reflection

With the start of a new year right around the corner, I find myself wondering where did 2011 go? Before I make any 2012 resolutions, I want to take a moment and reflect on this past year. There was death, new life, love, and of course, lots of adventures.

I started the year by joining the smart phone world. I don’t know how I stayed away for so long.

2011 will go down in the books as the winter that wouldn’t quit! We loved the long ski season enjoying powder days after powder days after powder days. I’ve always dreamed of getting snowed in on a Sunday night in Tahoe and this year it actually happened! Hwy 80 was closed and we literally could not get home to go to work on Monday so we sucked it up and stayed the night in Tahoe, getting fresh tracks with no crowds the following day :) 2012 winter doesn’t look like it’s shaping up to be the same, but we’re still hoping the snow shows up.  

As is the cycle of life, we had death as well as lots of new life this year. We lost my grandmother in the spring. She was my last grandparent which seemed to make the loss more difficult. She was such a loving, caring, and beautiful woman and is missed by us all. We also welcomed 5 babies into the world – my boss became a father, my cousin had a baby girl, my sis-in-law had a baby girl, and two of my dear friends had babies as well. There are already a few more on the books for next year too as more of my friends and family are pregnant with their first.

We celebrated some milestone birthdays with my mom turning 60, my golden year (turned 28 on the 28th, although most people had never heard of a golden birthday until I told them) and Luke turning the big 3-0! Mine was spent in the mountains and ended with a marriage proposal on top a snowy mountain, and Luke’s was spent at 11,000 feet in a blizzard on Mt. Shasta. I don’t think either of us will forget our 2011 birthdays anytime soon!

We managed to get to a few concerts – Tim McGraw, The Band Perry, Luke Bryan, Thompson Square, Dierks Bentley, Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons, and Green Day.

We attended a wedding in Texas, a local one in Sebastopol, and then of course, our own wedding in Healdsburg. The second half of the year was filled with wedding activities – planning, crafting, showers, bachelorette and bachelor parties, bridal shows, dress shopping, cake tasting, and finally the beautiful day. Next came our honeymoon in Kauai, and we finished up the year with the holiday season in Sonoma County and Carson City, NV.

Oh, I almost forgot! This year we got a new addition to the Blank Road family - a tractor! Luke is very excited about his latest tool and has big plans for the property in 2012.

Those were my highlights. The year sure flew by. I hope you had a great 2011 and take the time to reflect on your year as well. Enjoy the last few days of 2011. See you next year!