this week. elli.

i often find it funny how you can love one little being more than you ever thought possible, and then two minutes later, that same being can have your blood boiling and smoke spewing from your ears. for me, that little being is E. who unlike her brother, dislikes all nicknames and prefers just elli.

she and i are getting ready to spend six days without a boy in the house. ripp and the pill are headed to the lonestar state for some male bonding, while we get our own female bonding here. it has been five and a half years since it has been just us two girls in the house and we are going to live it up. we plan to watch movies, take in a dance revue, fabric shop, paint nails, sew, eat, listen to music, play and relax.

she is quite the musician. a guitar was on her christmas list and a guitar she got. it really is amazing how quickly kids pick up these things. i learned along with her at home for a couple weeks and then she left me in the dust. it is hilarious to listen to her 'teach' and i am so impressed with her patience. definitely something she didn't get from me. a daily practicing routine is the only part we have struggled with and since the sugar fiend is on detox, i can't even bribe her with candy.

she is coming into her own this year in soccer and is the unofficial assistant coach. she heads to every game with a sheet of instructions, usually involving a picture of the field and the words "spread out". it seems to be working and they are undefeated. she even scored her first goal this year and it wasn't a fluke. she scored one goal last year when the ball ricocheted off her head and into the goal, but she didn't even know she scored.

she is the perfect blend of girly and sporty, sugar and spice. she is a good girl, a good friend and a good student. and might i add, has not missed one day of school the entire year. so she is extremely healthy too...and not well traveled. she is my happy place.