my little princess

I love a story, I love a fairytale, I want my children to dream big. They can be anything they want, president, astronaut, dentist, teacher, nurse, Olympian, firefighter, artist, singer...

But... last year when Taylor told me that she wanted to be a princess when she grows up I gently explained that she could be anything she wanted, but not be a princess.

I am not a princess, you are not a princess and you are never going to grow up to be a princess.  It is just not going to happen.

You should aspire to be something you may actually achieve.  Something that you can go to school for, something you can plan on and work towards.

Something real.

Then along came the royal wedding.  I stand corrected.

This conversation pursued:  "Mommy is she a real princess?"

"Not yet honey, she is going to marry the prince and then she will be a real princess."

Oh no, this is not good.  Did that actually come out of my mouth.

Apparently you can become a princess, it might be more likely that you will become the next platinum selling artist or award winning actor but you can become a princess.

Aim high baby, dream big.


Happy Friday,

elena

health kick...

I have not written an update lately, so here we go.
Slowly but surely, that is my new motto. 

I am not a fan of this new motto.  Actually I think it sucks but I am working with it. 

I am much more of an instant gratification girl but alas it is not happening for me.

I did manage to fit into my cute pre-Jax jeans before his birthday.  I vote that my backside looked pretty good but I had to wear a loose enough shirt to cover the muffin top range.  Lets call it a minor success.

Here is what I am doing:

Working on my eating.  I am trying to get enough protein and limit my carb intake.  If I could, I would only eat carbs.  Pasta and bread make me very happy but being lean would make me happier.

I am not going crazy, I am eating well rounded and healthy (with the exception of the cupcakes I made for Jaxson's birthday).

When we go out I eat what I want but try to stay conscientious, at home I am planning veggie an protein based meals.

I am watching my cocktail intake, apparently I don't need a margarita just because it is a warm afternoon. I think this sucks as well.

I am running some and working hard at the gym. 

I feel a little better in my skin but I am still way out  from where I want to be.

Slowly but surely, it is not fun but hopefully it will work.
 

Enjoy,

elena

*What is your plan? How are you staying/getting healthy?

what a week...grab a beer and check it out

 My mom came to town.

 We went to an Easter party.  There were a lot of kids there.

I was thankful it was not at my house.  And for the coffee.  And for the mimosas.

 I went on a hot date with my husband, that included a night in a hotel,  and...

breakfast, in a restaurant, with no kids. The food and the coffee were only okay but there were no kids so it was perfect.

I shopped for the slacker Easter bunny at 10:00 Saturday night.

 I baked these beautiful little things. ( I realize that they only exemplify my craziness)

And put this together.  (More crazy)

And made this. (Still more crazy.  I made a few more bits of love but I am not showing you them because clearly I get over excited)

Check out these cupcakes again.  I will be honest, I am a little impressed with myself. (My crazy, overdoing it, makes me a little high. It takes me half way through the party to calm down enough to hold a complete conversation.)

My nephews joined in the festivities.

Did I mention my baby turned one.  (Enjoy the rare image of me, I will not be posting another one anytime soon.)

Cupcakes were enjoyed by all.

It was a good week.

Enjoy,

elena

our story

I have said many times, my husband is not who I was looking for but I am so glad I found him.

We are different, very different.  He has a collection of sneakers I wear heels. 

We met at the gym in downtown Oakland.  (Classier then a bar...?).

We have said goodnight to each other every night since our second date.  Often on the phone, occasionally by text, but every night.

We had been dating nearly three years when Rob planned a surprise birthday party for me.  I walked in the door to find that my friends and had flown in for the party, he proposed to me later that day in front of 25 people.

Six months later I found out I was pregnant.  I was finishing my masters, working full time and planning my wedding.  I will never say that Taylor was not planned she just came a year ahead of schedule.

I was overwhelmed and stressed.  Rob was calm and excited.  He insured me that it was okay, that he would take care of me, that he would take care of us.

Months later I got laid off, I knew that I did not have to worry about finding a job. 

We got married April 22, 2006.

We had Taylor a month later.

Not sure what happened to the size of this pict.

September 1st, 2007 we got married again.

April 24th, 2010 we had Jaxson (he came right on schedule).

We have a good life.

It is not always easy, it has not always gone as planned, but it is good. 

Happy Anniversary Rob.

I love you,

Elena

run

It is 4:40.  My alarm is going off.

What do I have to get done.  Why do I have to get up.

Oh. Wait.  Rob is home.  (Picture me noticing my sleeping husband as if he had not been there all night.)

I am going running.

I only slept 6 hours, but I get to run.

I get to be me before anyone needs anything from me.

I make my coffee and I drink the entire cup while it is still hot, no one needs anything, no one is talking.

My house is silent and I head out into the cool, dark morning.
.

I love it, the morning air is still crisp.

I meet friends and we run.  A quick five miles.  It feels good.

I spend the rest of the day feeling content and happy.

I miss this.  I need this.

Enjoy the run,

elena

arrival

I have a friend.

She is my family.  Like my family is my family. 

She just had a baby. 

For ten months I teared up every time I thought about this baby. 

He is here.  I love him.  He is so good. 

