Happy New Year - Let's Take One More Look at 2011

According to my blog, I haven't posted anything since July 4, 2011. I can't imagine how that's possible - there was plenty going on in 2011 worth posting about. I guess I was too busy doing to write. It's all about balance!

So before we dive into 2012, a year destined to be even more awesome than the last, let's recap some 2011 highlights.

Lisa and I completed 34 hikes in 2011 - some with kids, some without. If I'm being honest, some of them were without Lisa too, lol. We hiked some tough trails and had some amazing experiences. I recently asked Trinity which hike was her favorite - she answered Lyonia Preserve. That's the hike that I had to pay the kids to finish, the hills were killers! They spent their hard-earned $4 each at the gift shop, and then we picnicked in the pavillion and spent time at the educational center and in the adjacent library. I'll admit, that was a fun day. I can't say I have a favorite - although my least favorite was Hal Scott Regional Preserve - it was grueling, the scenery was static and we got lost. Some of my favorite hiking memories of 2011 are:

• The indoor treehouse at Circle B Bar Reserve (the stench of dead fish and snails on the trail was memorable, if not pleasant)
• Waterfalls at Rainbow Springs (and the tubing - that is a fun park)
• Exploring the chapel, the pioneer village and the Indian village at Withlacoochee River Park
• A beautiful view from the playground at Fort Cooper State Park (and Bianca's impromptu performance in the gazebo)
• A guided tour from the Rangers at Lake Lotus Park, where they pointed out the beehives and the signs of a Florida Black Bear
• Lisa hanging in there with a migraine to hike Split Oak Foret WEA
• Beautiful lush forest and lovely trails at Tibet-Butler Preserve, where I enjoyed a peaceful observation deck
• Surviving a fall through a boardwalk and a face-to-face encounter with an alligator in Crooked Lake Prairie
• Surviving Tiger Creek Preserve and Catfish Creek Preserve State Parks - both interesting and challenging hikes that we tackled very early in our hiking line-up
• Coming across camping equestrians at Lake Kissimmee State Park
• A ferryboat ride and a walk on the beach at Caledesi Island State Park
• Ospreys nesting and feeding at Honeymoon Island State Park
• Watching the kids hit the Fitness Trail at Lettuce Lake Park
• Par Kour at Turkey Creek Sanctuary!
• Lisa giving us a headache with her screams after a snake ran over her foot at Maritime Hammock Sanctuary, and then seeing an alligator footprint on our path
• Sharing a Florida hike with Dana and Logan during a trip to Enchanted Forest Sanctuary, and watching all the kids play in their fun nature center
• Exploring the fort and ruins at Fort De Soto Park
• Taking Dad hiking Dad at James E Grey Preserve and Sawgrass Lake Park
• Hiking an Alabama trail was a nice change of pace and Dana kept our bearings so that I didn't have to figure it out

The verdict: Hiking is fun, and we're going to keep it up! We experienced so many new places last year, I can't wait to see what we find this year. If Lisa's lucky, this will be the year of the bear!

John, Dad and I visited Nicaragua last April - it was Dad's first trip to one of our favorite travel spots. We had the opportunity to spend time with family as well as to explore the country. I finally did the Canopy Tour - exhillerating! Those poor guides, I know I was a handful but they made me feel safe and that's not easy to do. We went deep sea fishing in San Juan Del Sur where Marcos even got to drive the boat. We took our first ride in a Bixi, sailed around Las Isletas, ate tacos on the street in Leon, and explored the market in Masaya.

Lisa's girls ran barrels and poles in rodeos all summer, while Trevor played fall ball. Nicole's boys are growing like Rottweilers (trust me, that sounds much better than growing like weeds). Kuik's girls are Princesses-in-training and Solange is just drooling over the thought of another cruise (I'm sure Melissa is too). We had birthday parties (mine was awesome - we had it at Pirate's Cove miniature golf course in Orlando), holiday celebrations (Dad hosted Thanksgiving and Amanda hosted Christmas), and family trips such as Connor's dedication weekend.

Disney continues to call my name - I can hear it in my sleep, lol. Star Wars Weekends, Fall Festivities at Downtown Disney, Epcot's Food & Wine Festival, The Osbourne Family Festival of Lights, and so many more celebrations were amazing, but I'm equally as happy with just a regular day at the parks. I love Disney! We had a few visits to Disney Quest, the miniature golf courses, and the resorts. Concerts continue to entertain us, and I was able to see Sister Hazel both days that they played this year. Disney even came to Lakeland, where I enjoyed seeing Mickey's Magic Show and Disney on Ice with Amanda, Kuik and the girls, and don't forget Mickey's appearance in the Lakeland Christmas Parade (thanks for the ride, Kuik!).

Speaking of concerts, the tradition Dad and I have of seeing American Idol in concert together every year held up. This year Betty joined us in Orlando. The next day we paid a visit to The Holy Land Experience, always a treat. He came back up later in the year for the So You Think You Can Dance tour, another fantastic show.

