Trying to get back in the groove

Today was the Harvest Party at Ella's school and parents were allowed to come attend. Her little PreK class did crafts, got treats, special snacks, and El felt pretty important having Mom AND Dad there. It was fun to see the little ones so "independent". :-) After dropping her off, Hubband and I ran some errands and ended up back at the Rebecca house with some materials for the contractor who's completing our renovation projects to convert the house to a rental. He had inadvertantly put the cabinet moldings on as crown moldings (attached to wall not cabinets) so Andrew had to show him what needed doing there. All in all though its looking good, with final walk thru looking to be around Thursday next week! I would love it if we could have this thing up for rent by November 7th.

The new house is coming along slowly. The kitchen right now looks like it has come down with some sort of fungus, with patches of different green paints all over the place while I test for the color I want. Sherwin Williams is doing a sale next week, so I'm hoping I can narrow it down and get the paint color on before the holiday. Even if the cabinets and woodwork aren't painted, getting rid of the nasty pukey yellow will be a huge improvement! Hubband has been putting in several hours each evening working on the Studio and the place is starting to come together! He is hoping to begin construction on the custom CD shelving and the recording booth tomorrow.

In other news, we've made the tough decision to give Titania a new home, away from toddlers and puppies. She has been increasingly unhappy with dogs/babies/moves and we finally decided that she will be more happy in a home where she can be the queen again. This decision was NOT made lightly and would not have been made at all had she not had a HUGE fan who has jokingly said she'd take Titai for years, and then became more serious when we mentioned in passing the thoughts we were having. Krissa will take good care of our girl, and I know I can check on her through photos and visits and even skype. I have a hard time imagining our home without her. She has been my kitty kid for 13 years and will leave a huge hole in our hearts. However, our love for her is not enough if she isn't happy....She'll be going home to Boston with Kristy on November 7th.

Ella-isms from 2011 -- Gathered for posterity

"Daddy, what flavor is my lollipop?" "Concord Grape" >shocked silence for a moment< "BUT DADDY! IT doesn't TASTE like the Concord!"

Ella says that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were saved because an Angel came to school (in the song, the Angel "kept them cool", but she insists otherwise)

Upon reaching the restroom of Wendy's, after a prolonged time at the park, Ella hopped up onto the potty, started to pee, and let a huge sigh, saying "That's DELIGHTFUL".

Ella insists that the opening of The Lion King helps her booboos feel better and sings "Hakuna Matata --- its a PWOBLEM FWEE ... FUR LOSSSSS OFEEEEE!" at the top of her lungs at least once a day. Even better is when she tries to howl the opening call of Circle of Life.

"it makes me laugh so hard I almost crack myself out!"

"It was so funny I ALMOST laughed!"

"Oh GOD is bidder than da FOLEYMAN...he's bidder than Dogzilla or the monsters on TV... oh GOD is bidder than da FOLEYMAN and hes watching out for you and meeee". I dont know that her Dad appreciates the conversion of "bogey" to "Foley", considering its a sound effects technique....

Ella: "Look!!!! It's IHOP!! My favorite restaurant in the UNiVErSe!!!"

Ella told me one morning that she had dreamed God and his angels came to talk to her and when the angels were there she was afraid at first, but then God told her he would always be with her and she didn't need to be afraid....

One night at the table, speaking Miss Stacy Magsipoc, Ella said "My mommy is the best Chef ever" ... if only I could use that as an official credential....

Ella (in a conspiratorial whisper): Mama! You know what the bestest part is? SABBATH!

At lunch, Ella..."my going down throat isn't working, Mommy!" (We made sure the "coming up" throat wasn't working either)

Ella just came bouncing into my office and found a ski cap that she loved last winter in a box of miscellaneous (and I do mean that) ... stuff in my office. The box is overflowing with paper, books, fabric (who knows what it is), cords, etc. Upon finding the cap, she plucked it free, pulled it over her head and announced "MY HAT! Mama, is this the LOST AND FOUND?!"

Ella-isms of the night: On going over railroad tracks at a decent speed "Mama! That tickled my noggins!"

On being gently told that the lightning (which was intense) couldn't "get" us in Jeeves as long as we "obeyed the rules" .. "MAMA! I won't be afraid of lightning now because you TAUGHT ME"

Her prayer over dinner "Dear Jesus, Thank for this food and for this day but NOT FOR THIS STORM!"

Ella: once upon a time there were three bugs, Huey, Dooey, and Woody. And they saw a plant that looked like a circle. They were really dood men. But for a minute, the butterfly saw a square. The end.

