Goodbye 2011

As we soar through the final week of the year, I feel the need to look back on the past year and what all has transpired. On the heels of me posting my frustrations on being a military spouse ,(my favorite line I have ever created- "And frankly, some days I just want to kick Uncle Sam in his star-spangled nuts!") we started the year right off the bat with the deployment of my husband on January 4. Immediately, the children began to try my patience as a newly-anointed single mom.

In February, we celebrated surviving the first month of the deployment. A week later, my daughter showed she was really feeling the separation by asking me to help her write a letter to her daddy that broke my heart.

In March, Noah was playing indoor soccer and scored his first goal ever- and apparently was unmoved by it.

In April, Noah informed me he was a big kid and would no longer be calling me,"Mommy", the Easter Bunny got a fabulous surprise and we celebrated the military child.

In May, we were counting down the days until DJ returned. In the meantime, I celebrated Mother's Day by attending a tea at Zoe's school and with a pretty funny list Noah made. And then the day arrived- DJ came home!

June was pretty low-key with the kids in their last month of school. I did get a nice, random conversation with Zoe in the car one day.

In July, we shipped the kids off to the grandparental units in Texas for the first time ever; but not before I made an elaborate instruction booklet to go with Zoe. She's high-maintenance like that!

We joined the kids in Texas the end of July and attended a family reunion. Then we had a birthday party for the kids the first week of August before heading back to New Jersey. Noah managed to wreck a fence during his time there. Then, upon returning to New Jersey, I almost killed the kid in GNC.

September was full of soccer for both kids, piano for Noah and no time to blog about it.

October was the month I almost died in a corn maze. And that was BEFORE that family called 9-1-1 in the maze, y'all. This makes me think this is a real problem that should be looked into. Then, I confronted the neighborhood bullies while Noah gave his opinion on everything from the World Series to going green.

In November, Noah was being goofy at school and earned himself a trip to the ER.

In December, we took the kids to Hershey, PA. and Zoe came home with a terrible school photo..

We have had a very colorful, interesting, trying, hilarious, eventful and blessed year this year. Here is hoping next year is even better than last and that you and your family have a wonderful year as well.