P365 - 2015 - Day 365 - Happy New Year!

P365 - 2015 - Day 365 - Happy New Year!

It is hard to believe, but another year has come and gone.  2015 was a pretty eventful year for The Leonard Five.  I went back to work as a substitute teacher in January after being at home for 12 years. The Bear and The Princess graduated elementary school and began middle school.  The Boy started 5th grade as the only Leonard in the school.  There were good days and not so good days.... My Wonderful Husband's finger healed well and then The Boy broke his pinky!  There was soccer, soccer, and more soccer.. oh and basketball... There skim boarding, boogie boarding, and surfing...  There were quiet family days and days spent with friends.  The winter was brutal and the spring not much better, but summer was beautiful and we were rewarded with an amazing fall and holiday season with mild temperatures and lots of sunshine.  All three of the kids amazed us and made us proud with their many accomplishments.  My Wonderful Husband and I finally found some closure with our former contractor and we worked on completing the final details around the house.  It was a good year - we were blessed with good health and many happy days.  As I close the book of 2015, I am reminded, once again, how quickly the pages turn.  This story of ours never gets dull, has many twists and turns, and I really love the characters.  I can't wait to see what happens next.  Happy New Year! xo

P365 - 2015 - Day 364 - December dinner

P365 - 2015 - Day 364 - December dinner

What an awesome surprise - our neighbor dropped off her awesome soup and garlic knots tonight.  It was the perfect addition to a December dinner.

P365 - 2015 - Day 363 - 5 years ago

P365 - 2015 - Day 363 - 5 years ago

It is hard for me to believe that this was 5 years ago.  Hard to believe that it was only 5 years ago while at the same time it seems even longer ago.... if that makes any sense.  They were 7 (going on 8) and 5.  How is it possible that they were so little just a minute ago?  My, how they have grown.....I have to keep reminding myself that they are not these little monkeys anymore.  Two of them are fast approaching their teens and my baby is well into his first year of double digits.  But, oh how I miss these faces... I miss having them all to myself.  Because, now that they are older I feel more and more that I have to share them with the rest of the world.  Friends are starting to be chosen over family at times and while I know that is normal, it still makes me sad.  It makes me long for the days when the holiday break was spent playing with all of their new toys instead of plotting all of the things they want to do and places they want to go.   Five years ago, they were all still my babies but now with each passing day, I realize they are growing up.  With another year about to fade into the photo album of memories, I am reminded once again how quickly time does fly.  As a parent, our days with our children are some what numbered but we don't tend to realize that until the numbers get smaller and the children get bigger.... as I have said before, the days move slowly, but the years are swift.  My hope is that the memories of the days stay with us always and the next 5 years slow down just a bit....

P365 - 2015 - Day 362 - some days

P365 - 2015 - Day 362 - some days

Some days this is the only face that I get in a picture....  and what a cute face it is.   It was a long day for this guy while The Bear was at basketball practice and then we all went to The Princess' soccer tournament followed by dinner at a diner.  He waited patiently for us all to get home and as you can see he missed us.

P365 - 2015 - Day 361 - impromptu holiday get together

P365 - 2015 - Day 361 - impromptu holiday get together

We had an impromptu holiday get together with some of our beach friends.  With the warm weather and short sleeves while the kids played outside it was hard to tell if it was a holiday get together or if Spring had returned.  Either way, it was nice to see our friends and the kids had fun playing outside in the warm December air.  Merry and Happy!

P365 - 2015 - Day 360 - Happy Boxing Day!

P365 - 2015 - Day 360 - Happy Boxing Day!

It was Boxing Day and in this house that means that My Wonderful Husband has a reserved seat in front of the tv to watch soccer.  Add to that the fact that it is a Saturday and all three of my boys enjoyed a day of soccer and an evening of football.  Their shirts changed based on the game and they pretty much didn't leave these positions all day. (although I did get My Wonderful Husband to go for a run with me to use his new Garmin... and the boys did get outside a bit to shoot some hoops.. but other than that, what you see is what you got today)  I, on the other hand, organized my photo/game/movie closet and uploaded photos to my new laptop.  It was an all day job and the perfect day to do it.  Happy Boxing Day!

P365 - 2015 - Day 359 - 'Tis the season...

P365 - 2015 - Day 359 - 'Tis the season...

I am going to borrow some words from Jimmy Buffet and one of my favorite Christmas songs...

'Tis the season to remember
And count up all the ports of call I've known
And to thank his mercies tender
For I'm never far from home.

Merry Christmas to my saints and guardian angels
Who protect me as I roam
All the faces and the places that were home

'Tis the season to remember
that we're never far from home.

