A Moment About My Village

My life would not work without my village.

When I first moved to Sacramento I was devastated. 

This is not where I wanted to be but for many reasons (I will tell the story later) it made sense.

I never thought I would stay here but now I really like my life, it would be hard to leave.  I have made Sacramento my home because of my village.

I have three booster seats and a baby seat in my car and I only have two kids.

The flow of small people is constant, and I would not change it for anything.  My life would not work any other way.  Nor it would be as fun. 

I could not run a marathon, send out Christmas cards, write my thesis,  date my husband or for that matter be nice to my husband and kids or generally function without my village. 
I am a much better wife and mother because I do not have to do it alone.

If you do not have a village I recommend that you go out and make one.  

Happy Monday,
Elena

2011

It is a new year...

I have been thinking about what I would like to happen this year, I am avoiding saying "resolutions".

I would like to enjoy my life more. 

I get caught up in the daily nitty-gritty, with all the things that need to get done, and then at the end of the night I melt into my couch.  This is my life and this year I will enjoy and appreciate it more.  I will take time to love on my kids, my husband and my friends. I will make time to play with the people that fill my life with joy.

Running... I will run a marathon or two this year and at a pace that I can feel good about.

Health,  I know that this is the most generic resolution, everyone wants to loose weight in the new year.  But oh well here we go.  My heart and legs are strong but I am not where I want to be physically.  I am active already, I am a regular at the gym, we eat healthy.... hello I just ran a marathon.  But when I look in the mirror or try on clothes I am not seeing any of that.  It is time to make a change.  Starting this week. 

This week I will:

Move more, not just running but in the gym.  I am committing to 5 workouts this week.

Adjust the way I am eating.  I enjoyed the holidays and now I have to make some changes.  This week I am starting by eating breakfast (not just a cup of coffee and a bite or two of the kids food), I not eating sugar or white flour, and I am adding more veggies everything I am eating. 

I will keep you posted on how it is going and tell you about the healthy food I am making and eating, and if you have any great health tips or healthy recipes please share them.

Its a new year,

Elena

Goodbye 2010

Let me start by saying 2010 was a good year for me, not all easy, but good. 

We had Jaxson, we remodeled and moved into a new house.  I ran a marathon and finally finished my masters degree,  I got to be an aunt, I watched some of my closest friends get pregnant and become moms, I watched friends marriages end and friends falling in love. 

There are things I wish I could change and moments I would not change for anything.  I feel so fortunate that I have this life and the friends and family that make it worth living. 

I love you all and I am so thankful that I have you in my life. 

I am ready for a new year and all the good, bad and ugly that come with it.

Happy New Year,

Elena

Holiday Wrap Up

A little tidbit about Christmas.

As you know we are a food family.  We cook, bake, feed people and eat. 

On Christmas Eve, my mom, sister, Taylor and I  got busy in the kitchen.  We made sticky buns (vegan and regular), cupcakes for Santa, almond cake, brined the turkey, and made Cioppino for dinner.

That evening we met friends at La Pasado for drinks, as we do every year, the we walked to see the Farolitos  (paper bags filled with sand and a lit votive candle) and luminarias (small fires) that are lit all along the road in the historic part of town. 

We sang Christmas carols (or at least the first verse because that is all we can remember), and enjoyed the magic of friends, family and Santa Fe at Christmas.

We finished Christmas Eve at my mom's house where we open one present (Pajamas every year) and then it was off to bed to wait for Santa. 

 

 

Cupcakes for Santa

On Christmas morning the magic continued with happy babies and Taylor ecstatic knowing that Santa had been there and Christmas was finally here.

Later, we cooked, baked, fed people ate, drank enjoyed good company and celebrated.

It was a great Holiday and trip home, I am so thankful that I am able to give my kids these childhood memories and that I am able (with the help of my family) to make Christmas magical.

I hope that you all enjoyed your holidays and wish you all good things for 2011,

Elena


 *I will post more pictures and maybe a video or two as I collect them from the various cameras, and hopefully Kim will give me a lesson on blogging so I can figure out how space my pictures evenly.