The Count of Monte Cristo.

I have very recently read The Count of Monte Cristo.

HELLLLOOOOOO!!!!!!! What an AMAZING read! Super long, but I finished it in about a week and a half- NEVER a dull moment in that one. LOVED it. LOVED it!

I LOVE Mark.

My emotions have been very much at the surface as of late. I have recently cried while watching Ratatouille- if that says anything to any of you.

Two nights ago Mark and I watched the Pixar "Up" for the first time. We had to stop the movie like 5 time so I could get a grip. I was literally sobbing.

Mark is out of town for a few days... then he'll come home for a few days, and then leave again for another two. I KNOW- no big deal. I am a baby. Almost as soon as he left, I felt completely alone and miserable.

During Mel's nap, I indulged, and opened the little box which contains my earthly treasures of love notes that Mark has written to me over the last... 8 years. I still have the VERY first one.

It was written on a plane our junior year in high school, while on our way to NYC for choir tour. It was delivered to me by the flight attendent- "airmail."

I cried and cried because--

I love him.

Oh how I love him.

Best Halloween EVERRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

No kidding, I just had THE best Halloween of my LIFE!!!!!!!!!! For the stage we are in right now, LESS IS MORE!!!!! I REALLY didn't want big plans- parties, dinners, blah blah blah- sometimes all the festivities can get in the way of my holiday fun, so we planned a very low-key Halloween... putting the emphasise on a few particulars....

1. Melvin costume

2. Carmeled apples

3. Jack-o-Lanterns

4. Trick-or-Treating/ passing out candy while watching an extremely light Halloween movie- we chose Harry Potter The Order of the Phoenix. :)

Here are some pictures....

SOOOOO adorable right?! I could NOT get over how unbelievably CUTE Melvin was! and THIS cute, without his tomahawk and Indian drum... which I remembered for the next picture and trick-or-treating. :)

The three little Indians. Clearly, Melvin was, and is, Chief.

I hate to keep going on and on... but I really should have taken just a small video of Melvin toddling along, clutching his tomahawk- with his Chiefly feathers blowing in the wind. Oh sigh... it was too perfect. EVERYONE thought he was THE cutest ever- and they told us so time and again. :) I was so proud.

Here are the pumpkins. :) I attempted to do a portrait of Melvin... it didn't turn out exactly right... but still.... I was proud of myself. Mark and Mel teamed up for the others... pretty much Mark did them, and they look awesome... while Melvin sat in his diaper on the table playing with our carvers. :) We kept a watchful eye.

The end.

Public Announcement

No, I'm not dead, just VERY VERY VERY sick.

FINALLY!

I was worried this day would never come!!! But, voila! Mel has FINALLY, after much coaxing, began to toddle this VERY evening. It's just a beginning.... but I'm thrilled!!!!!! I hope to be chasing after him in the very near future!

we couldn't help ourselves...

We normally wait until Sunday to visit our house... but today we just couldn't help ourselves.
Two weeks have past since the last blog house update... we now have a sidewalk, garage door? Was that there before? A driveway, our real front door, and a mailbox. Our railings have been installed, and stained... the wainscoting (sp.?) is up and painted, doors, light fixtures, outlet covers, light switch covers etc. have all been installed... as well as trim etc.

A view of the kitchen cabinets and counter tops!

We have light in our basement.

I love the light fixture in the eat in area.

A glance at our master bath cabinets... with drawers! I'm so excited to have drawers in the bathroom... :) The wooden kind that is..... :)

Anyways............. blah blah blah. And as we were leaving, the vinyl installation team had just arrived! I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!

on the mend...

Climbing up...

And going down!

The end.

Mel is on the mend.