2011: A year in photos.

January

IAD to LAX for a long weekend. La Mirada. Laguna. Brea. Balboa Island. Biola reunion with sweet friends! Walking around campus with Emily. Coffee, talking, and car riding with Sister. Yogurtland. Meeting Betsy! Newport Beach bike rides. Stunning weather. Dinner with the De Partee's!

February

Babysitting the youngest brothers. Snowy D.C. weather. Baking Ina Garten's Coconut Cupcakes. Housebound. Spring fever. Band of Brothers marathon. I mean, seriously, is it spring yet? Reading.

March

Signs of spring. Bridal showers for Jenna! Spring cleaning. More reading. Exploring the C&O Canal. Soaking up the warming weather. And the sunshine.

April

Pensacola, Florida for Easter. A weekend with the boys, and Brother. Gulf shore swimming. Palm trees. Humidity. And big hair. Decker, the Corgi. Sonic runs. The Royal Wedding! Sister's surprise visit home for Palm Sunday! Bachelorette parties, pre-wedding dinners, and a WEDDING for Jenna and Adam! The Spring, at last. 

May

Kristina's weekend in D.C.! A birthday and a Kennedy Center girl's date. Mother's Day brunch in Virginia. Stephen's 21st birthday. Sister home from Thailand. The Baby's broken arm. The Strawberry Festival. Pieter's visit from Australia! Jason Aldean and Eric Church in concert.

June

Escaping the D.C. heat with a night out for family bowling! Father's Day. Throwing the first pitch at a baseball game. A Virginia Beach weekend with friends. Sister moves back East...for good. Emily and Betsy visit for a long weekend! Annapolis exploring and birthday festivities. 

July

Camp-of-the-Woods with friends! Bonfires. Early morning mist. Hiking. Jet skis on the lake. Tubing: Walton Style (Lord have mercy). Rest. Relaxation in the beautiful Adirondacks. A road trip with college girlfriends. Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho in five days. The 4th of July in Coeur d' Alene!

August

A belated birthday party! A roundup of cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings. August heat. Back-to-school beckons. Nats baseball game with friends. A weekend of friends, family, and a little football!

September

Mom and the Baby celebrate birthdays! Annapolis weekends. Navy football. Changing seasons. A dinner with Dad. A long weekend in Wintergreen with the C.S. Lewis Institute. Jenna's East Coast visit!

October

Baltimore with Mom and Sis to hear Beth speak! Fell's Point exploring. Meeting Leo the Lion...and falling in love. Hikes to the C&O Canal. Dad's birthday! Nate's birthday! October beauty. Pumpkin picking. The Baby's first homecoming dance. Mom and Dad's 31st. A West Virginia weekend with the small group gals! A Lancaster weekend with Becks.

November

A New York weekend to see Sarah girl become a marathon finisher! Central Park walks. Morning tea with Mrs. B! Ten dollar manicures. Heaven, sheer heaven. A Maryland Thanksgiving. A full home. Family together. Full hearts. Butler's Orchard to find a Christmas Tree. Stockings above the fire. White Christmas. Bing and Nat King Cole. Advent. A coming King. 

December

The C.S. Lewis Institute Christmas Tea. Capitol Hill Baptist Ladies Christmas Tea! Army Navy at FedEx field. Cousin love at the game. The Grove Christmas Party. New York with Mom, Dad, and Sis for the weekend! Rockefeller. Radio City. Union Square. Gramercy. City magic. The Homestead. Family all together in beautiful Virginia. Post-dinner games. Christmas anticipation. Christmas Eve in Falls Church. Silent Night by candlelight. Food poisoning at dinner...what on earth??!!

But merriment in our hearts.

And thankfulness for one another.

Thankfulness always.

For what He gives.

And what He takes away.

For 2011...from January to December.

A year is a gift.

Life is a gift.

And it's worth celebrating!

H A P P Y  N E W  Y E A R !