Here we go...

It's Time.

Time to pack my bags and get out of here! The plane leaves on Saturday. Holy cow. I'm so excited for the wedding. Claire and Charlie are such an amazing couple. I've known Claire for so long and she's just so much happier now that Charlie is in her life. I'm so happy for the two of them, and to top it off, they're coming back to the states in just a few short months! woo hoo!!

He's rather tall, but it works. :)

The wedding will be in Ravello on the Amalfi Coast. I don't know much about the area, but I hear we're going on a day trip to see Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius. Being somewhat of a science nerd, that excites me. After the wedding, I'll be spending a few days back in Rome to really enjoy the sights of Vatican City. Last year when I was there we ran out of time and had to rush through. There were too many beautiful things to see that deserve time. So here we go!
Vatican City-The picture is dark and crooked. Must try harder to focus on this year's trip. :)

And Then...
Off to London to hang out with Claire and Charlie. We're looking at going to a theatre show, and I'm also looking at day trips to Paris since it's only 2 hours away by train. On Friday it's back to Rome to catch my flight back home. Fast and furious, but should be a wonderful trip.

I'll relax. Soon. If I can...
finish making accommodations for Rome
Buy a jacket since none of my winter clothes from last year fit
Finish my evaluation plus a million other things for work that can't wait until I get back
Get my straightener that I left in Port Lavaca
Clean my apartment and make Judy a key so she can check my mail while I'm gone
Take my dress to the cleaners to be ironed
I'm sure there are other things I'm forgetting...ack...hopefully I'll remember soon.

about how i feel right now. Everything will be better on Saturday!!

hi neglected blog

Elena's life, stated in the most random of thoughts:

1. It's football season.
For me this means driving to Port Lavaca almost every weekend to watch the nephews play. Both the boys play their heart out and love the game. To me, this is exactly what football is all about. Hard work, open minds, and tough skin. Good lessons to be learned at all ages.

2. I'm going to Italy/somewhere in three weeks.
This trip is coming up so fast and there is so much unknown. The first week is planned, done--can't wait for claire's wedding. It's going to be so beautiful and awesome in a beautiful little town in Italy. But after the wedding I can't decide what to do. Should I go to London and stay with Claire and Charlie? or should I go to Scotland? Paris? Must make up mind very soon.

3. It's cold/allergy season.
Disadvantages of having a cold:

• feeling like crap
• thinking you're getting over feeling like crap, but the realizing a new symptom has started, for instance, "wow I don't feel like there's a 10lb weight on my chest anymore, but, hmm, wait, are those boogers running down my face?"
• the loopiness from the cold/congestion/sinus meds i've been taking. I seriously considered snorting a pixie stick tonight to clear my nose. I know that's not MY mind talking.

Advantages of having a cold:

• sleep, sleep, oh the sleep, how i've needed, craved, wanted you for so long
• eating chicken noodle soup and oreos, because i can never remember if you feed a fever and starve a cold or the other way around. But in my loopiness, I determined oreos and chicken noodle soup to be the only thing i'd eat for three days.
  
• The scale is being nice this week.
• cuddling with the warmest, laziest dog on the planet. Rocko has slept every hour with me. What a great dog.

4. Biggest Loser
My motivation, the reason why I got off the couch a year and a half ago. It's back and I'm so excited. This is the first time I've watched and not felt like I'm one of them. That doesn't mean I won't cry when they do or feel their pain, but I'm passed that point. I figured out how to make the changes and I know it can be done! They can change their lives! Just give up the bad and focus on the good. Really, I hope they have the determination to make the changes necessary to become healthier physically and mentally and stick with it. Jillian looks meaner this year! Putting it in the books now, my biggest loser winner is Dan.

5. 50/50
Those are the odds. Friday we'll get a glimpse. That's about all I can say on this blog. ;)

6. Shoot
2nd Shooting a wedding with Keda this weekend. Excited, nervous, can't wait. But really, someone buy me a shootsac.

7. pictures
I'd planned on posting football pics, but the sudafed kicked in. so you get one, of muddy joshua. I can't tell you how proud I was when he sacked the quarterback. in the rain. We've since had a talk, and he knows now his job is (besides looking so darn cute) is to get the ball! I foresee recovered fumbles in his future....he's the big scary #45

Monday!

