Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Year's Eve 2011





And
a
new
year
begins...















I
had
a
great
2011!







Full
of
biking...








travel...








and
photography.






And
as
I
face
2012



I realize
it
will
be a
year...





of
great
change...





for
my
family...





TJ
graduating
high
school....














moving
on
into
his own
life.







Will
he
be
scholar...











or
forge
another
path?













KC's
just
had
the best year
of her
life!





Now
she
returns
to a
precarious
Egypt...






and then
senior
year
at
ASU!





Al
is
in
South
America...






What
will
she
do?






And when
will
she
return
home?






Nicky
wowed
us
in
2011....









with
her
resolution
to get
out...







of
her
comfort
zone....





and
she
did!!!








And
what
about
2012?





Several
years
ago...






our
family
started
a
tradition...




of
welcoming
the
New
Year....








in
Florida!







Away
from
the
routines






and
the
relationships
of
home....






we
reflect....
















on
the
year
before...







and
make
resolutions...




for
the
year
ahead.





















And
what
do we hope
for
2012?










Alex -
to
find
dedication
to
something.











KC -
to
stay
in
Egypt.






Nicky -

to
find
Independence











and
TJ -
to
survive!










And
what
is
my
resolution
for 2012?









To
see
them....
...
..
.

fly!


























Merry Christmas 2011 - The Last Christmas?










It's
the
Steussy-
Williams
Christmas
2011....






and
what
is
the
theme?






Ever
since
the kids
were
little....








Santa
has brought
a theme
to our
Christmas....






It's
always
a
surprise!





One
year
the theme
was
oceans...







One
year -

dinosaurs...








One year -

Indians....
















and
one
special
year....







the
theme
was
Kitties!






What
could
the theme
be
this year?

In
2011?






It's
The End
of the
World...

as
we
know it






You see,
ever
since
the year
we
visited...








Chitzen
Itza....





The kids
have
really
believed
the
Mayan
Prophecy....






and
with
climate
change
progressing
so rapidly....







We'd
better
be....








prepared!





So
what
better way
to
celebrate....






The
Steussy-
Williams
Christmas!





Santa
brought
Tom
a
firepit....





so
we
won't
have to
cook
by
candle!








A
first
aid
kit...








a
machete...






a
wine
glass?







A
solar
powered
flashlight....














A
water
powered
clock...








and
self
powered
entertainment.






Dusty
helps
open
presents...








Dusty
takes
a
nap...





And
Tom's
favorite
present...





may
be
his
Dusty-
themed
calendar!






Dusty
may
still
think....







The
Christmas
theme
is
Kitties!






The
family
presents
are
thoughtful....





The
family
presents
are
fun...










but
the
EOTW
theme...








is
always
on
our
minds.







It's
all
in
good fun...






A
nice
twist
to a
traditional
holiday....












And
who
knows...







These
practical
gifts....







just
may
come in
handy!







Merry
Christmas,
2011!



Kitty Bunker