Been Sick and Feelin'Good...

Yep, we've had some serious colds and sinus issues as of late...love the Fall but those weather changes can really do a doozy on your system sometimes. So most of last week and this week was spent in resting and trying to get better.

Elena has such a joyful spirit as it is, but when she gets sick, she still plays and sings and smiles as if there weren't a thing wrong. I feel like telling her "Can you at least act sick when we go to the doctor please?!?" When we went this weekend, I think the pediatrician was more concerned about how bad I looked (I, unlike my chipper child, have no excitement or brightness when I am sick. Nope, not at all!), until she lept off the table and burst into gross coughing..."OH! There it is! Yeah, that's not good at all!" Funny and crazy!

So here's a few shots of Elena and her "ensembles" she wore while we were laying low.

Zajiceks

These were sent to me by my youngest sister, Jaimie, and if you don't know us by now (the Zajicek Family, that is), we're, well, a touch weird...so anyway, I am passing these on for others to see. This is at the zoo...my sister and her husband, grown, mature adults that they are, hanging from the elephant's tusks. My brother and his family on a seperate trip at the same zoo...yeah, pretending to feed his first born to the same elephant...quality. And this is why I love them as much as I do...they are the best. Your turn, Sal and Gil...get crackin' on something funny and original!

Happy Sunday...or so I thought...

Getting back into the swing of things meant getting back to church!!! FINALLY!!! I miss home! And so with a leap in my stride and a bounce in my step, I was ready for the new day...until...dum, dum, dum...I come out of the bedroom to find this...shredded toilet paper!!! And not just outside the bedroom door...down the steps, in the front room and in the family room...toilet paper everywhere!!! Apparently, Diva got bored at some point through the night, found the spot where we keep toilet paper, lifted herself somehow to reach it, and dragged and destroyed 2 full rolls throughout the house. Confetti...toilet papering....destruction...I love my dog, I love my dog, I love my dog...Looking back now, it's funny. At 7:30 this morning...not so much. Enjoy!

More photos of the front...

Thought I would post some more photos of the front with flowers and so you could see the lighting that my hubby...yes, Eric, AKA Bob the Builder...put in himself. I am so proud! And what a welcome sight it is to come home to... ;) My own Shangri La...love you, Baby!

Completion

And here we have it...our new front porch! I came home to this from Tucson! Being tired, I almost forgot where I lived, but this really messed with me! Next we'll start planting the foliage for landscaping...one thing at a time though!

PS - the flowers were Elena's and my addition to the front to welcome Eric home from Washington. ;)

Demolition

The front has changed, and here's the work in progress. As you can see, Builder Elena was on hand to scrutinize and oversee the work to make sure everything went accordingly...

First Day of School

Preschool started for Elena this year, and she is loving it. Her teachers are so nice and so patient, and as glad as I am to see her having fun, I am a little sad not having her with me every morning. She only goes Monday, Wednesday and Friday, but still...I guess this will help me for kindergarten next year...sniff, sniff...my baby is growing up!!!

Picture:

Ok, I failed at that. I tried to get the picture, but every time the door would open, she'd want to go back in...so this is what I got. Oh well.

What's going on now?

We started (and finished) a project for the front of the house before I left for Tucson...yep, more renovating! This time it was the front of the house we tackled. Picking out stone, deciding on a design...pretty exciting stuff...Here's the beginning of it. Eric has pictures on his phone since I commandeered the camera for obvious reasons, so the during and after shots will come as soon as he returns from Washington. Oh! Excitement!!!

Pictures:

Old front yard and some design ideas for the stone...Eric really was very much about making it just right, and Elena was very much about coloring those cardboard pieces as soon as Daddy would let her! You can see she got a hold of some already!