Good-by 2009.  It has been one of the busiest years of my life and I am sure that they will only get busier as my kids get older and I get more and more involved in the world of academia–researching, publishing, conferencing.  It has been a good year and I look back on it mostly with fondness and warm and fuzzies in my heart.

Here’s a recap of my year

January:  My first semester of supervising student teachers and interns.  Started our search for Noah’s preschool and again took Noah to see Sesame Street live–he made it through the whole performance this year.  Resumed teaching at the community college.

February:  Noah visited the dentist again and we took Noah to see Disney Live while Zoë stayed with the grandparents. I started my job search for a high school teaching job

March: Noah turned 3.  We went on our first family vacation to Disney World and got talked into buying into the Hilton’s Vacation Club.   Met Mickey and Minnie mouse plus a host of other characters.  Noah started soccer.

April:  Celebrated my 9th wedding anniversary.  Started training with my personal trainer.  Went to jazzfest in New Orleans.  Had an interview for my graduate assistantship.  Enrolled Noah in The College School.

May:  Accepted the graduate assistantship.  My cousin got married and the kids and I took the train to Chicago to see my brother.  Celebrated the end of the semester as a student, a teacher and a supervisor. Searched for daycare for kids for summer.  Lost 5lbs.  Noah got a big boy twin bed.

June:  Started my assistantship.  Kids started daycare and loved it.  Agreed to teach a class at the community college.  Lost 4lbs more.  Went to Chicago sans Zoë to run/walk a 5k with my dad on father’s day. Celebrated our first Zoëversary.

July:  Bill’s birthday.  Went to New Hampshire with the kids to see Bill’s brother and his family.  Lost 6lbs more.

August:  Noah started school.  Zoë had her first dentist appt and Noah had his first cavity.  Celebrated our 3rd Noahversary.  I started back to school as a teacher, student, supervisor and a charter school liaison.

September: Went on a vacation with my mom, brothers and family–cruise out of Miami to Key West and Cozumel.  Noah started soccer again.  Went to see Toby Keith. Weight lost total–27lbs

October:  I traveled to Columbia, MO and Salt Lake City for conferences.  I shoot my first and last wedding (way too much work).  Bill, Noah and Zoë got the swine flu–I didn’t get sick at all.  Had my first parent teacher conference at Noah’s school.

November:  Zoë turned 2.  Traveled to Philly for a conference at the same time that Bill had to be out of town for a full week for work.  Worked my first school book fair as a volunteer and served as a parent ambassador at Noah’s schools open house.  Spent a great deal of time studying statistics.  Zoë stopped sleeping in crib and started sleeping with Noah.

December:  Celebrated the end of the semester from hell.  Was gone three nights a week at my  own classes, taught 3 classes during the day, supervised 6 student teachers/teaching interns, worked a 20hr a week assistantship.  Went to Chicago for another conference.  Had a great Christmas.  Noah’s class performed at his school’s art share–they sang “Puff the Magic Dragon” and I cried–just a little.  Gained back 9 lbs of the 27 I had lost (not just in december but still).

Overall, as you can see it was a super busy year.  Not much too exciting–but super busy.  I plan to get back on the weight loss wagon.  Today I am:  Dawn 0 and Food 6–I have eaten about 6 things that I should not have.  It is such a struggle.  But I can feel that 2010 is going to be a much better year for me on a health note. It has to be.

Have a safe and happy new year.  See you next year.  Good-bye 2009.