Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from Elle and Uncle Luke! Our friends are babysitting Elle for the day while I work and Pat is at a wedding. Uncle Luke is a 7yr old Golden - they are headed to a doggy parade. Elle outgrew her outfit, so she'll just go as her monster self!

Someone very special turned 4 today!! Happy Bday MC!

doctor nurse and stitches

All I have to say is our parents should be proud. The money they invested in each of our educations was put to great use tonight. We removed Elle's stitches. They told me to bring her back to have them removed...yeah right. We totally can do that ourselves. Patrick had a suture kit here at the house, so tonight was the night.

The nurse held the patient very still while Elle's personal MD removed the stitches. She has a small infected area at the top of the scar - don't worry, we put neosporin on it (and maybe too much info...but we drained a little nasty-ness out of it)

All done! She got a treat for good behavior - comparable to a sticker for the kiddos.

MC's 4th BDAY

We went to Birmingham for a quick weekend trip to celebrate MC's 4th birthday! Stupid me forgot the camera at her "Angelina Ballerina" Party, but she had so much fun and thankfully loved the Princess Scooter we gave her. I went with them to Trunk or Treat at Canterbury on Sunday. Here are some pictures. Mary Clare was wearing an old ballet costume of my sisters and said she was a tightrope walker in the circus. Patrick was Ceasar. Awesome costume, made by my sister of course.

POWER TOOLS

I made a headboard!...with the help of my sweet Mama and husband. My poor Mom was here for a visit and got suckered in to repainting my bedroom (do you like the color?) and then I felt even more inspired and we made an upholstered headboard. This is not the finished product. 

#1 - it still need upholstery nails around the edges

#2- it needs artwork created by my oh-so-talented big sister hanging above it (I want to feel like I am back home...so I have hopefully convinced my sister to paint me 3 square pictures of cotton - the ones about three postings down on her website- to hang above the bed. Then there will be more color and it will be nice and home-like for me!)

This was my inspiration. But it was $1600. So I made my own for $210!

Here is the lovely process:

First, I turned my condo into a wood working shop. Ha.

We had 2 pieces of plywood stuff. It had to be cut into 2 30" pieces because they wouldn't fit into my car. You should've seen my mom and I at Home Depot. They laughed at us....a lot. This is one of the 4 pieces. I drew the shape across the top, we cut the 1st then measured onto the other 3 to make sure they looked similar.

Here is the 1st one propped against the wall.

And me with a power tool!!!!!!!! It was super fun.

Pat then nailed three 1x4's between the two cut out pieces of plywood. This created the frame and gave it depth. It is about 2" deep. The 1x4's also gave it support in the middle where they were originally cut and gave it legs.

Here is my Mama. She put up with my crazy idea and put up with me winging it through the whole process. We are out on the tiny porch in the rain, with plywood propped up on laundry baskets to cut the darn stuff. She was such a good sport :)

Here it is from the side after my handyman had nailed it together.

Two inch foam was cut into the shape and we used a glue gun to stick it on the front. There is about an inch or so around the edges where it isn't covering so I can nail the upholstery nails to the edge to finish it off (once they get here...those things are ex-peeen-sive! I found then wholesale online though...phew)

We wrapped batting (spelling?) around the foam and used the staple gun to secure it. Pat reinforced the back with another piece of wood because it was a little floppy due to the cuts down the middle...

After all of that, we stretched the fabric around, stapled it to the back and ta-da! We have a new headboard.

NOTRE DAME

We left the sickly pup behind in St. Louis with her Grandparents and made it to South Bend late Friday night. This is Elle on Thursday with her Granddad, she had a rough go. Good thing we got her some liquid Reglan. I poured it down her throat and no more puking. We now have 2 yellow/greenish stains on "Elle's Carpet" (that's what Pat calls my Pottery Barn investment, because she has destroyed the thing). Lovely.

We visited Touchdown Jesus

We may have lost, but the game was close and entertaining. I do have to say...I have given in and finally told Pat that I will be a Notre Dame fan (though my love for Auburn is still stronger, of course).  

#1- he bought me a super comfy and warm "Irish" sweatshirt (that was the deal - I would go to the game if I had something ND and warm)

#2 - the campus is pretty

#3 - above all, I came to the realization that ND fans are true fans, they are not obnoxious, they are classy and traditional. This attitude is hard to come by when you're surrounded by good ol' SEC fans...I'm just sayin.

So...the hotel.

I don't have any words. Only pictures. I mean, I don't really even need to use words.

This was on one of the twin/double beds when we walked through the door. Cricket with amputated legs? Not exactly sure what type of bug. BUT, a bug nonetheless. On the bed. Mangled.

The night before when we arrived at this classy establishment (with a bar in the lobby AND a mechanical bull) Pat was pissed. He was like "I need to go get our money back. This is awful. I feel like throwing things." The next morning we realized we had 1 shampoo bottle. No conditioner. Not a single bar of soap. This morning we had 2 bottles of shampoo. No conditioner. And a bar of soap. After showering I walked into the bedroom and there were shampoo bottles under the curtain across the room against the wall. I asked what happened. Pat laughed and said "I threw them!" That will show these people... 

We concluded that this was the worst hotel either of us have ever stayed in. 

PS. People of Walmart in Michigan definitely out-do backwoods Alabama. I was very impressed. 

