Day 298: An Unexpected Treat

As I held a squirmy toddler on my lap to read a bedtime story tonight, I couldn't help but yearn for the moments not too long ago when Nico (and Sofia too!) would simply cozy up and snuggle for as long as humanly possible. This child does not hold still. Ever.

But, nearly an hour after we had put him to bed, Nico woke up and was in need of some calming down. This resulted in a quiet few moments of mother and son snuggled up in the living room chair until sleep finally returned to the little man.

An unexpected cuddle just when I needed it most. For this, I am thankful.

Day 297: Honesty

Today was a day filled with moments of honesty. There were tough conversations with students, teachers and even my family. Day's like this aren't always the easiest, but they certainly do serve as a reminder that we owe it to ourselves and others to remain open and accepting of ways we can improve on ourselves and the lives we lead.

I am glad this day is coming to a close but thankful I have relationships in my life where honesty is held in such high regard.

Day 296: I am home.

Home is where the heart is.  Now that I am home with my thoughtful husband and two adoring children, I am no longer in two places at the same time.  My family makes me feel complete and are my reason and inspiration for life.  It is great to be home and to be one with my family.

And for this, I am thankful.

Day 295: Connections

My trip to NOLA has been nothing short of interesting. From the sights, smells, melodious sounds and people watching, I have been thoroughly entertained each minute I've been here. The connections I have made with new family members and random encounters have been, by far, the best part of this trip. Each of these stories deserves a proper "telling" and I promise to do so in the next few days when I have a little more energy. :)

New family. New friends. New connections. All moments worth savoring and for this, I am thankful.

Day 294: At Ease

It's hard to be the only parent home with two young children. It's even harder when single parenthood stretches for 3 days. Tonight, I am thankful for my sweet husband who is home with Sofia and Nico all weekend by himself so I could attend my step-sister's wedding reception without a single worry. It was a beautiful night and my mind was at ease thanks to him.

I love you, Chris. And for you, I am thankful.



Our new step- niece and nephew at the reception. :)

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Day 293: Hello NOLA

It's my first time in New Orleans. I'm here to celebrate my step-sister's new marriage to a wonderful man and his two children. It's always a blessing when families grow. :) My mom, step-dad, and sister are also here from Michigan, so it's been a ton of fun hanging out with them today as well.

I took my first stroll down the famed Bourbon Street tonight after dinner with the family and had an absolute blast. We found a great blues bar with a live band (ironically not playing anything close to blues) and danced like crazy. It was so fun!

It's rare that I get to hang out with my sisters. We had such a fun night and I am so looking forward to the rest of the weekend's festivities.

And for this, I am thankful.



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Day 292: Simply Grateful

It was an absolutely delightful Thanksgiving this year. We spent the day with a group of friends down at Matt and Stacey's where we ate the most incredible food, laughed a lot, drank delicious wine and enjoyed the 68 degree weather with our families. It was simple and absolutely perfect. 

This Thanksgiving, I have much to be thankful for. So many changes have taken place in the last year; personally, professionally, emotionally, psychologically. Not all of them have been easy but I can honestly say I am ten times the woman I was one year ago because of them all. I have been able to take time to reflect and grow. And so, on top of the deepest gratitude that I have for my family and friends, I am grateful for the personal growth and health I have achieved over the past year. 

I take one day at a time. It's simple and that works for me. And for this, I am thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Day 291: Why did the chicken cross the road?

To get a good night's sleep.



Falling asleep with a book on her butt. :) That's my girl! And for this I am thankful!

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Day 290: Yoga and Burpees for Three

Sofia has become quite interested in the massive increase of physical activity that Chris and I have partaken in. When either one of us gets home from working out she'll ask, "So um, what kinda exercises and moves did you do today?"  and follows up with "can we do them?" Her favorite, by far, is the burpee -- a series of  movements that involve squatting, push-ups and jumping. I think a lot of her inquiry about physical activity has come from the different programs that she participates her in at school -- Fun Bus (yup, you read that right), dance and yoga.

Tonight, after Nico went to bed, Sofia asked if we could do some burpees and yoga. Umm, ok! She carefully arranged all the furniture and delineated our space with her jumprope so we each had a place. Then,  we did 10 burpees together (NOT easy!) followed by Master Yogi Sofia leading us in several yoga poses to stretch our bodies. It was awesome. And we giggled. A lot.

I love that our daughter is falling in love with being healthy and active. This is beyond fantastic and for this, I am thankful.

Day 289: Wicked Kiwi

When I was in college, I performed with an a cappella group called Wicked Kiwi. It was, by far, the most talented group of women I have ever sung with in my life -- with nearly each of the 8 members doing something semi or completely professional with their musical abilities. We're talking serious talent. It was quite a ride filled with memories that will share with my own kids someday.

Each Monday, Chris and I watch NBC's The Sing-Off and I can't help but feel like I am 21 again, ready to sing as if my life depended on it. I loved that time of my life and I love this show for bringing back those wonderful memories.

And for this, I am thankful.

Day 288: MSU vs. Victoria's Secret

I'm so thankful this shirt was pulled. Seriously.

