Work. Netflix. Sleep. Repeat.

Our daily routine resembles that of 85 year olds.  Somedays I feel like I need to remind myself that this should be our wild and free years of being young, no kids, and living in sunny S. Florida.  "Cease the day, Mae!".  But then it's 8:30 and I want to reach for my pajamas.  Will and I don't like crowded places.  We like to eat dinner at 5:30.  We prefer to hang out with our dog and each other. We're morning people, not night owls.  I drink tea and watch a Friends rerun most evenings.  Will listens to Dave Ramsey radio and reads (parts of) books suggested by Mark Zuckerberg.  We go on Sunday drives. We're really fun to hang out with but not past 10:00.  That's us.  We're 85.  Maybe these are routines we need to break and spice things up a bit but Will and I are planning for many changes in the near future so the peacefulness of this lifestyle is okay with me for now.  We're hoping for family constantly at our door, house upkeeping, and a growing family of our own soon so I'll rest now to gear up for later :).

Here's what else has been filling our time: 

1.  We did not go home from Christmas which will never happen again.  This decision was not well thought out.  Basically,  we got so frustrated with flights and airlines that we said "screw it" so we wouldn't have to go through the logistics of getting home.  While we still had a Christmas of our own with the two of us, it was NOT the same.  Family plays a huge, HUGE part in Christmas and we made the best of it but... never again.

2.  Teaching of course has been filling my days.  It's so interesting how each class takes on their own little personality and the connection between us varies.  This year I feel more of a maternal connection to this group because they are a younger, more sensitive and more dependent group and I feel like I'm "mom-ing" more than last.  Last year the class was more independent, academically-driven and soaked up concepts like little sponges.  This year we have to take time just to hug and say more "I love yous".   Putting on coats, packing bags, and blowing noses, etc. takes much coaching.  Sometimes I'm tired and do it all for them because it takes less energy to just do it which is me failing as a teacher but I know I'm fulfilling many other emotional needs the rest of the day that are priority so I don't feel so bad.  Somedays I tell them they need to "figure it out", "play with someone else",  or "wipe your best and take a bath tonight" because I can't be, fix, or do everything.  This all comes with teaching 3 and 4 year olds.  I'm always counting down the days to a break when my lunch period won't be taken up by phone calls about rashes or e-mails about replacing homework that I don't necessarily believe in.  However,  I miss hearing my name screamed from the bathroom just to peak my head in and hear "I love you Mrs. Tousin!" while their nearly falling in the toilet.  

3.  Will and I are trying to plan our future and we want everything to happen now, yesterday, or tomorrow.  I'm praying for patience which I thought was one of my strong points- Ha!

4.  Yesterday we went suit shopping for Will and after 8 years of me telling him he needs to be wearing everything "slim fit", it took a JCP salesclerk for him to believe me.  He is now on board and I'm pretty offended.  :) 

5.  Bentley still thinks he is a human baby and his anxiety still shows up sometimes.  While taking a shower the other day I heard a plop behind me and I turned around to see Bentley sitting in the shower starring at me because he was afraid of the smoke detector that was beeping.  He doesn't love baths so he must have weighed his options and decided the occasional beep was just too much and the shower was a better option.  I'm glad he thinks I can save him. 

6.  We hadn't been to the beach for probably close 2 months (!). When we first came to FL I thought people who lived here must go every weekend.  Turns out it doesn't take long for real life to set in and the occasional beach trip is more realistic.  We went this weekend- I, fully clothed (brrr!) and Will braving the ocean for a quick, freezing 2 minutes.  It was a great way to get some Vitamin D and we agreed we need to go more often.  

7.  Valentine's Day  and our 6 year anniversary is right around the corner and Will and I gifted each other with a trip home in March.  Yay!  I also have a surplus of chocolate.  By surplus I mean a could open a chocolate shop of my own.  I might name it, "Let's Think Of Other Things To Give Your Teacher Besides Chocolate.".  :) It's the thoughts that count and I appreciate them including me but.. whoa! 

8. We have been able to escape Fort Lauderdale a few times between a little weekend Marriott getaway (Thanks Mom and Dad!) in West Palm, Orlando to explore Epcot with Mark and Pia, and Orlando again for a teaching conference and to see Will's cousins.  Besides Will getting extremely sick at Epcot (and no, we were not drinking around the World),  all trips were great.  It's always therapeutic and necessary to get out of the day-to-day from time to time.

Epcot

Christmas dinner.

Bentley as Rudolf.

West Palm getaway.

Working on the table we used for our holiday dinners at home. :) Turned out it was kind of a rip off but- hey! We had a place to sit instead of bar stools to eat our Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas Ham.