I know I say this every year, but 2011 was seriously one of the best yet. I'm loving life with my sweet husband so much. I'm treasuring the time while it's just the two of us because I know it won't be like that forever. And I love spending every day and night with him.
If I only had one word to describe 2011, it would be laughter. Full of laughter :)
To start the year off right in January, we spent a fun New Year's Eve at Kevin & Beth's house. The next day we drove to New Orleans with Christian & Jack and ran into some of my good friends from bama while we were there. We had so much fun!
We also volunteered again at the Mississippi Blues Marathon & spent time with friends :)
I went to San Francisco for a week for work and had so much fun. My sister had just moved out there so we got to spend some time together too!
The first week in February I went to Memphis for work, and we also had our first snow of the year.
We cooked meals at home and enjoyed things slowing down for a little bit.
I also took our good friends, Sarah & Derrick, engagement pictures :)
March was super busy and super fun! We went to the annual St. Paddy's Day Parade...
I photographed my first wedding, and we spent some time getting our house ready for spring!
In April we bought a new car...
...I had some girls nights out...
...and took our big vacation to HAWAII!
It was amazing.
It really started to feel like summer in May. My sister and her boyfriend, Darin, flew in town from San Fran right when we got back from Hawaii. We took a boat out on the reservoir...
...got massages and hung out by my parent's pool. We went on the boat later in the month with friends...
and then again for Memorial Day weekend! It was a HOT (but fun) southern summer.
June flew by - before I knew it, it was already over!
I had a couple of photography sessions and business really started picking up. The first weekend of June we drove to Nashville for my best friend from high school's wedding. It was beautiful.
Right when we got back Danny's mom flew in town from Costa Rica!
She stayed with us for 10 days and it was amazing having her in Mississippi. We had two different BBQ parties while she was here too!
We spent alot of the summer hanging out by my parent's pool. I had a party there one Saturday and it was so fun - margaritas, music & friends!
July came and went before I could even blink: we were shocked to learn that Casey Anthony was found not guilty, went to Kevin & Beth's for 4th of July (we shot fireworks and enjoyed the humid summer night)...
spent time with friends...
and enjoyed the last few weeks of summer.
We started cooking at home a little bit more in August and took advantage of grilling out while the weather was still warm.
We continued our small group with our church that we began in February, and it profoundly impacted both of us. We went to BBQs and had fun with friends.
On September 11th the entire country mourned and remembered the 10th anniversary of 9/11. An ambulance took my dad to the ER on September 12th and we spent 2 nights with him in the hospital. I was really scared and was reminded once again how precious life is.
I felt really craft this month and did several projects for our house. We went to dinner with friends and started getting ready for fall!
October is always one of my favorite months of the year. We went to the MS State Fair with some friends...
...Danny and I celebrated our 3 year wedding anniversary on October 12th
and my mom & I took a girls trip to Disney World on October 14th!
We carved pumpkins with friends...
and went to our friends wedding. It was a fun month!
On November 5th we flew to Costa Rica for a 10 day vacation!
Danny's whole family still lives there and it was so amazing being able to spend time with them. We went to four different beaches...
stayed at an amazing boutique hotel...
and enjoyed quality time with his sweet family. It was one of the best trips we've ever been on!
I felt like we were so busy in December, but we loved every second! We had our 3rd annual Christmas party at our house on December 10th. It was tacky Christmas and so fun!
We went to our small group Christmas party and I had several photography sessions. My siblings flew in town the week of December 22nd and Ashley and I took a trip to the Delta to McCarty & Peters Pottery...
and we enjoyed one of the best family Christmases we've ever had!
We also celebrated my birthday, as I turned 25 years old on December 25th!
Which means that this is my "golden year"! We celebrated NYE at our friends house and brought in the new year with lots of dancing :)
I'm really looking forward to 2012. I just really believe that it's going to be a good year! And I'm so thankful for our church family. So thankful and so in awe of a powerful Father whose grace saves me day after day...after day. I am so unworthy but so grateful for His unending love. I want to be more intentional about sharing the Gospel to others in 2012. And I want to be more free with my praise and worship. Thank you Lord, for giving us the precious gift of life!
"So come lay down the burdens you have carried,
for in the sanctuary God is here."