The summer was filled with kickball and cookouts at Lake Parker. I coordinated some of my summer vacation days with Amanda's and we enjoyed The Titanic Experience with Libby. Walking through the exhibit is as close as I'll ever get to actually being in the movie, and it was very realistic, down to the chill of ice on deck. Titanic 3D is one of the re-releases I'm looking forward to in 2012, along with Beauty and the Beast 3D and Finding Nemo 3D.

I finished 341 scrapbook layouts/projects in 2011, just a few short of my 350 goal. I've set the same goal for this year and I know I can do it. Even better, I am very happy with how they all turned out. Some were for me, some were to share, and all gave me pleasure to create.

So many great family memories in 2011 - game night during the Hickey visit, Black Friday shopping with Nicole and Mom, Christmas Baking with Mom and Lisa, dress shopping with Tabatha, Bianca's Pre-K Graduation, Connor's Dedication, time spent at Lake Martin, visiting Mamita, Luis and Laura's beautiful wedding, seeing all the cousins (and the Reihers!) on our NY trip, trick-or-treating, theme parks, birthday parties, movies, hanging out... We love our family - all sides of it - and we are so blessed to have an opportunity to see so many of them so often.

Lastly, and most importantly, everyone is learning of the importance of the T. It is the most respected letter, and must be treated as such. Trinity even remembered that I wanted my birthday cake to be covered in T's of all shapes and sizes - I was stunned when Lisa pulled it out of the car. It was awesome - yes, Lisa, it was - it wasn't blue but the red and black perfectly match my pirate themed birthday! I couldn't have asked for more.

I carry many blessed and happy memories from 2011. Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings you've heaped upon us. May your mercy and protection continue in 2012. God Bless!

Happy Independence Day, America!

The 4th of July is a wonderful holiday for The United States of American - we celebrate 235 years of independence this year! 

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.  (by Irving Berlin)

Here is my tribute to our great land and our celebration of independence:

There is another celebration going on this year, and this one is not specific to America.  It's the 7th birthday celebration for E-Scape and Scrap that begins on their blog.

I created a couple of layouts and a quickpage (which you can download for free right here) for this celebration using the new Lucky 7 Collaboration kit for sale in the shop:

In case you missed it above, click here to download your free quickpage.

However you spend the 4th of July, I hope you have a wonderful day.

Cute Kids Part 2

I just had to share some super-cuteness tonight, I'll be seeing this young man soon:

Layouts created using Preppy Boy by Sus Designs

Remembering the Good Old Days

I was ridiculously nostaglic last night - you know, the angst you get when it seems like everything that was good in the past is gone and can not be recaptured. I'm blaming "Where the Red Fern Grows" and consequently Netflix for offering these great old movies for Instant view. Either way, although the new generation of kids will never know what they are missing, I was sad for them last night as I realized that to them the definition of classics will be "Hannah Montana" and "The Simpsons."

kits used - Vintage USA by Kay Eflin, I Love Television by Julie Mead

Journaling:
Who will comfort them at night when the lights go out and they are not ready for sleeping just yet? Whose voices will they hear? Will they offer the same solace as Lucy and Mary?

We [my sisters and I] were born just in time. We grew up with classic TV, with role models like Lucille Ball and Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke. We knew that Green Acres was the place to be, that horses do indeed talk, and where everybody knows your name. I look at TV now and I don’t see the same comfort. Slowly they are banishing these shows to DVD, &replacing them is an impossible task. It’s unexplainable how it feels late at night to hear the slow tempo and dramatic music of the TV shows from the 50’s- the 80’s.I Love Lucy, Facts of Life, Mork & Mindy, Fantasy Island... watching them might not make me cool, but it makes me feel safe and secure in the world.

A Big Little Project

Well, I'm a lot more excited about my latest project than pretty much anyone else, but that's the way it goes, lol.  I recently made a mini-album (which I used as an example for this week's Use Your Stash Challenge at ACOT) and when I handed it to John to show him he opened it up to the middle page.  That's not how albums work!  Where's Nicole when I need her?

I've had an Epcot Passport kit for several years - it was super cute in the store but I had never gotten around to opening it up and using it.  When I decided to create a challenge about kits I suddenly had the urge to use that kit (even though it's technically not a scrapbooking kit).  I loved the end result - a passport book filled with memories of my experiences at Epcot's Holidays Around the World, one of my favorite events at Ecpot.

Check it out - here are a couple of images from the mini-album.  The rest can be found by clicking here.

cover:

title page:

intro:

Germany:

USA:

United Kingdom:

Thanks for looking!

Cute Kids and Other Stuff

Happy Belated Memorial Day to everyone - God Bless our Armed Forces.  A shout out to our soldiers, Rest In Peace Grandpa and Uncle Pots who served their country well, and thanks for Dad for his years of service as well.

We had a fun holiday, picnic and kickball in the park with friends and family and bbq ribs. 

I finished an album tonight - it's my Cute Kids Album.  I finally pulled together a title page for it:

And some recent cell phone pictures from Nicole helped me round out the pages:

Yep, we know some cute kids!

Family Values

I love my family - they are what matters most to me.  Take a look: