Our top 11 Memories from 2011...

It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. It's been filled with happy moments and also very sad and stressful ones, too. It's a good thing I've taken so many pictures or else I would have forgotten all the fun we had this year. I've seen a couple blogs do their top 11 in 2011 memories and thought that was a great idea. I tried to go through my thousands of pics and pick out just eleven...that was tough.(and of course found some different ones after I uploaded a couple of these-oh, well!) When I was looking through the pictures it was amazing to me how quickly my kids are growing up. I need it to s.l.o.w. down!

We began with spending time bowling with friends and going places like the Strawberry Festival. We also celebrated birthdays and baptisms. Damian and I were honored to be Noah's godparents in January. (pictures are on my old laptop)

In our family--with so many kids, we are always celebrating a birthday or a baptism it seems!!

Here are some of the Hillen's Highlights:

1. Max played soccer for the YMCA this year. It was a little much for this 3 year old, but he gave it a try. This year he wants to play t-ball. I think that he will love it. He also continues to play golf at his daddy's course! He absolutely LOVES being outside and would play outside all day if I let him!

2. In March, Emma broke her arm on the playground at school. It's a memory I hope to NEVER repeat. It was just awful. It was a very long 9 weeks and 3 casts! But thankfully, her arm healed beautifully and she is once again a cart wheeling machine.

3. We celebrated Easter with both families and I just love when we can get a group shot!
This is one of my fav pics and the outfit Max is wearing is my all-time favorite!!

4. Emma had her very first loose tooth and has since lost her two bottom teeth and has another loose one on top!

5. In May, my Grandma Goldie went to be with the Lord. She lived a good, long life and is so very precious to me. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of her. The funeral home put together a slide show of family pictures and it puts a smile on my face and a tear in my eye every time I look at those pictures(which is pretty often). She loved her family and was so proud of each and every one of us. I only hope I can be as good of a wife, mother, and even grandmother someday. She was a true blessing to me!

6. We took a much needed family vacation to Tradewinds at St. Pete Beach. It was a fabulous vacation!!

7. My parent's celebrated 35 years of marriage in July and the whole Robbins gang headed to Hammock Beach Resort for an amazing vacation!! This summer was full of sun, sand, and good times with family!

8. After a simply wonderful summer, we began a new school year.

Max started VPK/Pre-K4. Which means this August he will be in Kindergarten...I cannot even think about that yet!! Oh, my baby is really growing up!

and Emma is a first grader at Pleasant Hill Elementary!! She loves first grade and is doing an outstanding job!! I am so very proud of her!

9. Max turned 4 with a pirate themed party at the park.

10. We welcomed our first pet to the family...Emma's hamster Cocoa Nutella. She's a little cutie! (I just realized you can't really see her in this pic...oops!)

11. Emma turned 7!! (How is that even possible?!?)

These are just a few of our highlights from this year.

Damian and I also turned 34, celebrated 9 years of marriage and we shared so many fun times with family and friends. Emma continued to dance ballet and had her big recital in June. We spent some time at the Disney parks, and of couse Emma was transformed into a Disney Princess at Bippidi Boppidi Boutique. (still need to share those pics) We also went to the beach, the park, splash park, and golf course. It really was a good year! I could have probably done 2,011 highlights from this year!!! I have a feeling that 2012 will be even better! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our newest nephew, Lucas...ANY DAY NOW!! We also know there will be some more blessings in our family this year and maybe even some surprises! While we may not know everything that this year holds, my only hope is that it is a year filled with peace, love, and joy for everyone!