... all in good time

13 days into the new year...2013...and I am just sitting down to express my blessings to you all and your

families... Happy New Year!!! I am so thankful to see you all still around during my absence...

I believe your patience is astounding... 

Life has been happening here...

and that I cannot be regretful of.

The only thing I wish is that I had documented it a 

little bit better, perhaps.

While away, we took walks, dressed up in silly

Christmas pajamas, wrote letters to Santa, had dance

parties, nursed sick littles back to health from the sniffles, baked tons

of cookies....and so much more.

No, no regrets here.

So many changes already yes? I feel like change is happening

all around at a rocket's pace...

sometimes I wish...even will it to slow down...

but good change nonetheless.

You all are such sweet friends, and I am hoping that you all

are excited about this new year, and are doing well.

The picture above kind of sums up how we feel about this year...

we plan to have lots of fun together... I hope that shows

through here as well. Lots of learning, lots of loving, 

and much more sharing.

I hope to see you all throughout the year!

Also, I would love to update my blogroll so if we have not "officially" introduced, please

send me your blog links and/or links to some you think I may enjoy! I would love to say hi!

xoxo

Happy 2012, A Blog Update, and a lil Xmas too...

Happy 2012, friends!

Holy Moly...what a crazy past few days we've had around here!

I wish I could report that we are feeling better...quite the opposite actually... we spent the afternoon at the Dr.'s office and have been diagnosed with upper respiratory infections...ughhhh... well, at least we know the problem and hopefully I will be able to get a little sleep... these poor kiddos have been awfully pitiful...makes me so sad to see them like that.Not exactly the most picturesque way to start a new year, but at least we are here, all together and have a home to be sick in, I say!

Oh, notice the big changes around here (the blog that is)?!?! I have no idea how I pulled it off with everything else that has been going on, but I knew I wanted a fresh "face" for my little space since it is a brand new year after all! I have been tweeking little things here and there today so if something isn't working exactly 100% , that's why. Hope you like it! I had a much clearer idea of what I wanted everything to look like going into the update this time...so I think that also helped make everything easier and faster this go round!

Now, on to our little Christmas.

I promised you all a recap of the day...and I know it's a bit late...just chalk it up to germs! lol

I mentioned in my update post that we woke up super early to share in Christmas together here, at our home before making the 4 hour trek to my family's home. Well, here are a few pics from early Christmas morning.

The first Christmas morning in our new home!

 the bird was so bewildered by all the gifts....this was his very first present-opening experience...!

( he was too little last year)

Luca loved every minute of it...he didn't even care that we woke up super early...

He is a champ at Christmas by now...and so precious...he helped pass everyone

there gifts...asking me or the Mr. to read the "to" and "from" for him. He only asked for

one gift this year... Simba. So the Mr. and I were so thrilled to see his little face light up

when he unwrapped his new Simba!

Thank you to all our friends and family who sent these littles gifts! They have thoroughly

enjoyed each one! Luca comes up to me daily and tells me who gave him each gift! The memory that kid has...if only mine were still that good!

I was thrilled to be able to spend Christmas at both our home and with my family

that day.... I couldn't have asked for more.

Though my grandmother wasn't there this year to celebrate with us, I know she was looking down

on us, happy we were all together and continuing in our oldest of traditions.

Thankful.

Hope your Christmas was extra special and your New Year filled with excitement!

(as for us...well we brought it the new year with lots of tissues, in bed...watching lots of Elmo lol we weren't quite the party scene this year!....maybe next year!)



How did you bring in the New Year?

xoxo  Elena

16.42: Bringing in 2012

December {2011} Edition

Hi friends!

It is so good to be back...I loved & hated

being away for so long, but it was nice to have

a chance to see friends and family and celebrate the

holidays with everyone.

We all caught a bug while away, and we have

been trying to nurse ourselves back to health...

we have been a little grumpy and a lot mopey around here

and we have been celebrating the last few hours of 2011

with a box of tissues, cough medicine and reruns of Elmo.

Not exactly going out with a bang...Ha...but our neighbors

are shooting off fireworks as we speak...so we sort of feel

a little festive...and kind of like we're in the midst of

a battle field....lol

I thought I would end this year with one final monthly kiddo update.

I love doing these (and hope you will all indulge me at least) and

hope my kiddos will one day appreciate that I took the time, each month, to remember there changes, growth and personalities.

I will get around to the Christmas post soon (promise)...Probably after we all feel a bit better :)

This month, I wanted to merge the monthly post with House of The Funny Face.... Check out (just some) of the silliness that

goes on. Here goes!