Apparently your secret, Victoria, is that you know nothing about college sports. Stinks too...the design is cute!

See Yahoo's! story for the ridiculousness that took place.

Day 287: Saying When

It's the middle of the night and I've woken up on the couch. Apparently I was exhausted! It's been a long few weeks with work, sick kids, faculty prep work and well, life. So on this middle of the night post, I am thankful that my body knew when to say when and helped me rest when I needed it most. Oh, and for a husband that quietly prepared tomorrow night's crockpot meatloaf so I could enjoy my snooze. :)


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Day 286: A Little Visit

As a teacher, there are few moments that top former students coming back to visit. This happened to me today. Two students, who I taught during my first year of teaching 7 years ago, appeared in my classroom door after the bell rang today. These two boys were hilarious then and just as funny today. I was proud of the young men they have become and thrilled to hear that they have plans for their futures.

I also suddenly felt really old.

Oh well, feeling 10 years older was totally worth being reminded of why I am a teacher. And for this, I am thankful.

Day 285: Professional

I'm a professional when it comes to detecting ear infections. I swear it. Unfortunately this is because we have a ridiculous occurrence rate of these nasty little events in our house. And now, with the weather changing and schedules heating up, it is inevitable that the season of ear infections will be upon us as well. Starting today.

But I caught it and I caught it early. And for this, I am thankful!

Day 284: A light! I see it!

For the past 12 days, I have been busting my butt reading, writing, responding and thinking about how adults learn. I am now, just 2 days away from completing my Affiliate Faculty Prep Course at Regis University. In two days, I am officially allowed to teach college courses. Me! Teaching at the college level is something I have always dreamed of. Granted, it's nothing fancy but, I'll be teaching about technology in education -- a field I love and have quite a bit of experience in. Should be a natural fit!

Having a two week course has been both a blessing and a nightmare. The timing has been difficult with the various other commitments I have at work and home right now. And, I'm just plain tired. I've been running on about 4-5 hours a sleep each night for the last several weeks.

So yes, there's a light. A very BIG light just two, short days away. And for this, I am thankful!

Day 283: PILLOW FIGHT

In our living room tonight four people stood armed and ready for action; pillow fighting action! Squeals, laughter, running, ducking, dodging and FUN. I hate to say it, but the pint-sized participants gave the adults a run for our money! At one point, Nico ditched his pillow and went straight to just using his body as amo. He's such a boy!

I loved every second of our family time tonight! And for this, I am thankful!


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Day 282: Four is Better Than Two

I've been waiting years for this...a morning routine where my husband gets to be involved. Thanks to a little shifting around his office, Chris will be working out of the office and not on a site for a while. This means, he won't need to leave before the kids and I are up and he will actually be around in the mornings to help get them ready and say hello to the day with us.

Today was our first day with our new routine and I loved it. Absolutely loved it. Four hands were so much easier than two when it came to getting two squirrelly kids out the door by 6:15 a.m. I am really looking forward to this new schedule!

And for this, I am thankful. :)

Day 281: Shrimpy

Long ago, my friend Kate and her family coined the word "shrimpy". Instead of asking someone if they are grumpy or crabby (which inevitably sends them into an even worse mood), ask them if they are shrimpy. It's totally lame and will make them laugh. I know you did just now! :)

We use "shrimpy" exclusively in our house and have for years... and it works like a charm. Every time. Including today when I was the master of all shrimpiness. I was standing in front of the refrigerator handing food to Chris as he called off ingrediants for the lunch recipe he was putting together. I was handing him items without thinking (or really listening, for that matter) and by about the 5th ingrediant, he caught on. With a quick wit he asked for the cocktail sauce. A split second later, I realized what he was doing as I turned around and he had a smirk on his face and the response, "goes great with shrimp!" to go with it.

And I laughed.

I am not perfect. I can be grumpy. I can be shrimpy. But, at the end of the day, I have a husband that I can laugh about it all with. And for this, I am thankful.

Day 280: Double Booked

Chris and I had such a fun night tonight. We had two groups of friends celebrating different occasions and we decided several weeks ago that we would somehow make it to both places.

Thanks to our super sweet and flexible babysitter, we did!

We had such an incredible time catching up with so many of our dear friends and celebrating milestones with them. We feel lucky to have so many wonderful people in our lives that want to share their special moments with us.

We are happy. And for this, I am thankful.

Day 279: Friday Friday Friday

It was a long day of Parent Teacher Conferences. And now, it's Friday night.

Thank. The. Lord.

Day 278: Checked Off

Today has been a day filled with to-do's. I'm happy to say that at 9:09, I have completed nearly all of them and will actually get to go to bed at a decent time tonight.

Now that is something I am seriously thankful for!

Day 277: Room B225

I'm tired. Really tired. But today, I'm thankful for a few moments where I was able to laugh while I was teaching. The laugh was mostly out of disbelief of what had just been said, but none the less, I cracked up. And so did my students.

We have a good time in Room B225. And for this, I am thankful.

