The necessity of snow days

Snow.  A four letter word that fills me with excitement and joy.  We have been getting our fair share of snow this winter, and I couldn't be happier.  Snow days are nature's way of telling us to stay in, power down, just be.  I have placed snow days in the no guilt for relaxing category, which is silly because I could take a day off if I wanted to.  There is just something about the decision being made for me that I love.  It feels like a wonderful gift, every time.

On a snow day, I don't feel guilty spending all of nap time reading or napping.  There is no pressure to go anywhere or do anything, and that is amazingly freeing for someone like me who thinks every hour should be scheduled.  It allows me to check out of my business for a bit, and I need that.

It is a time to play with LX, whatever he wants for as long as he wants because we are not in a rush.  I am not trying to hustle us out the door for school, my stress level rising with each passing minute.  We don't even need to get dressed!  As another storm moves in tonight, I anticipate a snow day.  Monday snow days are the supreme best.  It seems greedy, a day off after a weekend?  Our weekends are rarely free and always semi-hectic (totally my fault), so an extra do nothing day is just what the doctor ordered.

2014 in Books

2014: A Year in Books

I really enjoyed just about every book I read this year.  As I am typing this, I feel like I write that every year.  My personal reading year was dominated by three genres: historical fiction, fantasy, and realistic fiction.  I did read two non-fiction books, and they are at the bottom of the list.  

I was surprised to see that I read more fantasy books than any other kind because I would not say that fantasy is a genre I enjoy.  The numbers speak for themselves, and I loved each fantasy book I read this year.  

Historical fiction is my absolute favorite genre, and I was swept away in each book.  I love how I am transported to another time and place when I read this genre.  To be honest, I am still working on Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 because it is the type of book that I need to read in larger chunks of time because it has SIX narrators!  One place I found this book and Frog Music was on NPR's Wednesday Book Talks.  I often kick myself for not having a note pad to record each author they interview because the books all sound so interesting.  

In terms of realistic fiction, I mainly lived in the YA world.  John Green is a favorite of mine, and I enjoyed both of his books this year. I thought Looking for Alaska was his second best book (after Will Grayson, Will Grayson, of course).  

Enjoy the list!

Realistic Fiction:

The Husband's Secret, Liane Moriarty

Looking for Alaska, John Green

Paper Towns, John Green

If I Stay, Gayle Forman

A Cold and Lonely Place, Sarah J. Henry

Fantasy:

Everyday, David Leviathan

Insurgent, Veronica Roth

Divergent, Veronica Roth

Unwind, Neal Schusterman

Sabotaged, Margaret Peterson Haddix

Sent, Margaret Peterson Haddix

Historical Fiction:

Frog Music, Emma Donnaghue

The Daring Ladies of Lowell, Kate Alcott

Ripper, Stephan Petrucha

Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932, Francine Prose

Non-fiction:

Return from Heaven, Carol Bowman

Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehrenriech

For School/Contract Work:

Frindle, Andrew Clements

The Lightning Thief, Rick Riordan

The Cay, Theodore Taylor

Where the Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls

Total: 21

2014 Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?

While the last two years have been years of immense change, this year has been pretty uneventful.  I can say that I've never washed so much laundry! I also picked up running during the summer, and I am up to two miles without stopping.  While this isn't a huge deal for most people, it is for me.  We also made the decision to add to our family and are actively waiting with our agency!

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 

I didn't really make any last year, but I still need to work on my diet and exercise.  I did read a decent amount, but I did not really maintain my blog.

My resolution for 2015 (as in 2013 and 2014) is to live in a state of gratitude for all I have been given, most of which I do not deserve.  And also to not let the decisions of others make me angry.  I also want to add that I need to make quality time for myself more of a priority this year. 

3. What places did you visit? 

North Carolina, New Jersey, Maine, Vermont

4. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

I would really like to have traveled more. The year LX was born, I travelled every month but two. While I know that is not realistic, travel truly feeds my soul and I need it. 

Also, I am hoping our next child will find us in 2015.

5. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory?

1/7: Nani died
8/22: LX turned 2
10/12: Broncos and Jets game
10/17-18: we went away for the night to the Honors Haven Resort (which was a small disaster, but we had fun anyway)
Summer: we camped, went to the lake, boated, and just enjoyed being outside.

6. What were your biggest achievements of the year? 

Personally, that Dave and I are still so happy to be together and we love our little family.  We really spent so much quality time over the summer and during breaks, and I love that we can stay so connected even when our work gets us so busy. Also, LX stayed much healthier this year.

Professionally, I have learned and grown a lot.  My Teacher Leadership Program continues to excite me, and I like learning new techniques.  I have a challenging crew this year, but I am enjoying the changes I have to make.  I am co-teaching this year, and it has been a cool experience. 

  
7. What were your biggest failures?

 My biggest failure actually just hit me in the last few days.  I have failed to take quality time for myself.  I am a person who thrives in a busy environment most of the time, but it also allows me to neglect certain areas of my life that need attention.  For example, myself!  My hope is that I will be able to mindfully carve out some time for myself this year for more reading and writing.  

8. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No :-)

9. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 

So much time with LX! Oh, and my sister moved home! I can't believe I just remembered that. The summer was awesome between seeing our friends and family, and spending time just the three of us.  Another small (but not really that small) is seeing LX's name with our last name on paper. It seemed like he would never be one of "us" so I still get giddy seeing that he is. Also, I went to a support group for women with MRKH, and I loved it.  It was very empowering, and I met some inspirational women. 

10. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder?
a bit of both actually
b) thinner or fatter? 
fatter
c) richer or poorer? 

richer

11. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Honestly, writing.  I was a major slacker this year, and I could play the "I'm so busy" card, but in reality I just did not make time.  I would like to say that this year will be better, but I can't promise anything.

