a year in review (part 1)...

HO.LY. COW!!!  It is only one day away from being 2012.  Where does the time go!?  I have decided that a good way to end this year is by blogging, because this is something I want to do more of next year.  So, why not do a year in review...I will make this in two parts, the first half of the year and the last half of the year, otherwise I will be sitting here typing all morning.  Also, I feel it is most appropriate to include as many pictures as possible because that is how I remember what went on in the year...my memory is bad
! So...here goes nothing! 

JANUARY
Oh January, a month full of such hope and anticipation, such mystery and wonder, such left over holiday weight and plans to go to the gym...
So how did I start 2011...with a trip to Fuzzy's!!!!!

I can honestly think of no better way to start a year....can you!?  After this, I really don't have any pictures from January or any huge memory of things that happened, so on to the next...

FEBRUARY
Oh February...a month filled with such love and blah, blah, blah. 
February started out with this...

And several more days just like it followed.  This also brought a plethora of snow days...5 to be exact!  It sounds wonderful, but being stuck in a house for 5 days is kind of boring!  Here are a few others from "snowmageddon".

This was my backyard!

I watched these movies while trapped!

Also during this time, I did make it over to my friend Suzi's house where I watched Star Wars for the very first time...there is no photographic evidence of this, but it did happen!

I also got to wear my fabulous Christmas present from my sister in February & here it is....

I think the best part of wearing this was all my students reactions...they didn't know if they should take me seriously or not.  But have no fear, I totally intend on wearing this bad boy again in 2012!

MARCH
Oh March...you bring such joy to my life.  Not only do you contain spring break (which I thank you for) but you also have spring training, which only means one thing....we are very near to baseball season beginning.  Sorry...chased a little rabbit there...

The beginning of March brought this...

Yep, that is right, I got a roommate. She moved in at the beginning of March and it has been delightful.

March also brought, as mentioned earlier, spring break, which meant I got to spend time with this little lady...

I don't remember much else about March so let's now move on to the month that begins the most wonderful season of all...baseball season!

APRIL
Oh April, how I love thee, let me count the ways...
My friends and I decided this year to purchase a 20 game package and spilt them with their parents...we figured 10 Rangers games would be plenty.  However, we ended up going to almost 30, and thus begins the long string of baseball themed pictures and months...

We didn't get opening day tickets :( but we did get opening night tickets, which also came with a replica AL Championship ring...I'll take it! 

I kind of feel like this may have been the first game we went to this season, but if it isn't oh well...it was one of the first. 
April also brings about my niece and my sister's birthdays.  My niece had a skating b-day party this year and this is me and my roomie at it. 

We may have had just as good of a time as the kids! 

MAY
May oh glorious May...you bring such joy to my life...you bring the end of a school year! 
May also brought this...

To the untrained eye, this is just a preparation manual and a Starbucks drink in a Starbucks, but this is so much more!  This my friends is how I killed time before I had to report back to the courthouse on the very first time I got called for jury duty!  I was preparing to take my ESL certification test, which I took later that month and past! 

May also brings the time of the year that in my class we talk about abstinence.  When we first began this unit, I was a little nervous to say the least, now, I don't hesitate to talk about a penis or vagina or straight out answer any questions that the students may have.  At the end of each lesson, I have the students write on a slip of paper...on one side they write any questions they still have on the other they write what they have learned that day.  This is one response I got...

Clearly my job was done...at least for one student.  Also, this may be my bookmark to this day! 

May also brought a field trip to the Rough Riders game.  This was the first Rough Riders game I had been to and I am glad that I got to share the experience with 125 7th and 8th graders! 

 May also brought the addition of this to my wardrobe...

Don't judge!  I love me some Joe Mauer!  But the addition of this to my wardrobe may have also been one of the key reasons my beloved Joe ended up on the DL for most of the season...stupid t-shirt jinx!  Sorry about that Joe, but you've got many more seasons left! 

JUNE
Oh June...I have a love/hate relationship with you...I love you because you are summer but I hate you because I live in Texas and it is getting HOT!!!

June brought these things...

To the untrained eye this is just a wonderful picture, but in actuality this was a fun-filled weekend get away with some fantastic ladies!  Oh how I love Austin weekend get aways, especially when they involve views like this and kayaks...how can you go wrong!?

It also involved this delightful surprise...Mitch Moreland on the cover of the program at the Rangers game!  Clearly this brought much joy to my life. 

June also brought the start of my new summer job...education instructor at the Dallas Zoo!!  I taught 2nd and 3rd graders about animals for the summer.  It was spectacular!  There are many quotes that will live in infamy in my life because of the summer at the zoo.  For example:  "Oh good thing I ducked, I almost got bird banged!" or "Well...it all started at the Savannah Base Camp..."  And the summer wouldn't have been nearly as fun if I wasn't teaching with the fabulous Riley!

I will end June, and this post with one last picture that can probably sum up May-October really...

These are my gals!  Many a good times were had at this very ballpark!  Also, may great friendships were began here!  I love this ballpark, I love my Texas, my Rangers, and I love my friends!!!!

Part 2 will come later today or tomorrow....stay tuned!