Ok! It's Monday. It was a whirlwind of a weekend but it was a good one. Friday I hung out with my oldest friend and met some new people. I laughed so hard I could barely walk! There was inappropriate name calling, quoting of really bad movies, falling down, and just all around fun. Awesome, awesome time. Saturday was the start of football for the nephews. Those little boys put 100% into everything they do and I couldn't be prouder. It was also Eli's baptism--pictures coming! He's a cutie. Sunday I went to visit the grandparents. All I have to say is that I love them so much. They are 80 years old and pick on each other like they're newlyweds. When my mom was sick, my dad would drive her to my grandparent's house and my g-ma and mom would spend their days sewing quilts. This weekend my grandmother gave me the blanket her and my mom had started for me. It's beautiful! I can't wait to redecorate my room around it. Pictures coming soon :)

I've recently been trying to widen my blog list. I have new questions, courtesy of this great blog I stumbled upon called Under the sheets shh!! It's very girly and reading through, seems like her a lot of her thoughts describe my own. Plus, she loves very vintage, "dainty", photography which I've always had a love for. Do the questions! I think they're pretty good ones!

The Five Questions Are:


1) The best advice I’ve ever received? From my mother. "It's ok to cry, but I'd rather see you smile."

2) How do you share good news? any way I can! Good news should be yelled from the rooftops! (or at the very least a nice text haha)

3) My most valuable lesson? Things can change in an instant. Holding on to the little things means you don't have time to love the big things. Don't take today for granted!

4) My perfect evening? Being with people I love that make me laugh. Or a football game haha

5) The key to confidence? I have to agree with Sheets--The key to confidence is believing in yourself, that you have the ability to do it.

Favorite photo of the weekend:

Duckworth Wedding

Billie and Jeffery had a beautiful ceremony in early August. Not only did Billie gain a husband, but she is now the proud step mother to 4 sons! They have quite the sense of humor too. =)

The new Duckworth family:





Next two are my favorites.

I gotta feeling...oooooooo hoooooo

It's Monday. The monday of all Mondays. The most exciting, anticipated day of the year!!!

...
not really. Just trying to spice things up today. This weekend was really relaxed. Got to hang with the Patlovich/Georgas clan on Thursday night, I slept almost alllll day on Friday, Saturday was a baseball game with the Barnetts (Cyndi is the cutest mother ever. She made Faith a t-shirt for her 1st baseball game! adorable!) Sunday I worked on wedding pictures alllll day and watched Criminal Minds. Thank you Shemar Moore for being the hottest man alive.


this week.
Tomorrow I'm going to dinner with a friend I haven't seen in about seven years. We had a falling out and now it's all fixed and I can't wait to meet up with her. Wednesday is free! No more bowling! woo hoo! (You are, however, reading the blog of the most improved woman bowler on the wahoo league. I have a patch and everything! haha) Thursday I'm going to dinner with a friend who apparently is moving to NYC? I'm actually kind of excited about that so that I can go visit her! Friday I'll head to PLT for Eli's baptism on Saturday and hang with the grandparents. It's been a while since I've seen them.

questions for monday.

• I am...refocusing my priorities.
  
• I am known for…my laugh and my little tooth (not really but I find it hilarious)
  
• When nobody’s watching I…cut my split ends. I quite possibly do this while people are watching, I don't really care. :)
  
• It makes me mad when…"we make blue"
  
• My latest accomplishment is…getting through a televised presentation at work with only one slide missing
  
• I laugh when…Jesus plays wii.
  
• For breakfast I have…tea and something
  
• My best friend and I…don't speak as often as we should
  
• In the spring I…will go to Singapore.
  
• My next project is…to finish my mf thesis.
  
• I just want to…be in Italy already!
  
• And I’d just like to tell the world...it's never as bad as it seems. Unless death is involved, then it probably is.
  

Have a great week!

alright monday, let's do this.

Mood: lovely
Craving: deep, dark sleep
Highlight of my weekend: the whole weekend was one big highlight, minus the flat tire and sat. nightmare about aliens.
Weekly Goals: become remotivated about exercising.

Fragrance: ck euphoria, although i'm running out. Should I buy something new? hmmm..
Quote of the day: from 20-nothings, a blog that I love love love, " Some things happen for a reason, others because you make them happen, and a strange, special few because of an unexpected combo between the former, latter, and luck."

Theme song: The World Exploded Into Love, Bob Schneider

Gotta get it done: everything. Everything's gotta get done.
Breakfast beverage: chai tea

Grateful For: feeling too much all the time. It reminds me how crazy life is...

picture of the week. D's a beautiful bride. Thanks to Keda for letting me tag along. Can't wait to see her pictures!

wise words

Love this, courtesy of Sarah Von at yes and yes: