Our 2011

In January I cut off about 54" of hair and Keats began walking by himself!

In February, our garden burst into life and I found out I was pregnant with baby #2!

In March, we sprang outside whenever the rain dissipated and explored.

Keats turned a year old in April!

In May, we decided to move to a wonderful cottage on a coastal farm.

In June, we finally found out that we were having a girl.

We began settling into our new home in July.

And explored the treasures of our small town, like this local goat cheese shop (and farm), in August.

In September, we bought a medium-sized flock of chicks to raise in our yard.

I made a fox costume for Keats for Halloween in October.

And Frida Beatrix joined us in early November!

As usual, December was filled with lots of visiting and laughter!

All in all, our year has been fantastic and full of joy. We are very grateful for the opportunities we've been given this year and for all the love we feel each day. We know how fortunate we are to live where we do and for Birch to have the job security he does. 2011 was a crazy year, again, in the world and though Birch and I are increasingly frustrated with it, I am so grateful that our small patch is chugging along happily and, thankfully, pretty near untouched by the financial crisis. That is a lot compared to so many who have lost so much over the years. We're happy to be where we are and love all that we're discovering.

Happy New Year!