lena's faux 1st b-day: a seasonal stateside celebration

so we had a party for my dear miss this weekend. she doesn't actually turn one until december, but we wanted to celebrate with family while we're over here in the states. & of course celebrate my favorite season. so we had a fall b-day & we'll do a summer one once we're in guam. how appropriate that she'll have a summer b-day party in december. OOG! (only on guam)

momma & the birthday girl

but yes, we had lovely fall decorations (pumpkins & gourds we bought at the farmers market) & leaves from outside.... NOGAA (not on guam at all) & we served a big pot of chili, apple cider & lena's "cake" was a pumpkin muffin we got from a vendor at the market too! so fall-ish! & we had some of lena's favorite foods.... broccoli & guacamole. of course.

the cousins came & cohen mowed grammy's yard all evening & then after mowing he took off his pants & undies & went streaking. (no pics... too dark, but really so funny)

i bought her a birthday headband to wear (& you might be seeing it in the guam festivities too) it is just so dang cute.... it lasted about one minute.

clearly i'm enjoying this much more than she is....

lena did not like her pumpkin spice muffin so mom felt bad & caved & gave the girl a taste of the good stuff.... ice cream! i think it goes without saying how she liked that.

"where's my cake??!!!"

presents!

baby's 1st money.... cha-ching!

& shared her new toys with her cousin until he decided he wanted the ball. girlfriend may be petite, but she's scrappy & ended up with the ball!

it was a great party, minus having daddy there. but he will be there for the actual day! not much longer now at all!! yay!!!

miss representation

go to this site, see the film, spread the word, inform yourself, teach others, stand up for women's rights. i've always had issues with the portrayal of women in the media. so glad to see a mass movement emerging that can hopefully shift the oppressive & damaging societal norms that exist in our culture.

http://missrepresentation.org/

i heart

my heart is with these mountains..... i love the blue ridge! there is something just so special about this area. maybe it's different when you're from here, i dunno. but i really miss it when i'm gone. look at how beautiful!!

today is ah-mazing!

free at last, free at last, yeah yeah..... but really, i am so free of those crutches & the knee machine. the dreaded knee machine! 7 weeks - done! i am walking & it feels good. today is the official day of freedom, but honestly i cheated & started walking a little on wednesday.... shh...

but yes i logged a whopping 131 hours & 42 minutes on the knee machine. imagine if i had done the prescribed 6-8 hours a day how many more hours that would be??? i think on the best (worst) of days i probably logged about 4-5 hours. but no more i tell ya!!

even though i was tied to this thing for 7 weeks, it really did help! ;)

it feels great & it's a beautiful fall day here! the weekend is supposed to be awesome & i can get out & enjoy it! only thing missing now is my husband..... but the time will come. counting down now..... not much longer!! but then we go back to guam.... which i have mixed feelings about. i strangely miss guam. but i do not want to go back for the holidays.... i want to stay here, watch the leaves change, feel the brisk air, see my breath in the cold, celebrate the holidays for realsies with the correct season. not hot jungle. just doesn't go. but we have one last thanksgiving & christmas & then we're off to somewhere that hopefully has seasons (4 of them)

where lena can bundle up like this.....

such a cute snuggle bunny!!