Happy Birthday SARAH!

You know, when we were little kids I didn't care for her much. I know, so sad. We were only 18 months apart. She would drive me crazy gazing out the window looking at the stars and singing.. some-where out- there.... UH! SO annoying when you're 7! She's has always been one of those super talented people- GORGEOUS, always a performer, always the most popular, not to forget crazy SMART! When I would do my homework she would yell the answers from the other room. My Mom would always say, someday she will be your best friend. My Mother was right. When we both got married and had children things changed (well maybe a little sooner then that) we did become the best of friends. I like to think that I know more about her then anyone else, she for sure knows more about me then anyone else. We talk on the phone every day, sometimes many many many times a day. It's heartbreaking not to be able to see her as often. Thanksgiving was so hard, she wasn't here to play games or go early morning after Thanksgiving shopping with me! I'm so grateful for her. I'm so glad that she got to come and spend some time with us last month, it's always so comforting to have her close by. I wish she lived next door.

Sarah you truly are my best friend. I'm so glad you're my sister. I love you Sarah!

Happy St. Patricks Day

Last night for family home evening we made shamrocks, colored some pictures of Ireland and made some sugar cookies with green frosting. Ella was super excited to set some out and see if it would attract a leprechaun! She was hoping she would be able to catch him. Well, all until Ryan showed her some pictures of scary leprechauns! After some reassurance that she would be fine and that leprechauns are more scared of her she was off to bed.
In the morning the children found that some of the cookies were gone and there was play money and chocolate coins everywhere! Ella wanted to know why it wasn't real money. They thought it was pretty fun and ate plenty of chocolate for breakfast. Well, a couple pieces anyways.

(Thanks Lis for the idea!)

The Jackster has decided that he wants to be a big boy now and sit at the counter with Ella. I'm too afraid to really let him, maybe sometimes if I'm really close.

Open Swim

Our neighborhood pool opened this weekend. Ella was so excited and couldn't wait to get in. Although Ryan and I knew the water would be cold .......we were right. Ella didn't care and had a great time. Jack didn't like it at all.

I'm sure that after a couple of weeks of 90 degrees will warm up the water. We're getting close to that now. I'm so NOT ready. Ella wanted me to video her splashing.

My little Picasso

Saturday marked Ella's first day of SPRING BREAK! The weather has been just wonderful- so we decided we would paint. One of Ella's most favorite things to do. She could spend an hour on one painting. I asked her what she liked more, painting or coloring- she told me, she prefers watercolor. Because she can blend her colors easier.

Sadly I'm a terrible mother and this was Jack first real time painting. He didn't really get it anyways. Although I think that he enjoyed himself.

My crazy haired girl.

Jack found many things outside to paint other then the paper. Lets hope he doesn't think about doing art on things inside.

I sat on a chair outside enjoying the day. Both kids quiet and happy. It was a wonderful day.

Orange Shirt Day

OK, well not really. It just seems like we took so many pictures the day Jack was wearing that orange shirt! .....Yep, his diaper is taped on. (this- of course-was Ryan's idea.) He WILL NOT keep a diaper on. Even with pants on. He LOVES being naked. I might have to start with Mom's plan- overalls all the time!
The kids and I have kind of started a new tradition- almost every evening right before Ryan gets home from work we go outside and wait for him. These kiddos love their Daddy! I love the look of Jack-Jack's face- he knows that he's looking for his Dadda.

Loose tooth!

The day has finally come for Ella. A day that she's been dreaming of for years- she has a loose tooth! She can't wait for it to fall out so that the tooth fairy can come! I on the other hand am very sad that this is happening. She's not even 6! I'm afraid of what her permanent teeth are going to look like. (No one could know more about awkward adult teeth then me.) No more cute little girl smile for Ella. Now it will be awkward teeth, some big, some small. Uh! I don't like it, not one bit. I'll keep you updated.

Of course had to throw in a picture of the Jack-attack. He's trying to beef up.

