Year in review!!

2014 was the year I made my year.  The year began with me turning 40 years old.  I embraced turning 40 and decided to make it my year to focus on myself.  Being a single mother of two, it is only natural for you to put your children first before yourself.  I have to start putting myself first in order to give them the best of me as well as the best of me for my students.  I chose to enter 40 with a big party.  With the help of my friends and my family, we pulled off my masquerade birthday party. 

 My beautiful cake my sister-in-law made for me.  In my favorite color...purple.  Almost too pretty to cut and eat.  With 40 candles added, I blew out the candles and made my wish.

It was so fun choosing a dress, the mask, invitations, and more.  My friends and family helped me ring in my birthday in style.  This was a very unique  year too.  There were major milestone birthdays.  Mine started the year off with the big 40, my oldest son turned 18 a few days after mine, my youngest son turned 16, my step mom turned 60 and her mother turned 90.  God has blessed us all.

We got to explore our artist side at Pinot's Palate for my step mom's birthday and my youngest son also shared the day with her.  It was nice to paint with my son and other family members.  I also got to explore more painting a few more times. 

I got to also try new places.  I took my oldest son to Joe Momma's Pizza for his birthday.  Many other new places I got to try throughout the year expanded my palate.  My favorite was exploring chocolate at Glacier.  I got to taste different kinds of chocolates and learned a lot about how your taste buds work with the chocolates.

2014 wasnt only a milestone with birthdays but also in events.  My son graduated high school and got accepted in at a local junior college.  I am very proud.  I had many emotions during this time.  My babe was growing up and starting his next chapter in life.

Another milestone after his graduation was sending him to Paris.  This was the first time for me to not have him at home.  He was gone for all of June.  He got to experience many "new" things to him from a plane ride to seeing another country.  We also opened our home to a foreign exchange student.  Pierre came in April before my son left for his trip.  It was quite an experience to have another boy in the house as well as learning about him and his culture.

While he was gone I got to explore many professional development classes.  I also made a big choice in going back to school to get my master degree.  But I decided not on one degree but to do two at the same times.  I decided on Reading Specialist and then Administration.



I joined thousands of educators at our capital building.  We wanted people to hear our concerns and for them to make a change.  The people also wanted changed and voted out our state superintendent.  We need education to be the first priority.

I became more an advocate for my students and my parents.  I joined PTA and became our Vice President. It has opened my eyes to a different aspect of education from the parent point of view.  I decided one of my goals this year was to get parents more involved in their child's education.  As I worked on this goal I also helped build our PTA into a better one.  This year it actually has made a difference at our school.  I work with great ladies and parents.

Another big change in my life was changing my health.  I joined a gym.  I am in no way a gym person.  I am very uncomfortable in that setting but I needed this change in my life.  I joined at the beginning of the year and was working with a bad knee.  I had to have surgery on it in April.  This was the first time I was away from my students for that length of time.  During those three weeks, I continued to work and strengthen my knee at the gym.  My main goal for joining was to get healthier and lose weight to avoid knee replacement surgery that I was told WILL happen.  It has now been an year since joining, I am stronger, have more energy and the weight is starting to fall off.  (I also found out this year my thyroid wasn't working right)

The new year is approaching and new goals and experiences are in the horizon.  2015 will have new journeys for my and my students.  In just a few months, we will be moving into a new classroom.  Later, in 2015 I will have my first master degree and doors will open.  God has blessed me in 2014 with many experiences and opportunities for me and my family.  I pray that he continues to bless me.

I welcome 2015 with open arms.