"but Mama! It's not a show, it's a BIDEO!"

While playing ball with Ella ... "Ella, do you want to be a professional basketball player when you grow up?" Ella: "No, I want to be a REAL basketball player!"

Ella: >coughing< Daddy: Ella! Did you swallow your tongue?! Ella: (in a southern drawl) No daddy! Ah didn' swalla mah tunge!

Was a little sad the morning that Ella stopped saying "PlayPround" and is now saying "Playground".

From Kristy Hodson: When talking with Christina Plantier Boyd about O'Malley her 3 year old piped up "But she won't be sick anymore when God comes. Then she can play." Leave it to Ella to make me bawl.

Ella: But, MAMA! I WANT to take some of my toys to Heaven to play with when Jesus comes back!

Ella has just expressed a desire to go to Chocolate World in PA for dinner. Because Hershey is her favorite kind of food....

Daddy, after wrapping a banana to keep it good: "Ella! (aiming banana) BANG BANG!" Ella (shrieking): DONT BANG ME WITH THAT BANANA, DADA!

Ella: Mama, I wish we had a longer family, so we could all fill up the car. Right now there is only FREE of us.
>pause<
Oh, BRUVVER. >sigh<
Mama: (choking back giggles)

Before our move: Ella just promised me she won't throw up in our new house. I told her it was a nice thought....

Ella: Mama, I want to go to Connetitick again so I can go on a SEE SAW. Me: Well, we might be able to find one here. Ella: No, because I WANT to go on the seesaw in CONNETITICK.

Ella: Mama, my ear hurts. Me: Did you bump it? Ella: No. I just didn't have much much much much MUCH food to eat. That's why it hurts.

The alphabet according to Ella: A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,ELLA,IMO,P,TWUE,R,S,T,U,V,W,ECKS,Y,Z

Ella asked me last night about a sibling. I told her I didn't have a baby in my tummy yet--she asked if it was in my legs, I told her no, they only grow in mama's tummies. Then she asked... "How do they get out, Mama? Through your toes?" >giggle< I told her they come out of a mama's privates and she patted her own and said "Here? Wow". Out of the mouths of babes...

As Ella was dropping into sleep on March 2nd, 2011 -- "Mama?" "Yes Ella" "Can I pretend to be only 2 tomorrow?" .....

Overheard: "Daddy, I love you! I'm so glad you're not a dinosaur!"

Is amused by her daughter, who is currently wearing a green plastic picnic basket on her head, with the handles under her chin, and running around in circles with a football under her arm saying "LETS PLAY FOOTSBALL!"

Overheard: Daddy: Ella, are you growing again?! You're very hungry this morning! Ella: Yep! I need lots of injury to grow up!

Learning to Play

I am sitting here at nearly midnight trying to find my creativity under the piles of responsibility. I have found it in cakes, or on a nature walk with my BabyBoyd, but in these last weeks I feel its drowning. Along with my ability to relax and PLAY. I never thought of myself as someone who couldn't play, but it is one of the hardest things I've ever done to put down the boxes that need unpacking, the work that needs doing, the laundry that needs folding, or the food that needs making for the most important job I have -- being with my daughter. Tonight, I'm working, and writing, in the hopes that tomorrow I can look back and say "I did enough. Its time to play" and mean it. And then to pull my creativity out of its black hole and put it to work on something more than just the same old games....something like a breakfast picnic upstairs in the playroom. Just me and my girl, pretending to be on a far off world that is reached simply by going up the stairs.

The Second Day.

So, I didn't get a picture of her today because she spent most of the morning hurrying me out the door so she could get to SKOOL, MAMA! Once there, however, she had a moment of bashful-clinging-to-Mama-ness that cracked my resolve. Luckily, there was a train table available to distract her and by the time I said goodbye, she didn't even care enough to look up from the trains to wave.

In other news, I've officially done it again. Overloaded myself in a few ways. This time, its because I gave in to the temptation and desire for CAKE! CAKE! CAKE! experience and agreed to deliver a cake on a Thursday when I am planning to be gone for the weekend, can't start it until Thursday, and originally was going to LEAVE on Thursday. We're now leaving on Friday, so hopefully I can get everything done in time. My goal for the long weekend... LEAVE THE LAPTOP BEHIND. I figure they can get along without me for Friday and half of Monday.

Crud. Reminds me I need to talk to the Skool about letting El come in on a different day next week.....

First day of school

Toddler Princess started "School" today. A 2-day a week program called "Parent's Day Out" at a local church. She was thrilled, Mama was trepidatious. We got to the school about 20 minutes early, but I wasn't concerned. They have early dropoff available and I figured I would take at LEAST those 20 minutes to ease away so she wouldn't be upset or feel scared. We walked in the doors and there was her classroom! Covered with kittens on the door and with her two teachers and few of her classmates already inside. I signed her in and we went inside to find her cubby. By the time her teacher had introduced herself and I'd hung up her backpack and stowed her lunch and nap mat, the Princess was playing with toys on the other side of the room. I called her over for a bye bye hug and reminded her to obey her teacher. I went across the hall to pay her fees and figured I'd hear her calling for me. Nope, she just wanted Beau and Dadoh. Her teacher leaned over the door and asked quietly if she could have them when she asked and I said that's fine, whenever! I stayed and listened a few more minutes, but she was obviously not upset. She'd not progressed to laughing and chatter yet, so I know she was feeling a little insecure, but I have a feeling the lure of the toys overcame her shyness fairly quickly. I left the school and by the time I'd taken 3 steps I was sobbing. I cried all the way home. >sigh<

My baby is growing up too fast!

Putting a positive spin on life

A Beautiful Mess has a challenge/idea on her blog to set yourself Four Simple Goals to achieve before the end of the year.

1. choose simple goals that will make your life richer and happier on a daily basis. choose things you may not otherwise get done, but that are not difficult to accomplish.
2. do not choose result oriented goals, choose activity oriented goals. for example…. instead of “lose 10 pounds”, choose something like “eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day”. get what i’m saying? positive actions instead of just the end result!
3. choose goals that are personal that you believe will truly make your life richer just by doing them! they can be daily, weekly or one time experiences.

I found this through Zoot's site this morning, and decided to jump on the bandwagon myself. In a way, I'll be following Zoot a touch more than Beautiful Mess, because I'm going to try and keep these goals to things that aren't usually on my list of "to do by X day". If I did the usuals, it would be modifying the "lose weight" "better mom" "cleaner house" goals, and as they are everpresent, there is no need to rehash.

1. Write for ME at least 1 hour each week. This includes blogging, poetry, lyrics, and my novel.
2. Organize one area of the house each week. This doesn't mean a full room, which could get overwhelming, but simply an area. This week, I'm going to organize my desk. Next week, perhaps the bookshelves or the entry way. Eventually, I'll find the pretty, organized house languishing beneath the clutter.
3. Cook for fun each week. I make meals every day, but its been quite a while since I was able to just pick a random new recipe and set a day to make it. My new goal is to gather all of those recipes I keep wanting to try and just do one each week. It won't overwhelm my shopping budget if I stick to only one specialty buy menu item, and if the Toddler Princess doesn't want to eat it, it's only one meal lost.
4. Look for the positive in each stressor. I have a bad habit of allowing stressors to get to me. I end up with tense shoulders, headaches, bad sleep, fatigue, and a generally grumpy self who then doesn't present the best of herself to the people who matter most (Toddler Princess and Hubband). I'm aiming not to eliminate stress (which would be kind of like eliminating all crime at one fell swoop--impossible), just to take each stressor of my life and find the positive. Like... a side project I've taken on that was to be done by the end of June and is still lingering on taking far more of my time than advisable. Well, the positive? I'm getting a good bit of extra money in August that I never expected! There. :-) One goal done!

Actually, just in writing this post, I have accomplished 2 of my goals. And that's a positive spin on the loss of an hour of work time!

See you soon...

Ella taking pictures....

Adoration

Can you tell they adore each other? I love this picture.....

Pumpkin patch time!

We went to a local pumpkin stand and corn maze this afternoon. At first, she was more interested in the gravel on the driveway of the orchard than in the pumpkins, but once she realized she could take one HOME, she was thrilled. The maze itself was extremely muddy, but we'd come prepared and all of us had boots to wear. El got a big kick out of stomping through the mud in her froggies and splatting water and mud all over Mama and Dada's jeans!

Froggy boots like deep squishy mud.

It's fun to tromp through the mud with Mama and Daddy!

Can you tell she was excited to go to the Bouncy Castle? It was her favorite part of the day, and she sobbed when we took her away from it.