Happy St. Patricks's Day

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Anna & Neinah

{Anna & Neinah}

This week is Anna.. and Neinah's birthdays! They are my little sisters! Can you believe that I have sisters this little!? They are the youngest of us 10. {This picture was taken this summer while camping.} They don't even remember when I lived at home. In fact they thought that I was just a friend of our Mothers when they were really tiny. They are such sweet girls! Always so helpful. They love Ella and Jack so much! Ella misses them {there is only 5 years between Ella and Neinah}, but enjoys the times she talks with them on the phone. It makes Ella feel so grown up!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRLS!

I hope that you have great birthdays! I miss you and love you both!

Sick

My poor babies are sick. I HATE it when they don't feel well. It's just a cold, but it's a bad one. Cough, sore throat, fevers. NOT fun. Every time they get sick they climb into our big bed and watch movies and eat popsicle's. I hope they feel better tomorrow.
Here's from happier days.

Ella found these paper dolls in an old box of her baby things. My Mom got them for her when she was very little. She played with them for hours. Something I also enjoyed at her age.
I made some yummy orange jello stuff the other night (Thanks Tiffy!), Jack LOVED it! He ate two huge bowls full. He's gaining weight. I can see it in his face! Finally!
(Can you see that the last couple pictures are all foggy. As I was downloading them I was thinking what the heck!? Then I looked at the cameras lens. Ah, a perfect little Jack-Jack finger print. That's what happens when I let a 1 year old play with my camera.)

Baileys & Bullards

The other night the Bullard family called and wanted to take us out for ice cream! How nice are they huh!? Ella and Ava with their BLUE ice cream!
Jack- Jack really liked his banana ice cream! As you can see he's wearing the "monkey". It's a kid harness. It gives him freedom to walk around without me panicking that he's going to run into the road. (I decided it was time to get it out while at the grocery store with him. He can now climb out of the shopping cart, even being buckled and my arms got so tired of holding him. So he ended up running all over the store.

Little Dilly! He's SO cute!

After ice cream we came back over to our house to hang out and play games. The boys love playing around this plant! Dillon is a little botanist in the making.

Once again Jack was wanting to take some pictures. This time I did help and kind of pushed the button for him.

Dillon wanted in on the camera action. He took this one of Jack- who wasn't happy about sharing the camera.

Thanks Bullard family for the ice cream and for coming over! We love hanging out with you, even if it's last minute. Sometimes that's the most fun!

HaPpy BiRthDay DaD!

Today is my Dad's 50th Birthday!

Me and my Dad when he came to visit right after Jack was born.

{ You might be saying- whoa, your Dad looks so young. Yes, he does. Then you might ask, what's it like to have a Dad who looks your young. I would then tell you this- When Ella was two months old I went out to Wisconsin to visit. One of the evenings my Me, Ella and Dad went into the grocery store to pick up a few things. The cashier saw us and said "Oh what a cute wife and baby you have" to my DAD! "What? He's not my husband, he's my DAD!" Weird. Gross. }

My dad is the greatest, no really he is. I'm sure that you're thinking, no way, my Dad's the best. But then maybe you haven't met my Dad. I have so many wonderful memories throughout my childhood of camping in the mountains, Daddy daughter dates at church, riding bikes through the dirt fields, trips to Disneyland {Pirates of the Caribbean!}, teaching me to drive in the rain, gardening in the back yard, going for rides in his truck and playing match box cars in the flower beds! He is the kind of Dad who will braid your hair so soft because he said that he doesn't have long hair so he doesn't know how bad it must hurt if it gets pulled. The kind of Dad who doesn't care if you accidentally throw up on him. Twice. The kind of Dad who makes sure that the jelly goes all the way to the edges of the bread. Because he knows that's the way you like it. The kind of Dad who when he catches you on the ROOF of the house he only pretends to spank you so that the kids outside the room will get scared and NEVER do that! The kind of Dad who comes to visit after you've had a baby and does your laundry and dishes. The kind of Dad who will rub your back every night until you fall asleep. The kind of Dad who you know, no matter what he's going to love you. No matter what. That's MY Dad.

But maybe it's just because I'm his favorite.

Dad and Jack this summer at a 4th of July parade.

