2012: Year in review

All in all, 2012 was a pretty good year.  I thought it'd be worthwhile to assemble a quick list of the highlights, before the year gets too far past.  I think most of these are mentioned in previous posts, but it seems a good time to aggregate the experiences of the past year:

• Grad class.  For yet another year, I enlisted in a grad class, this time about qualitative research methods.  I recruited Maggie to join the class too, and we ended up developing a curriculum for the class she taught this fall.
• AZ trip for grandpa's birthday.  In April, I flew to AZ for a quick weekend trip to join the family in wishing my grandpa a happy 90th birthday.  He has always felt a desire to outlive his own parents, and this birthday means he's achieved that goal.  It's no small feat, and I admire his commitment to a lifestyle--over the past 65+ years--that has allowed him to make it to 90 in such good shape.
• TWW.  This year I took the role of coordinator for a statewide conference, Teaching Writing in Wyoming.  The role allowed me to develop a set of skills that are mostly new to me, and I think they'll be useful in future opportunities.  
• Portland trip.  In May, Maggie and I took off for a 3,000-mile, 10-day trip through Jackson Hole, Missoula, Ellensburg, to Portland, the PNW coast, and Bend.  With a stop in Twin Falls on our way back.  It was a good chance to see a lot of new country and visit old friends.
• Woodchopper Jamboree.  Cutting shit down with axes and chansaws and shit.
• Katie's wedding.  In July, Maggie and I sang in our friends' wedding in Sheridan, and got to share a really awesome wedding with them and their awesome family and friends.  
• Med Bow.  I summited the local high point yet again this year. It doesn't get any less satisfying or less spectacular.
• House improvements: stucco, cork floor, living room paint.
• RMNP.
• Garden effort.  The raised beds produced a couple salads'-worth of lettuce, a few cuttings of basil, and not a whole let else.  Still, this is encouraging enough for me to get more serious about a garden next summer.
• P90X.
• Mumford and Sons.  Two blocks from my house.
• Chicago.  The 36-hour version.
• Season tickets to volleyball.  We didn't attend every home game, but we definitely made it to enough games that we feel like we paid for our $35 season tickets.  It was a fun year to be a volleyball fan, too.
• Dim sum in denver, with Mary and John.  And ice cream on the way home.  
• Milwaukee.  We spent a good chunk of holiday break in the Milwaukee area, staying with Maggie's family and catching up with lots of her friends.  We toured the Pabst Mansion, explored the Milwaukee Public Museum, hung out in the Mitchell Domes on dueling-piano night, ate delicious Copps custard and Coquette dinner, and had a pretty fine time overall.
• Garden of the Gods.  On our return from Milwaukee, we flew into Denver, then detoured through Colorado Springs on our way home.  Maggie bought a new car, and in the extended down time waiting for the dealership to handle paperwork, we were able to check out the Springs' local rock pile.  Here's one of the pics from that side journey:

• On a sadder note, my grandma passed away over the Christmas break, too, and we were up in Newcastle at the very beginning of this year for her memorial service.  Grandma taught me a lot about appreciating life's journeys, and I'm thankful for those lessons.