SPAYED

It's official. Elle is ovary-less and has no uterus. Poor baby. She feels awful. Mom and Dad went with me to pick her up, we walked out the door...veeeery slowly....and then Elle stopped at this rock. She put one paw on it, I was very confused at this point because I thought she was going to climb it, then threw up. I felt so sorry for her! I rode in the back with the little vomiter (and a blanket...finally prepared for her GI distress). Now she is passed out on a towel in the den. She's already thrown up a few more times at home...it may be a long night!

UPDATE

This past weekend Patrick's car was broken into....again. I was walking Elle and passed this nice shiny Mercedes with a cracked window, then realized they had an empty Coach shopping bag in the back seat. So I call Pat to tell him what I had just passed - feeling sorry for whoever just lost a $300+ dollar purse. He was on his way to a Cardiology conference that morning, and while talking to me realized HIS car was broken into TOO! Punks. Now the explorer is getting it's second fix up. The joys of living in the city...

I am very excited to tell you that I got to work in a tent, on the 2nd floor of the parking garage at the #5 ranked Children's Hospital of St. Louis. Yes. That's right...a tent. They put up these 2 tents with cots (I am imagining that these are comparable to military style set ups...) in the parking garage. Seriously!? I mean, when someone told me this I laughed. I thought it was a joke. No, no. And not only is it for real, I had to spend 4 hours in the dang thing. The air circulation kept making me think of a Port-a-potty. Weird, I know. They are in place to help move patients (pretty much it's all of the people freakin out about the swine flu...fever, cough, etc) and with that said - I am now sick. Kinda feel like my face got punched - which is my fault because I have refused to take any medicine. Stubborn me. Pat is taking good care of me though - and this morning he was sneezing. Oops. Think I may have shared my sickness with him!

It has been raining and cold here for DAAAAAAYS. It feels like weeks, especially because I have a 5 month old, out of control, full of energy dog. The other day I was in the bedroom and I thought I would give Elle some freedom (just so you know, that dog is always by my side because I don't trust what she's doing when I am not watching her). She didn't follow me in there, so I let her roam around for a bit. Then I realized how quiet it was. I go looking for her and find this...

So yes, Retrievers are water dogs. This darling animal dumped her ENTIRE water bowl over...all over the hall and kitchen. I found her like this, with wet paw prints all around her. She knew what she had done. Now we have seen a new trend - she puts her paws in there, splashes around, sticks her nose in the bowl - you can hear her blowing bubbles in there. What an angel.

I really like fall. I mean, not so much the weather...but the trees, and decorations and food! I had a brilliant idea (which is always a bad way to start). I wanted to make caramel apples. Apparently if you cook the caramel too long it turns into the consistency of candy apples. These suckers were hard as a rock. Once you tried to chew it you almost lost teeth. That is why they are in the trash. Pat is such a good sport though. He tried to make me feel better about my failure to make caramel apples by microwaving them, trying to melt the caramel. Then they were steamy hot, and I could just picture the caramel sticking to the roof of his mouth...so I threw them out.

The Comb Over/Forward. Patrick gave Sophie a new look. He brushed all of her hair forward. I laughed so hard. Poor Mophie

My mom and dad are on there way to St Louie right now! I am so excited. Elle is getting spayed today - poor baby. I took her to the vet bright and early this morning, she was very excited to meet new people and new dogs. I handed her over to the Vet Tech and she just looked at me, wagged her tail and trotted off to the back with the girl. She has no idea what's coming. Call me crazy, but I took her t-shirt that I put in her kennel when she was a baby with her so when she woke up she would have something to make her happy. Mom and Dad will be babysitting while Pat and I go to a Notre Dame game this weekend. I told him I would go on one condition...I needed some warm ND attire. We will see what I get today - he said it is supposed to arrive this afternoon!! Have a great weekend!

HAPPY early HALLOWEEN

Happy early Halloween!!!! I convinced Pat that Elle needed a costume about a month ago, we guessed on the size to get (the biggest one they had). The baby is too big for her costume, but we tried it anyway! 

Our attempt at a family picture. Elle the bumble bee and Sophie the Witch - no need for her to dress up, she sports the witchy attitude every single day.

It took a lot of coaxing and effort to get her in this outfit. So cute though. It has a stinger, these teeny tiny holes for her ears to squeeze through, and legs that she chews on.

We wont be putting this back on again - It may be early, but Happy Halloween! 

10 DAYS

Court took off from work and was able to visit us for 10 days! She left us all today :( 

We just kinda piddled around St Louis, and went to St Charles to walk Elle on the Katy Trail

I really want to bike it - just need to have a husband that is off work the same weekends I am AND need the weather to not be freeeeeeezing. Probably will have to wait till the spring! We miss you Auntie (but you have to pronounce it like Untie.....)

Court and her niece

FALL

Fall is here! It has been very cold this weekend in STL - like freeeeeezing. At night it's around 50ish. I told Pat that there is no difference between 20degrees and 50degrees...its all pure misery to me!

Court has been here since Tuesday and I am loving some company! Due to the chilly weather, I have gotten into my festive decorating mode. Now...it can get a little out of hand, I do LOVE to decorate for seasons and holidays. Court and I found a baby pumpkin to go with the big pumpkin Pat gave me last year. Here they are! 

...ps. there is a surprise picture at the end.

K...here it is. So there is the big baby, Elle in the bottom. Then, see that grey blob on the table.......?

It's bobble-head Sophie!!!!  She got her hair did and when I came home from work and saw her, I DIED. They left tons of head/mane hair and her head is huge compared to her teeny tiny body. No Uggs this time though. Just a huge head.