Lemonade - See you later Twenty Eleven

OK, so this is the worst photo of me on the planet, I am stanting in the foreground so I look enormous, I am strangely cocked sideways, and we just finished up a hike so I am sweaty and disheveled, BUT it is the most recent photo of the four of us, and every one of us are feeling good and making strides in our own way. On this simple hike through Joshua Tree it really felt like we had two little people along with us. Isaac hiked the entire thing himself, and would have done it again. He has an amazing amount of energy and coordination and really loved being outside amongst a new landscape. Coco chatted the entire time, telling me she wanted to go down, climb too... she was clearly not thrilled with being 'packed' for the ride, but it just made more sense for the rocky terrain that we were climbing.
2011 has been a rough year. Probably the roughest we have had. David had surgery, my father in law battled throat cancer, David's grandmother passed away, it took Coco longer to walk and talk then I ever thought possible, the economy is crap - it seemed like we were encountering one thing after the next and just when we thought it couldn't get any worse, it just did. And now that I have said that I can honestly say that 2011 was filled with an unlimited amount of joy. With each struggle we faced there was triumph, AND having to struggle in the first place made the triumph all that more sweet. The kids both made huge strides, David's movie has been moving forward with amazingly positive momentum, and I have been able to sustain myself professionally in a rich, creative, and mostly pleasurable way.
We are making it work. In fact we have gotten so good at making lemonade that we should start selling it. As we approach a new year with new hopes and new ideas of what may lie ahead I feel confident that as a family we can get through anything. We feel more united as ever, steadfast in supporting one and other, and trying to maintain a relative sense of lightness and humor in all things challenging.
I will leave you with two short clips - the difference between my son and daughter, and the reason I am so grateful to have one of each...