Setting Sail - Off to Mexico

Wish I could have packed these two cute dresses from Shabby Apple.

Today we are setting sail on a cruise ship. We are going to Mexico for the week. Just Husband and I. We are in need of a little break before our lives get even more ridiculously crazy for the next four months. Although, it's also a "work cruise". There will be plenty of business and play. I can't wait to spend some time with Husband sans kiddos. Huge thanks to my mom who will be watching them this week. Also, a big thanks to my in-laws who will be taking the kids to Arizona at the end of the week. We'll meet up there and stay for a few days.

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I surely don't want to be disappointed by the things I didn't do.
This week will also be a big planning week for the next few months for us.
We are certainly leaving the safe harbor.
But we are really excited about it.

I'll catch up after we get off the boat.

Big Changes, New Adventures

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There are some big changes taking place in our little world right now.

I am excited and a little nervous.

First up - Today is Husband's last day of work at a job he has worked at for the past two years. It was supposed to be "the one" and we were really excited about it when he started. He's learned a great deal in the past two years. It's been tough, though. Really tough. Most weeks he has worked 60+ hours, and that doesn't include the after-hours at home or the weekend hours. He's been one busy guy.

We decided it is time to say goodbye.

Second - New job is exciting. Very exciting. Still a lot of work, but we will be working on it together. We'll set our own schedule and work our tails off. Husband will also be home more. We actually had dinner last night as a family. I've mentioned that is a rare thing around here, and I'm thrilled it will be happening more frequently. Probably on a daily basis!

Third - Sold my car. Decided we didn't need the car payment with the new job, just to be on the safe side. Also, Husband will be based at home. We'll survive with just one car again for now. Best part, got more out of it than we owe. Miss M will be getting her grass shortly. We are all thrilled about this. Oh, and her first bike.

Why the changes? Husband was no longer happy, which was also affecting me, and the kids weren't seeing their daddy nearly enough. All those work hours were stressing everyone out. We are fortunate enough that we can do something about. We will now be in more control of our lives, and we could not be more excited about it.

We have big dreams in this house.
Huge goals we want to accomplish.
We are off on a new adventure.

And we are just crazy enough to go for it.

Have you ever walked away from a sure thing for something you really wanted?
Were you excited, scared, or both?

More than a ballet lesson

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Last night in technique class, I had the girls write down their personal answers to five questions. I had been wanting to do this little activity for the past couple of weeks but hadn't yet.

Class had started off well, but after barre we got a little side-tracked talking about stretching different muscles and other body alignment questions. I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to get the girls to think beyond their technique for a moment. Luckily, I had grabbed paper and pens as I ran out the door before class.

Here are the questions* I asked:

1. Tell my why you want to dance.
2. What do you want to learn from this class?
3. How can I help you specifically?
4. What can you do to make our class better?
5. Where do you want dance to take you?

We laid on the floor on our stomaches with our heads pointing in toward the circle. Very relaxed and informal. As I thought of and asked each question, I wondered if I would get the responses I was hoping for. I wondered if they would take this little exercise seriously and go beyond the basic responses.

We finished up just as class time ended. I tucked the papers and pens in my bag and drove home. After eating dinner and putting Miss M and Mr. T in bed, I eagerly pulled out the papers.

As I read through the first girl's paper, my heart sank a little as I read the answer to question #5. She said, "I love to dance, but I'm not very good; so I don't know yet."

I remember having similar thoughts during my dancing days.

I have a great desire to teach the girls about the impeccable beauty of ballet and to love it as much as I do. But, there is more I need to teach them. I want them to push themselves to places they didn't know they could go. I want them to learn to be artists and not just technicians. I want them to find ways to express themselves and their emotions through dance. I want so much for them. I realized last night that, above all, I want them to love themselves. I want them to be happy with who they are and to strive for their best excellence.

I look forward to the upcoming classes where I can hopefully share a few small things I have learned in my own ballet-life journey.

*The above questions or similar questions are helpful for every aspect of life. I feel rejuvenated when I refocus my own desires and plans of action.

What helps you stay focused on your goals?

Resolutions

At the beginning of a new year, I often debate if I will make any resolutions. Sometimes I keep them, but most of the time I don't. I figure, why bother?

This year seems different.

There is so much going on in my little world right now, and I feel like I need to re-ground myself in what is most important to me. I also need to find productive time for me again. I have a list with hundreds of things I want to learn about, and I'm going to start tackling it. Here are a few general categories I'll be delving in to.

I want to find more chemical-free products for household cleaning.

I want to introduce new produce and grains in our diet.

I want to reduce harmful chemicals in my beauty products.

I want to find new ways to use my essential oils.

I want to have more creative play time with M and T.

I want to start decorating my new house.

I want to learn how to take better photos.

I want to learn how to sew better.

I love to learn about the science behind everything. I research like crazy before making decisions. I'll do my best to track what I find. It seems like information is always changing. You can pretty much find research to back up just about any claim you want to make. It sure makes it diffiult to sort through and figure out what is best. However, the best solution, in most instances, seems to be sticking with foods and products that are natural. It just makes sense.

Here's to a year full of new discoveries and healthful changes.