Best of 2011

This is Part 1 of a 3-Part Post Series I'm going to do for my blog. This post will focus on my best and favorite moments of 2011. The second post will be my worst and least favorite moments of 2011. The final post will be a revisiting of my resolution for 2011 and seeing how well or not well I did.

MY BEST MOMENTS OF 2011

(These are in no particular order. Just as they come to mind.)

1. Joining the Navy.  I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would be in the military. It had never seemed like a possible thing until just recently. I'm excited for the adventures and experiences that await me on this new chapter in my life. 

2. Transferring stores and becoming a supervisor. At the beginning of 2011 I got promoted and changed to another Deseret Book in Ammon, ID. This has been such a great and positive change in my life! I actually get along with my boss, I love the people I work with (for the most part), and Christmas was a breeze! Would I ever go back to the Temple store? Not in a million years. 

3. Kira. This woman has been such a blessing in my life. She has taught me how to stand up for myself and to follow my dreams. I probably would have been stuck in a life I never wanted if it weren't for her. She inspired me to join the Navy among other things. 

4. Lagoon trip. I went on a Lagoon trip this summer with Mike and Lacey, Brittany, and Kira. We had a blast. Kira and I even rode on the insane ride that shoots you up while you're sitting in this little ball. That is something I never would have done. I'm a lot braver these days. 

5. Year of Change. I think 2011 will always stand in my mind as a year of change. Not like big changes, but I know I've changed and grown a lot just in a short year. Who I was last year is completely different from who I am now.

6. Getting in Shape. I've lost a total of 35 lbs. and I'm in the best shape of my life. I never thought I'd be able to run a 5K and I did that this year with Kira and some mutual friends of ours. I feel like I can conquer the world because I was able to conquer that demon which has been my self-image. I feel comfortable in my own skin now.

7. Mike & Lacey's Wedding.  I was able to attend my friend Mike's wedding in Oakland, CA. It was a beautiful wedding and I was honored to be a part of it as the best man. The trip itself wasn't my favorite, but the wedding part was amazing. It was also the first trip where I've made all the arrangements for myself and flew down all by myself. Sad that I was 28 when I finally did this, but at least it happened, right?

8. Good Books & Good Music. I've read a lot of books and a lot of them have been really good. I can only think of a couple off the top of my head that weren't that great. There has also been a lot of really good music this year. Tori Amos, Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Minaj, Chevelle, Adele, and Florence + the Machine have pretty much dominated this year for me.

9. Hannah. This girl is amazing! There are some people you just connect with and it's like your souls rejoice because you've finally reunited with an old friend. That is how I feel with Hannah. We are kindred spirits.

10. Zumba! This has been the year for Zumba for me. I got addicted and now I can't get enough. Such a fun and enjoyable workout. 

That is all for Part 1. Stay Tuned for Part 2 (The Worst of 2011)!

Hilary & Tom's Wedding

Last weekend I went to Utah for my cousin's wedding. This was my first trip out of town since the frantic, hectic, tiring, and somewhat stressful (not to mention the drama) Christmas season at Deseret Book. Needless to say (I hate that prefix simply because if it's really "Needless to say" why say it? That's beside the point) I was seriously in need of a break. So I was actually more excited about the getaway than I was about the wedding. But it turned out to be a good time even with the wedding. ha!

We drove down Friday morning. Gigi was a good girl even though she was suffering from stomach problems. She kept entertained watching Snow White and sleeping on the trip down to Utah. I was happy as a clam because I just read most of the way and never looked at the road. It's amazing how un-stressful it is to be the passenger.

On the way down we ate at a diner in Flying J. It was really questionable but I told myself not to be a pain. The sandwich was pretty good that I had there but I kept checking to make sure the chicken was all the way cooked and such. Yeah, it was that kind of establishment.

Once we got to the hotel we got settled in and then did a quick shop at Target. Then we went to my Uncle Brian's house. I got to see Ashley, Brian's son and my cousin, whom I have not seen in at least five years. He is in the Navy and is now back in Utah as a recruiter. I've always been really impressed by Ashley and have looked up to him for most of my life (not because he's taller than me. He really isn't much taller than me). So it was really good to see him again. I hardly get to spend a whole lot of time with Brian and his family. They are an awesome bunch.

That night we had a big dinner at a Mexican restaurant. It was really good food. I was slightly worried when we got to the hotel because we were just going to go to bed. Spicy food then immediate bedtime? Never a good idea. So I passed about an hour or so just reading until I figured it was safe to sleep. (I'm weird, I know).

The next day was the wedding day, but the wedding wasn't until 3PM. We killed time by going to Cabela's and Costco.

The wedding ceremony and reception were both at a country club where Hilary works. It was a really nice place, certainly one of the nicer places I've been in a long time and I think it was mostly because of the formality of it all. I thought that was interesting because Hilary and Tom and the rest of the family/friends were very informal about the whole thing.

Hilary looked great. She looked very happy. I also got to see Hilary's mom, Brian's ex-wife, Tracy. She also looks really good and seems to be happy. I had seen her a few years ago when I randomly stopped by her house when I was in St. George. Good times. My dad did married the couple and did a really good job.

I took some pictures of the wedding. We stayed for about an hour of the reception and then hit the road, heading back to Idaho. It was too dark for me to read on the way back home so I ended up watching The Neverending Story which I haven't seen in ages. That's a great flick.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the wedding.







Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Hilary Nunnelly!



Aunt Tracy with her sons Ashley (left) and Reggie (right).



The whole crew.

CONGRATULATIONS TOM & HILARY!