settled.

It usually happens in October.  It's peaceful, refreshing, and rejuvenating.

In August, I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off.  I am attending meetings, hanging "class rules" and trying to figure out why people wear real clothes and not sweatpants.  I juggle my time between lesson plans, decorating, shopping for new classroom get-ups, kids, and Eric.  We eat out nearly every night and I hit the pillow exhausted.

Then comes September.  Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.  I am drowning in standards, objectives, rubrics, checklists, benchmarking, how to teach kids fractions and decimals and more.  I am still figuring out my balance between life and school.

Now comes October...when I figure out my teaching job to the point where I'm not spending every. single. night. attempting to recreate the world's greatest plans for the next day.  I finally have my groove.  These darn 5th graders are proving to be a breeze.  They listen, are respectful, love to work hard, and are extremely excited to learn.  Not kidding.  Finally, in October, I feel comfortable in my skin as a 5th grade teacher.

Now that I'm not spending my nights working as much...I notice things.  Little things.  Like how Kate makes this little smirk when she sees something and is determined to get it.  Our little 8-month-old is a crawling, pulling herself up on furniture go-machine.  It's adorably adorable.  I notice the way Jack bites his lip -- I was hoping he wouldn't get that from me.  Or the way he tickles Kate in the middle of playing to make sure she doesn't steal his toys.  He's a smart little guy, always working to stay on Kate's good side.

Life in the Krieger household is good and busy.  Our little movers and shakers keep us crazy busy until bedtime.  While browning hamburger for homemade pizza, we're handing Kate toys she dropped on the floor while helping Jack finish his last pieces of his floor sized firetruck puzzle.  Last night we had a family dance party to the oldies.  I walked downstairs and saw Eric dancing with Kate to "You're my brown eyed girl".  I grabbed Jack and we danced and laughed and sang together.  It is a moment in time I want to bottle up and replay over.  And over.

I am glad I've figured out my groove.
I am so thankful to have two adorable, healthy, and happy littles.
Life is so good, people.

{Have I ever told you how hard it is to take pictures of a stubborn 2-year-old?  Good thing Kate likes my camera :)}

After 12 years...

I still get butterflies when the clock strikes 5 o'clock. 

I cannot sleep without Eric next to me.  Once in a while I head back to Waterloo for girls weekend.  I usually have such a blast reminiscing and creating amazing memories with the best friends a girl can ask for.  I have to be crazy busy and entertained or you better believe my little white Venza heads back to Des Moines early.  If I do stay, I am up-and-at-em before the sun shines most days to get back to my little family.  Homesick at 27...not kidding.

We plan and look forward to date nights.  Sometimes we go all out and hire a babysitter {all out I know!}.  Moments of just us two are quiet and peaceful.  Other times, we plan a "date night" for when our kids are in bed.  We wait to eat dinner and spend time grilling steaks and chatting over a peaceful meal with candles together.   Babysitter or not, I love these nights.

I am not a huge fan of sports.   Eric isn't a fan of the Kardashians {or any kind of smutty TV that I like}.  However, we compromise.  I can tell you that on Saturday mornings our littles are dressed to the nines in Hawkeyes gear and I have dips made and a crock pot filled with chili ready to go for the game.  And, Eric knows way more than he wants to about the Kards.  That's life, right?  Give and take and compromise.  

We are busy.  Life with two working parents and two kids is crazy busy.  Between attempting to perfect Jack's potty training with a 7-month-old with a fever...stress can't even explain what happens at our house sometimes.   It's not the norm and times like these only make us more thankful for our overall healthy kids.  Even in the crazy we still work like a well-oiled machine. 

We make quite the team, Eric and me. 

I love you.
You're my forever and ever and ever.