we got to "vacation" with just Charlie and enjoy good times with old friends. Seriously a fun weekend.

A weekend in Arrowhead with college friends.

Paradise Point with the Wallace Family.

Monthly dinner with these folks... plus starting a Life Group with them at our place.

Disneyland passes!

My Thursday night Mama's Group. What would I do without them? NO, really.

Starting "home-preschool" with Wallace and kind of Skyler.

A flight to San Francisco with my best girlfriends from high school. Time hasn't changed when we're together.

Mammoth ski trip.

Indian Wells with my fam.

Here's to a new year in 2012! Still working on our new goals. We're moving forward as a family of 5 and ready to see what God has for us!

Christmas at Indian Wells

Our "surprise trip" this year with my family was to Indian Wells. We pulled up to this gorgeous rental home and enjoyed 4 solid days of playing, relaxing and enjoying family. We are so blessed. The boys played golf, the ladies shopped, we all cooked together... such good times. I love the drive to Palm Desert. It reminds me of my childhood in Mimi & Bumpa's condo and of anniversaries with Rian. :)

Our home for the week.

Lots of relaxing...

He wants to crawl so badly!!

The boys hitting the links.

One day we took the tram up the mountain and enjoyed some snow and views.

Some great neighborhood walks including one to the Miramonte Resort and Spa, where Rian and I have stayed.

On our last night we enjoyed a gorgeous sunset!

SERIOUSLY... Thank you again, Mom and Dad. These trips mean so much to Rian and I and now to your grandkids too.  It is so fun and so special to be together. We love you!

Family Christmas

The week before Christmas is so full of excitement and anticipation. I love this season and we are so fortunate to be surrounded by people we love. Rian and I have so enjoyed watching our kids this season. Everything is so magical. The story of Jesus. The angels. Wallace is starting to grasp why we do this, why we give gifts, what we are truly celebrating. This year my parents hosted both the Wallace and Bardwell family Christmas. They put a tent out back and we sat inside with twinkle lights, carpet and heaters.

My cousin Allison with Charlie.

The kids activity table.

Aunt Sheri and Charlie boy.

My dad reading the true Christmas story.

Wally and Blake, my cousin Kips youngest boy. They are a couple months apart and had so much fun playing this Christmas.

Mimi and Charlie... exactly 90 years between them.

Playing "Spoons" with my Bardwell cousins.

Kennedy Christmas. Joel came out from Arizona with his buddy, Levi. The Orrs in Oregon couldn't make it down, but we're hoping to road trip it up to them this summer!

Christmas morning around our tree...

Charlie, very excited about his stocking contents.

Christmas morning at my parents house! While Uncle Bumble was "upstairs in the bathroom", guess who showed up at our door.... SANTA!!!