randomness, a whole lot of it.

so many things have been going on in this neck of the woods. here are just a few, there are way too many to make a comprehensive list:

1. i am quite large to say the least. i feel even larger, you know, about the size of a hippopotamus that has just eaten a large dinner and topped it off with an ice cream sundae. i can't imagine how much bigger i could possibly get over the next three months! let's just say "this ain't going to be pretty!"

2. we are still settling into our new home. this week alone i have painted three separate pieces of furniture as well as two room. if i don't do it know, when will it ever get done?

3. ada had her first soccer game! it was also her last unfortunately. after three practices and one game, she officially decided that soccer was not for her. she rolled around on the playing field, steamrolling the orange cones. i figured it was probably best that we not go back.

4. ada has made lots of great new friends. this means that every day last week we had a playdate at our house! lots of fun, and lots of cleaning!

5. amidst all of the chaos, we managed to get away to the beach this weekend. always so much fun. the kids couldn't be more wonderful when we are there, and now they are even wonderful in the car due to our new gas-guzzling suv's rear entertainment system. hallelujah! elias managed to get the attention of many bikini-wearing, blond, college students and was in all of his glory (i think reza was a little jealous of all the attention he was getting!)

out to dinner at our neighborhood's bar and grill.

this is how i dress for dinner, don't you?

ada's first and only soccer game.

one of ada's new friends.

this summarizes our kids at the beach. BLISS!

puddle jumping

elias swimming

li and remi

a peek at our summer.

whew! today is the first day of school and i should be getting ada ready and spending quality time with her, but she is still sleeping... at 6:57am! ok- for most of you this may not seem like a big deal, but my get up before the roosters crow so i consider it a major accomplishment.

instead i spent the early hour uploading pictures from our summer jaunt to canada to visit my grandmother, honey, and family. truly a wonderful trip, the kids loved seeing (my) "their" big girl cousins, and playing on the beach day in and day out. i have taken trips to this wonderful place every single summer since i was born (minus two summers in young adulthood!) i can only hope that my kids will be so lucky!

the kids and "their" cousins.

ada thought she was about 12 years old the entire time we were there.

ada exploring. our wedding reception was in the boathouse i the background.

elias' new best friend, remi.

thats my girl!

so cute!

on honey's front lawn.

movie night! aristocats.

elias pushed this truck all week.

and that is my boy!

elias took boat riding very seriously.

relaxing with poppi.

snacks. my children's favorite past time.

the favorite activity.

cheesing it up! notice the death grip ada has around elias' neck!

ada and her nande.

with honey.

then we came back to chapel hill and visited the zoo the following weekend. the kids had a blast, but were so tuckered out 75% through the zoo that we had to make an early departure. did i mention that we met shannon and brendon there! the joys of living so close, it was so nice to meet them there!

riding the carousel.

tired.

it's almost time to play ketchup!

i have to admit, i don't think i have looked at my blog for weeks. i think about writing things all the time, but busy-ness has taken over and i can't seem to get a grip. i have loads of summer pictures i want to share, but i have also lost my camera cord so there is no way to upload (that is on my to-do list today though!)

all aside, yesterday was a very special day. reza and i celebrated our sixth anniversary. six years- holy cow! we can't believe how many turns our lives have taken over the past six years. we have moved three times, made three children (one still has to cook a little while!), and grown up so much together. he is perfect... for me! so loving, so calm, and so dedicated. what more could a girl ask for?

us. six whole years ago!

ada starts school and soccer this week which will be a wonderful change from me playing fairies for most of my days. elias won't know what to do with his big sister gone, but i promise, we will have fun!

more to come later...