Today is the first day of our new normal. Bryan started his new job today (and loved it). Tomorrow, he doesn’t have to get on a plane and fly hundreds of miles away from us until the end of the week. He gets to drive home, eat dinner at our table and spend the evening with Brady and I. When he kissed Brady goodnight tonight, he said “I’ll be home tomorrow, B!” It made my heart so happy. Last year was amazing for us as a family, but difficult with all the travel. I felt like a single mom a lot of the time… and hats off to single moms. That’s got to be the hardest job there is.

A lot of things have changed around our house. I’ll write more about our nutritional changes later in the week (big changes, with the exception of the super processed Zataran’s red beans and rice we ate tonight in honor of the LSU Tigers!) but overall they’ve been great. They’re very “Emily and Brady only” for now, but we’re working on Bryan. He eats like a man. A frat boy man, that is (chicken and boneless buffalo wings anyone?)

Regardless, I’m just glad to have him home. I’m working on a more regimented schedule for myself, for Brady and for our family. I read somewhere… on a friend’s blog, I believe… that stay-at-home or work-from-home Moms who are Type A like me benefit from having a schedule like they would in an office. I’ve been trying, now that Brady is a “little” more predictable, to figure out one that works here – in terms of wake times (for me and for Brady), exercise (for me, Bryan’s a runner), meals, dinner as a family, bedtimes and shopping/errands. That probably sounds very OCD. And it is. It’s how I roll.

I worked today for the first time since Thanksgiving. To say I’m grateful for having that time off is an understatement. I needed it.

My heart needed it. My brain needed it. My creative juices needed it.

And I’m back! Working while Brady hung out with “Ms. Kara” today was wonderful. It felt good to get back in the groove. I worked on an awesome new announcement for Making Brands Happen (coming soon!) as well as plenty of planner orders (shipping this week!) All in all, today was a wonderful day. Tonight, our LSU Tigers play Alabama for the National Title. I’m not a huge football fan, but I’m a big “lets get together, eat cajun food, watch a fun game, hang out as a family wearing matching shirts” fan…. so here we geaux!!

PS: If you haven’t watched this, you must. I taught Brady to do this in a few hours. Its his favorite thing ever now. If I walk away and come back, he’ll be sitting there with his arms up and a giant grin on his face waiting for a “YAYYYYYY!!”