THE END

of 2011 is here!

It is hard to believe that another year is about to decent upon us!  We have no idea what it will hold but if it is like 2011, it will be a good year ahead!

As I reflect back on this past year I see the wonderful things my life has been "laced" with!

There was an article in the December Ensign Magazine  by President Henry B. Eyring:

THE CHOICE TO BE GRATEFUL.  He talked about having a grateful heart.  He went on to say there is a connection between gratitude and happiness.  He talked about the challenge to count our blessings because we have a tendency to take good things for grated.  I have been working hard for a few months now to make a more conscious choice to express gratitude for all that I have.  It is an amazing experience.

2011 has been a good year and one filled with sweet memories!

January 2011

took us to Aurora to spend four days with James, Tam and family.  It was fun to be together and each other......

While in Aurora we were able to attend Meghan's basketball game at church

Watching Meghan's b-ball game

February 

brought the celebration of Cameron's birthday

we went to Columbus OH to celebrate with Amanda, Ben, Owen & Marnie

AND a brand new Grand baby to LOVE!

 Savannah Mae Lough

Jerilyn and I went to a school to read some Dr. Suess Books (Dr. Suess's Birthday)

it was fun as the children we read to were special needs children

and they captured both of our hearts!

The first of March

I went to the Lough's and helped out with the children.....Are you thinking I went to help Melissa while she recovered from having her baby??......NOT!  Savannah was just a week old and Melissa returned to her classes at school....I went for a week to help her out so Savannah could stay home since she was so young.

Grandma Barb is in Heaven holding this new baby!

April

was a trip to Columbus, OH to celebrate Owen's 1st birthday

The birthday party was "perfect"!

and FUN!

Happy Birthday Eric

MAY

So the "Readers Digest Version of this story is........the exhaust fan "died" in our bathroom and Cameron could not stand it so he went out and bought one and though how hard could it be to put it in....

He enlisted Eric's help but they broke off some part by accident so Eric got a BIGGER and BETTER exhaust fan that had a heater right in.....major operation.....a few extra holes to patch up and it was installed PERFECTLY......but the floor looked so bad with the new light that went with the exhaust fan so Eric laid this flooring.  The wood had to be treated, carpet scraped up and the flooring laid down.  It was a major project but one that I LOVE the finish work!

May also brought a trip to Melissa's & Ryan's for a 

double celebration!

Savannah was given a name and a blessing at church

It was fun to be together and have so many of my 

family join together for this celebration.

The Lough family with Grandma Barb

After church went went to the University to attend Melissa's graduation
She had worked HARD to accomplish this goal along with being
a mother, working, a wife to a bishop
Her family was there to celebrate this great event in her life!

YES, we are still in May...

:)

I jumped on a plane and flew to Sacramento, CA

to join the Scott Zinn family

in the celebration of Clara's baptism

Clara & her Dad

This meant I was able to spend some time with Jack
(along with Aidan & Clara)

What a beautiful family that resides in Folsom CA
It was such a good visit!

Eric had competed the bathroom project and wanted another project to do since school was out .... so he started the "Zen/Zinn garden".  He got mono, then the heat came and then Irene came into his life so the Zen/Zinn gar dent is not quite finished but almost.....hopefully this spring will give us total enjoyment of this project.

WOW...... May WAS a busy month! but finally ,,

JUNE

arrived

Ben had to go to Washington for a class so Amanda and Owen came for a visit.....

that was F U N to have them both here but especially to have Owen bring "life/laughter" to our home!

owen L O V E S popsicles

James and Tam did the Nauvoo trek with the youth in their ward.  Meghan was old enough to go but not Braden so I went to Aurora and we hung out together......it was bicycle rides, putt putt, go carts, walking in downtown Naperville.....and so much more.  Not a day went by without something planned and it was a fun time to be together!

JULY

was busy but I THINK I stayed in Ft. Wayne

Had to take time to build up some more vacation time

at work! :)

AUGUST...

was something I had looked forward to for a LONG time

the entire Zinn family was going to be together & my

mother and sister was also going to join us

James opened his home and it accommodated all of us

and I cannot begin to tell you the blessings I felt to have my entire family

under one roof.  It is a Mother's dream come true.

James and Tam hired a photographer to record

these moments and the pictures are priceless to me!

My grandchildren

My children and their spouses

SEPTEMBER

was another month I stayed home, worked to build up that Vacation time.  

OCTOBER..

brought a trip to Ohio and we went to the Apple Orchard and picked apples among other fun things we did that weekend.  Owen had a lot of fun with the apple picking!  The real bonus was "eating" them at the moment of picking!

I took some time off and drove to Galesburg in October to spend time with my sisters and mother.  It was so much fun but the time goes way faster than I want it to go........

November

Thanksgiving with "most of the Zinn family"

Grant & Katie came from Utah to join our Thanksgiving festivities and we
LOVED having them with us!

My house is not "large" but somehow we all fit into it and even had FUN

KNOW the ZINN's??????  When we get together you have to have some kind of project!  This was a BIG project but they somehow managed to accomplish it.....and that was to ORGANIZE my attic...and organize it they did!  (Yes, Grant & James....Christmas is put away and it is still ORGANIZED in the attic!)

DECEMBER

Is such a special time of year!

I am so grateful for my beliefs and the knowledge I have for the 

"reason for the season"

I think 99% of the public has forgotten it as they shopped at Target this past season.

It was a rough one for everyone that worked but I could come home to this and gently remind myself

of the gratitude I have for my testimony.

We had a little birthday party for Marnie when she arrived and the weekend festivities began!  

Christmas was a little different this year but still so wonderful...

We went to church, came home and opened our gifts....

we were able to Skype with all our family so it was like they

were ALMOST here with us......

I think everyone was happy..... 

That is the highlights of events in the Zinn home for the year of 2011!

One does not know what 2012 will hold....I am working hard to build my vacation time up at work so that whatever it is I am ready to be a part of it!!  Amanda and Ben will bring a new baby daughter into this world in March...... 

I love all the choice memories 2011 has brought and look forward to 2012! memories. In addition to my sign off logo of:

EIGHT "plus" IS ENOUGH TO FILL MY HEART WITH LOVE!

REMEMBER:

WE have the CHOICE TO BE GRATEFUL

I am humbly grateful

Posted by Barb Zinn