So 2011 was a rough year for some people – Herman Cain, Kim Kardashian, Charlie Sheen – but for Gina and I, it was a year to remember. Thousands of miles in the air, hundreds of miles on the bicycles, tens of miles on treks and trails, and countless good memories of people and places. From tramping around the Southern Cross to cycling around Central Europe, from making new friendships on the road to reestablishing our connections and roots here at home, from wishing for one more day to see the world to being grateful for every minute granted, it was a year we won’t soon forget and for all the right reasons.

So how did it all end up?

With a few weekends in New York City, compliments of my new job and Gina’s heap of frequent flier miles (and credits to our good friend Terri for many of the photos below):

With a tree, something we didn’t have the year before unless you count the one we pitched our tent next to in Middlemarch, New Zealand that had neither twinkly lights nor sparkly ornaments (but maybe didn’t heel so far to starboard):

With our own Santa’s helper working at UPS, delivering an endless stream of packages from morning ’til night at a pace that even a team of flying reindeer couldn’t match:

And with full bellies and hearts from the many seasonal celebrations with family and friends (of whom we always intend to take photos but then forget the camera at home.  You can thank us later.)

So with all of these great memories of the world at large and the warmth and welcome of our world at home, we say Thanks For Everything, 2011 and A Hearty Welcome, 2012. May you be as fulfilling and wondrous of a year as your predecessor.