Merry Christmas! xoxo

P365 - 2015 - Day 358 - Christmas Eve

P365 - 2015 - Day 358 - Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is a favorite of mine and always has been.  It's not about the food - when I was kid, I actually hated the seven fishes.  As I got older, I learned to appreciate it but over the years we have simplified it all because it is just too much food for just the five of us and I want one simple holiday....  Instead, I love the feeling of Christmas Eve... the anticipation, the quiet, the simplicity of the day, the togetherness... I love the traditions that we have kept and the ones that we have created.  I love our casual, quiet day together. I miss those that are not here but I am grateful for those I have around me.  Merry Christmas Eve.

P365 - 2015 - Day 357 - channelled my inner elf

P365 - 2015 - Day 357 - channelled my inner elf

I channelled my inner elf at school, along with all of the other teachers.  It was the last day before the holiday break which included a class of very excited second graders, Christmas movies, a holiday party, Santa, and a great reason to wear my elf hat.

P365 - 2015 - Day 356 - all Christmasy up in here...

P365 - 2015 -  Day 356 - all Christmasy up in here....

In a continued effort to redecorate my house for Christmas, the elves surprised us with this in the kitchen..... just a few days left and they are really working the Christmas spirit.  It's all Christmasy up in here....

P365 - 2015- Day 355 - redecorate

P365 - 2015 - Day 355 - redecorate

The elves have been busy trying to redecorate for the holidays.  I guess they though that the toilet paper was garland?  Those silly elves...  The Boy's response - "Yes!"  I guess he thought their decorations beat mine.

P365 - 2015- Day 354 - makes me happy

P365 - 2015 - Day 354 - makes me happy

My Christmas tree makes me happy.... I love the kids' ornaments that show the passage of time, I adore the ornaments that I have from my childhood and my parents' tree,  I love to relive the places we have been through the ornaments from those travels, and I am so excited about the additions to our tree that really represent where we live and our true happy place.  Mermaids, starfish, seashells, lighthouses, and touches of sea blue make me happy.

P365 - 2015 - Day 353 - simple

P365 - 2015 - Day 353 - simple

I love this framed stitched decoration that I have had for several years... it's not an old decoration but one that has been with us through almost all of our children's Christmases so someday it may be an old one to them.  It always makes me smile when I put it out for the season and it continues to make me smile every time I see it.  It reminds me that in the hustle and bustle of the season, the important part is the peace and joy that we find in the small moments of the season.  I love the simplicity of the stitching that reminds me of the simplicity of the holiday...it's about family and time spent together and that is as simple as it gets.

P365 - 2015 - Day 352 - basketball

P365 - 2015 - Day 352 - basketball

I missed one of The Bear's basketball games during the week  because I had a faculty meeting, so I promised him that I would be there for this game.  It was a Friday, so we all went to see him play.  It was a great game and the 7th grade team won.  My soccer guy is really enjoying basketball..... :-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 351 - handsome guy

P365 - 2015 - Day 351 - handsome guy

I came home from work and was greeting by this handsome guy.  He went to the groomer today as you can tell by his shiny coat and dashing, sparkly, Christmas bandana.  Love this guy.

P365 - 2015 - Day 350 - photos

P365 - 2015 - Day 350 - photos

I am getting there with my Mac.  My photos off of my phone are finally uploaded - now to upload all of the rest of my photos.... and I am already at close to 4000.  I might have a problem.  Perhaps.  Probably.  Ok definitely.

P365 - 2015 - Day 349 - He's home

P365 - 2015 - Day 349 - He's home

He's home.  It's finally winter break!  It could not have come at a better time.  We will be tag teaming a bit right now as I pass the baton to My Wonderful Husband while I head off to work each day.  I am thankful for this next month with him home to help me out.  I have always had respect for teachers and ANY mom that works both inside and outside of the house....but in just a couple of days it is dawning on me just how difficult and time consuming it really is.  So I am super thankful to have My Wonderful Husband home on break to take some of the weight off of me while I start this job.  I'm also just glad to have him home each night... and if some of the "honey do's" around the house get finished... all the better.  No pressure honey... ;-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 348 - first day

P365 - 2015 - Day 348 - first day

It was my first day of my long term position.... I was equal parts excited and nervous.  This is my new normal for now... my "school bag" is packed and near my desk and I getting back into the swing of teaching.  The kids are sweet, my coworkers are great, and I left the day smiling so - so far, so good....

P365 - 2015 - Day 347 - share a little "island Christmas"

P365 - 2015 - Day 347 - share a little "island Christmas"

Yes, it's December 13th.  Yes, it's almost Christmas.  Yes, we had some family down for a pre-Christmas get together and walked on the beach in t-shirts and ate outside.  It's slightly strange weather but I'll take it.... Regardless of the lovely weather, it was a lovely day with family.  Glad they could make it down and share a little "island Christmas" with us.

P365 - 2015 - Day 346 - Great start to the season!!

