My Year in Review: 2011

A loooooot happened in 2011. I traveled more than I ever had in my entire life!! Here's a break down of my year:

BEWARE

photo OVERLOAD!!!

January

I left the country for the first time! Tyson and I went to Toronto and Mississauga, Canada. Let me tell you... it's cold up there. Don't go in January. :-P

This was from the balcony of our condo in downtown Toronto.

February

Miami Boat Show!! Yay!! I love boats... we also did the Miami Boat Show Poker Run with the Florida Powerboat Club. That was my second time to Key West in four months. We had a blast!

Kelley and I on South Beach

You gotta be kidding me. I would live on this thing!!

From our condo balcony in Key West

(I have a sweet sunglasses tan line!!)

I love Key West!

March

In March we had this killer snow storm. The snow weighed so much it sank the docks in Grand Lake, OK... just so happens that is where Tyson kept his 56' Bluewater Yacht.

The docks were completely destroyed!

That's the boat. The back ropes broke but the front ropes held on.

We also went four-wheeling. Not just any four-wheeling--redneck four-wheeling.

Sweet Jeep!

April

In April I got to take my first ride in a private plane... a Bonanza. It seats six. I was only slightly freaking out but I knew I was in good hands. Jim has THOUSANDS of hours in this plane.

The Bonanza with a beautiful sunset.

Taking off in Wichita!

We also had to deliver a boat to a customer in Minnesota so I got to visit the Mall of America!

The Lego store. So cool!!

May

Summer begins!! A local boating group called Midwest Boat Party throws an annual theme party and they chose my idea! Kentucky Derby!

We had so much fun dressing up and wearing big floppy hats!!

At the end of May was the Joplin tornado. Tyson lives in Joplin and we were there the night it happened. It was terrifying. We hauled a boat straight through the storm and made it home about an hour before the tornado wiped out Joplin.

The aftermath. Piles of debris filled the streets.

It was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Worse than what is in the movies.

June

Tyson and Jim did the Bimini Challenge-- driving a boat from Miami 90 miles to the Bahamas and back. In 2010 they won first place in the 46' Skater "Freedom". This year "Freedom" was in the shop so they took the 29' Skater.

Here she is! "Lee Aerospace"

Here is the beautiful yacht I got to hang out on while they were go-karting to the Bahamas and back. It's a 98' Westship.

The flybridge. Perfect for laying out and enjoying some cocktails!

Love a double rainbow!

Do I look like the Little Mermaid? Haha

The offshore races were the same weekend so we got to sit on the beach and watch Miss Geico beat everyone.

A good boating friend of ours, Ronnie, decided he wanted to have Skaterfest (a party for anyone who owns a Skater) at his house in Detroit. We couldn't say no!!

He has got the most awesome boat lift!

Aerial shot of his house.

It was a little cold so Summer and I rode with Ronnie. His boat has a hard top so no wind!

Always time for a little photoshoot! Jay is the best offshore photographer but he gets a few good ones of us being silly, too.

Jim and Tyson in the Baby-Skater!

This is Ronnie's house from the street. Absolutely stunning!

July

We have a couple really great friends who build boats down in St. Petersburg, FL called "Statement Marine". They needed an awesome stereo system in one of the boats so Tyson and I went down and helped them finish build the boat.

Here she is! Saddle Up is the name of the boat. Her home is Lake Cumberland, Kentucky!

Beautiful Florida sunset.

4th of July in the Gulf of Mexico. We could see about 20 different fireworks shows off the beaches.

I also got to attend my very first MLB game. Go Rays!

In June we also went to the Osh Kosh air show in Wisconsin.

Jim loaded up the 441 Cessna and we took a day trip to Wisconsin.

Someone had a bad day.

August

The Shootout is the last weekend in August which just so happens to be MY BIRTHDAY!!

"Freedom" is red, white, and blue and we found this guy at the bar. I think he should be our manscot. :-P

Here's a few of my favorite pics from the summer!

Our party-barge: 60' Sunseeker

No seats left on the golf cart so I sat on the front bumper!

Rusty's birthday on the Sunseeker!

Me and Miss Davi

Good times with Steve & Sierra

September

I work on the gas dock at the Horny Toad and when I found out Nelly was going to do a concert on Labor Day weekend, I could NOT miss it!

We were packed!!

The stage is to the right of the TV... we didn't have the best view but I can say I saw Nelly!

September is also the Lake Cumberland Poker Run! Since Tyson and I helped finish "Saddle Up", we drove to KY to see the maiden voyage of the 42' Statement.

Tammy, Me, and Angela

Shots!

State Dock was PACKED in front of our house boat. We were throwing out Statement t-shirts and the weight of everyone sunk the dock!

Tammy & Anthony in the "Saddle Up" shirts are the boat owners. They have great friends! ie- cops. Lol

The party cove at Lake Cumberland is INSANE!

After a crazy weekend we embarked on our houseboat journey.

And we might have put a few bubbles in the hot-tub. :-)

October

Sarasota Poker Run!

View from our hotel room

"Freedom" looking fresh and so clean, clean!

We also went to Los Angeles... my first time west!

We found the Hollywood sign!

That's me with Tyson's engine at SevenStock... a Mazda enthusiast car show.

November

Key West Poker Run

Here we are headed to Key West from Miami. "Freedom" broke down so since Jim keeps this boat (the Cigarette) in Miami, we had back-up. Thank the Lord!

Unfortunately, two good friends of ours flipped their boat during the races and both of them perished in the accident. Jim used to race with Bob (on the left) and JT was a good friend of mine. Both were from the Lake of the Ozarks so this hit home for all of us. Just a tragedy.

Here's a photo I took of them on my birthday before they raced in the Shootout.

While we were away in FL, Tyson's sister had her first baby, Sam. This is Tyson's first and only nephew!

Precious baby boy, Samuel.

Near the end of November, I drug Tyson to watch the Mizzou vs KU game in Kansas City. This was the final Border War game before MU joins the SEC so I had to be there!

Mizzou-Rah!

Everyone breathes, right?

Mizzou fans took over that stadium!!

December

At the beginning of December Tyson sporadically decided we would attend the Performance Racing Industry Show in Orlando. Our friends from Statement were there so I got to hang out with one of my favorite boats!

Saddle Up!

Of course Christmas is my favorite part of winter. (I don't like winter. I like summer!)

Steve & Sierra had a Christmas Party so I visited them in St. Louis. We had a blast!

Me and my baby boy Bonzai on Christmas!

I must have been a really good girl this year because I got SHOES!!!

So that was my year! 2011 was so great. It was the first time in my life I had a whole year to do what I wanted. No school, flexible job, and no kiddos. Everyone always tells me "Travel while you are young, aren't married, and don't have children!" so I did!