Happy New Year's!

Grandpa lights the candles for his granddaughter's 10th birthday

Chris and I headed up the hill last night to join some friends for a new year's / 10th birthday celebration.  We had a great time chatting with our friends, sipping champagne, and watching the array of fireworks over the bay and across town from our perch on the deck.  Thanks C&R for inviting us!  Happy 2012 everyone!

Goodbye 2011

This picture was taken at a wedding in November by the same photographer that shot
our wedding over 7 years ago. It is my favorite photo of Chris and I all year.

Hello all.  It's the last day of 2011 - this year has just spun past so quickly.  Last year I resolved that I would really like to focus on my health and become more active.  I struggled with motivation at first, but in February Chris convinced me to join him on a lifestyle change after reading Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes.  I was very skeptical at first but after reading the book, I was convinced too.  We decided then and there to not put it off any longer and took to the kitchen and pantry to purge the carbs.  Since then Chris has lost 60 Lbs and I have lost over 40 Lbs.  It has made a huge change in our confidence, energy, and love for life.  I am so glad we did it and am looking forward to continuing it in 2012 and beyond.

Chris and I also started running together and we completed several races this year including the Bay to Breakers 12 K in SF, the San Jose Firefly nighttime 5k, and a 5k 'Mud Run' in SLO.  Chris also completed his first and second triathlons, one in SLO and one in San Rafael.  I also completed my first solo 10k in SF.  I think my new years resolutions for 2011 (getting healthier and more active) have definitely been well established this year.  There were a lot of other wonderful changes and events for us in 2011 - you can check out Chris's summary of this year with pictures on my last post.

Our own attempt prior to our photo above to get some pictures - Chris is so handsome.

So what about 2012?  What are the goals for this coming year? I want to work harder on connecting with our friends and family.  I have been horrible about keeping in touch with a lot of important people in my life, especially the long distance ones.  I'm looking forward to more phone calls, visits, and mailing of notes and birthday cards this year.  I want to work on keeping friendships and family ties strong and watch them flourish.  

Chris's turn behind the lens

My other goal for this year - I want to document time and people more.  I want to work on my photography and really learn how to use the great digital camera Chris' dad loaned me.  I also want to document Chris and I better - to get other people to take pictures of us.  There were very few pictures of Chris and I when I went looking back at our pictures for 2011.  And almost no pictures of our family members (!).  I've spent a few hours looking at Cameron Ingalls' website this morning and would love to learn to see light and love like he seems to.  He does a lot of weddings - but also does engagement and family shoots - and I am amazed by his family photos especially.  So be warned family and friends - I may be asking you to participate in some practice photo shoots this year - just bear with me.

Christmas Letter 2011

Chris and I actually pulled it together to send out a Christmas letter this year.  We had a great time looking back on the year (using the blog was a great reminder) and putting a few of the highlights into our letter.  Chris was the writer and I was the formatter for the layout and pictures - I have no talent in putting up the format in PDF here though. Following is our letter with a few of my favorite pictures from 2011.

Here we are at our friends wedding in January 2011

2011: A year of firsts.  The year started off right: our close friends -- L&M -- were married, under the stars, in Carmel on the 1st of January. 

Chris and I on a Tucson desert run in February
(three weeks in to our low carb diet lifestyle change)

February found us in Tucson with Deb and Bob. Chris caused his usually-irreparable damage, upsetting the Harrison-Blackett Hacienda with yet another gadget.  This time, he helped Bob install a new TV antenna on the roof.  Summer and Debbie -- oblivious to the disruption -- spent a ‘mother-daughter week,’ together. 

Chris at SCU exploring the campus with me one day before the start
of his classes for his Master's degree.

March saw Chris taking his first classes in pursuit of a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and Engineering at Santa Clara University (being a full-time student, he expects to be graduating by the end of 2013).

Chris at Maker Fair 2011 - teaching the joys of HAM Radio

May brought the Maker Faire, in which Chris was deeply involved with the Amateur Radio Booth. That same weekend, Chris officiated his first wedding, joining S&S, under the sun in Mountain View.  Summer gave up her Birthday Weekend to all of this, so Chris organized a surprise birthday party breakfast with friends the weekend before.

At Balboa Park with Dad

In June Summer spent a long Father's Day weekend with her Dad Bruce and Grandmother in San Diego enjoying the weather and several museums in Balboa Park.

Chris' SF Birthday Weekend, enjoying some Chai tea and reading
before going to the movies at the I-max

July and August were, comparatively, slow.  Chris got good a swimming, biking, and running.  Summer got better than Chris in the running department.  In July there was a vague remembrance of a Birthday Party with TONS of FRIENDS and BEER joined at a real Beer Garden.... but no one seems to want to admit that anything actually happened.  Summer abducted Chris, whisking him away for a Birthday Weekend in San Francisco (which he does remember).

Our view of the Deep Sea Exhibit and it's glorious Sun Fish

August was also a 7th Anniversary Celebration for us, entirely spent in front of the newly-refurbished Deep Sea Exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Chris' first triathlon - he loves this photo cause he looks bad-a** in it!

Chris finished his first Sprint Triathlon at his old Stomping Grounds in October, (Scott Tinley's Adventures, Lopez Lake, CA).  As soon as he was on his bicycle, he was like a salmon swimming up-stream... he used to ride with friends up Lopez Canyon all the time, soon after he left the Army and moved home.

Me after finishing my 1st 10k in SF

Summer finished her first 10k run in November, completing the San Francisco Mermaid Run in 70 minutes.

Us at a wedding in November 2011
(we've lost over 100 Lbs together since the first picture in this post taken in January)

And, no, we have NO idea what kind of 'firsts' will be able to top all of this year's, come next.

Happy 65th Birthday Bob!

Bob perched in a tree during a rest break on one of our arroyo walks earlier this year

 Bob - a little birdie told me it's your 65th birthday today!  Have a very wonderful birthday.  I've so enjoyed having you a part of our family for the past 7+ years.  Here's a list of some of the many things I love about you:

• You revel in introducing others to your annoying music collection.
• You get excited like a 3 year old about stuff Chris gets excited like a 3 year old about - like satellite fly overs.
• The way you love my mom and support her dreams.
• Your love of cactus and your enthusiasm about sharing about them.

Bob and Chris sort through pots at the Desert Museum Greenhouses

• That you cringe and roll your eyes whenever we mention CSI.
• Your undying commitment to your family.
• That your favorite car is your decade + old beater pick-up truck.
• Your glee in working your land - especially if there is an axe or chainsaw involved.
• That you think 'Airplane' is one of the funniest movies of all time.
• That you treat Chris and I like we are your kids too.

I hope that this year brings you a lot of joy, fun, new annoying music discoveries, cactus planting, and satellite gazing.

Highlights of the Week

The view on my Saturday run

Wow - what a busy few days!  Some highlights:

• Thanksgiving Dinner - stuffing - pie - need I say more?
• Chris's uncle M (a retired high school track coach) met us at the track and gave us a running evaluation and some recommendations.  It was fantastic and so helpful - thanks M!
• We had a great 6+ mile run on the Bob Jones Trail in SLO; what a great run along the creek and out to the pier in Avila Beach.
• We're packing up the office like mad at work for our big move to our new building in Menlo Park next week.  I'll have a new office all my own, Hmmm... now if I could just figure out the commute route.
• Chris is winding up his second semester of Grad School - go Chris go!
• My friend L invited me to try her 'Dailey Method' class today - it was so hard!  My arms and legs still feel like jello.  I signed up for unlimited classes for the rest of the month - we'll see if I can sculpt some great arms by Christmas!