Where has the time gone?

It was pointed out by a dear friend that I had yet to post my highlights for 2011 like I had for 2010 (who will ever forget the spontaneous combustion of the Expedition?) and the comment caught me off guard.(1) I was impressed she even remembered that post from a year ago because I have trouble remembering what my kids look like 2 minutes after they get out of the car in the morning, and (2) I am still desperately trying to wrap my mind around the fact that it's a new year.  Is it just me (and I totally could believe I am quite alone in this) or does everyone feel like 2011 was over in a blink of an eye?

2011 started off with a major highlight---- my beloved Auburn Tigers winning the National Championship game against Oregon. The year was complete as far as Jacks was concerned. But soon after the glory of the win came the realization that the Oaks of Toomers Corner had been poisoned by a disturbed Alabama Fan (who confessed his crime on sports radio)....by the end of January we were having to explain to Jacks about evil people in the world, the fact that you can take loyalties too far, the need for letting the police do their job and how courts work. Unfortunately, to date the guy has yet to go to trial so Jacks is convinced he will never get the whipping and time out he deserves. Every time we drive downtown, the kids study the trees looking for changes and worry over the fate of an Auburn tradition. Such a harsh life lesson, but yet another teaching moment for Mom and Dad.

After that things seemed to be calmer  in 2011 and not much is note worthy until Spring Break when Jacks decided to scare us all with a febrile seizure. The ambulance trip to the ER, the stay in the hospital, the study of his brain activity and the stress that went with it all is a faded memory for him(thank goodness). I still worry and find my self staring for moments on end as he sleeps to determine if there could be another seizure on the horizon, but Jacks has proved in many ways that kids are resilient and tend to bounce back quickly. Now if we can only find the off switch for his severe streak of independence and stubbornness....

Summer brought with it a new home; and really that is where the focus 2011 remained. We spent half of June, all of July and the first two weeks of August trying to work through all the paperwork and hassle of buying a foreclosure. The rest of August was spent moving and Sept-the end of November was spent doing home repairs and improvements on the little house (as many of you all well know). I have learned more than I ever cared to know about replacing doors, repairing sheet rock, putting down new floors and boxing paint. The Home Depot staff knows us by name.....any day I expect to see a parking space reserved for the Auburn Weasleys, lined with gold paint and playing "Money Money Money" whenever we pull in and activate a  hidden motion sensor.

We were blessed in many ways during 2011 and we hit many milestones with the kids....no more Weasley kids will attend AEEC, the Jr.high will never be the same now that we have arrived, and the middle school is starting to realize that it still has one more Weasley to go after Haybug...heaven help them. The year did fly by, but looking back over the whole thing I am glad to know the memories are not all blurs.

                                                 

                                                                           

                                          

                                       

I am excited to be at the start of yet another year watching the kids grow, learn and test my patience. 2012 brings my soon to be ignored 40th birthday, our 20th wedding anniversary and the start of High School in the fall for the twins. More milestones,more learning moments and more memories to be made. Here's wishing you too have a memorable and Happy New Year. :0)