It's fall and life's a ball

October is proving to be a very busy month for the Calderwoods.  Every weekend has been spent doing some festive activity such as apple picking, hiking, and visiting the lake to check out the fall foliage.  At the heart of all the activity (and the center of attention) is Miss Ella Celeste.  She is such a delight to be around.  She is always happy, smiling, observant, and curious about the world around her.  Watching her experience things for the first time brings so much joy into my life.  It makes up for the many nights of disrupted sleep and constant going to keep up with her.

This was Ella today before church.  What a looker!  Gotta love the hat.  We have to teach her at a young age that it's all about the accessories:)

Yesterday we went hiking with some friends up White Oak Canyon to these beautiful falls.

Unfortunately, by the time we got to the falls, Ella was pretty well zonked as you can see in the picture below.  She was so good on the hike.  She was in awe of nature and fought off sleep as she sat in the little backpack on her dad's back.  Finally sleep won and she dozed off before we reached our destination.

And this is our happy girl out on the lake.  This has got to be one of my favorite photos!

Shaun is teaching Ella all about boating at a young age.  

Life has never been busier with an infant and busy schedules of work and school, but we wouldn't trade our time with our girl for anything.  

Apple Picking at Stribling Orchard

Last weekend was gorgeous!  So gorgeous in fact that Shaun and I (along with what seemed like everyone else from Northern Virginia) ventured off into the country for a lovely day of apple picking.  It was a fantastic day.  Definitely worth blogging about!  Ella even enjoyed playing on the pumpkins!  I think this could become a Calderwood family tradition if we stay in this area... I guess that's a big if, but you get the point.  Worth repeating!

PS:  Weight Watchers update-  Another two pound loss this week, but that was BEFORE our anniversary dinner last night at PF Chengs.  I guess we'll see how that goes.  I'm back on track today.

Four Years Ago Today...

...We were married in the DC Temple.  Now, four years of school and a baby later, I love Shaun even more!  Maybe it's the sacrifices we make together that draw us even closer.  Happy Anniversary to the love of my life!

Happy October!

Ella had her first encounter with a pumpkin last night.  She was fascinated by this strange orange orb of an object and enjoyed poking at it's eyes and mouth (much like she enjoys poking at MY eyes and mouth).  I've never been much of a fan of halloween, but I've heard it said that with kids it becomes an exciting event!  I guess we shall see.  Ella is going to be a skunk for halloween thanks to a hand-me-down costume from a friend at church.  I find it very fitting since we call her our little stinker these days anyway.  

Other significant events occurring in our little girl's life:  she started crawling about two weeks ago, she is constantly saying something though none of us are sure exactly what, she smiles all of the time and loves meeting new people, and she has started a love affair with cheerios.  If she's anything like me, this love affair will continue into her adult years:)  Just next week she will be eight months old, and a short two days later Shaun and I will celebrate our fourth year anniversary.  Wow time flies!

Weight Watchers and Me

I never thought I'd be the type to blog about weight loss.  For me this has always been a personal battle-- like if I don't talk about it people wont know that I want to lose 30 pounds, and if they don't know then they wont think I need to.   Sounds pretty silly when I actually write it out, but nonetheless for the last fifteen years this has been my rationale.  I'm finally realizing that to be successful I may just need support.  And to get support you actually have to talk about it.  The funny thing is most people I know are on diets, so why not support one another?  Well, I just joined weight watchers this month.  After personal trainers and other more expensive plans, I thought I'd give this one a try, especially after seeing it be a successful option for my sister and sister-in-law.  Already I've lost four pounds in the past month... just twenty-six to go!  It may be a slow process, but I'm okay with that.  Just four pounds from now I'll be back to my pre-pregnancy weight, and then it's back to that constant goal of twenty!  One step at a time, right?  

By keeping my friends and family posted, I think it will create another source of motivation.  After all, I'd really hate to be blogging come Christmas and report that no progress has been made.  By talking about it, I'm making changes!

Sell Me Candy

Rules:

1. Put your MP3 player on shuffle.

2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.

3. You must write that song name down no matter how ridiculous it sounds.

4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.

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DISCLAIMER-- most of this music is Shaun's.