Living large

I actually took 24 hours off. I don't like to think of myself as a work-a-holic, but there are occasions where my overly developed sense of responsibility kicks in and I work myself to the bone. The last few weeks have been more on the overwork side of things. My husband made the comment today that he was proud of me for actually leaving dirty dishes in the sink for 2 full days. I watched The Ugly Truth this evening with my college roomie, who is visiting for the holiday weekend, and have been giggling to myself ever since.

Playing catch-up

Unfortunately, playing catch-up is not near as much fun as Ella playing in ketchup. It sounds similar. But not as much fun. In fact, I feel almost like I'm writing our Christmas card letter because it's been so long since I blogged!

Our trip drained our energies, and we came home to be thrust back into the fray of life far too quickly for my taste. Work is insane for me right now, as we are getting close to our launch date and preparing all the final materials as well as doing QA/QC runs on the entire site. Because the site is dynamic, I also continue to work on developing materials for the refresh schedule after launch. I'm putting together a basket of goodies and a carrot cake as a thank you to our friends who cared for Priscilla while we were away, catching up on clerkwork (I'm the church clerk), sorting through bills, trying to keep the house clean and the inmates of the house fed and clothed in clean garments... and spending at least a couple hours of each day this week relaxing with Ronnie, my college roommate, who is visiting us until Labor Day. We girls also went to Julie & Julia this week and the story, if not necessarily or specifically the people involved, renewed my resolve to build/write a family recipes cookbook. I'm even contemplating setting myself a specific time in the weekly calendar in which to work on it! (Note: I haven't said I SET a time yet... but Im THINKING about it!)

Hubband started school on Monday, and his 18-credit class load is intense. Even more intense than that was the feeling in the pit of our stomachs when he went to update his VA status and found a note on his file stating that he'd never been accepted to his degree program! None of his degree path advisors could figure out what was going on until they'd reviewed all of his paperwork. He's been taking degree classes for 2 years so there was a lot of confusion! Once they figured out where things had fallen apart (communication, mostly), he was able to enroll without incident. His classes are, for the most part, fun and interesting and will keep him busy! Of course, on top of that, he continues to help me with the housework, repair what breaks, and try to get ahead on the renovation projects that remain. He also cares for the cars and yard, and is in the process of building a computer (from scratch, so to speak!).

Ella has been growing and developing in leaps and bounds. She is learning and using regularly approximately 5-6 new words each week. Today alone, she added "bright" ("STACE! bight. bight!" when the light was in her eyes) and "water" (wuhwer). We also had another huge milestone this week....Ella PEED IN THE POTTY! She's shown interest in what we are doing and wants to "sits" with us when are using the restroom, so we decided to put the little potty Grandma CMom gave her in our bathroom. For the last couple of weeks, she would sit on it a couple of times a day, most usually when she was waiting for the tub to finish filling for her bath. Yesterday, we undressed her and let her do the naked baby run from her room to the bathroom (its a blast to dash naked around the house giggling, you should try it sometime!). She arrived in time to see me using the restroom and immediately sat on her potty. She then kind of smiled and patted my leg and I looked over at her to see that she had peed! We were VERY excited and praised her mightily, which got HER excited and she leapt off the potty.... and finished her peeing on the floor. BUT! It was still a big fun first for us that signals potty training for real may very well begin within the next few months. She also has started trying to get out of her crib in the morning, and I think the day is near when we will need to convert it to a "big girl" bed. This evening, she experienced another first and used fingerpaints (while wearing daddy's tshirt)! I'll post some shots once I get them uploaded. It was VERY cute.

For now, I am off to bed. Leaving you all with this very long post to contemplate---and the idea that in just one more week I am being flown to an entirely different state to bake a pair of birthday cakes (it sounds so awesome to say that... the rest of the story is that I'm thrilled because the cake is for my niece and I will be able to see her, all the other Eastern nieces and nephews, and attend her Dedication service as well!)

Good night all... photos... will come someday.

Sabbath joy

We went for a hike on Sabbath afternoon with some friends. It was really Ella's first actual HIKE, and she did really well! She hiked on her own legs for about a mile and then used Daddy's for the rest of the trail. We'd thought we were doing a 3-mile trail, but missed a signpost and ended up doing a little over 5. Needless to say, after a 20 hour drive that ended at 4 am on Friday morning and then the hike? We were TIRED. Sunday was a lot of little house chores, laundry, and playing with the baby while Daddy mowed the lawn.

HIS name is...

Jeeves.

Because he takes care of us and everything we need is available at the push of a button....

Except a bank within 200 miles that will accept deposits from us.

The Newest Member of the Family

Isn't she purty? We haven't named her yet.... any suggestions?

