Saturday, December 31, 2011

A Few of My Favorite Things: 2011

This year has been so good to me.  I am ready to embrace 2012, but will always look back on this year as one of the most significant in my life.

I started the year off a college graduate!  Even though I was nervous about finding a job, I was excited to be done with my undergraduate career.  My amazing friends were so supportive!  It's funny, but I weirdly miss studying for finals with Nicole (right).


January, February and March were completely consumed by the job hunt.  But lo and behold, I got a job! We had a blast moving into my very first apartment in Mountain View the first weekend of April.


I started my job on April 11th, 2011.  The job just keeps getting better and better.  It's fun to look back and remember those first few (almost overwhelming) weeks.  I have learned so much, and have made some amazing friends up here in the Bay.

In late April, I got to celebrate my 21+1 birthday with my family in Sonoma.  I also got to go to my first sunrise Easter mass in a vineyard. 


May brought Mother's Day, and I hosted my very first family party in my little apartment.  Thanks everyone for making the trip to Mountain View! 


My cousin Michael got married later that month,  and I still giggle remembering all of my dad's family dancing late into the night.

In June, I officially graduated!  I was so excited to return to UCLA and Westwood to take part in the graduation ceremony and see all of my best friends again.


One of my favorite holidays is in July, and we got to celebrate my cousin Gordon's wedding over the July 4th weekend too.  This time, we got to laugh, cry and dance with my mom's side of the family.


In late July, I got to spend one last magical weekend with my bestie Nicoley, who is teaching English in Spain for nearly a year. 

I finally got to visit my friend Jo in August.  So excited she will be back in the Bay this summer too!

In September, I went to a Giants game with my family.  I'm pretty sure this is my dads version of Disneyland, so it was a pretty spectacular day.  And I finally got to meet Maggie's boyfriend Jack.


I also got to go back to Oroville in September for my Grandpa's induction into the Oroville Union High School District Hall of Fame.  The powerful feelings of nostalgia were (mostly) kept at bay as we made new Oroville memories and celebrated my amazing Grandpa!


I got to go to two Bruin games in October!  We played Stanford up here in Palo Alto, and then I got to return to LA and go to a game at the Rose Bowl and celebrate Halloween in West Hollywood.  It was so fab to catch up with most of my college friends in person!

In November, I got to cheer on two of my favorite runners, my friend Kimi and my dad.


We celebrated Thanksgiving in Fallbrook, the land of avocados and sunshine.


December arrived with exciting news for my mom.  We rounded out the year with an amazing Christmas in Fresno and Sonoma.

I think 2011 could be summed up as a year of celebration, exciting change, learning and lots and lots of love.  Bring it on 2012!

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