I mentioned this above, but travel.  I cannot explain how travel excites me.  It makes me happier than just about anything else.  I love trying new places and visiting old favorites.  I hope to go to Montreal with my sisters later this year, and who knows what other adventures will come my way.

12. What do you wish you’d done less of?

13.  What were your favorite TV programs?

Game of Thrones
Parenthood
The Good Wife
NFL

  
14.  What did you do for your birthday in 2014?

LX was sick the week of my birthday. We each stayed home with him a few days, and my in laws came to stay the night and help out.  When they were here, we got take out Thai and stayed in.  We didn't actually get out to eat for my birthday, but we did have fun at Naturefest the following weekend.

15.  What is a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014?

To try to be happy with what you have, where you are and who you are with.  I am someone who is always chasing the next big thing, but there is a lot to be said for accepting where I am, especially since it is pretty great.

16.  My goals for 2015:   

Be present, say thank you, love more!

Happy New Year!

Baby #2

Something that Dave and I have been working on is adopting a sibling for LX!  We actually started the process in June, and we should be active and waiting in a month or so.  This time everything feels so different.  I am sure we still have emotional roller coasters as we wait, but now we have LX to focus on.  He has been the answer to so many prayers and longings that another child would be icing on an already sweet cake.

I didn't write about this, but I lost my Nani in January.  Seeing the way our family needed each other during such a hard time really opened our eyes.  We thought we would be happy with one child, but we started to feel that it was unfair to LX.  Not to be morbid, but Dave and I won't be around forever.  We hated the idea of him being alone, ever.  We also are so close with our siblings that I can't believe that we didn't have a change of heart sooner.

While I am not excited about the process again as it just seems like we finalized, but I am VERY excited about our family growing.  Dave and I often ask each other if two children is wise when LX is on a tear, but we know in our hearts that it is.

LX and I have good talks when we are alone in the car, which is fairly often.  Today we talked about his adoption and his birth mom.  He "knows" that he was in S's belly and then we adopted him.  I asked him if he wanted a baby to join our family, and he yelled YES!  He said he wants a sister, but who knows who will join us.  Regardless, we are thrilled to be growing again in the next few years.

Our baby is 2

As always, this post is late.  Our LX turned 2 last week.  We had a wonderful Elmo party for him, and he was so excited about his "Elmo birthday cake!"

As you can see, as he ages his confidence grows.  He can often be found standing on items that make me faint of heart.  Some favorites are the dining room table and the arms of the couch.  He loves to find adventure in the everyday, and I love that about him.  He is always seeking fun, and I hope he always will.

I am so happy that we were able to get this family photo.  Since he never stops moving, it has been nearly impossible to get any photos of us together.  Luckily, he loves taking selfies and making videos so I have plenty of those. He is such a ham.

Much to my supreme delight, he LOVES reading.  He wants to read everyday, and usually more than once per day.  We are so glad that he enjoys it.  We have all of his birthday cards on the mantle, and he asks me to take them down so he can read his "books."  He is so excited, but then confused as to why they are only one page long! He is so inquisitive too.  No matter where we are or what we are doing, he will point and say, "What's dis?"  His vocabulary has just exploded this summer, and we are so proud of him.  

Just as when he was a baby, eating is still one of his favorite past times.  He is a growing boy who never stops moving, and he needs to refuel often!  Some of his current favorites are hummus, watermelon, chips, ketchup, any breakfast foods, and of course, birthday cake.  The first thing he says every morning is, "I eat!"

Hands down, this boy has such a gentle nature.  He can raise heck with the best of them, but he has such a sweet soul.  So much love seeps out of him, and we just could eat him up.  He loves to give hugs, but is stingy with his kisses.  I love that he will hold my hand, and sometimes asks to do so.  I am soaking it up because I know one day he will not want me so close.  He and Dave have such a great relationship.  Dave is always teaching him, and LX is right there soaking it up.  Dave waters the flowers with him, lets him "help" when he is working around the house, and is so present in LX's life.  This is such a blessing.  I love my boys.

Worst Blogger Award

It goes to me.  I have not written in 2 months, and I think that is the longest I've gone.  Sorry.  Life happens.

My sister Jess gave me a book called 642 Things to Write About, and I will be using it now as I have so much to say, yet no real desire to write much of anything.  Life is really great, just insanely busy.  So back to the book.  I decided to just open the book ad write about the first prompt I saw.  So here goes...

"Where would you be now if you had married your first love?"

Ahhh what a fun question.  I have actually thought about this before.  My first love was a childhood friend who I dated on and off for a couple of years in high school. He is older than I am, and we started dating when I was 15 and he was 17.  It was my sophomore year and his senior year.  He was headed to the Army after graduation.  In our naivete, we imagined that the distance wouldn't matter and that our young love would last.  In a way, I miss that innocence.  That thinking that life wouldn't really happen if you wished hard enough.

So had I married him, I think we would be divorced!  Not that he is a bad guy by any means, but he is just so very different from me.  He made a career out of the military, lived overseas for many years, and did 2 tours in Afghanistan.  I cannot imagine living the life of a military wife, but I suppose for the "one," I would.  I admit that living overseas is a dream of mine, but it would have nothing to do with being on a military base.  I worried about him as a friend when he was in combat; I cannot imagine having a husband in that situation.  I have all the respect in the world for military families, and I know I do not have the courage to be one.

I firmly believe that life works out as it should, and that we are paired with the one who isn't perfect but is perfect for us.  Fortunately, my first love was not the one.

18 Months

How is this even possible?

Our baby is now a beautiful little boy.

I don't know if I believe in miracles, but if they are real, he is one.  

To say that we are more in love with him and each other than ever is an understatement. We love you LXG!