Top 25 of 2011

Last year I posted my Top 25 of 2010 and I am carrying on the tradition.  It is helpful for me to look back at the year and recount what happened.  I don't want to forget the good things and want to be sure I remember the lessons I was supposed to learn through the bad things.  This blog is really my only diary at the moment, so 5 years from now looking back at these lists will be a really fun time with my family.  So, here's my list in no particular order!  

1. I went on my first deer hunt with a coworker and shot my first deer!  It felt great - one of my manly bucket list items.  My only regret is that I didn't get a picture with the deer.  So this one will have to do.            
2. Auburn Tigers Won the National Championship, beating Oregon.  Go figure, I spend 8 years on campus at Auburn and then the year after I graduate they have a championship season.                          
3. I took and passed the GMAT with a score of 610.  This was my first hurdle for getting into an MBA program.                                                                                                                                                              
4. Spent the summer & fall taking MBA prerequisites - Principles of Accounting & Financial Management.                                                                                    
5. Accepted into the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) PMBA Program to start January 2012.                                        
6. Paid off over $26,000 in non-house debt again!  Passed $52,000 total!  
7. Bought a house!  We aren't house poor either.  Our mortgage is actually small than my other debt and he monthly payments are less than our rent used to be (including taxes & insurance)                               
8. Met Dave Ramsey!                                             
9. Started Financial Peace University.
10. I'm training for my very first half marathon, and running it on January 7th.                                                 
11. We took our first family beach trip to Gulf Shores, AL in September.
12. Hilary took a much needed girls trip to the beach with her friend Susan.
13. We got a dog, a lab puppy rather, named Lulu.  She lasted a month before we realized it was a bad idea and found a new owner for her.                                        
14. We made it through another year of little sleep with a VERY fussy and clingy baby Clara.                      
15. Hilary achieved her goal of breastfeeding Clara for a whole year!              
16. Grandma Susan & Grandpa Fred visited for 4th of July Weekend & Went to the Canton Hot Air Balloon Festival.                                                   
17. Grandpa Tim visited for Christmas!  He got Charlotte her first dollhouse.  
18. Grandma Debbie came down to visit and help paint our living room over the summer.  Can't find a picture of Grandma during the visit, but here is a picture of the room - went from mustard orange to blue.                                                                                        
19. Christmas in Canton!  Does 2 years in a row make this a tradition?  
20. First Easter Egg Hunt for Charlotte in the Spring.  
21. Mississippi State Fair!  I think Hilary took the girls about 5 times!  
22. Clara turned 1 and Charlotte turned 3, had a birthday party at Pump it Up!
23. Hilary turned 26 and Thomas turn 28!                                             
24. Hilary and I celebrated our 5 Year Anniversary!!                
25. We joined the 90 Day Body By Vi Challenge with ViSalus Sciences and I lost 11 pounds in December!