2011 in Review

I have so much to catch up on... but I was reflecting on 2011 today, and I created this post. So it looks like I'll post about new years... THEN Thanksgiving, and THEN Christmas!

January: We returned from spending Christmas in Santa Barbara with the Hannay's and Harmon's. I was unfortunately sick with a sinus infection the whole time and couldn't get in the water or do much else. We didn't know it then, but found out a few weeks later, I was 8 weeks pregnant! We ushered in the New Year at a gas station in Provo on the drive home, and we spent New Year's Day at Snowbird! I remember I had to stop for lunch at the lodge... which was very weird. Now I know why! I was eating for two!

February: Scott and I went Kite Skiing! This was kind of a belated anniversary gift to each other. We got a groupon to go kite skiing, and it was so so SO cool! I would love to get into it more. Scott want's to translate his new skills to kite surfing on Utah Lake sometime. Too bad the kites are so expensive. We went on a very windy day, and I thought I was going to blow away. The teacher thought so too and wouldn't let me use the advanced kite. I was too little, he said. We also went up to the Evans' cabin and built a "wild thing" snowman with Andrew and Ben.



March: More skiing, as well as a trip to warmer weather. We went with Andy, Jen, and Andrew to Cabo in Mexico! We had so much fun on this trip snorkeling, boating, fishing, hanging at the beach, scoping out the flea markets, and eating too much ice cream. We told our families about the baby in March. I was already three months along!



April: We found out we were having a boy!!! We were both THRILLED! I went skiing for the last time, seeing as I was 22 weeks pregnant. It was starting to get a little tough to button up my ski pants.





May: We took a trip to New York and Washington DC with the Hannay family. Scott had to work part of the time, and I joined him a little later as a birthday present. I was my own tour guide throughout the city. I loved it! I enjoyed navigating my way to the different places on my list, remembering that it would probably be my last chance to have "alone time" for a very very long time. Once the baby came, it'd be totally different. I had a very kind fellow offer me his seat on the subway and then ask me if I was going to have a chance to finish high school before my baby came. That was a highlight.



Scotty ran the dirty dash with friends at work! Guess what? He finished first in the whole race (and he wasn't taking it that seriously)



Right before leaving for NY, I was called to be the Young Women's president in our ward. I was a little overwhelmed, but so excited for the calling. It kept me very busy those last few months of the summer. Johnny also came home in May! We were so so SO excited to greet him at the airport and for the little boys and SJ to see Johnny after two years in Italy.


June: June brought with it a hot summer for a gal in her 7th month of pregnancy! But we still had so much fun! We were able to take a short trip to Santa Barbara. I was given a wonderful baby shower, and Scott was given a very tiny wave to surf.



We went on a ton of hikes above our house. Okay... "hikes" is a bit of a stretch. "Walks" might be an appropriate term. But they were up in the mountains, so I think I can make a case for "hikes." Being able to do little else, the backyard mountain hikes was the highlight of the week. We went almost every Sunday and tried for weekdays/weeknights too.






Here's a picture of me at 7 months! I spent a week babysitting Kirsten's three kids (and developed a serious appreciation for women who have 3 kids and are pregnant with a forth!) I was so lucky to have a family shower in Utah, a Santa Barbara shower, and a Jolley's shower with all my friends at work. Hooray for June! People were so generous.



We spent June going to Real Games, hanging with the family, Lagoon Day, and the U2 concert (with free tickets and wonderful friends!)

July: In July we visited a cabin with some friends in our ward. It was beautiful, fresh, and relaxing. We just love the mountains. We also went to the ranch in July. I was only able to spend a week there (I was up to weekly doctor appointments at that time), but it was a wonderful week! I felt a little limited this year. You can't teach rock climbing or back packing when you're 8 months pregnant. But I'm just so grateful I got to go and soak in some refreshing Teton beauty and wonderful Jacobsen wisdom and example. This year Johnny came to the ranch for his first time. I loved watching him start to see why we all love it so much.







August: My due date came and went. Despite the anxiety and the wait, we still managed to have a lot of fun in August. We went to Bear Lake for a night and two days!



We went to the cabin with the family. Scott got to four-wheel and hike while I mostly hung with the kids.



We went hot air ballooning, which was a total life-lister. Thank you Scott!



August brought with it the coolest lightening storms we've ever seen. We'd stay up late at night watching the sky, hoping that our little guy would decide he was ready to come. I was a week overdue!





September: I went into Labor on Labor Day, and our lives changed forever. Bringing Peter into the world was the most challenging and important thing Scott and I will ever do. The fears associated with that critical time were outweighed by the blessings that came from the experience. I gained an even stronger testimony of the Lord's purpose and plan for my life and for my family. Peter is a daily reminder the Heavenly Father is in the details, and that family is what matters most. September was filled with great milestones that seem so simple and ordinary: sitting up in my hospital bed, learning to walk to the end of the hall, learning to breath on my own again, eating and drinking without the help of machines, being discharged from the ICU and continuing my recovery at home while caring for Peter. My favorite moment of this month was laying on my mom's bed the day I was discharged. Peter was laying next to me. We stared at each other, dozing on and off, and there was a distinct moment where we made eye contact, each took a deep breath, and fell asleep. It was as though we were both acknowledging that we had made it, that we could relax, and that everything would be okay from here on out.



October: October was a month of recovery and newness. Each day I took more and more steps towards getting better. I realized that recovery is not a place to arrive at, but a process or journey to patiently endure and enjoy. Everything about Peter was new and wonderful. Scott and I were grateful to be in my parent's loving home and to be the recipients of so much love, support, and generosity.

I went on my first post-baby canyon excursion



Scott went to Boston for school, and we bought our wonderful little house, which we love!!!



November: We blessed Peter! Such a special day!



We went to St. George for Thanksgiving (pictures to come... they are on our cell phone). I had a pneumonia and strep throat set back! But were lucky because Peter didn't get sick!

December: Had a wonderful Christmas with our little family of three! We worked on our house, spent time with family, watched movies, went to concerts and jazz games, Scott went mountain biking a few times (we've had a pitiful amount of snow this year), played games, and just had so much fun together. We went to the new Natural History Museum. It was so cool! I have pictures on my phone. I need Scott to show me how to download them.



It's been such an amazing year! So much has happened, and our lives will never be the same. So much uncertainty lies ahead, and we are so excited for the adventures to come. We are grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows just how to make our lives richer than we could have planned for ourselves.