She is a 2006 Honda Odyssey Touring Edition. :-)

Pain...and such

I posted a little status on Facebook about how I was looking forward to my chiropractor consult today and hoped that he would be able to help with my pain issues... Boy, did a storm of comments come out of that one! Here is the skinny:

I've had neck issues for years, and actually went to a chiropractor in the 90s to help alleviate the literally blinding headaches I would get occasionally. I continued to have occasional pain and headaches over the years, but when I became pregnant with Eleanor the situation got a lot worse. By the time she was born I had severe pain and daily muscle spasms in my back. I hoped that after delivery things would go back to "normal", but they did not. I have pretty bad pain, fairly consistent in nature, in my lower back as well as some pain in my neck. I don't get the spasms as regularly, but lately with Ella getting bigger I've had some problems getting her in and out of her carseat. It has gotten to the point where I wake up several times in the night with discomfort and pain, and sometimes can't stand straight in the morning until I've had a chance to do some light stretching because the pain and stiffness are so bad.

Today, I saw Dr. M and we did an initial assessment. He could tell I was significantly out of alignment just by looking at me as my right shoulder was nearly an inch lower than my left! After reviewing some older xrays I'd taken in for him and doing a comprehensive exam, he thinks that I have scoliosis as well as some potential disc and probably fused vertebrae issues. We took more x-rays today, and I'll meet with him in the morning to go over them and get a really accurate read on what's going on so he can customize a treatment plan. He is a holistic care provider, in that he believes in not just adjusting your back and sending you on your way. He incorporates nutrition counseling, physical therapy, exercise, and some inferential therapies as well. He gave me some tips on how to lift Ella and how to put her into her carseat to alleviate the strain on my back, which I also hope will be a big help!

Because he said my shoulders and lower back were "as hard as a rock", he hooked me up to the machine for some inferential work today. It felt very strange, but did the job of loosening up the muscles a little bit! My insurance does not cover this kind of treatment, but Dr. M is working out payment plans and giving me some "deals" on treatments. I was referred to him by a good friend who sees him regularly and he also gave us both a discount for the referral.

I'm excited in that I think it will be a big help in my daily life to get some of the pain out of here...We'll see!

A hodge podge

I can hardly remember the days when a summer meant sleeping in, relaxing by a pool, eating potato chips and hot dogs, and reading copious amounts of books from the library. This summer has been a haze of heat and work and illness in the Boyd household. We seem to be recycling the germs, Ella will get sick, just as she gets well I will come down with it, and a few days later Hubband will be down for the count. What with all of the house projects (including the broken AC which at least is limping along these days) and my full time job and my sideline job (which will be ending soon), we've barely been able to take a deep breath before plunging into the next big thing.

Ella is just as busy as we are, learning learning learning! Her words and phrases expand practically by the hour, though her pronunciation is not really clear yet. My current favorite is "breakpoot" which is actually "breakfast". Yesterday she patted my arm as I changed her diaper and said "breakpoot, mama. Atta dooce!" She did indeed receive breakfast with apple juice.....after Mama stopped laughing!

This weekend, we're going to be driving across the state to spend the 4th with DangerElf and her family. An actual vacation! Complete with swimming pools and cousins!

I'm off now, leaving this hodge podge entry to fend for itself while I go prancy dance with my daughter to Barenaked Ladies "7-8-9". Bye!

Tired and Sickish Sabbath

She's not feeling very well, but will be better soon....

Ice Cream during the Blackout of '09

The lack of AC in 100 degree heat was making us all a little cranky, so Mama ran down to Sonic and got us an ice cream to share. Its yummy!

Today's New Words/Phrases

"WOW!"

and our favorite to date...upon tripping on the tile she said--

"Whoa. I TIPPED. Uh Ohhhhhh"

Similarly, yesterday morning when Miss Stacy brought her to Mama for after-nap snuggles, I noticed that one of her socks was missing. I said "Ella! Did you lose a sock?" and she looked down at her bare toes, wiggled them, and said very solemnly "Uh Oh". She then proceeded to look around the office to see if that wayward sock would magically appear. She and Miss Stacy had to go on an expedition to rescue it from the wild world of Crib After Nap.

Shockingly, with all the words she DOES know, more than half of what comes out of her mouth is still gibberish. Even to us.

Like her Mama

Reading in the bathroom starts at a very young age, apparently. She likes nothing better than to have a book or her Sabbath School paper to read while you change her diaper... Couldn't resist this pose. She carefully examined every page and then turned to the next.