Wordless Wednesday

Thriving in 2014...and 2015...

2014 was a really big year for us. The biggest change was that we transitioned to a family with two school-aged children. Suddenly, the house was empty five days a week. In a flash, we went from spending our evenings making homemade baby food to spending our evenings doing homework and driving kids to activities. Ouch. So, basically, I had a bit of an identity crisis.  It was just more difficult than I anticipated to make that transition. In January 2014 I joined the "One Little Word" online community and chose "THRIVE" as my focus word for the year. Throughout the year I spent a lot of time reflecting on what it means to really thrive and to create a home where our family can really thrive as well.  It's been really fun looking back on the highlights of the year for lots of evidence that the Schneiders are indeed thriving!

Josephine in Pictures, 2014 

Beatrice in Pictures, 2014

Ringing in '15

I have no doubt that one day, before we know it, Lou and I will be spending some future New Year's Eve out on the town while the girls are counting down to some future new year with their own friends or partners. We'll spend some time that future New Year's Eve remembering back to the days when we used to celebrate at home together - starting with a mango lassi toast at our favorite Indian restaurant, popping confetti cannons in the living room while wearing our pajamas, choreographing dance routines to the Annie soundtrack then sneaking upstairs to kiss two sleeping wee ones at midnight with a silent countdown.

Here are the highlights of New Year's Eve 2014!

Cheers...

Annie Dancing Madness...

Confetti Cannons!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Those Days, December

As if the all the holiday action wasn't quite enough, here are some more pics from December that capture some of the other action this month.

I made a surprise trip to Seattle on my way to a conference in San Francisco!

Then across the Golden Gate Bridge I went, over to Cavallo Point.

A report from home from all the girls that live on our block. :)

WHAT.A.VIEW!

A megastorm came. I barely got out of San Francisco...

I got stranded in Minnesota. And RESCUED by a friend & colleague who made everything alright with Christmas cookies & an (appropriately named) cold beer.

Delta gave me world's tiniest toothpaste and world's most see-through t-shirt.

HOME. And snuck away to The Head & The Heart concert with my main squeeze.

These are scenes from a school performance about North America. 

Back to our everyday moments.

A special "girls only" afternoon -

"No Pictures Please."