What A Year It Was

I thought it would be fitting on this final day of the year 2011 to sit down and reflect on the events of past twelve months. It's difficult to encapsulate everything that has happened, so I'm just going to list some of my favorite memories/events from the past year. And here's a bonus: it's the illustrated version!

Good times from 2011 (in no particular order):
- Puttering around in the garden and eating the fresh tasty veggies it produced
- Watching Sherman (our black lab) perform amazing acrobatic feats during games of chuck-it
- Seeing Suzzie (our German Shepherd) transform from a neurotic toothy terror to a sweet, playful, and eager-to-please beauty
- Having brand-spanking new windows installed in our house
- Backyard grilling...almost every day this summer, yum
- The liberating feeling of commuting to work on my bike and the Frontrunner train
- Catching up on years of missed reading while riding the train
- Vegas Trip #1: being the impetus for getting my mom to fly for the first time in over 40 years!
- Vegas Trip #2: great shows, great food, great hotel, great memories with Albert
- Learning to surf (sort of) in Costa Rica
- The sweet taste of victory at a big triathlon while smashing my own expectations for a predicted time
- Sharing the above victory with a very special group of family and friends
- In fact, having a faithful contingent of friends, family, and fans at pretty much every race I did this year
- Getting to know the really wonderful people at REV3
- Awesome home-stays along the way
- Long bike rides in Ogden Valley with Rich
- Sunday hikes at Snowbasin with Albert and the doggies
- Trail running, my new love
- Learning to run fast again
- Meeting my new baby nephew
- Watching my niece (successfully) try out for the swim team
- Visiting the Salt Flats & Antelope Island with Val and Gemma
- Happy hikes with good friends
- Many loaves of fresh homemade bread
- A countless number of stunning Ogden sunsets

Here's to another great year in 2012!