Full Life...

Life is full. I think full is a better term then busy. I mean it is busy but its just overwhelmingly full. Full of things to do, full of life, full of love and full of dreams. I scored yet another GREAT Craigslist find. A kitchen set for the kids that's NOT Plastic. And I got pots and pans and food and stuff all for $60. Score. It has caused me to reconfigure the breezeway yet again. And I'm glad for it. A good cleaning, 2 trips to ikea, some online finds and I'm damn happy with the look of the breezeway. I love that they now have a dedicated space to play. I like that it's outside and yet inside. My mom pointed out to me the other day my love for the breezeway/play area stems from my childhood. I had what could be the equivalent. It was an extension of the house my dad built out with full windows all around. I called it the little housie. It was my space. It was my playroom. It is where I spent HOURS. And now my kids have their own little housie in the breezeway.

Last Sunday I spent the day running around town with the kids. We took a drive, found a random street fair, drove some more, went food shopping and basically cruised all day. Rob in turn spend the day (and the Monday following) putting together a new playset for the kids in his parent's yard. We got the new one since the one they had was one of those great older metal ones that just got to the point where the outdoor elements got the best of them (rust/cancer) and didn't look so stable anymore. But I digress. In our drives we were in Scotch Plains and the day before was the big town wide garage sale. Well everywhere on Sunday things were stewn about in garbage piles and at a stop sign I looked over and saw a doll house sitting by its lonesome and I've been looking for one for Nilsa. So I took it home and after a good washing it was perfect. Another Score!

Over the past week or so the moon must be in some sort of something because the kids are just....great. Not that they're generally not great but I think that they've both turned a corner or something. They are actively playing together. They did so before but now it's more so. Like the dollhouse - Ari will ring the doorbell and Nilsa will open the door and they will have the dolls/animals/cars have an interaction. They do things together. Its heartwarming and independent of Rob or me. Rob will be working in the office. I'll be in the kitchen and they will run between the living room and the breezeway/play area and do their thing. It's absolute bliss.

Both Rob and I visited the doctor this week. Rob's having sciatic pain in his other leg which was concerning. Although he's at a good weight (lost over 10lbs so far) and goes to the gym daily, he's basically forgotten the exercises he needs to do to help his back. So the doc prescribed physical therapy and that should fix it up. He has to keep at that to avoid back surgery. It's the last thing we all want. I went in for my knee pain. It's been over a year and the pain is still there. It's the same thing as before - runner's knee/Patellofemoral pain syndrome, but because I still have it, I'm being sent to physical therapy too. I was also told I need to get orthotics for my shoes as I have a slight overpronation due to my flat feet.

Pictures...

Dollhouse






Toothless Grin


Why we put a slide lock on the top of this door (yes he did in fact open it already on his own prior to the installation of lock and yes, Nilsa did go outside and down the concrete steps and yes, she did land on her head UGH)


Sunday morning in video


Kids in the playroom/breezeway w/ new layout to include a mudroom area and the new play kitchen










Older photos....bruise on her face here is when she went head first down a slide


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Then once that bruise healed she got these. The barely visible bruise on her forehead was from falling down the concrete stairs in the back and the one on her eye was from her trying to ride a tricycle backwards and landing on her face.





Yes, Nilsa is my 'have no fear' child.