Thirteen in '13 Linky

WOW!  It's been a while since I've posted anything!!  I do have a few posts coming up this week (hopefully!), but I have enjoyed some time away from the blog to spend time with family, and to soak in the Christmas season.  My break so far has been so wonderful.  I didn't know how badly I needed time to slow down and breathe a bit.

I'm late to the linky party, but I figure I'm still fine seeing as it's still 2013... this is a fun one and I didn't want to miss out!

My favorite article of clothing this time of year has got to be my BOGS boots.  

They are so, so warm and are amazing for trudging through slushy parking lots, playing in the snow with my kids, and roaming the playground while on recess duty.  Most times I wear them without socks.  I don't know how they keep my feet warm in these frigid Michigan temps, but they do!  Love them.

I don't watch a lot of movies, unless they are old favorites on TV or something, but my hubby and I did take our kids to see Frozen last Monday and it was ADORABLE!!  The storyline was sweet and the characters were great, but my favorite part was the MUSIC.  

So, so good.

I am a reality TV junkie.  I have so many that I watch all the time.  But, my favorite???

I love Project Runway.

And how sweet is Tim Gunn???  He makes me smile.

We don't really eat out much.

I feel like I am beginning to sound like a real drag!  Ha!  I don't watch movies...I don't eat out....all I do all day long is sit around watching reality TV marathons.  Oh my.  

I think it's our stage in life with young children, that we would rather eat home than eat out.

I am on a Mexican food kick lately, so if I had to pick a place to get take-out, I might choose 

Guacamole and pico de gallo make me one happy girl.

Hmmm...this year I tried blogging!  Well, I've had a family blog for several years now, but this year I dove into this fun, little teacher-blogging world.  It has been the most fun.  I have loved all of the connections I've made and everything that I'm learning.  If I'm being honest, it's all taken off a bit slower than I'd hoped, but I've learned time and time again in my life that there is beauty in everything, so I am looking forward to another year of blogging, growing, and learning here in my little corner of the internet.

I am having a hard time thinking back over the whole year for this one, so I'll focus on Christmas.  I only got a few gifts for Christmas this year, but my fave was the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette that I got from my bestie!

Love!!!  I am having so much fun playing around with it.  

She knows me so well! :)

This isn't school-related, but I was able to take the inspiration from this pin

and re-create that sign for my master bedroom.

 We just got new bedding and I'm on the hunt for pillow shams that I like, so our bed looks a little bare right now, but I love the simplicity of the sign and it fits our bedroom perfectly.

Some of my favorite things from last school year were the Girls Only and Boys Only lunches that I did.  They were so fun, and I can't wait to plan them again this spring for my current class.  CLICK HERE to head to the post about the Girls Only lunch.

Last year was our district's first year with all day-every day Kindergarten.  I was really proud at the end of the school year with how far my students had come and, in particular, what great readers they had become!  The results were SO different than my half-day students had ever performed.  My students worked hard, and they went on to first grade so prepared.  I was one super proud teacher as I wrapped up last school year.

One of my favorite memories from 2013 was our trip to Disney World in June.  This picture was taken on our first day there.  

Disney is just pure magic.

I have lots and lots of wonderful memories from this year, but this one stands out to me right now.  My hubby and I surprised our son, Trey, with a train trip to Chicago for his 6th birthday back in April.  We had the best time.

Only a couple days after we got back, our entire lives changed so drastically, so this memory of before that all happened is very treasured!

Of course I have lots of small goals, and a few big ones too, for 2014...personally and professionally.  My biggest goal for every year is to deepen my relationship with Christ.  I've never been great about reading the Bible consistently, but I just started reading the chronological Bible and I would love to finish it by the end of 2014.  More than anything, I want to live, serve, and LOVE like Jesus, and I know that spending time with Him is the best way to do that.

My one word for 2014 is GRATITUDE.  

2013 has held lots of joy and lots of pain for my family.  In April, my {amazing} mother-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and passed away 20 days later.  In July, my dad was in a very serious car accident.  He broke 10 bones and his passenger was killed.  He's doing well, but it's been such a long road of recovery for him.  My son has been struggling with some health issues this fall connected to a hereditary blood disorder that he has and there are still some unanswered questions with him.  Dear friends have been affected with scary, sad situations.  It's been a roller coaster year.  

Over the past couple months, in the moments when everything has seemed like too much, I have felt small nudges in my soul reminding me to be grateful.  I've never had to think hard to come up with countless reasons to be grateful.  I can list blessing upon blessing upon blessing in my life.  I want to live a life of gratitude in 2014.