A Happy Heart Blog

Flash family photo  October 11 2011
set-up the camera, push the 10 second timer, and see what you get!

Fall at the Alley Home is crazy.  We've worked extra hard to finish some much needed repairs on our home, maintain the outside, and finish the cottage on our property.  All the while, still trying to keep caught-up with everyday life, kids, fall fun, and church.  That's really our home right now - in a nutshell!  The leaves in New England are turning to beautiful golden yellows and oranges.  It probably wasn't the best peeping season this year, but it's hard when it rains - all the time!  But, still, our road and property and area are still just beautiful.



Mr. T -no need to pick, just eat off vine!

Mr. C has worked for the past months to complete many projects, as well as few, unexpected issues, and contractors stopping-in.  Thank heavens for my handy-man!  Here's an idea of what he's been up to:   

• Re-surface our drive with ground gravel to avoid problems during mud season and winter,
• fix-up the back-section of our barn as a basketball area for Nini, including installing plywood floor.
• Unexpected problems in upstairs shower, a leak forced us to cut through our bottom bathroom to dry-out the leak form the top-bathroom.  It is now drying out and we are having a plumber and drywall people here soon.
• Trim and cut-back property trees and shrubs for winter
• Install kitchen cabinets in our kitchen and hopefully soon - paint it all a uniform color - it's very mismatched now. 
• Plus he has had a few business trips!  Crazy :)

I performed in church a couple Sundays ago a piano piece called  How lovely was the morning, it was an arrangement of one of our church hymns called Joseph Smith's first prayer.  It was nice to be in performance mode, be prepared, and not mess up!  The girl's are busy with soccer, karate, piano lessons, and Cici is still in Ballet.  We switched school's because it was too difficult with the boys and too demanding on me.  Her teacher has fewer students and less recitals.  We talked a lot about it as I didn't want her to be completely crushed about the transition.  She was up for a change and her new teacher is perfect for now and at this time in our lives.



Funny Self Portrait!



Thankfully, after a physical therapy appointment this week, they were able to tell me why I have been in so much pain.  It started a couple months back with headaches and intense pain throughout the day.  I pushed doctor's appointments off because I had other things on my mind - but finally decided it was time to see someone.  It turns out that my C6 disk in my spine is bulging and causing me to have a pinched nerve.  I am on Ibuprofen and exercises every hour.  I am hopeful that it will improve in the next couple of weeks.  This hasn't been any fun.  I also had a mini-scare when I went in for my annual female check-up.  He sent me in for an early mammogram, thankfully everything turned out to be normal.  End result, they have a good baseline now for future mammograms.  

How are you?

How are your fall colors?
Do you like to eat berries right off the vine?!