The anticipation, the excitement, and the love, we felt as we waited for him was overwhelming.  His parents and grandmothers and us, the girls, sisters with no blood in common, we waited.

His mama is strong.  She has been waiting for him her whole life. 

He is here.

My heart swells.

I would do anything for him.

Much love,

elena

simple pleasure

I have no words to describe.

We grow up and we forget to embrace the moment and find the joy in our everyday routine.

Enjoy,

elena

10. 10. 10.

I  had an amazing day, and I took a ton of fun pictures, not necessarily good pictures but they make me smile.  I thought I would participate in Ten on Ten.

The Tenth of the month, Ten pictures, Ten hours.  My friend Kim participates every month I always love her 10.10.10 post but I have never managed to do it before.  I may have missed the point, finding beauty in ordinary things, because all I took was pictures of people. 

My people.

It was a more then ordinary day.

I spent the day with two kids, one dad, one uncle, four aunties, and two cousins, four locations, all in the sun.

How about that shadow, but I love this pict, my kids, my girls and O's soon to be baby.

Today started with no plans, and ended up being so good. Everything just worked and was easy, and things have not seemed easy lately.  I got to spend the day in the sun with some of the people I love the most in the world.  My family and my friends who are family.

It was a good day, I hope yours was as well.

elena

is this day over

Can you hear me? 

I am talking. 

I can hear my own voice but I am pretty sure my daughter cannot hear me. 

At least I hope she can't because otherwise she is ignoring me.  Again.  And again.  All day long.

Words cannot begin to describe how much I love this girl, but she is not an easy one.

She is strong willed like you would not believe.  She is hard headed, has a mind of her own, and she is a force to be reckoned with. 

Someday she will be a strong woman that I will be endlessly impressed with.  She will know what she wants and stop and nothing to get it.  She will be a force to be reckoned with.

It is going to be a long road to get there.

Today she told me that the Easter Bunny is not real.  

What, really already.

I asked her where she her that and she responded, "Myself, I just know."

Can you blame her.  A mystical bunny that leaves baskets and eggs.  I can get behind Santa Clause but the Easter Bunny is a tough sell.

Is it bedtime yet?

Time hide on the couch with a glass of wine, my computer and the remote.


This has been a day,

elena

managing money

I love talking about finances.  I find spending habits and how couples manage there incomes fascinating.  I don't need to know how much they make but what do they do with their money is so interesting to me.

I realize that I am a dork, but I love this stuff.

We don't have a budget.  I am not saying that it is a financial free for all at our house, but some money comes in, some goes out, and goes to savings.  I know about what I spend each month on groceries and extras, but that is it. 

I got laid off just before we were married and then promptly had Taylor, we have never been a two income household. There was never mine and yours, it was always ours. 

It works for us, but all my friends do it differently.  Some have budget for everything, some put percents of their income into the communal pot for bills, some have one income go to savings and retirement and one for monthly expenses. 

How do you manage your money? 

Do you know how much or what percent goes to different things each month (like groceries, or eating out, shoes...)?

Do you have any tricks or tips for saving money, budgeting, or otherwise managing money?

Are there things you are not willing to skimp on?

Best,

elena

the path not taken

I have a friend in town.

Our lives are a little different...

She and her coworkers fly on commuter airplane to work each morning.

I drive preschool carpool.

She goes grocery shopping once a month.

I grocery shop one to four times a week.

I have to negotiate every part of my day, my shower, my run, my coffee, everything.

She, well... does not.

I used to dream of being an expat.

Now I day dream of a vacation abroad or down the road with my children and husband in tow.

When I look at my friends that have taken different roads, I think a lot about the choices I have made.

I get to snuggle my babies when they wake up.  We get to picnic in the park, and play in the sun.

There are upsides to each of the paths we choose, this is mine.


Happy Wednesday,

elena

what I did last week

Today I am joining my friend Kim and posting:


     So grab a beer, or a hot cup of coffee and check out my week, it was a good one.


We started out Monday morning with a house full of kids.

My son turned into a boy and not just a baby.

We helped our friend Jeremy celebrate his birthday, you can read their story told by my friend Liz here.

Outside + Sun + Popsicles = Happy Kids + Happy Mamas

We spent Sunday in wine country, yes that is a bottle bubbly and a sippy cup on the table.

To make wine country with kids fun come prepared, we brought a bubble maker, a ball and a wagon.

Rob finally got to come home. Check my family out.

Did you notice Taylor's pose?

It was a good week.


Happy Monday,

elena

I enjoy parenting more when the sun is out

Happy, dirty and loving it

Really.

It has been raining for weeks.

I am not a home body. 

Lugging around two kids in the rain gets old.

This week the rain went away and it got warm, summer warm.

It has been in the 80's.

I am a much better mom when we can play outside.

Warm weather means, the park, summer concerts, picnics, swimming, sprinklers, happy hour in the back yard while the kids play (if you have not tried this I highly recommend).

No more jackets and boots, on to sun dresses and flip flops.

No more hearty soups and red wine, on to berries, barbaque, salad, beer and margaritas (and juice boxes). 

Outside, sunshine.

Parenting is so much better when the sun is out.


Happy Friday,

elena


*What are you looking forward to this spring?