everyone is gone

I love having a full house, I love hosting everyone but I love when everyone leaves.

My sister was the last to leave after the holiday, it was great having her, I appreciate getting to spend time with her and watch her with my kids, she is helpful and generous, but I am ready to have my house back.

Tonight Rob is at work, and the kids are sleeping.  I am alone in my home.

I joke that I married a man that is gone on purpose.  I love my husband but I love when he gets out of my house. 

Don't get me wrong, there are mornings when I snuggle in closer hoping to buy five more minutes before he has to leave. Some evenings I ache because I wish he was here. 

But tonight, I put the kids to bed, and I cleaned my kitchen alone and, it was so good. 

I am sitting snuggled up in a big down comforter with the TV on...alone and, it is so good.

I have friends who say they would hate to have there husbands gone at night, that by the end of the day they are counting the minutes until their husbands are home. 

Rob's 24 hour work day works for me, I relish in the space and love when he gets to come home to me.

As for tonight, everyone is gone and, it is so good.

what a week

Thanksgiving is over and we are getting back into the normal swing of things.

We had a great holiday, it was the perfect mixture of family, friends, food and booze.
 

After the kids went to bed we ended Thanksgiving with board games and maybe a few more cocktails, it was so much fun.  We need to have adult game night more often.

We spent Friday being lazy in our PJs, not really doing much of anything but laying around playing with the kids and our computers.  (Terrible picture but it was too funny so I had to include it.)

Two more computers were being used on the couch that are not seen in the picture. Ridiculous I know.

Almost everyone has gone home, the dishes are done, pies are gone, turkey soup is made and we are ready for the next holiday.

*A quick update on the exciting things that are happening in my life this week this week.

• Marathon count down...the California International Marathon is on Sunday, 26.2 here I come.
• I sent is the 2nd draft of my thesis, cross your fingers that there will not need to be a 3rd draft.

Rise and shine people it's thanksgiving...

...or the day after but this is the first time I have had to sit down with my computer.

Finished the night before: sweet potatoes (vegan and regular), turkey brining, pies baked, cranberry sauce done (by the way, I did little to none of this, thanks Autumn and Mom).

Thanksgiving morning at my house:

5:07: Jaxson is awake.

5:18: Jaxson is back in bed, I am making a much needed cup of coffee.

5:20: My sister, Autumn, is awake.

5:30: Jaxson is awake.

5:40: I leave to go running (Jaxson is still awake but no longer my responsibility, thank you Autumn).

7:30: Back home, everyone is awake (6 adults, 3 babies, 1 kid)

7:40: More coffee (much needed), make Margaritas to freeze for later (much needed), make breakfast for 6 adults, 3 babies and 1 kid.

8:00: Shower

8:30: Taylor's friend arrives for a play day (much needed).

By 9:00 the day was in full swing, we made stuffing (vegan and regular), my mom bundled the girls and took them to the park.

We cooked more, including lunch for the 15 people that were at the house by early afternoon, got the turkey in the oven, made and partook in several mimosas, put the little ones down for a nap, cooked, cleaned, drank frozen margaritas and spent time with friends that are like family and our actual family. 

I love having everyone in our house, I am so thankful that they come year after year.  I am thankful that my new house is bigger and feels slightly less overwhelming when everyone is here. I am thankful that I don't have to do all the cooking or, just as importantly,  all the cleaning.  I am thankful Rob enjoys having our house filled with our eclectic family.

Happy Thanks Giving,
Elena

More to come about Thanksgiving at our house. 

Errands with small people...

Lets call this my ode to Ikea.

I remember going to Ikea and wondering who drops off there kids in a daycare at a store, now I totally get it. 

I love the daycare at Ikea.

Taylor asks to go, and I am willing to indulge. 

We go, I drop her off for an hour, and I wander around.

When I pick her up we get her an ice cream, she eats it while playing.  She loves it and I get an hour to shop (or not), on this trip we need a small couch for the toy room.

Notice the dress, she wants to wear it everyday.

The hand dryer was a big hit.

I had to ask them to stop playing with the hand dryer so we could get out of the restroom,

Need a quick date, need a moment to think, need a couch, I highly recommend Ikea.

Jax cannot go into Ikea daycare but he likes shopping at the baby store 

I am pretty sure I can make any errand fun.  Errands have to get done and more then likely I am toting a cluster if children so lets make it work for everyone.

This Week's Highs...

I not love her, she is nuts.

I got this dress for my 6th or 7th Birthday, she has been dying to wear it.   She is holding a dress that was my sisters and she wanted to show grandma both dresses so we had to get a picture.

