i was going to do a “top 12 of 2012” but after selecting photos to represent 2012, i couldn’t possibly eliminate any of these. so even though a lot of the year was a little bit miserable, this proves that even more of the year was full of awesome. someday i’ll thank myself for remembering 2012 this way.

from top left: being at the baseball game is better than watching it on tv; something i did in 2012 that i’d never done before? my choir and i recorded music with the roe family singers; re-learning how to screenprint with friends; standing in the ocean will never get old; during christmas with this family, what’s on the box is not usually what’s inside; finding a new-to-me winery in outstate minnesota; being trusted by butterflies; kayla and kurt celebrated their marriage; christmas with cousins in the twin cities; hannie’s preschool winter show was the more adorable thing i saw all year; days like this are the reason i love summer; spending the day “hopping” between nine quilt shops in the twin cities; i embroidered and sewed these pillow cases; i claimed about 15 valentines when friends came over to celebrate the holiday; i love exploring with my wonderful boyfriend; laura’s blessingway for her first son; i knit an infinity scarf for my sister; reunited with so many fantastic women from my museum days; remembering how much fun it is to stop being self-conscious; the boys at the annual balloon festival; halfway to sexy dress up day; one of brenda’s delicious creations in my kitchen; amazing dinner at travail on a very suspenseful election night; i experienced CONvergence; i met the cat in the hat; i played real roulette in las vegas; jason and i watched the boston bruins take on the minnesota wild; ran into the vulcans at the annual saintly city cat show; i met the bloggess; my choir performed in so many amazing places this year, including the cedar cultural center; quality time with connor; my sister and i met john waters; the choir also gave me a reason to get all gussied up quite a few times this year; i was the first person to ask meghan wilker and nancy lyons (the geek girls) for an autograph on their book; my snowy valentine; i kissed my sweetheart at the headwaters of the mississippi; the internet cat film festival became a thing and it was good; my first show ever at the cedar cultural center and it was absolutely beautiful; lunch with two ladies i don’t get to see nearly often enough; thanksgiving with friends; annual date night to see dan navarro, just days after eric lowen’s passing; hannie got a gigantic sopapilla with ice cream for her third birthday and didn’t share; johanna and eric got married; winery roadtrip with two of my favorite ladies; in duluth with jason, about three years after he asked me if i would spend a weekend in duluth with him; jaxon’s birthday, where “YAY!” and applause happened every five seconds; jonathan and mary got married; i grew plants for my garden from seed and even though very few of them survived, it was a fun, experimental summer for gardening; i designed and crafted a book for mary’s musical-themed bridal shower.