1. If someone says, "Is this okay?" You say?   The Sharpest Lives- My Chemical Romance [not sure that I can make a connection with this one].

2. How would you describe yourself? The Snowman's Music Box Dance- George Winston instrumental [maybe this is in reference to the many snow dances I would perform in middle and yes, even high school, in hopes of getting out of school.  Not sure that's actually how I would describe myself, but hey, why not?]

3. What do you like in a guy/girl? Grown Men Don't Cry- Tim McGraw [I must say my Ipod is in tune... actually, I don't mind a man with a little sensitivity... just not too much]

4. How do you feel today? Bills, Bills, Bills- Destiny's Child [how does my ipod know such things?  Simply amazing!  Anyone who knows me these days knows this could probably sum up any day quite accurately].

5. What is your life's purpose? Lament- Evita Soundtrack [how depressing].

6. What is your motto? Rythm of the Night- Moulin Rouge Soundtrack [ahhh yes, this gets to the wild side of me that very few see]

7. What do your friends think of you? Ordinary Life - Cruel Intentions Sndtrk [so THAT'S why no one ever calls me any more.  It's because I'm boring, eh?  I see how it's going to be].

8. What do you think of your parents? Something bad- Wicked Sndtrk [for any who know my parents you may believe this is quite insightful... though I think I'd use the word mischievous over bad.  Those wild and crazy parents of mine].

9. What do you think about often? Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy- Big and Rich [the little secrets I keep.  Now you know what I'm REALLY thinking about when I clean my house].

10. What is 2+2? Dangerous- Katherine McPhee [though I guess you could derive deeper meaning from this, I tend to be in agreement with Grace that really any answer to this question will be crazy].

11. What do you think about your best friend? I'm not that girl- Wicked Sndtrk [Does this mean my best friend and I fight over the same guy who ends up choosing her after she turns him into straw?  Hmmm.... thanks best friend!]

12. What do you think about the person you like? Told You So- Bare Naked Ladies [oh Shaun, this can be so true on some days, eh?]

13. What do you want to be when you grow up? Of Wolf and Man- Metallica [you guessed it, I dream about riding cowboys during the day, and turn into a wolf at night.  Now you want to call me friends, don't you?]

14. What do you think of when you see the person you like? Eyes Wide Open- Ashlee Simpson [sure, why not?]

15. What will you dance to at your wedding? Ants Marching - Dave Matthews Band [hmm... I think I'm glad I'm already married.  A little different from the wedding march, eh?]

16. What will they play at your funeral? Smile like You Mean It- The Killers [Is the irony the song or the artist this time?  Maybe both]

17. What is your hobby/interest? What a Girl Wants- Ashlee Simpson [oh I like this one.  there are so many things I want.  Does this mean my hobby is getting them?  I'd say that's accurate!]

18. What is your biggest fear?  Lose My Breath- Destiny Child [wow, this could actually be true.  I've always said my biggest fear is drowning.  Deep Ipod].

19. What is your biggest secret? Wouldn't it be Nice? -The Beach Boys [what would be nice?  I guess it's such a secret not even my ipod will not reveal it].

20. What do you think of your friends? Not a Moment Too Soon- Tim McGraw [Tender.  Even if you think I'm ordinary you're there for me just in the nick of time].

21. What will you title this note? Sell Me Candy- Rihanna [why yes, that sounds quite nice].

This is really fun... DO IT!!!

Nanas and babies and beautiful bling!

I love to blog, and yet in all of my blogging I just discovered I've failed to post some very important photos of Ella and her nana. Ella LOOOOVES her nana. In fact, her nana just came back from a very long trip tonight and Ella couldn't have been more excited. Of course, we couldn't tell if it was the silly songs she sang, the strolls through her flower patch, or simply her inordinate amount of bling. Nana's bracelettes and rings and necklaces were so exciting to my now seven month old baby... and Nana also has long hair... perfect for Ella's pulling pleasure:) Yes, Ella loves her nana, and her nana must love her a lot too to let her pull her hair and yank on her jewelry. Come to think about it, I love Ella's nana too! I'm pretty lucky to have her as a mother, and Ella's pretty lucky to have her as her nana too! We love you nana (and papa too... but this one goes out to nana:)