Mexico!

 

My friend Hannah and I holed ourselves up at the gloriously serene Pacifica Holistic Restreat and Spa in Cabo San Lucas for a girlfriend getaway. Ohhhhh, life doesn't get more relaxing that yoga on an empty beach at sunset. When I say "holed-up" I mean literally planted ourselves pool-side with a long book and a Margarita for three perfect days.

One evening, we strolled down the beach just in time to join a sea turtle conseration group releasing 1 hour old babies into the ocean at sunset. We each got to hold a tortuga, name it, and release it onto the beach for its mad scramble into the crashing surf. One of those once in a lifetime moments.

Phil took excellent care of the home fries, who were all too glad to have mommy (refreshed and eager to see her bambinos!) back in the nest.

I can't wait to bring los bambinos to Mexico- Gaby would have loved to hold a baby sea turtle.

In Three Years....

I am musing over old photos as I do a house-wide re-org and de-junking project. Looking through old photos is emotionally exhausting for me so I need to sit at the computer and have a think.

As I clean out closets and make space for all of our stuff, I think about all the work we've already put into our house. Since we moved in three years ago, we have:

1) Remodeled the entire guest house, including new tile flooring, paint, woodwork, lighting, a new bathroom, and of course added a cable line.

2) Installed a 4 x 4 foot entryway skylight.

3) Painted interior of the house (every square inch!)

4) Built a deck off of the playroom

5) Landscaped the entire back yard

6) Installed new fencing/gates around property perimeter

7) Built a chicken coop!

8) Built a pergola over the garage to give the house a bit more curb appeal

9) Scraped and painted all the exterior windows, railings etc

10) Built custom screen doors

11) Painted and repainted and repainted the master bathroom (still in progress)

12) Installed window screens for all windows (our house did not have screens. go figure)

13) Made custom Roman shades (thanks mom!)

14) Replaced the 50 year old furnace

15) Installed new playroom carpeting, and put in recessed lighting

16) Built flower beds/ landscaped side yard (still in progress)

17) Installed new sprinkler system

18) Replaced garage door springs

19) Replaced 30 year old dishwasher.
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20) Installed skylight in guest bathroom.

21) Installed plantation shutters in the bedrooms.



Wow, what a lot of projects! I wish I had taken photos of the house when we moved in, so I could look back and remember what things used to look like. The next big project will be the kitchen and entry remodel.... we've been putting that one off for a while. Eh, maybe in another 3 years.

Ok, back to work.

Then and Now

 

 

Lola Then, Lola Now

Gaby and Lola, Hen Extraordinare

 

First EGGS!

Our hens have finally delivered! We got two little brown beauties in the nest box today! We have five hens, two will lay green eggs, two will lay brown eggs, and one is a mystery. So, the brown eggers (Silver Laced Wyandotte's) are leading the pack! They are all 5.75 months today. By 6 months, all should be laying an egg a day. 5 eggs a day will feed us, appease our neighbors, and give our friends something to talk about!

Family Time

 

 

 

 

Emily and Cliff are expecting their first baby, so we had a big party in the park for them. Cliff, I love the pink boa. It works for you.....

Julia's Princess Party

Our friend Julia had a 40th birthday Princess Party for which we were all expected to arrive in Royal Costume. Phil was Julius Cesar, I was Empress of the Japanese Dragon Triad. Hiyah!!! I kicked Ceasar's butt. Et tu, Nike?

From Julia's Party

Empress of Dragon Triad.

From Julia's Party

Grand Princess Julia with her Burger King

From Julia's Party

Charlotte of the Manchu Dynasty, upset that she had to kiss the Frog Prince.

From Julia's Party

But wait! The Frog Prince turned into Julius Cesar! Happy Manchu Baby.

From Julia's Party

Spanish Royalty were in attendance (Princesses Kaitlyn and Madison, daughters of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella)

From Julia's Party

Indian Princess Gaby sports her mad Mardi Gras shades.

From Julia's Party

Court Jesters, of course..

From Julia's Party

The Obnoxiously Delicious Royal Confection

From Julia's Party

Note the lipstick wearing Pig in the background. (No seriously. That is not an insult).

From Julia's Party

Torched

From Julia's Party

Can you manage all those candles, lassie?

No Eggs in Sight.

Our six month old hens are living on free room and board. We have five hens, and not a single egg in sight. Our hens are such funny, sweet little birds that I don't mind extending them some credit for another few weeks, but after that I'm going to have to have a long chat with them about household expectations. I cook for them, clean their rooms, and all they give back is prolific piles of garden fertilizer. (My garden looks great, by the way).

In other news, Gaby starts preschool next week! I picked this school out of ohhhh, 20 or so because we have two friends with kids there and I know that those parents have high standards. That was the extent of my research. :-) Well not really: we toured the school with Gaby and she didn't want to leave! The playground is massive and the school is clean and well run. Our big girl is ready for more formalized education.

In further news, my internship continues to be filthy and fascinating. I love the hands- on medicine!! I'm learning to give IV injections without shaking too much. Steady as she goes.... We also did a physician assisted suicide and post-mortem last week. I was at the clinic until 8 pm to watch and yes, get my hands dirty. I had my arms inside the body cavity up to my elbows. Cause of death? Adhesions in the small intestine.

From India with Love

Bangles Bangles Bangles!

Sorting the bangles

Gorgeous from Goa

Sad Goodbye. "Don't Leave, auntie Jody!!!!"

My aunt came to stay with us for a few days, on her US tour. She and her SO have been globe trotting for the past year and a half- 1 year studying yoga in India, various stints in Singapore and Asia, and finally a move to the South of France. She'll be in Aix for the next year or so. Hopefully we can manage a visit!

Friends for Dinner

We've been busy busy busy! We've squeezed in a few moments of fun between work and house remodeling (more on that later) to have some friends over for dinner. As you can see, the kids had fun!