My friend April from A Modern Teacher posted her “Top 13 in 2013” and I wanted to join the fun!  I’ve reflected on this past year and there were certainly several things that happened in 2013 that stood out.  It just goes to show you that there is so much that can happen in just ONE year.  I had so many BIG moments that it was really hard to narrow it down.

HERE WE GO!

Traveling to Oklahoma was, by far, the most memorable moment in 2013.  Meeting Karen Marinelli and having the opportunity to  decorate her new classroom was such a life changing experience.  If you haven’t read my post about Oklahoma, you can read it here…

http://www.schoolgirlstyle.com/2013/09/karen-marinellis-classroom-makeover/

My son turned 16 this year and instead of a party, I took him to Charleston, South Carolina.  Just the two of us.

We still cannot stop talking about this trip.  My son is such a history buff, so this birthday present was a dream come true for him.  We went from one museum to another and had the best time learning about this amazing city.  I also found out that I’m living in the wrong place!  Everything about South Carolina just speaks to me.  If my husband could find an elementary principal position there, we really would consider moving.

Speaking of my son, another highlight of my year was watching him perform in his school play.  Last year I had to miss his play due to my travel schedule and I was heartbroken.  This year I was able to be there and watch him do what he does best…perform!  He is such a gifted actor!  I had tears streaming down my face as he stood on stage.  It was such a proud moment for me.  Jake plans to attend film school after he graduates and has dreams of becoming a big movie director.

  I presented at two conferences this year and got through it without passing out or throwing up!  Put me in front of a classroom with a bunch of kids and I’m fine.  Put me in front of a group of my peers and…well, it’s not pretty.   Months before the conferences, I literally felt sick every time I thought about it.

This group is small in comparison to the crowd that came.  They kept coming and coming as the presentation went on.  I swear, I just black out and TALK.  It ended up being fine.  I didn’t die, like I thought could possibly happen.  Doing stuff like this helps in the confidence department, but I would rather avoid it at all costs.

My husband’s entire family is from Wheeling, West Virginia.  For years, he’s told me stories about his childhood and all of his memories of this town.  He still has several family members that live in Wheeling.  Due to the distance, I’ve only met his aunts, uncles, and cousins two times.  In November, we made our first trip to Wheeling since we’ve been together.  We had the chance to spend the weekend with his entire family.  It was so much fun getting everyone together and having all of our children meet for the first time.  My girls still haven’t stopped talking about this little trip.  They have told my hubby and I that they “love their new cousins” over and over.  It was such a wonderful weekend!

Speaking of family, my sister-in-law and brother-in-law welcomed their newest addition to our family!  This was definitely a highlight in 2013.  Look at this sweet baby!!!

2013 was the year of travel for me.  Most of the time I traveled with several people and roomed with them as well.  This photo was taken in Colorado with my friends Brett and Cindy.  I couldn’t have asked for better travel companions.  Being away from your family is the hardest thing in the world, but when you are surrounded by great people, it makes it all better.  This was definitely a memorable trip and lifetime friendships were made.

In August, I traveled to Wyoming to decorate Jennifer Pasqua’s classroom.  I only had five days to pull this room together.  It was probably the most labor intensive classroom that I’ve ever had to tackle.  The building was old, the furniture was old, and we had to create a Kindergarten classroom in what was once a 5th grade learning environment.  Let me tell you, I was one exhausted (and  overwhelmed) girl.  By the end of the week, we transformed this room into the most beautiful, kid-friendly space you’ve ever seen!  I tackled every space of this room and it was AMAZING!  The pictures just don’t do it justice.  I felt so PROUD of this classroom!  When Jennifer saw her room for the first time, she cried.  Her reaction made ME cry.  All of that hard work made it worth it.  There was nothing better than seeing how happy this room made this special teacher.

*A big thanks to Jen Tafflinger!  Jen was my partner in crime that week and helped me put this room together.

Schoolgirl Style was trademarked this year!

There’s nothing like seeing yourself on the back of a catalog that ends up in thousands of people’s mailboxes.  It really is such a surreal moment.  It also made me realize that I should never try a new hairstyle right before a photo shoot!  Yuck!

I know.  I know.  You’ve seen this picture a thousand times already.  What makes it so memorable is that my husband went viral and he has no idea!!!  If you only knew how much he didn’t want this picture taken.  Matt is very private.  He doesn’t want to be on my blog.  He doesn’t want any part of social media.  People have emailed me like crazy saying that they’ve seen his picture floating all over the web.  Personally, I think it’s because he is so handsome!

I spent a week in San Antonio, Texas for work this last year.  In the evenings, we had the best time sightseeing and eating at all of the local restaurants.  This is me attempting to “fit in” while in San Antonio.  Every girl needs a pink cowboy hat with a tiara, right?  Looking back at this, how embarrassing.  I’m sure people were laughing at me as I was walking by!   Best part of the trip…finally meeting my good friend April from A Modern Teacher!  April lives in San Antonio and we were finally able to meet face to face.

This next one isn’t necessarily a GOOD thing, but it was a huge part of 2013.  Most of you know that my son broke his knee the second week of school.  All of a sudden, my life changed dramatically.  I became Jake’s 24/7 caregiver.  Think of  an infant in a big boy body…yep, that’s what I was dealing with.  I won’t go into all of the details, but I had to do everything for him…I mean EVERYTHING.  The first couple weeks of the injury were the worst.  We had to wait a week for surgery after the break happened.  I had to watch as he experienced so much trauma.  When he could finally go back to school, I wheeled him around in his wheelchair, carried his backpack for him and became his constant companion.  I was tired.  Really tired.  Juggling all three children and trying to work was nearly impossible.  It was rough, but we made it!  He is now going to physical therapy three days a week and he can get around on his own.  Our life is now back to normal.

I experienced huge growth with my business in 2013.  With growth comes change and making decisions.  I had to make a few difficult decisions when it came to the Schoolgirl Style brand.  This is the hardest part about owning a business.  Not only is it hard to change in general, but it’s not in my nature to be a tough business woman.  It’s been a process for me and I’m learning so much.

 If you look at my Top 13, most of them revolve around my family and friends.  Basically, that says it all.  In the end, success isn’t about money, it’s about how much you love and are loved.  It’s about helping others .  It’s about family and the relationships you have.  Most of my decisions about Schoolgirl Style revolves around these life principles…

1.   Surround yourself with people that care about you and truly want what’s best for you.

2.  Simplify your life so you have time to spend with the people you love.

3.  Believe in yourself!

So there you have it!  A glimpse of my 2013.  Have you reflected on your 2013?  What was your most memorable moment?

Here’s to a FABULOUS 2014!