new things

Lots of new things happening around here.

For Mothers Day, Chris asked me what I wanted to do.

I told him I wanted to spend all morning picking out flowers.

And all afternoon planting them.

With his help.

He came through like a champ.

We mulched and mowed and sweated and swore a little.

But things came together very nicely :)

Next, a little update in the kitchen.

It's moving right along.

And I am getting excited!

Remember the lovely before.

Shudder.

And after (ish.)

We are still waiting on a few random doors and countertops, etc...

The passthrough.

It's going to have a pancake bar (as Ellie calls it) on the dining room side.

I am amazed at how much it opened things up.

And another before shot.

Double shudder.

And after.

I am a happy girl.

I will do a dedicated blog post when it is all done.

And as an aside, 

last weekend I watched my kid become a true Clevelander.

We were at the Cleveland Flea

(locals: RUN to the next one.  SO COOL!)

and Ellie was hungry.

I mentioned perogies as an option but she was skeptical.

Note picture:

One bite in though and she was hooked.

 A Cleveland girl through and through.

happenings

We have 2 major events happening in the house.

Big News #1

We now have an 8 year old living with us.

I loved 7.

I am hoping 8 is just as great.

Her birthday was low-key.

In the morning she opened the few presents we had bought for her.

 And we were off to school after the requisite picture on the front porch.

After school we took her on a shopping spree.

She was in HEAVEN.

And took her sweet time picking out things she wanted.

These two beauties made the list.

Yes.

A giant giraffe head now hangs in her room.

Due to work and other circumstances, her party is in a few weeks.

It's a small family party.

Nothing too big.

And I am having it in my house.

Which will have no kitchen.

Because I am crazy.

I was hoping for nice weather so we could grill out, cause it will be May 3rd for crying out loud.

Supposed to be 60 and rainy.

Of course.

Big News #2

I am getting a new kitchen!

My house was built in 1939.

I am going for a modern 50's look.  Kinda.

Think white cabinets, dark counters, black and white (or gray and white) tiled floors.

Here is a single before shot.

Let's look at all the hideousness in this picture, shall we.

Press board cabinets.

A college sized fridge.

A floor that won't come clean.

Press board cabinets.

Appliances from 1974.

Half of which don't work.

Press board cabinets.

Chris and I finally decided that our starter house is going to be our forever house.

But NOT with this kitchen.

So we are biting the bullet and going whole hog.

Appliances will be moved.

(In the above pick, where the oven is, is where the normal sized fridge is going, and where the fridge is will be a ginormous pantry. A pantry!  With storage!)

A hole will be cut in the wall leading into the dining room.

We were going to tear the whole thing down, but:

#1: It's insanely expensive.

#2: I don't want to lose my cove ceiling in the dining room.

So we are going to have a great big cut-out, with bar stools on the dining room side.

There is also a toilet right off the kitchen.

It's the smallest bathroom you have ever seen.

We are getting rid of it.

And putting in a small mud room instead.

And putting a full bathroom in the basement, which is where our family room is.

Are we crazy for taking away our only 1st floor bathroom?

Perhaps.

But I never let guests use it anyway.

And Chris can't even sit down in there.

That's how small it is.

But tell me I am not crazy for getting rid of our only 1st floor bathroom!

I am freaking out about that a bit.

Am I excited for the new kitchen?

YES!

Am I nervous?

YES!

Who knows what they are going to find behind those walls???

What are the added expenses going to be?

What if my house falls down?

Am I dreading the month with no kitchen?

YES!

But I am mostly excited.

Work starts Monday.

YAY!

After pics to come.  

Promise.

the one about the mexican vacation

I am going to start this story on the Thursday before we were leaving (on Sunday.)

Ellie woke up throwing up.

I am not even kidding.

She threw up all of Friday and some Saturday morning.

Then she was fine.

I started throwing up Saturday afternoon.

Keep in mind, we are leaving at 4 in the am on Sunday.

So I got to vomit all the way to Mexico.

Yay.

Ok, I really only threw up once on the way, on the plane.

(I ninja puked in my seat.  No one even noticed.  I am that good!!)

But I felt like death the whole way down.

Which included a full 15 hours of travel.

It was not my best day.

We get there.

I am feeling better.

Monday was good.

We swam.  We drank.  We played.

Until Monday night.

Then Chris starts throwing up.

I am not even kidding.  Again.

So he throws up all of Monday night.

Is in bed with a fever all day Tuesday.

And Wednesday morning.

It is HARD to be sick on vacation.

I kept bringing him 7 up and soda crackers.

But he was SICK.

He can be melodramatic when sick, but I was worried!

It was not our very best vacation.

BUT!

Ellie had a blast.

And that is all that matters.

So, let's forget all of the sickness and get on with the fun stuff, shall we?

The view off our deck.

It was pure jungle.

We would leave the door open and just listen.

Her first view of the Caribbean ocean.

She loved it!

All she wanted to do was swim.

Which was ok with me!

See the guy in the corner?  He had the best Scottish accent.

I barely heard English on this trip.

Lots of foreign languages being spoken.

I didn't even get burned.

But can I just say, I spent most of this vacation putting sunscreen on my kid?

And her little face still got burned.

Sigh.

The creatures at this resort were everywhere.

This guy just hopped up after some kids hot dog.

There were also raccoon.

And coatis,

and lizards,

and cats.

and birds,

and monkeys!

Ellie loved that too.

Ellie made friend.

They were peas in a pod.

Played together for 2 straight days.

As mentioned earlier,

there were monkeys on the island.

This guy made himself at home on our balcony.

The cenote on the property.

It was gorgeous.

Chris back amongst the land of the living.

He was a trooper. 

Ellie and I took an eco-tour.

These are the Mayan ruins on the resort.

We had a lot of fun on that little tour.

We even adventured in the jungle by ourselves a bit.

It was HOT!

We swam in the cenote.

There was a wicked current and I was almost certain I wasn't going to get us back to the steps.

We laughed and laughed!

But I was a bit scared.

For serious.

The kids aqua park on the resort.

It wasn't the hit I hoped it would be.

She wanted the big pool!

The monkey came back!

This time, with her baby!

They totally remembered which rooms laid out fruit for them.

We got visits every day from them.

We even met Atticus' Mexican cousin.

The snack bar had swings to sit on.

Needless to say, we took most meals there :)

I think we made the most of it.

Through all the sickness.

We had fun.

But we are really glad to be home!

Until next time Mexico!