Recuperating and reflecting...

So 2012 has started out not like I hoped it would. I got sick and it has been a long time since I have felt that terrible. I am still trying to recuperate from it weeks later. I got a nasty sinus infection and the first antiobiotic wasn't working and then I got strep throat on top of it. Draining sinuses + already sore throat + strep = miserable. I missed three days of work in a row which for me doesn't happen much. While sitting at home, it did allow me to think about all of the things I did last year in 2011 and what things I want to do this year. I hope to make this year even better than last. It might be hard to do when I look at some of the fun I had in 2011. So here is me reflecting with some photos of 2011 and some of the highlights of the year. Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do:

The VIP experience at the Bon Jovi concert in March. I bought the VIP package which included a backstage tour and dinner and seats on the second row in the pit. My nephew, Andre loves Bon Jovi too and he had just had a birthday so he was my date for the VIP tickets. My mom and sister came with us and they had great seats too. Just a little further back. Here are some of my favorite pictures. I took like 300 and something so it was hard to narrow it down :).

Perhaps a little too excited on the ride down.

Opening act Ryan Star

There's the man!

Waiting for our VIP tour

On stage holding one of Richie's guitars.

Jonny's microphone stand.

 The band saw Andre the only kid in the pit and threw him some guitar picks.

The crew after the concert and a night we will never forget especially Andre!

The trip to Australia was also a major highlight of the year. I know I already blogged some of the things from this trip, but here are a few more pictures from the trip. A once in a lifetime opportunity! 

 My love fern :)

 Chippy!

 Yes I am a dork and decided to swing from the vine.

Me and some of college roommates had a little mini roommate reunion (minus a few who couldn't make it). We made a day of it and had some fun together. I took the day off of work and we went to lunch at Elements. If you haven't had their burger and a beverage special at lunch then your missing out. We did some shopping, hung out, laughed a lot, visited campus and the "A", and then had a barbeque at my house. So much fun and we need to do it more often.

 Lots of time hanging out with my munchkins this year. They are some of my favorite people in the world and make me laugh so hard. I hope they know how much I adore my "Aunt Shannon" time. Took all the boys to some Aggie basketball games and Kendyl and I enjoyed some girl time.

This year I also decided to challenge myself and do something I don't really enjoy. I took up running. I am not very good at it because of my asthma, but I know it is good for me to push myself. Bootcamp has been good to encourage me to try and like it more. I did a couple of 5K races this year. My friend Brooke, who is an awesome runner encouraged me the whole way. This is us after the Fish Fight for Life 5K that we ran earlier this year.

Meeting David Cook and Steph and I's trip to Boise was a definite highlight. We need to do stuff like this more often and we both can't wait for our boyfriend, David to come in concert again. I know I already said this when I blogged it before, but he is seriously so nice and funny. I have a wicked crush!

I love spending time in Island Park with my family. My mama and I always have so much fun up there. It is peaceful and serene. There were so many memories of my marriage and relationship with my ex attached to Island Park that it took me awhile after to enjoy it without some of the pain of those memories. It took time, but it is better.  I love Island Park and plan to go up more often this year.

I love spending time with my friends. Cali is one of them that I can go awhile without seeing and we are able to pick up right where we left off. She is such a good friend to me and I am lucky to have her and so many. We had a great day in Park City this summer and road the Alpine slides. Felt like a kid. Then she came up so we could do the Man VS. Mud 5K. We had so much fun on both occasions and will likely need to be repeat both this year.

All in all 2011 was a great year, and despite the first few weeks of 2012 and feeling icky,  I look forward to what it will bring and to it being even better.

It is important to look ahead and move forward.

45 Life Lessons and New Year Resolutions

I hope that everyone had a fun and safe New Year! Here comes 2012! It seems like 2011 went by way too quickly. I am not ready for the holidays to be over. I enjoyed them so much. Now begins a clean slate and new goals for a new year. I have never been one to go crazy about resolutions mostly because the perfectionist in me hates to fail at them. You can't fail if you don't make them has always been my excuse. However, I do think it is important to reflect, to think about the lessons you have learned over the last year, the mistakes you have made, and how you are going to do things differently this year. As I was thinking about this, I came across an article in a newsletter from another not for profit organization in the valley. I liked this so much I thought it was worth sharing.

Here are 45 Life Lessons:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Friends and family will. Stay in Touch.

5. Pay off credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's okay to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's okay to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry, God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's , we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.

44. Yield

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

There are a lot of profound lessons in this list. Some of my favorites are numbers: 3, 11, 17, 18, 27, 34, and 38. There are also some that are a bit humbling and hard for me to hear probably because they are ones I need to work on. They are: 20, 26, 28, and 29. I should probably set goals for my new year from this list, but like I said I would probably just disappoint myself. So this is my resolution for this new year. I resolve to be a better self than I was in 2011 in all aspects of my life: physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially. I strive to learn from my mistakes and move past them to a better ME. I also resolve to forgive myself if I don't do it as perfectly as I would like. I resolve to be happy and choose happiness. We can't always choose what might come our way, but we can choose how we react to those things. Right after my divorce, actually before it was even final, I was in such a sad, dark, depressing, dreary place. I felt as if the sunshine in my life was gone. Then I went to Summerfest with some friends of mine and I found this saying that is to this day still hanging on my wall in my front room. It gives me light and hope for better days, even now. It says: "We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails." We can choose how we handle life's curve balls and happiness is a choice we get to make. Here is to a even better year than the last! Love to you all! What are some of your favorite life lessons?