Catching Up

Back in November, I did not imagine taking a two month break from blogging, but here I am returning and it is the first day of February!  December was filled with ballet rehearsals and Nutcracker performances, a really bad cold, holiday choir concerts, shopping, wrapping, baking, my daughter's 10th birthday, multiple Christmas celebrations, and our holiday break.  We ended the year with a super fun New Year's Eve party with friends.

B and the Russian dancers

Making Christmas cookies, yum!

January began with a very sad loss when our 13 year old Lab, Chloe, passed away.  We were all grieving her loss after that and I didn't feel like writing here.  Then we were able to take a trip, driving all the way out to Colorado to go skiing.  We had a great vacation, spent time with some family and friends, and when we returned, it was a little easier to miss her without crying so much.

Cloe, in 2009

Breckenridge, CO

We have been back at our school work for two weeks and now our activities are keeping our schedule filled.  I am trying to get the kids to get all their school work done before our afternoon business.  I have also been trying to get a little more sleep at night (i.e. not staying up so late on Facebook or Blogger) and started working out again this week.  We just began our second semester of weekly meetings with our Classical Conversations homeschool community, so our school days are a bit longer than they have been over the last two months.  I am hoping to get our schedule to work better next week.  I am also trying to plan meals ahead so we don't eat out so much.

Ringing in the New Year, 2012-13

 So, now that we are all "caught up", I may go back and share some photos of all this fun stuff that I haven't posted, or I may just give myself the freedom to move ahead.  Only time will tell!