Grace & Gratitude

Grace and Gratitude. I'd like to think that these two words are often practiced in my house, but deep down (well maybe not so deep down) I know that's not always the case. Maybe that's why I felt the need to blog again. Putting moments into words for people to read may in fact remind me of those two little, but important words. It's been almost a year since my last blog post.... way too long really (said in a British accent due to the fact that we are watching Sophia Grace and Rosie's Royal Adventure right now). New Year's Eve seemed like a fitting day to blog.... 2014 has been a whirlwind. So crazy I didn't have time to blog. At all. Terrible. In lieu of making this the longest post in blogging history, I will very, very quickly hit some highlights and then go into more detail at a later time. You're welcome. Here we go....  when we started 2014, I was teaching for an online school from home. It was tough. Not going to lie. But an opportunity came along that I couldn't pass up. A kindergarten position was opening up at my kid's school (the school that I went to as a kid) and I jumped at it. So I was set to teach kinder in the fall. In May, Brody graduated from preschool and Delaney was finished with kindergarten.

Brody's birthday party at Pump it Up.

Delaney's 7th birthday party with the Frozen sisters

Swimming at Nana's.... they are awesome swimmers now!

Our summer was spent in my new classroom trying to make it my own. Brody swam all summer without floaties, my grandma from Colorado (Nanny) moved here, and in August Brody, Delaney and I all had our first day of school. Since that first day, I have been taking a crash course in "How to be a working mom and not suck". Right now, at midterms, my grades are not so great, but I am really hoping that I will be graded on a curve in the future. :) Insert holidays here and there and boom- we're current.

We may be a little obsessed with the Griswalds.... 

Today I took all the Christmas decorations- except the tree. Maybe I'm strange but I always get really sad when I take down Christmas- especially the tree. I think about the fact that the littles will never be 7 & 5 again at Christmas.  I wonder if all three dogs will be here next year to see the tree. I think about the magic and anticipation of Christmas being shoved in a box and I just get sad. Boy, I am sure that you are so excited that I started blogging again, huh? Just wait- I have a point, I promise. While yes, I get sad.... I also get really excited for the new year. I am all about the cliche "New Year, New You". I have high hopes for 2015. Of course by the end of  2015 I will be 20 pounds lighter, I will be totally organized, have a perfectly balanced budget and will make the best dinners every night. But, if those by some chance don't happen, I will be just fine with being present with my family, living each day the best I can and making sure to show some grace and gratitude along the way (hence the name of the blog.... see what I did there?). Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve with the fam.... with Brody's funny face and all:)