Tay and I had a date to Yo Gabba Gabba.

Sweet baby took a nap while my girlfriend and I had a lunch date.

He is too cute and so happy.

More Highs from this week:

-A girlfriend visited from San Francisco before her move back to AZ.  We had a great time, she is so good with my kids, she is fun and overall she is kind and generous.   I wish her nothing but the best and hope that this move takes her closer to what she wants in her life.

-Yo Gabba Gabba live = fun date with my girl.

-I fall more in love with Jax everyday (even if he has decided  he does not want to sleep at night).

-Tapering this weekend so we only have to run 14miles (downside is it will be raining).

-Best moment of the week:  Watching my sweet husband dance with our kids (sorry no pictures,  I was washing dishes).  I am so grateful I have a husband that loves being a father and tries to be a better dad everyday.


Happy Friday,
Elena

I should not be blogging

I finished the course work for my Masters in Business two months after my daughter was born, but I never finished my Thesis. 

I have not been looking for a job, it did not really matter, but the longer I put it off the more stress I felt about it, the harder it seemed.

Finally, more then four years later, I am actively working on it. 

I sent my first draft in,  I was hoping it would come back and there would only be a few changes necessary, but no there are lots and lots of edits. 

Honestly I wanted to cry, I just want to be done.  Edits are good, but I was asked to make big changes to the beginning of the paper and it feels so daunting.

I am trying not to get derailed.  

My goal was to have it done and finalized my December 16th, allowing me to apply for spring graduation.  I am going to try and make that goal still.  I work well with deadlines, so I need to keep that hard-and-fast date in mind. 

I went running this morning so today when I  go to the gym, I am not to going to work out, I am going  to check my kids into the daycare and get two hours to work.

I should not be blogging right now I should be working on my thesis.

20 Miles Baby!

These are my shoes, after running 20 miles.

This is me in an ice bath, after running 20 miles.

These are the heels I wore, after running 20 miles (clearly I have a problem).

This is the Margarita I drank, after running 20 miles.

I feel great, well actually, just really happy to be done.  

We did 18 a few weeks ago and it was great, I felt strong, I felt like I could have kept running.  Today, I was glad we decided only to do 20 (rather then 21 or 22). 

I am slower then I would like to be, but still, I ran 20 Miles.

At mile 16 I was ready to be home snuggling my babies.

Between mile 19 and 19.5 I was wondering why I thought this was a good idea.

At mile 20 I had tears in my eyes.

Happy Sunday,
Elena

*Thanks Ladies for running with me and thanks Liz work watching my babies at the ungodly hour of 5:30 on Sunday morning.

what if my husband laughs at me?

 Conversation with Taylor,

T: "Mom, what if my husband laughs at me?"

E: "Why would your husband laugh at you?"

T: "Because I sleep with no shirt on."

E: "Your husband wont laugh at you, he will love you, be nice to you, and he will like that he gets to snuggle against your skin."

T: "Mom, I don't want to get married."

E: "That's ok, you don't have to get married."

T: "But what if I want to have babies?"

E: "Then you should get married."

T: "Mom, when I grow up, I want to live close to you and you can babysit my babies."

E: "Ok, I would like that."


I had to write this down (and share), she is too funny, I don't think I was worrying about what my husband would think until I had a husband.   I hope that she remembers she wants to live close to me when she is a grownup, I would like to babysit her babies.

My babies

Happy Friday,

Elena

There is no place like home...for Christmas

I am a real grown up.  I have two kids, a husband, a house, a mortgage, I listen to NPR, but when I say home I mean my mom's home.

I have always gone home for Christmas,  Christmas in Santa Fe is magical.

There is the snow on the mountains and the adobe, and the way the Plaza and Cathedral look decorated for Christmas.  Walking down Acequia Madre and Canyon Road on Christmas eve, having cocktails at La Posada before and after walking, and seeing my friends and family.

Then there is my mom.  I still get to wake up Christmas morning and see the magic of Santa Clause, I get to watch my kids as they see the magic she created.

I don't know if everyone feels this way about their holiday traditions but I love every part of it.  These traditions are what I want my kids to grow up with.  I don't need to have Christmas in my house.

Rob has come home with me every year.  It has become our family tradition but he says he wants to have Christmas at our house. 

I know I am a real grown up, and I should want to be at my home for Christmas, but I don't.  The idea makes me sad,  I would have a really hard time faking it for my kids. 

There is no place like my mom's home for Christmas.

Luckily, my husbands really likes to make me happy.  I just bought out tickets.