P365 -  2015 - Day 346 - Great start to the season!!

Today was the first game of the St. Francis basketball season.  The Boy and his team, Jayson's Pancake House (the defending champs), won 23-11 and The Boy scored a three pointer.  Great start to the season!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 345 - It's official...

P365 - 2015 - Day 345 - It's official...

It's official... I am a full time, long term sub until February.  Second grade, here I come. :-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 344 - wreath

P365 - 2015 - Day 344 - wreath

My wreath arrived this evening and I was thrilled!!!  My porch is complete now.

P365 - 2015 - Day 343 - great additions

P365 - 2015 - Day 343 - great additions

The Princess had soccer practice an hour away.  The Bear had basketball practice at the middle school in the evening, and The Boy was going to be home alone until My Wonderful Husband got back from work.  Thankfully our neighbors brought him with them to the school ornament making event.  I am so glad that he was able to go since I wasn't going to be able to get there.  He made these two ornaments that are pretty cool.  He drew the emblem for his soccer team and also a punched metal Jets ornament.  Great additions to our tree.  :-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 342 - my "it's new to me Mac"

P365 - 2015 - Day 342 - my "it's new to me Mac"

It's been more than a year since my Dell went to the big computer in the sky.... or as I like to say the piece of crap Dell that  gave me problems from word go finally kicked it and took all of my photos and files (that were not backed up - don't lecture me) with it.  I went back and forth about what to get to replace it given the fact that I didn't have that Dell for very long in the first place.  I wanted a Mac but I also want to eat, pay for my car and mortgage etc... and needless to say a Mac wasn't in the budget big picture at the moment.  So I got a chrome book instead.  I figured it was a good quick fix and I knew that if I were to finally get a "real computer" that I could pass this on to one of the kids to have for school work.  The day has finally come....My Wonderful Husband's school does a preowned sale of all of their apple products every so often and today I became the proud owner of my "it's new to me Mac".  Yeah!  I can not wait to get it!!

P365 - 2015 - Day 341 - return

P365 - 2015 - Day 341 - return

The tree went up last night and that meant one thing...the return of Burke, Isabelle, and Barnes this morning. They have been visiting us in December for so many years they are really like part of the family.  I'm happy to see them back too... they bring many memories with them.  xo

P365 - 2015 - Day 340 - perfect

P365 - 2015 - Day 340 - perfect

We found a new tree farm today and I think it's a keeper....lots of trees, a gift shop where I found starfish garland, an ornament for Jersey and a Seashorse too, free refreshments, and SANTA!  It was a fun day and the tree looks perfect.

P365 - 2015 - Day 339 - Parade

P365 - 2015 - Day 339 - Parade

It was a beautiful day for the Ship Bottom Christmas Parade.  We had a fun time at a pre-parade party with friends and enjoyed the sunshine and warm temperatures during the parade.  :-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 338 - a little crafty

P365 - 2015 - Day 338 - a little crafty

I got a little crafty today....  spray painted an old frame and added a cute little printable for the holidays.  :-)  I love it!

P365 - 2015 - Day 337 - cleans up pretty good

P365 - 2015 - Day 337 - cleans up pretty good

Today was the SRMS basketball team's first game of the season.  They had to dress for game day so this was how this handsome guy went to school today.  I might be biased but he cleans up pretty good....:-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 336 - Cookie Headquarters

P365 - 2015 - Day 336 - Cookie Headquarters

Since I didn't go in to sub today, I used my time efficiently and wisely.... I got a 5 mile run in this morning and then spent the rest of the day operating Cookie Headquarters.  The butter cookies and the mocha butter balls are finished and I even had a little helper for the mocha butter balls...  :-)

P365 - 2015 - Day 335 - necessity is the mother of invention

P365 - 2015 - Day 335 - necessity is the mother of invention

The basketball team is required to dress up for game days and The Bear is ready... well almost... he needs to wear a tie and doesn't know how to tie one.  My Wonderful Husband is still at work and tying a tie is not in my wheelhouse so.... he went to Youtube and tried to teach himself how to do it.  Necessity is the mother of invention they say and after I had a very good laugh at his first attempts (while admitting that I could do no better) I was actually pretty impressed with how close he got to tying it correctly after watching one video.  Luckily his dad will be back tomorrow and will be able to help him tie it for Thursday morning.  But he might have it perfected by then....he is one determined kid.

P365 - 2015 - Day 334 - two honor roll students

P365 - 2015 - Day 334 - two honor roll students

The first marking period report cards are out for the middle school and I am super proud of my two honor roll students.  They worked so hard all marking period juggling school, school soccer, and club ball.  They stayed organized and on top of all of their work.  They were responsible and motivated.  I am proud beyond words of the awesome well rounded kids that they are.  xoxo