2011 Favorite Photos

Each year, I enjoy wrapping up my favorite photos from the past 12 months into one neat little blog post.  Usually I keep it to 10 or maybe 12 of my favorites, but this year I guess I got a little gluttonous and compiled a list of 25.  Maybe I can blame it on some improved photography skills thanks to lots of practice and a class I took last winter.  Whatever the reason, I worked really hard to whiddle my favorite photos down to just 25.  They are the best of the best.  The one's that bring warmth to my heart and a smile to my face.  Most of them have a specific story or memory connected to them.  But a few are just the perfect moment or expression caught at just the right time on the camera.  I hope you enjoy this year's round up of favorites.  If you'd like to see my previous year end posts, look here (2010), here (2009) and here (2008).

So here we go for 2011...in no particular order...

That smile...I LOVE it!  As my mom says, "he smiles from ear to ear".--September

Ok, I just started and I'm already cheating--I know.  But I'm calling this ONE a two-fer.  Two pics from the same moment.  A loving daddy with his sweet baby boy.  He's probably the easiest baby we've had--such a blessing and delight. --March

This one has already graced the blog with it's presence, but it just cracks me up.  The one day I decided to document her getting off the school bus and she comes home with a crown from having her turn at being the queen of the class for a day.  So fun!  --September

Well hello, Davey Crocket.  Yes, that is a coon skin cap--nothing Daddy trapped though. Whew! --May

Pumpkin Spice Latte Cupcakes.  I wasn't as crazy about how these tasted as I was about how they looked.  I think these turned into very pretty cupcakes.  --October

There's that smile again.  It's hard to resist a boy so proud of his pumpkin pick.  --October 

Our sweet friend, Annabelle.  I snapped several pictures of her with her momma happily enjoying her brother's birthday party.  This one was my favorite and I like how the black & white calm down the multitude of colors in the original shot and put the focus on her beautiful eyes. --July

He was just a few feet from Annabelle in the photo above, hanging out with his daddy and peeking out from under his hood.  I noticed several shots from various cool summer days with this sweetie peeking out from the same hood.  Apparently it was his summer look. --July

This boy just cracks me up!  We do have lots of light in the summer, but it was only about 5 PM.  We were on a family camping trip at a cabin near Juneau and he could hardly wait to sleep in the cabin.  So he put his jammies on hoping to speed up the process.  That resulted in roasting his hot dog over the campfire while wearing his jammies.  And those flip flops he's wearing (camo of course), those were his summer look.  He wore them everyday and literally wore them out.  The day one finally broke he said, "Oh, no, Momma.  Look. This is serious!" --June

On the same June camping trip, we enjoyed a nice family walk along the beach--looking for shells or tide pool treasures and casting for dolly varden.  She loved camping too--can't you tell?  --June

This was one of the first times our little babe pulled up under the table.  This one means a lot to me because it reminds me of the same moments for his siblings.  I always enjoy seeing them do similar things as they each develop at their own pace. --June

This year we celebrated 10 years of wedded bliss! My wonderful husband surprised me with an overnight trip to Sitka to celebrate.  We didn't go completely kid-less, but took our easy going little babe.  It was a great trip a special time with my husband. --June 

While in Sitka, we went to Totem Park.  This was one of my favorites from that visit. I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  Of course, we have tribal architecture like this in Juneau, but it's hard to resist being a tourist and snapping pictures when you're on a trip. --June

 

Also from Sitka.  We enjoyed this view from our hotel room balcony. --June

 

His expression of total amazement. --May

Shawn caught this cute pose from our Little Miss this spring.  She's growing up so fast. --March

My little niece enjoying the baby room at the Portland Children's Museum when we visited this spring.  She's such an alert and smart little girl--just like her aunt! --March

Another part of the Portland Children's Museum.  If you asked my kids, this visit would probably rank pretty high in their list of favorite places we visited in 2011.  Here the Little Miss was scheduling appointments at the mock veterinarian clinic in the museum.  And she was trying to pretend inconspicuously because she realized I was watching her. :) --March

When we visited my grandparents this spring, the Little Man fell asleep and we put him on the couch in their family room.  A little while later, my uncle apparently decided to make use of the other end of the couch.  It's not the greatest photo I've ever taken, but it just cracks me up. --March 

 

This summer, my Grandpa passed away and I traveled with the little babe to Oregon to honor his life and visit with my Grandma.  I took this photo just after the graveside ceremony had finished.  I am so glad to have a photo of both of my grandmother's together.  They are both so special to me.  I think the peace we have as Christians in the midst of death is evident on their beautiful faces. --July 

During my quick trip to Oregon this summer, I got to enjoy a few short hours at Camp Yamhill.  It's the setting for many fond memories.  Being there was truly good for my soul.  But please ignore the overexposed photo that (as we would say in Alaska) makes my legs look even even whiter than a halibut's belly. --July

This summer she ditched the training wheels!  And she basically taught herself to do it.  Shawn had to scramble to get in on the action because she mastered it so quickly. --July

 

This summer I was delighted to take senior portraits for our friend, Kinsey.  She is such a sweet girl.  I was really pleased with how several of them turned out, but this one was my favorite. --August

This summer I became a soccer mom and we all enjoyed the inaugural season--even the rainy games.  Actually, the nastiest day they had to play in was the only game she scored a goal in.  So I guess she's a true SE Alaskan girl. --August

And I had to include a picture of our chickens.  I really enjoy having a backyard flock and I really like photographing them. --August

I hope you enjoyed this year's wrap up.  I'm looking forward to more amazing memories in 2012 and hope you'll continue to check the blog throughout the year to see what we're up to.