Day 276: Multiplicity

Today I am thankful for a number of things. Shall I begin?

1. After a long night and lots of tests, my dad has been declared OK and has been released from the hospital. This is a huge relief and an answer to many prayers!
2. Sofia has been sick for a few days. When she woke up this morning with a fever for the second day in a row, I panicked a little -- I could not afford to take the day off and Chris had already stayed home with her on Monday. I decided to pack up her backpack with her sleeping bag, a few books, her erasable writing tablet and my laptop for some Netflix streaming and we high tailed it to my classroom for the day. Sofia was SUCH a trooper and made herself a little comfy corner behind my desk where she enjoyed her special day as both a sickie and my helper. My students were outstanding with her and she returned their enthusiasm in kind. 
3. I discovered today that my daughter has quite the quick wit. While sitting at my desk coloring while I taught, she stated very matter-of-factly (and loud enough for my entire class of 31 to hear): Excuse me Mommy...but students should not be talking when you are talking and they can only answer a question when you call on their hands that are in the air. Stinker. 
4. This week, we actually planned out our meals before going grocery shopping. It has made the start to our week so simple and we've both been able to pitch in during the dinner-making process. Chris made the best burgers and sausages tonight. Accompanied with a side-salad and some hilarious dinner conversation, it was a fantastic dinner.

Today was better than yesterday on many levels. And for this, I am thankful.

275: Stupid, Dirty Jokes Are Always Better on Facetime

I really don't like this phase of life we are entering; the phase where our parents are aging and getting sick in ways that a cup of soup or a heating pad can't help any more. Even worse is not being able to be at their side when emergencies arise. So, tonight, I am thankful for resourceful doctors, Facetime, and the stupid, dirty jokes that my dad tells to make any situation light.

Love ya, Dad.

Day 274: Trading Spaces

We live in a tiny house. As our family has continued to grow over the last few years, that has posed an interesting challenge for us. And we have taken that challenge by the horns!

We realized pretty quickly that utilizing the vertical space our home has to offer was the way to make our tight quarters work for us. So today, we made that happen! We took on the kids' room to make it a space for sleeping, playing and reading.

The crib is on wheels and slides in and out from under the loft!

 Chris made a ladder from scratch that not only made easier for Sofia to get up into the loft, but it made the bed sturdier to boot!

Lots of room to play and have fun now!

 
We feel really good about the changes we made to the room today. The kids have their own space and so do we now!

And for this, we are thankful. :)

Day 273: Movie Night

Chris and I watched Bad Teacher tonight. While it certainly exemplified some stereotypes of teachers, it was worth the series of laughs it offered up.

It was nice to have some adult time and laugh the night away. And for this, I am thankful.

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Day 272: Magic Music

I love that our kids are already falling in love with music. Both of them have incredible rhythm and great ears. But my favorite thing is that they actually have decent taste in music too.

They have a little bedtime mix that they listen to each night as they go to sleep made up of Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band, and Harry Connick Jr., to name a few. Sofia was instrumental in picking the songs, of course! As I pass by their door periodically in the evenings, it always makes me smile to hear such great songs soothing them to sleep.

But there is one magic song; a song that propels sleepiness to overcome their little bodies and calm down for slumber. This song can be played at ANY point during the day or night and Nico will instantly settle and smile. It's quite unbelievable, actually. The song is called Fireflies by Owl City. It's simple, sweet and the perfect tune to end the day.

I love that we have a magic song. And for this, I am thankful.

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Day 271: First Finish

Tonight at CrossFit, I completed my entire workout for the first time. Because workouts are set to a timer, the intensity and pressure is high to get all reps and rotations done within the time limit. It felt awesome to finally finish before the buzzer.

I'm feeling stronger and healthier by the day. And for this, I am thankful.


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Day 270: Yay for Snow Days!

I'm not sure who gets more excited about snow days: students or teachers. Today, I might go with teachers...especially with it being our first week back after break. It's always a long haul getting back into routine and that first week can seem to drag endlessly. A Wednesday snow day was just what we all needed, in my opinion. :)

I took the opportunity to take the kids outside once the blizzard (and I do mean BLIZZARD) passed. Sofia couldn't get enough of the the snow; immediately tossing herself into the 8 inches that were already on the ground. Nico, wasn't as much of a fan and cried most of the time. Ah well, it will get better.















I am thankful that it snowed, thankful that I got some extra time with the kids despite going batty by the end of the day and thankful that my long, 5-day week was unexpectedly shortened! Thank you, Wednesday. You didn't disappoint!

Day 269: Hey There, Wednesday

...I'm really glad you will be here in a few hours. It's been quite a day and I'm very much looking forward to a fresh start for kids and hubby tomorrow. I'm also looking forward to a possible late start or snow day tomorrow.

Fresh starts are good and a good night's sleep definitely helps! And for this, I am thankful!

Off I go to snuggle up and listen to thunder snow.


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Day 268: I May Be Biased

...but, I think we made pretty cute kids. :) 

It was a great night. And for this, I am thankful.

Happy Halloween!

Love, 

The Bumble Bee Princess and The Little Ninja