nicaragua

well i am a bad blogger. sorry to mostly annie. i think she is the only one who reads.

we just got back from nicaragua. it is such a beautiful place with such beautiful and kind people. and they LOVE babies. we will definitely be back.

it was fun to sit and talk with scotty about future vacations that we are going to take with riley, and our future children. everything is just a tad more fun when you have a little one like riley around, at least for scotty and i. it was all new to her, and it was amazing to get to get so much joy out of making her happy.

im not sure exactly when it happened... but some time ago, scott stopped picking up the baby to relieve me, and started doing it because he missed her and wanted to hold her. he is seriously the best and this trip he was THE BEST. i feel so so lucky to have such a great man for me and the little lady. my little family makes me so happy and full lately that i cant even talk about it without tearing up.

as for scotty- the trip actually made me love the guy more. i am so proud of the man that he is. he's already there/here, you know? he's not still discovering what kind of person he wants to be when he grows up - that man is here. and he's kind, and sometimes quiet, and strong, and he tells bad jokes, and he is sincere. and real and he works hard to make a good life for us. i love him deeper and im so glad i got to rediscover all of these things about him on this trip. and i think he would agree with the sentiment towards me too- we are already the adults we wanted to be. we will of course continue to grow and mature and make mistakes... but we were proud of each other. and it felt good to feel so close and like a unit.

we also realized why people with babies travel with people with babies. its so obvious to us now.

here are some pics. annie- i know you say you only want to go to hawaii... but nicaragua is prettier- and 1/10th of the price. plus culture! let's go!

hanging out in our room with this fat baby and beautiful man was shockingly fun.

the sunsets were amaze-balls.

 people are so nice. thumbs up like crazy in granada. 

water bebe. the best thing. ever.

nica.

so... sometimes when people start a family things change. not when youre married to scotty. so even though we have a two and a half month old bebe- he booked us 8 days in nicaragua. on a beach in the middle of nowhwhere, with a convenient left break for him to enjoy, and an infinity pool for me and riley to enjoy. we will be there with two other lovely couples (love you kim), but im a little worried. a little.

anywho- on my nica to do list:

1. make sure my baby is 110% up to date on her vaccinations. (they will be completed like the day before we depart).

2. make like 60 versions of my "pack for baby" list and have my mother and pediatrician check it 25 times each.

3. walk a lot of hills.

4. lose about 20 lbs.

here are some things i have purchased or plan on purchasing to make me feel better about the trip. yes, i can absolutely be bought.

got this for the little lady. spf 30 and weighs next to nothing. she is going to be so cute hanging out in it on the beach. i am obsessed with diapers.com. (i placed an order at 3:50pm yesterday and there is a huge box, with this tent in it, and dish soap, and diapers, and scottys body wash on my doorstep as we speak. its 9:17 am! and free shipping).

you might be thinking, elysia- this is a maternity dress?!?!? riley is out of your stomach... well yes, but i love it on the skinny bitch too. this is on the wish list for nica. made by hatch. they are my new favorite designer. even though i am not prego. fuck it. i will be again one day...

riley and i need matching salt waters. im just having a hard time finding them for me. but these make me smile. yes, i know she doesnt walk.

you may be thinking... a blouse swimsuit?!?!?! elysia- dont give up entirely at 29! but i ordered it. and im gonna rock it. thanks jcrew.
courtney was wearing these last weekend. i loved them, so i ordered them. a lady can never have too many shades. especially when you lose them the way i do. so cute! and only $42 @ anthropologie.
i LOVEEEE these. i dont usually buy free people stuff if it isnt on sale- bc it ALWAYS goes on sale (ive been tricked too many times before). so i am keeping tabs on them and will soon have them in my possession, and for 30% less. but i love them.

we are off...

we leave for our little getaway (i feel pretty silly calling it a babymoon) this afternoon. we booked massages, have looked at the local hot spots, and i contacted to concierge to help us find some 31 week pregnant friendly nature walks through the red rock... it should be amazing. in the 40's at night, vista views from our bed, quiet time with my quiet husband. life is good.

its weird to think that in one week i will be on the "do not fly" list.
its weird to think that in four weeks we are instructed to have our hospital bag packed and car seat installed.
its weird to think that this will be our last trip without a child. its our last trip as just elysia + scotty (even though i think we can both honestly say it has felt like more than just "elysia + scotty" for months now).
its weird that all future vacations will be planned around our children. the company we travel with, the places we choose to go, the time of year...

its also amazing. and i cant wait for her to be here with us.

but its also weird. haha.

on another note... a co worker and i were mario + luigi for halloween at work. it was amazing.

picture heavy vaca.

just got back from a beautiful week with beautiful friends and a beautiful baby girl.


