This week I have retreated to Sedona, Arizona to relax, collect my thoughts, prepare for 2012 and spend quality time with my parents.

I look forward to this week every year because I'm forced to be still and take life slowly up in the mountains where there is nothing to do other than hike and marvel at nature.

Today I spent about two hours alone just looking through old family photo albums. I wanted to find some great pictures of my family to put on my family photo wall (one of my home DIY goals of 2012). It was a simple and powerful reminder of the love, hard work and laughter I come from. It was also motivation to continue to work hard at what I do to provide for my own family.