Autumn Frolics

A few weeks ago Ella and I went to the Helmer Nature Center's Harvest Festival. It is a tiny nature center tucked into a residential neighborhood. Apparently my father worked there years ago when they were just opening. It was a bit rainy but we had lots of fun!

Ella got her face painted

And she painted a little pumpkin

They had a cider press so Ella got to make her own apple cider!

All that hard work paid off, she had two cups of fresh cider

Ella made a pencil case with paint and stamps

Before we left we stopped to dance to some live folk music

We also had some fun inside the nature center itself. There was a room filled with animals to meet including a squirrel, bunny, crow, tortoise, tarantula, and a big ball python that sat on Ella's lap! We had a really great time, and since it is an annual event I hope I remember to go back again next autumn.

Big Belly

I have not posted in a LONG time, and I have a big belly now to show for it.

Here it is!

My assistant loves to play around in the background when I am taking pictures

We are 98% certain that this belly is growing a little girl baby. We're pretty sure it is not growing a watermelon, although Andrew has his doubts. When I had my ultrasound at 20 weeks she had her legs crossed, but the tech got a cross section of her pelvis and declared her a female. I was not completely convinced, but it would certainly be easier since there is no hope of a consensus on the baby boy names. If she is indeed a girl her name is MaryRose Jennifer Semel-DeFeo. By the way she is not part of the Spanish aristocracy. She may indeed end up resenting us, but I figure that at least it is symmetrical with the double first and last names! And besides, she is such a character all ready she deserves it. This is what she did when the tech asked her to change position during my ultrasound:

That is her knee up by her forehead....

She never did give the poor women the angles she was looking for, but here is a cute one of her brain:

It reminds me of clockwork cogs

When I laughed at her antics the tech told me to laugh away now, I'm the one who is going to be parenting her for the next twenty plus years. Good point....

The Easter Egg Hunt

Happy Easter! Easter makes me think of Spring, new flowers opening, baby animals, and this year, the new baby my family is looking forward to!! We are SO excited to be welcoming a new little person to this world around November 18th. Ella is especially excited, as she has begging for a "sib-a-ling" since she learned how to talk. Well I'll leave it short and sweet for now, so we can all enjoy this "hoppy" day(wah wah wah)!

I wanted to be really sure ;)

Digging myself out

I've decided to post some before and after pictures of my cleaning and organizing endeavors. I'm looking for any motivation really, even at the risk of public humiliation! Its also just pretty cool to see what a difference a day or two of dedication can make.

This is the top of the stairs, and the entrance to our bedroom

It is also known as "The Place Laundry Goes to Die"

Here is my after shot. After I lost track of how many loads of laundry I've done that is.

As you can see, I no longer have to fear losing Ella to the laundry monster and never finding her again!

On to the next project! This one I will call: "Being able to open the dresser drawers again"

Hello 2012!

I love the new year. It always seems like such a hopeful time. The slate is wiped clean, anything is possible. I had the nicest New Year's eve celebration that I have had in  long time last night, so that didn't hurt my mood. There was a group game(which I love, and have gotten at all three major holidays this season!!), counting down, kissing at midnight, champagne toasts, sparklers and a lovely front yard fireworks display. How could we not have a great 2012?!

Goodbye 2011

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Oh well

Summer is too fun, I didn't stop to blog again this year! I give up on last year's update, I'll just post what's going on now.

Ella is going to kindergarten this year! It is a Waldorf kindergarten, and I am so so so glad. I love her teacher and I still pinch myself every time I drop her off.

 I really agree with the Waldorf philosophy, and I've known that I want her to go to a Waldorf school since she was about two, although I was interested in them before that. The problem is that they are so gosh darn expensive! Well her father and I pooled our resources, and for this year at least she is in. It is such a relief to know that she is being nurtured and cared for in such a wonderful way.