maebel KILLS me.
1. finding ways to get pics of us without asking others...
2. boston
3. duck tour
4. fenway park
5. happy boys with martoonis
6. bread and breakfast-ing in connecticut
7. i love my friends so so much
8. maebel kills me
9. li's wedding with too many adorable touches
10. seriously beautiful
11. happy good looking men
12. straight outta style me pretty
13. nyc with a belly
14. best friends
15. nyc
16. boys in brooklyn. happy birthday chris!
17. eataly by mario battali
18. i love these ladies
19. maebel kills me
20. bradley cooper takes the subway too.

glad to be home. just missing huntley :(

the big easy.

was in new orleans this weekends. turns out the big easy wasnt so easy.

its hard watching my most favorite person, my gaycee, get older.
its hard to think of how lonely she must be.
its hard to think of how quickly it happens. and how short and precious life is.

she is such an amazing woman. i love her to the moon.

its also hard for me to travel with my sister. i love her so much, but we are just so so different.

what isnt hard about new orleans? returning to all of your favorite places from growing up with your favorite people.


dinner @commanders palace:

when the waiter says "if you want to order either the souffle, the bread pudding, or the cobbler, we need to know ahead of time", we relpy "yes please, to all three". heaven. in. my. mouth.

my best buddy.

my beautiful gaycee.

snowballs on plum street:

i am going to open up a snow ball stand on main street in a few years. for reals.

i got a small pail with chocolate. nom nom nom.

little man got bubble gum.

shrimp and oyster loafs @ domilises:



i love new orleans so much. wish i would have brought a camera other than my iphone. my husband needs a new orleans redo. it really is one of the most special cities in the world.

lately.

had a lovely weekend in the desert. huntley didnt kill anything/one. but she definitely thought about it.

i woke up with a craving for chocolate, so i made a german chocolate cake from scratch. next time i will buy a candy bar.

look who has a green thumb all of a sudden? peppers. grown by me.

got this bogenvelia for the front. i am hoping it will take over the front of our ugly little house soon. and it reminds me of santorini. heaven.

spent the last weekend on hilton head island in south carolina. it was beautiful. i forgot how much i miss the south.

the view at dinner was worth the 55 big bites. i can say that now.
continental airlines is going down. it is my personal vendetta. not only did an employee "step to me " at 430 am, but they sent our bags on the wrong flight and we had to spend 2 hours at 11pm on sunday here: (yes, that is hell).

thats about it. for now. sorry audra.

Honeymoon

HONEYMOON-

We just returned from our most wonderful wonderful honeymoon.

Mykonos has some of the most beautiful beaches and clearest water that I have ever seen, and the most interesting old town. It isnt a movie set or set up as a prop or a schtick it is the Old Town, still operating as a bustling place. It is overwhelmed by tourism- but that is just a sign of the times. Aside from focusing on the junk in all of the stores, we waked the winding roads, getting lost, appreciating that there are still gems like this on our planet. And the food is soooo yummy, and wine and beer is cheaper than water...

oh, and I got a ghetto gold Daytona Rolex knock off for 50 Euro... whatever. It was FUN.

Here is a peek of our set up:

Santorini is truly one of my most favorite places in the world. It was total paradise and the only thing I didnt like about it was the one morning that I woke up after three bottles of Santorini's famous Boutari wine. Other than that- Bliss. Capitol B. I want to go back, like yesterday... Being there made me really wish we werent tied down by *jobs* and anxiety and responsibility (*yes, I am aware I do not currently have a job... but the idea of it... the one I am GOING to get... first thing Monday morning).

It is so easy to get caught up in day to day life... TV, gossip magazines, fretting over napkin colors, weight, money, clothes, zits, etc... but every time I travel, and catch the "bug", I really do come back with a much better perspective on life, and what matters. Americans are seen as so uptight and high strung and money obsessed and work obsessed. I would not really describe myself as these things- but in Greece, people were constantly laughing and joking and playfully teasing and talking loud, and over eating, and drinking and kissing children and understanding and appreciating their dependence on one another, and the land, and the sea... it was inspiring. So, I am NOT going to make it a goal to be louder, or kiss Grayson more or eat or drink more (Ithink I do all of those things more than I should already) but... I am going to make a conscious effort to get my priorities a bit more where I would like them.

At this moment in time the things that matters to me most are:

-my new role, as wife. being the best person I can be for myself, him, and everyone we come into contact with.

-my family. and my new family. we are the luckiest people to have them. making them aware every single day of how much I love and appreciate them.

-getting outside of our bubble more often. truly considering what others experience in day to day life. remembering that there is SO much more than crossword puzzles and the hot new restaurant.

-finding my creative outlet again, and again, and again.

-being a good aunt, daughter, sister, friend, and granddaughter.

-making travel a priority. making saving a priority. not for a rainy day- but for sunny days so we can enjoy our super blessed life to the fullest!

-finding a job that makes me feel happy on monday mornings while also helping me to take strain off of my very patient husband.

-keeping in better touch with those that I love.

At this moment in time and in the future I am going to appreciate the things that matter most to me a lot more and keep them at the top of my totem pole.