Dad and Ella eating lunch after a hike this summer in Wisconsin.

Dad and Ella camping this summer. {Did you notice that he was wearing his Z hat in all three pictures? Hehehehehe!}
My Dad with the sports car he bought this past summer. He LOVES that car! He wont let anyone else drive it, no really- he wont.

I love you Dad! I wish that I could have been there for your party! It sounds like it was a lot of fun! I heard you were able to blow out all of your candles, good job old man {Because now you really are old!}. Have a great day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Silly Pictures

Tonight Ryan was working on some things and was out in the garage for a while- which is Jack's most favorite place to play and poke around. When Ryan went to go inside and Jack would not get off Ella's old bike. So he brought it inside for him. {yeah, just what I wanted, a dirty bike all over my carpet, oh well} It soon turned into an argument about who gets to ride the bike. This was Ella and Jack's compromise. It gave Ryan and I a good chuckle!
Jack is in LOVE with the camera lately! Tonight Jack was crying and wanting to get something off the counter. He wanted the camera. So I let him play with it a little {My old little camera! NOT my nice one!} He's not dumb though, he knew he wanted it on. These are shots that he took- no really- he did!

OK, this one, I held him up- but he took it!

I thought this one was pretty funny! Maybe Jack will follow in his mommy's footsteps!

Sunday Dress

This morning we were ready for church a little early. I know what you're thinking- early?! But yes, we are always on time {it starts at 10}. We are ready early often.
I LOVE this picture of Ella. She's SUCH a model!
Ella's our little DIVA and proud of it!

Can you believe that Ella's going to be 6 YEARS OLD this summer! In just 3 1/2 months! She's such a sweet girl. Always worried about others. Always such a good little helper.

My cute kids!

Picture OVERLOAD

{I love the shot of her singing little mermaid songs at the top of her lungs! SO typical of her.}

Yesterday it was over 80 degrees! Ella couldn't wait any longer- she HAD to swim!
Jack wasn't as excited. He didn't stay in very long.

Jack is getting so strong! There's nothing that kid can't do! He loves being outside!

We saw the prettiest humming birds all afternoon! Can you see it?

Grill Master

Jack LOVES to share! Ryan's the nicest Dad ever, he always takes what Jack's giving. Even if Ryan has to close his eye's and just swallow!

I love love love Jack's little scrunchy smile, it reminds me of his cousin Ethan!

I swear we feed him... see, see!

OK, I went inside for three minutes to get HIM ice cream. Ryan was outside, so I don't know what he was flipping out about.

.............. I'm mean.

My little lady HATES the sun in her eye's. Always has. Sometimes if we're driving and the sun is too strong in her face and we don't have any glasses for her she just closes her eye's until we get to where we need to go.

Jack's first ice cream cone! He loved it! Maybe that's what we need to do everyday to help him gain weight!

He ate all of his and then stole Ella's and ate hers too! He's really been changing a lot lately. Growing up, becoming more mature. He loves to draw and color. {knock on wood} He has only been coloring on coloring books and paper. He knows that he needs shoes on to go outside so a couple times a day he'll bring me some of his shoes and sit down and wait for me to put them on him. Like I said, he loves being outside. If he's tired he will bring me his special blanket {it's one that Lisa made for him before he was even born} and want to be wrapped in it. Then a few times he's gone, climbed into my bed and just gone to sleep. A few days ago he wore a superman cape ALL day and got so mad when Ella took it off. We put it back on him and he wore it until he fell asleep that night. He loves to dance! He hears any music and starts moving! Even if he's in his car seat or nursing! I'm expecting him to start spatting out full sentences any day now. I can see he wants to and is trying so hard. He's still a trouble maker though. Two days ago he broke my candy jar {by throwing it off the counter onto the tile floor, ground a handful of M&M's in the carpet, scratched Ella really bad, ran into the road and put a whole roll of toilet paper into the toilet, still on the roll. That was all in about a half an hour. What am I going to do with this kid? Really, I don't know what I would do without him. What would I do with all of that time!? No really, he's such a joy to both Ryan and I!