I'm quite sure that many people would agree with me that 2011 was a year that many would rather forget but when I look back on the bad days I can also see that there were also some positive and heart-warming moments.
Let's take a trip down memory lane...
January saw many Australians facing days of flooding and tragedy. Lives were lost, homes were destroyed and thousands were left homeless. Our home was flooded just a little but it was nothing compared to the thousands of homes that were totally destroyed all over South-East Queensland. However, amidst the stories of sadness and loss were just as many stories of hope and community spirit: people helping complete strangers and thousands of volunteers got in amongst the muck, the mud and the debris in an overwhelming show of support to get the community back on its feet.
Image: Torsten Blackwood/AFP/Getty
February saw the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Yasi, the strongest cyclone to hit Queensland since 1899. Total losses from the storm were estimated to reach A$3.5 billion.
Again, the Queensland community joined forces and helped to clean up the affected towns and raise money to help the victims of this natural disaster.
March was another bad month, this time in Japan. The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami was a magnitude 9.0 (Mw) undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011. The Japanese National Police Agency confirmed 15,844 deaths, 5,890 injured and 3,451 people missing across eighteen prefectures, as well as over 125,000 buildings damaged or destroyed.
By May, the weather was cooling down and all I wanted to think about was staying at home with my family and making my home all warm and welcoming for winter. It was around this time that I started becoming rather addicted to a site called Pinterest! Oh dear...what a mistake that was!!
Here were some of my favourite pins in May:
In July I made these very delicious muffins from one of my favourite cook books for the year, Gwyneth Paltrow's Notes From my Kitchen Table: Delicious Recipes for Healthy, Happy Living.
I was really loving July and thought that the world was starting to look pretty good again and then on July 24th I heard about the tragic events in Norway, Oslo and Utøya.

Suddenly the world started to look scary again and I needed to find a way to bring some happiness and joy into my world and the world around me. It was around this time that I heard the music of Dara McLean and her song “Suitcases.”
In this song, McLean tells us that if we want to transform our lives and make a change for good we need to shed our excess baggage, let our guard down, and open our hearts. This song gave me hope that everything will be alright.
How can you move when they’re weighing you down
What can you do when you’re tied to the ground,
You carry your burdens, heavy like gravity.
Just let them go now, there’s freedom in release.
In August I featured this song on my blog and my very first Pinning and Singing on the Weekend Party was born!
In August the beautiful Spring weather arrived and I started spending more time outdoors and trying to frshen up our home after a long and chilly winter!
By September I had met lots of other Pinning Bloggers via the Pinning Bloggers Master List

By the time October arrived, my Linky Party numbers had grown to more than 70 at my Halloween Party!

My Birthday was a highlight in November and turning 40 didn't faze me at all!
By the time December rolled around I was ready to celebrate my favourite time of the year...Yep...Christmas!
We also celebrated three special birthdays in December! My sweet Maddy turned 15 on the same day that my sweet sister Stacey turned....well, let's just say Stacey had a birthday that day. We also celebrated the birth of the newest member of our family, sweet little Maisie!
Phew...what a year! It started on a pretty low note and there were times that I thought things couldn't get any worse for all of us around the world. But with the love of family, the support of friends and the birth of a child, the year ended on a high note and with a feeling of hope and joy for a bright and promising year ahead.
So long 2011 and welcome 2012!
Thanks so much for joining in and linking up! Don't forget to come back later and visit some of the lovely pinners who have linked up!
Why not make someone's day and say a quick G'day!
Why not make someone's day and say a quick G'day!
Also, as I mentioned above, I have created a central list of Pinning Bloggers so we can all find each other's Pinterest pages more easily. It is called....
The Pinning Bloggers Master List.
If you would like to add your name to the Pinning Blogger's Master List just click the button below:

If you would like to add your name to the Pinning Blogger's Master List just click the button below:

Thank you so very much for stopping by today. I feel so bad that I haven't visited my sweet friends who have visited me over the last couple of weeks but I will definitley be trying to pop by and say hi this week.
Please know that your visit means so much to me-I appreciate every single one of my dear bloggy friends.
Best wishes for a beautiful week,
Natasha In Oz
Hello!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I am happy you are back. I so enjoyed your Christmas blog and loved looking at your Christmas photos here.
I wish you the best for the new year and am looking forward to your Pinterest parties!
Take care, Elizabeth
Contests on ur newest family member!!!! Looking forward to 2012!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Natasha,
ReplyDeleteyes, in 2011 happened a lot of desasters around the world. I think, we will never forget this pictures of the flood, of the hurricane and the Tsunami in Japan and the sad masscre in Norway. Happiness and desaster are so close together in the world. It is nice that the year brought also brings happy events in every life. I wish you a great 2012.
Best greetings, Johanna
I can't believe I missed out on wishing you a happy birthday, Natasha!! My eldest boy celebrates his birthday a day after yours. So anyway, happy belated 40th birthday wishes. I'm sure you were spoiled accordingly and deservedly. xx
ReplyDeleteInteresting, colorful look back at 2011. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteHi Natasha - What a nice reflection of your year. I'm so enjoying getting to know your blog. I've signed up for the Pinning Master List. What fun - I'm addicted to Pinterest too.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend darling....love from me...xxx....every day is the best day !!!
ReplyDeleteHopefully this year will be better and some sanity can be found.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful weekend! :-)
Hi Natasha. I'm so glad 2011 is over too. We had our fair share of natural disasters, that's for sure. So glad to see Pinning & Singing up for another year. Looking forward to catching up each week.
ReplyDeleteAnne xx
I love your overview of 2011. Living here in NZ, the earthquakes suffered by the poor folk down in Christchurch also featured for much of our year. Here's to a much happier 2012.
ReplyDeleteCheers!
Cate
www.momentsofwhimsy.com
Natasha,
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet little niece you have! Babies are awesome. I am pretty sure that 2012 will be much better than 2011. I am glad 2011 is gone. Have a great 2012! Thanks for hosting!
Sherry
Natasha, congrats on the beautiful new family member. Beautiful family indeed.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your reflection back on the year, month by month. There was an abundant amount of tragedy in the world...hoping 2012 keeps our planet safe and sound.
ReplyDeleteWow! What an event filled year Natasha! So much has happened in your life. Thanks for the recap and all of the fabulous Pinterest inspiration. So glad to be linking up!
ReplyDeleteHeather
Natasha! What a awesome reflection of 2011... so much happening all around the world as well as individual homes... so looking forward to 2012 with a happy heart!
ReplyDeleteThanks for being such a kind blogging friend, I look forward to your messages and your blog ALWAYS makes me feel warm and grateful! You are so amazing!
Here's to 2012! YEAH!!!! Best wishes to you and yours! (and that little one is absolutely ADoRAblE!....
BLESS YOU ALWAYS!
Shontell
makechristmascount.blogspot.com
What a fabulous post Natasha; really so much devastation last year; so sad.
ReplyDeleteBut the second part you come out with the best food photos.I am in awe of all the work that you do.
I have to go find out what Pinterest is all about.. So much to learn here; thank you.
Rita
Thank you so much for the invite! I linked up...where have I been? I didn't even know you had another blog...so silly of me. I am following now and am going to put you in my blog list as well so I know what you are up to!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Kristine