Thankful Tuesdays: The year that was 2011

As a new year approaches, I've been looking back at 2011 and reflecting on how much has happened.  So I couldn't resist speed browsing through the year's posts and picking out photos that depicted 2011 for us (warning: photo-heavy post ahead!).  

This was the year that the hubby finished his specialist exams and got promoted.  He flew off a couple of times overseas for conferences.  It was also the year that I managed to finish my research and dissertation, and graduated. 

One highlight was welcoming a new addition to the family:

And of course, this little baby has been showered with lots of love all around!

This was the year we saw Junior J mature so much.  He's gone from this...

... to this:

He's grown up so much!  He's now feeding himself, and is a lot more independent.  While he used to be rather timid, he is now more confident (except with strangers!) and is turning into a regular little monkey.  The boy chatters incessantly and makes us laugh. 

We've learnt more about God through stories and activities:

Marching around Jericho

And of course, did lots and lots of art and craft:

Painting dots so that he can look like a whale shark!

This is my favourite painting of the year, done by the boy on his own using paints, a paintbrush, a toothbrush
and the netting used to wrap a wine bottle.  Plus loads of hand-printing!

A lot of cooking got done this year...

... and we visited many places, like museums, and took long walks together as a family:

At the National Museum

Tramping on the tracks

We visited Taiwan for the second time and froze our butts off:

We decluttered a lot:

All for the karung guni!  (Now Junior J loves shouting "Karung guni!",
sometimes at the most inappropriate times!)

Of course, there were bumps on the road. like facing the normal problems of childhood, such as constipation, wheezing fits, night wakings, and of course, the terrible twos:

There was also that major fall the boy had:

But we've managed to weather through all that.  All in all, the year has been full of God's grace, and our family indeed is very blessed.  We're so thankful for all that has been given to us this year!

2011 was a blast, and we're looking forward to 2012, both excited and nervously (since its the year of the big move overseas)... and trusting in God to bring us through!

Are you looking forward to a new year?