2013 is a lucky number

2012:

2013:

• Adelaide started the year with more teeth than she ended it. She also had her first haircut, as a result of a fire over queso where Uncle Jon beat her in the head to save her from flames. Otherwise, we have all been pretty healthy, and I like to start there since it is what matters.
• We have kept travel in our lives. I hit Athens, Greece as my only international travel this year, though I had over a dozen other domestic work trips as well, including a zany trip to Las Vegas. As a family, we did our Boston and Pittsburgh visits, and we also spent another amazing week in the OBX. Ryan and I enjoyed a weekend in Brooklyn/NYC while Ade stayed with Aunt Jenna.
• I joined Ryan as an ex-IBMer! One of the most difficult and most rewarding choices I have had to make, to leave what had been truly a part of me, and try something new joining PointSource. 2013 for me is definitely the year of PointSource. Looking back, I genuinely can't even comprehend how much we have accomplished. So many friends who are part of the journey with me, too- how could it be better? I have never in a single year of my career learned more than I have this year.
• We expanded the family again. Not with another car, but another dog! Welcome Aspen the Battle Doodle Ramen Noodle to our crazy family. We now have 1 dog too many to be considered normal.
• I submitted by last ever NCSU grades this semester! Although I have spent a decade teaching professional communication in that program, I had to call it quits. I simply can't juggle this many hats anymore. I will keep up my love of academia through the less frequent MBA workshops, and Chatham curriculum.
• Ade is at a 3.5 grade reading level. She told me about the holy books of Judaism, Islam, and Catholicism the other night. She amazes us daily with not only her thirst for knowledge and her retention, but also her ability to synthesize and apply her understanding of situations with complete wisdom.
• Last year I thought hopefully that we would take what we learned in 2012 and apply it in 2013. I slipped off the wagon a little with the healthy lifestyle changes, but I am getting back to it. Ryan has definitely continued down his path. Focus on each other, our family, reducing unwanted obligations versus healthy commitments... we are taking it in stride, and making daily progress.

Yesterday I posted, "This year I'm going to uncurl my fingers from anything I find I clutch too tightly."

Ryan, Ade and I also wrote our resolutions on the glass patio door...

Ryan: Stay calm.

Steph: Be on time.

Adelaide: Color more like a grown-up.

I leave you with the amazing sight we saw last night while celebrating our traditional Chinese food NYE dinner at their house:

 2013, peace out. ;-)

And so it is Christmas...

First we had Thanksgiving at Jenna and Jon's.

This is how Ade sees us in portrait:

Here is how I see her, and her amazing style:

And though we weren't there for it, I loved this picture of Nino eating quite actually in the middle of the table ...

We decorated.

We celebrated Adelaide winning the award for the character trait of being Caring (which she sooo much is!)

Mommy managed the costume for Laser Squint the Incredible Reindeer for the holiday play Adelaide starred in. She was amazing on stage :-)

 We celebrated with Grandma and Grandpa.

 We endured/enjoyed the Furby - DahBoo - from Aunt Jenna.

Our holiday party at PointSource was tons of family fun. This picture of Adelaide captures an expression that I see on her often, and I am told that I also frequently wear:

Future leaders of PointSource:

Every year we buy Ade a special present from us, not from Santa. This year we replaced her very frustratingly old and busted Macbook with a Chromebook a few days before Christmas:

And, then, it was CHRISTMAS!

Organizing runs in the family.

 Doggie loving.

Adelaide is extremely susceptible to marketing and commercial messaging. This year when we were going shopping for her to buy presents for everyone, she declared, "We need to go to Burlington's! They have gifts for everyone!" And, yes, so we did.

Merry Christmas, 2013!