Bird

This month you received a new nickname- "tank" because the way

you fall, roll and ram into things 24/7 you couldn't be more closely built like anything else...

you would surely have had stitches, broken bones and who knows what else! I'm so thankful you

are such a tough kiddo...you scare me to bits with you daredevil outlook on life...but I kind of dig it too...as long as you're safe that is! You are such a silly kid...and your jokester personality has revealed itself as of late.This month you moved from a crib to a toddler bed!...and no more high chair for you either...now you have a nifty new booster seat! You are learning more and more words...but you still say "yes" more than all the rest...this needs to be marked in history...the kid that says yes! You refuse to wear socks... and you can touch your toes to your head...still! hahaha which is pretty funny. Your Papa got you your very first swing and you have loved every minute of it! I still catch you throwing your food all over the kitchen and your worst habit is picking your little nose (even though it is secretly kind of cute at your age). You steal the toilet paper...and drag it all the way down the hall just to pretend you're blowing your nose...and besides all the mess...you actually do a good job :)

I love you, my not-so-little baby boy.

You'll always be mommas baby.

You'll always find some way to make me smile.

Stay silly...there are far too many of the serious nature.

The world could use a few more smiles.

♥

Monk

(I noticed I started calling you this a couple months ago...as a nickname for your nickname "monkey"

and it kind of stuck...so monk you are lol!)

You won the coolest kid award again this month ...after you successfully staged, angled and shot your first photo shoot with the camera you received for Christmas...and I didn't even tell you how...the photo shoot was of Elmo by the way...it was awesome. Child after my own heart! This month you have begun to learn to write! We are both really excited about this...I'm not sure who is more excited really...but I light up when I see the look on your face...every time you finish a letter. You remember Grandma Sallie, you told me where she lived, you told me she is dancing with Jesus...and even though you don't really understand it all... you made me cry...sweet, heavy tears to know you still have a memory of her at your age. This is your last year at home with me...this is the year you begin preschool...and honestly, it both excites and saddens me. I am so happy that you get to learn and interact, but I will always miss this special season we have shared. You are still fascinated with all things telephones...and you love to chatter away on your (pretend) phone to all your friends! I love your willingness to learn, you love for cameras and art, your nurturing spirit and your precious smile.

Never stop caring for others.

Never stop loving.

Your gift is the kind that ends wars,

rebuilds bridges and brings

everyone together.

Share it.

♥

  

He is telling the bird to "stop touching the telephone, or momma's gonna

be mad." lol and the bird could really care less :)

Happy New Year, Friends!

Hope 2012 is filled with all the best for you!

xoxo Elena

ONE....and no more.

(photo credit)

Remember that "word" I told you about in my new year's post ? Well, though I would love to say this was an original, made by me idea lol, I cannot. I think it is such an amazing and effective way at kicking the "resolution" out the window while, in its place, inserting an action word for your New Year; your life. Though, I will say I don't take part in (or necessarily agree with) some or most of the other ideas sponsored by the creators (I guess this is my disclaimer), I do think that it has helped me be more focused on the area of change I have wanted in my life for each year. This is my 3rd year. And if you didn't read by post on the subject (see above link) My word for this year is Reinvention.

So, if you are struggling with your longggg list of resolutions and you are already feeling overwhelmed 5 days into the new year, then maybe you should head on over and check out My One Word for yourself...After all, it is all about a change right?

XoXo

Hello 2011...let's be friends

Ok....Soooo, if you haven't already figured it out (from my hint earlier)....

My first New Year's change was.....

A HAIR CUT!!!!!

Yeah, I know, border-line lame, but for me (seriously, my last haircut was in February) this is end-of-the-year breaking stuff!
Here's my thoughts though, what better way to start the new year fresh than with a new look?!?!
Ladies are you with me?!?!?!
I am not big into new year's resolutions, what I do instead is pick a word at the end of every year which will kind of represent or define the how I want this new year to differ from the next.
This past year my word was Transparent
 ( I blogged a little about that in an earlier post)
and I feel like I really accomplished my goal !
This year the word I have chosen is Reinvention.
Are you still with me?
Ok....so the very first way I am going to do this is by re-starting my business endeavor this year
since the Mr.'s health seems to be stable, I am no longer pregnant and the time seems better,
more calm. There will be several (ok a lot) of changes to the shop and I am so excited to see what
happens! If I fail, well ok, I at least tried. I know I am being really vague about it all, but I want
to surprise you all at every step in the process.

Above all, I have to say thank you to YOU, my readers, those of you who have truly turned into my friends.
You have supported me, uplifted me, kicked me (metaphorically speaking) and guided me through this
blogging adventure. I have learned and am learning so much in just the short while I have been doing this
and I can only imagine it getting better from here!

Much ♥ to you all in this New Year

XoXo