Thanks Rob and  Mom for making Christmas magical.

This is not a cooking blog but...

I cook every day. 

Food is a big part of our life.  I love cooking and (sometimes) enjoy cooking and eating with my family.  I am a big believer in eating dinner together.  We sit down together pretty much every day for dinner.  Sometimes it is great and other times it is a chore, but still, we sit down together.

Here is last weeks menu:

Turkey Sliders (I mix BBQ sauce, spinach and onions into the meat): everyone at my house likes them

Roast Chicken and veggies: Easy comfort food  that everyone likes, and I made an extra chicken to use for meals later in the week.

Here is where I went a little crazy. 

My mom, brother, sister in-law, and twin nephews were coming for the weekend, I love having them here but everything takes more time when there are 3 babies and one kid in a house. To make it easier on everyone I got busy and made several meals before they got here.

Every burner was going

First up was baby food, yes I make baby food.

White beans, chard, sweet potatoes, garlic, onion, and carrots (add Parmesan and crusty bread and is is tasty for everyone)

Next up: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas: They were fast to make because I used leftover chicken. 

Thank you mom flying with a cooler of chile.

 

 

Then I made, Italian Sausage soup: Tons of veggies, turkey Italian sausage, pasta, tomatoes and broth.

Finally I made chicken stock with the leftover chicken and the carckuses, I will spare the you the pictures. I will use the stock for chicken soup and chicken pot pie next week. I will spare the you the pictures.

When I was done cooking I was ready for dinner.  I enjoyed a glass of wine and a bowl of cereal.

 What are you cooking this week?

My Face Hurts and my nose is stuffy

I want to crawl under the covers and stay there. 

My husband is at work for the next four days and I am home alone with the kids. 

I don't feel good, and I don't have time to be sick. 

Ok....I am done, enough whining.  Thanks for listening.

Happy Friday, it was a good week. 

My mom was here from New Mexico and my sister-in-law and my nephews were her from San Fransisco, it has been non-stop busy but fun. 

I got two early morning runs in this week. 

I love running when it is still dark, before I have to take care of anything or anyone.  It is so worth waking up at 5:00 am, to get an hour that is all about me.  Rob is only home a morning or two week so I cannot get out very often, but when I can I love it.

Here are my goals for the next few days:

-Enjoy my kids (maybe I can trick them to crawl under the covers and snuggle)

-Get healthy (popping tons of natural remedies, and drinking coffee so I can fake it until they work)

-Run 21 miles (yes... this last item feels a little daunting but after 21 miles we start to taper down)



Taylor is at school this morning so it is just Jaxson and I for a few hours.

Happy Boy loves to eat

Notice the laundry, I am under the covers on the other side of the couch not putting it away.

Eat, drink and be merry, I will be on my couch or on the trail running.

Have a great weekend,
 
elena

I Don't Scrapbook

I could not get it together to send out baby announcements (for either of my children).   Even my wedding invites went out late. 

When my grandmother passed away I was given my dad's baby book, I could not wait to see the pictures and what she had written. 

I opened it and it was blank!  Ok, not blank, his name and birth date were written in.  That is it.

I am ranting, I know,  but I wanted to point out that it is not my fault... it is hereditary.

Unless Rob takes up scrap booking, I am not going to get these pictures or stories into a book.


I am attempting to document our lives here.


Here a glimpse into our week:

Grandma is here visiting.

Jax is a mouse

My mom made this outragous costume

Happy Hour, yes life has changed.

My boy

My mom and my nephew James

*on a side note, our camera broke.  Until I get a new one, all of the pictures are from my phone, and it is not a iphone.  Hopefully I will have quality picts soon.

Day trip with my family

Last week we went to Apple Hill.  We went to farms, a petting zoo and a winery. 

That's right our day out with the family includes a picnic at a winery. 

We used to stop and eat at one of the many food stands in Apple Hill.  We would eat amiss the chaos of people, animals and lines,  it was hectic and the food was not very good. 

This year we discovered a much better way to do Apple Hill, a picnic lunch at a winery.

If you look very closely you can see that beyond the wine glass is a swing set. 

That's right people, Para Vi has lovely picnic grounds, nice red wines, friendly staff and yes, a swing set. 

We played, we ate, we enjoyed a glass of wine. 

Everyone was happy. 

We will be back.

I am working on being in picture with my kids.

Taylor is into posing for pictures right now.

My nephew (sorry you are cut out of the picture James)

*I would also reccomed checking out Lava Cap winery, it is beautiful, has good wine and room for the kids to run and Rainbow Orchards for made to order apple donuts.