Looking back over 2011

To begin 2011 my parents bought me a whole new bedroom set.
It's not something they normally would do, but all the other kids had had theirs for years
and we had just never gotten around to finding something for me. :P

                                   

Hello everyone! I know it's been quite awhile since my last post, but here I am at last! ;) I was just going to do a bunch of random posts about what's been going on since 2012 has hit, but I decided to do something different. I went to my friend Chris Miller's blog and saw that he had posted pictures from all the great times in 2011, I thought it was an awesome idea, so here's an update going over the last year of my life. :) Hope I don't bore you too much ;)

Early in the year I went and hung out with my dear friend, Katie Brown. She and I
had an amazing time talking late into the night and shopping at the mall the next day.
Can't wait for our next shopping trip Katie! :D

As the year went on I was working hard on my high school to get it all finished up. It was rather
crazy with Seussical the Musical practices going on and working to have the high school done! 

On March the 25th I started getting to know Chris Miller a whole lot better as a friend.
Now we are the best of friends and enjoy goofing around together and making memories.
I am blessed to know him. What an awesome guy! 

I just had to put this up because I love my cat so much! During 2010 when I had moved out of the home,
I hardly ever sat down to just soak up nature and my animals around me. Wow, I was just so different during that time!
Thanks be to God that everything turned out HIS way and I was able to come back home and find myself again.
Now I make sure to spend my time soaking up my animals, watching a sunset or enjoying a nice walk. My relationships with my parents, siblings and friends have healed over this past year and I must say things are amazing now! Thank you God for showing me where I was suppose to be in life. Guys and Girls - Always honor your parents, time is too short to spend it upset about something. 

YAY! Seussical! lol! From January all the way till April were Seussical the Musical practices. Everyone worked hard on learning their parts and EVERYONE had a blast being a part of this awesome musical! Thanks to Fine Linen Drama, Susan Holmes, our music teacher and Tracy, our dance instructor for all the hard work you put into this show. I will never forget it! The awesome friendships, people and memories that were made there will last a lifetime!

I LOVED being a "Hunch" in our tap number - "You're Havin' A Hunch"
For once in my life I felt like I was as cool as Benjamin on stage ;)

I loved being a Who from Whoville as well :) My costume was incredible! lol!  AND SO PINK!

I had WAY too much fun with hats in this musical!

After the musical was over we all got together for the annual 20 mile Hike through the Missouri area. :) It's always a blast with 80 some people walking down old dirt roads and along the old highways.  Amazing memories were made on this trip

Jeni and I :) Aww! I love you Jeni! She's is such a great friend and so beautiful! I love her!

During the hike I when I began losing steam I ended up talking and getting to know Abby Ymker.  Now she and I are great friends and love finding chances to hang out together. For the new year we both made a resolution to start working out at Vessels. :) So far everything has been going great and we're both pushing each other to get into better shape and health. We're both hoping to run a 5k sometime this summer :) Wish us luck! :D Abby, you're amazing girl! I'm so glad I that we've become such good friends!

In May our family went on probably the best vacation we've ever been on. :D Some very dear friends and clients of my dad's invited us to come stay for free in one of their beach houses in Little Torch Key in the Florida Keys. :) Oh my! I have waited my whole life to be able to see a place that had "clear, blue water" as I've always called it. I thought that the ocean looking that blue was a fake until I got there and saw it for myself. I was in paradise that whole vacation! We also bought an amazing underwater camera that worked out super well for pictures! The one above shows how clear the camera took pictures!

Beach ladies! After being born and living in Florida for almost 8 years of my early life I always have considered the ocean a second home. :)

Had to put a picture in of me with the water ;)

High light of the summer after vacation was our annual Haying party. :) We had the biggest crowd yet and everyone had a blast! I'm almost certain that next year is going to be even bigger! :D lol!

Bringing in the hay! 

Other high lights were having my first real photo shoot with Chris Miller. He and I had a great time that afternoon walking around his farm taking pictures and laughing as we tried to find good poses :) I was really pleased how they all turned out in the end. I think he was too ;)

At the end of June I graduated from high school! All the hard work paid off! I was SO excited finishing it that day! The Riefer's grandmother or "Gogey" as she is commonly known was the one who helped me get everything finished. She is such an important woman in my life and I have grown so close to her during that time. Thank you for everything you did to get me where I am now. :) I love you Gogey! <3

Heading into my first day of College :) I worked on a Chancellor's  Certificate in Digital Graphic Design. The classes were taught in block format so I would be there from 8:30 in the morning till 4 in the afternoon. Normally I had one or two classes every week or every other week and I would stay in St. Louis (where the classes were) while taking them. I now have all 90 hours finished and under my belt and have already started using my skills in my little business -
Alyssa Jean Studios. Now I am going to be pursuing a degree in Marketing through Thomas Edison College through an online program. :) I am looking forward to that here in this new year. :)

In September I went on a business trip to a world conference with the family at the Opryland Resort in Nashville TN. While we were there they had a bunch of different Christian bands playing at the hotel. I got to stand smack up against the stage for Third Day, NewSong, Building 429, Leeland, and Royal Taylor. I also got to sit up front and listen to Christian comedian, Michael Jr. :) It was AWESOME! The picture above is me with some of the members of NewSong. :) They are one of my favorite Christian bands. :) I was thrilled to get to talk with them afterwards! :D

The pictures above is from our family's annual Christmas party. We have a LOT of annual things we do every year ;) It's always so much fun! This was a picture taken with some very dear friends of ours. :) They live farther away so they spent the night that evening. It was a blast for all of us! ;)

This is a picture from our Christmas party, Alex and I have become good friends since Seussical and during the year. I am so blessed with his friendship :) I couldn't end this post without saying something about him :)

There you have it! My whole year (sort of) put into a post. :) Hope you enjoyed it! I must say that 2011 was a VERY good year indeed. I am looking forward to what God has in store for 2012 :)