So Long, 2011

12.30.2011

I cannot believe that it's already time to be thinking about a new year! I swear, once you hit college, time just moves in full speed, and no matter how hard you try, there's no slowing it down!

2011 has been a wonderful year for me, and I definitely want to take a few moments to reflect back on this past year...but don't worry, I won't bore you with tons of words (well, maybe just a few!)...I'll just throw tons of pictures at you instead!

2011 has been a year of...

Engagements


*My college bestie, Beebs, got engaged to her boyfriend since our freshman year of college, Brian this past February! Homegirl got a ring and a trip to the super bowl, all in the same weekend! What a lucky lady!

*And, over the Christmas holiday, my friend since we were babies, Jannell, got engaged to her boyfriend, Brian, who we've known since high school, even though they waited until college to date AND my second-cousin, Brittany, got engaged to her South African cutie!

I'm looking forward to all 3 weddings in 2012!

Weekend Getaways


*Weekend in the mountains of Boone, NC with Kyle's family in the beginning of March!


*Spring Break Round 1 trip to Baltimore (to visit Beebs!) and D.C. to visit the Holocaust Museum and Georgetown Cupcakes at the end of March!


Beebs asked me to be a bridesmaid on this trip!


*Spring Break Round 2 trip to the Outerbanks with 4 teacher friends in early April!


*Anniversary weekend in Charlotte in mid-April!


*Back to Baltimore for Beeb's engagement party in May!


*Wilmington for a family reunion in June, 4th of July and Halloween!
Reunited with my High School besties!

Visit to the Fair over Halloween weekend!

*New York & Connecticut for Thanksgiving!

*Back to Wilmy for Christmas!
Warm enough for a windy visit to the beach in December! I'll take it!
We're so doing this for our Christmas card next year!
Christmas morning at Kyle's house!

Addison Watching


It was such a pleasure to get to spend some precious time with my cousin Kathleen and her husband, Eric's baby girl, Addison. She was born last December, and is the first baby who I will have known since birth...which makes her extra special! We literally got to see her grow so much over 2011!

Visit to Asheboro in February!
Family Reunion in Wilmington in June! Already growing so much!
They came to visit in October!
Addison turned 1 on December 10th!
 5K's


Ok, so it's technically only been three 5K's, and they were all ones that Kyle ran in, but they were a really big deal for us!


*Kyle and our cousin-in-law, Eric, ran (would we really call it running if it included jumping over fires and crawling through mud!?) in the Warrior Dash this past August! This was Kyle's first race of any kind!


*Kyle ran his first 5K in September for our local gym! I got to be his cheerleader at this one!


*Kyle also ran in the Turkey Trot with his cousins and uncle on Thanksgiving in Connecticut!



And, if you've been reading, you know that I was also training for a 5K and actually completed one...it just wasn't an official race...before having to stop running due to some crazy medical issues that never really quite got resolved! Oh well, we can still say I ran a 5K for the sake of my 30 before 30 list, right!
So proud of myself for running the whole distance!
An Anniversary, a Baby, and a Wedding

*Kyle and I celebrated our 1-year anniversary on April 17th! After a wonderful weekend in Charlotte staying at the Dunhill as a wedding present from family friends, we celebrated in town by going out to a fancy dinner and eating the top layer of our wedding cake! So perfect!

*My teacher friend, Allison, had her baby boy, Nolan, in May!
3rd grade teachers at Allison's baby shower! She is in the green dress and doesn't even look prego! 
*And, another teacher friend, Samantha, got married in October! We had such a great time at their wedding!


The happy couple!
 New Beginnings


*I began my Graduate program for my Masters in Education with a concentration in Literacy at UNC this past May. It's nice to be a Tar Heel again!

*My Grandparents relocated to a retirement community in Wilmington after living in Wake Forest for over 40 years. This was a big deal for our family, but we know it was the right decision for them to go by choice and not be necessity. We had our last family gathering there this past May, and had one last family feast to celebrate ALL of the holidays that we would no longer be celebrating in that house.
Last family feast...with birthday, Thanksgiving, Halloween, 4th of July, and Christmas decorations all present!

The Cousins playing our last round of games in Wake Forest
Clan McLeod...last pic at Grandmother & Grandaddy's home

Random Highlights


*Kyle and I saw Mumford & Sons in concert in June...Ah-mazing!


*My cousin Sarah left to live and work in Peru for 6 months. She just came home in time for Xmas!
Last pic before she left!
*Beebs came down for a visit from Baltimore this Summer!


*My other college bestie, Ash's, host-sister from Mexico, Miriam, came to the US for a visit!

*I FINALLY got to move down to the 3rd grade hall after 2 years of being in random classrooms!

*Kyle and I went in with my brother, Bryan, to get season tickets to the NC State games! We spent many a Saturday this fall cheering on the Wolf Pack!

 And, I'm sure I forgot to include so many other wonderful memories and moments...good thing I've been blogging all year!

I hope everyone has a HAPPY, HAPPY New Year! Here's to a wonderful 2011, and a blessed 2012!

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