The House of Bethel- Renovations & Additions

We have fish!

Our aquarium is up and running!  We now have 8 fish and hope to add more in the next few days.

It makes the room feel so peaceful...

And causes even a busy toddler to slow down... if only for a moment...

Cousin weddings continued...

Back in June, Bob and I went to Puerto Rico for Andy and Jessica's wedding.  (Cousin wedding #1, in case you're keeping track).  Leola stayed at home with my parents and had a great time.  My parents came several days before we left and any time I would tell my mom where things were, what the routine was, etc., Leola would pipe up and say "bye,  mommy!"  So, obviously we weren't missed very much, which was sort of a relief. 

Anyway, we had a great time in Puerto Rico and the wedding was beautiful.  The wedding was in Rincon, a beautiful and quaint little beach town, known for the good surfing.  This picture was taken right before the wedding at the house we shared with Jim & Trisha.

It was right on the water and had a huge, wonderful balcony.  Other guests have reported seeing whales from the balcony.  We saw a pelican.  Not quite as exciting, but still not something we see every day! 

 

We also had access to the roof, which has an even more spectacular view and an infinity pool.

We spent time in San Juan for several days before and after the wedding.  Bob worked while I lounged by the pool, lounged by the beach, read, slept and ate.  It was just so hard to decide what to do first.  Besides getting a painful sunburn (bad!bad!bad!), I definitely got the better end of the deal. 

Here is a view from our room:

 

We had a great time and would like to get back there sometime to see more of the island.  I admit that although it was so much more relaxing without a toddler, there were many times that we wished she was with us.  We kept saying things like, "Leola would love this."  I was so anxious about leaving her for 6 days (the longest we had ever left her before that was 2 days) but she had such a great time with my parents.  They made it so fun for her.  She probably thought she was the one on vacation!

To nap or not to nap

Right this minute I would love nothing more than to be taking a nap.  Not just a "resting my eyes" type of nap, which is what I tell Bob I'm doing when we're talking at the end of the day and I'm pretending to listen.  Only kidding, sweet husband.  I really am listening, just with my eyes closed.

I want to be taking the kind of nap that leaves you disoriented when you wake up.  I remember one of my youth leaders in high school saying the best kind of nap is when you drool all the way through your pillow.  Spoken like a true youth pastor.  But I digress. 

I'm recovering from a miserable head cold (actually, as I noted to a friend yesterday, what head cold isn't miserable?) and between that and the sinus congestion that comes with pregnancy, I haven't been sleeping well at night. 

I just started reading a book called The Happiness Project, by Gretchen Rubin.  Usually at this time of the day I have a hard time fighting back sleep as I'm reading.  Not today.  The book is a first hand account of a year in the life of the author as she seeks happiness.  To quote the inside flap:  "With humor and insight, she chronicles her adventures during the twelve months she spent test-driving the wisdom of the ages, current scientific research, and lessons from popular culture about how to be happier." 

I admit, the subject wasn't very appealing to me.  I mean, why not "test-drive" the Bible instead?  I was even more turned off when the book was compared to Eat, Pray, Love, which I gave to a friend with the note, "Read, Gag, Toss."  Anyway, I only picked this book up because my book club is reading it.  But, I actually am enjoying it and taking it for what its worth.  I don't have high expectations for the conclusions she will draw, but her insights have been good and pretty useful so far.  I'll let you know what I think when I'm finished.

What kept me awake, though, was her chapter on improving her work life.  Although I used to spend 8 to 12 hours a day in an office its been several years since I left that life behind. So, I wasn't relating too much to that. 

Until she mentioned that she was launching a blog.  On TypePad. Which, I don't need to tell you alert readers out there, is what I use.  She shared some blogging tips that helped get her started, which served as inspiration for me.  I'm all for being inspired, just not when I'd really like to be sound asleep. 

But, inspiration got the better of me and I began to mentally write my next blog post.  It was brilliant.   I think I even laughed out loud just thinking about how witty it was.  In fact, I came up with several posts before I finally lifted my big 'ole belly out of bed and headed to the computer.

And now that I'm sitting here wide awake I don't remember a thing.  Oh well, so much for brilliance.  Maybe I really was asleep and it was all a dream.  But if I did take a nap, it wasn't a great one.  There wasn't any drool on my pillow.

Our little flowergirl

Three of Bob's cousins got married this summer.  Yes, that's right, three!  Oh, and did I mention that they are siblings?  Each wedding was beautiful and unique and showed the personality of the bridal couple. 

The third wedding was on Saturday and Leola was asked to be the flower girl.  I admit, I was skeptical, but she did great.  She marched down the aisle (leaving the little ring bearer behind) and forgot to drop the flower pedals.  When she was near the front she stopped to talk to her Papa Bethel, who suggested that she might want to do something with the pedals.  So, she grabbed a handful and dropped them next to him, walked up one more aisle where Aunt Cack, the mother of the groom was sitting, dropped the rest, put down the basket and walked over to the steps. 

There was just so much for a 2 year old to remember:  walk, don't run; drop the pedals; sit on the steps next to the bridesmaids.  I was just so excited that she made it to the front of the church, especially with hundreds of people looking on!

Here she is with the beautiful bride, Hannah.  Leola loves Hannah!

Leola had a great time dancing with the 2 year old ring bearer, Johnny. 

 

Johnny was so sweet to Leola and was reportedly sweet on her.  His mom, Tracy, told me about the following conversation:

Johnny (who had taken his jacket off apparently so he could show off his dance moves unhindered):  Mommy, will you help me put my jacket on and button it?

Tracy:  Aren't you hot?  Why do you want it back on?

Johnny:  So I can tell the little girl (Leola) "please."

Tracy:  What do you want to ask her?

Johnny:  I want to ask her "please will you marry me."

So, we had our first marriage proposal last week too!

Cousins: 

It was a beautiful wedding and wonderful day and we had a tired little girl on our hands by the end of the reception.  She fell sound asleep on the 5 minute drive home:

 

Congratulations Sam & Hannah, Andy & Jessica, and Daniel & Cabray!

Speaking of firsts...

In preparation for her upcoming flower girl duties (more on that later) and the start of school, Leola had her first haircut last week.  You know, because her hair was so long and unruly.

I know it seems like a crazy waste of time to make a hair appointment for a mostly bald toddler (and what hair she does have is translucent). But, she did need it evened out in the back and the trim actually made her curls come out more.  (Nicole at Tease Salon didn't charge me, by the way.)

 

 

For the next several days she would touch her hair and say "haircut."

First Day of School

Today was Leola's first day of school... 2 year old preschool, that is.  Some of her little friends from MMO are in her class and dropping her off was uneventful.  She really grew up over the summer in so many ways.  Not only is she at least an inch taller than she was in May, she is also so much more communicative about her day.

I had a hard time getting a good picture of her this morning.  Some things never change!

Making sure Myles doesn't try to take (or even touch) her backpack.  I quote:  "No, Dos! Mine!"

 

In the classroom with our friend Lily.  As you can see, she's already holding a baby doll and we hadn't even been there 2 minutes.