Saturday, January 16, 2016

Seven Months Together

Seven months together!!!  Seriously is time speeding up?!!  Ella Bella, we love you so much.  I can't imagine my life without your ornery smile and belly laughs!  You are beautiful inside and out.  I pray for patience every morning because I know you are going to have me on my toes. But I love that spice and the world better watch out as you continue to grow. You are going to do some amazing things in this world. Love you. 

Seven Month List
1.  Christmas!  Your first Christmas happened during the last month. I have so many great memories with you during the last month. Seeing Santa, looking at Christmas lights, hanging out at home looking at the tree and talking about the ornaments, opening gifts, Christmas Eve service, and watching you love on all your family members. Christmases are so special with you girls around. 
2.  You are growing and that means you are loosing that sweet toddler belly. You are growing taller and stretching longer. I know this is supposed to happen but it makes me sad that you are growing up so quickly. 
3.  You are quite the fashionista!  You are always involved with deciding what you are going to wear for the day and are not afraid to tell you when you don't like something. You love shoes...not sure where you got that ;).
4.  You love playing dress up with your sister!  On weekends you spend all day dressed as a princess or train engineer or Doctor. During the week, you girls immediately go upstairs and change into dress up clothes as soon as we get home.  I love this stage!
5.  You love playing and using your imagination with your sister. Not only with dress up, but also with your babies, having parties in the castle, building forts, tea parties, or whatever your beautiful heads think of. 
6.  You endured a speech therapy evaluation and IEP plan during the last month. You actually blow everyone away. You are right on track and making amazing progress. Yes, you need to relearn where to place your tongue when speaking now that your anatomy is corrected but you are picking it up quickly. We are so proud of you!  You will be receiving therapy only once a month at this time to ensure you continue to make progress. 
7.  You are still a great eater but you are becoming more picky as time goes on. You love apple sauce, yogurt, any sweets, crackers, blueberries, apples, bananas, popcorn, milk, and juice.  
8.  You don't often sit still long enough to watch a show and we don't encourage tv. But an occasional movie is a must :). You love Daniel Tiger, Mickey Mouse, and a new favorite lately is The Polar Express. Even though Christmas is over we still watch it at least weekly. 
9.  You are learning so many things right now.  You really are like a sponge, just soaking up info. You are learning colors, recognizing letters, learning to count to 10. All this on top of learning how to correctly place your tongue to make words. Your progress over the last month is awesome!
10.  You love to be creative!  We are constantly doing puzzling, coloring pictures, cutting paper, stamping paper, building things with play doh.  You love it all!

Sunday, January 3, 2016

Celebrating Christmas Family Style

On our way home for Christmas I was overcome by an amazing sense of being content.  I was riding home to be with my family who I love and look forward to spending time with.  This includes my mom and dad who have survived the test of time and who are still very much in love after 40 years of marriage, my "little" brother who has become one of my best friends, and my brother married his true love this last summer which means I gained a sister, I have been blessed to be married to my best friend for 12 years who loves me no matter what, and I have two beautiful, strong, independent girls...daughters who were nothing but a dream just a few short years ago.  And knowing that the following weekend I would be surrounded by the most loving in-laws you could ever imagine who would be willing to give up everything they have for those they love, my niece and nephews who I love being a little kid with, and Matt's siblings who I am lucky enough to consider my own brothers and sisters. I know that there have been so many times when I have been filled with joy in my life but I can't recall a time when I felt so content and at peace with my life.  What an amazing feeling!!  This feeling is all due to my Heavenly Father who has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams.  I pray that I remember this feeling always and just sit in that place of peace.

We headed to Kansas on Christmas Eve to spend the weekend with my side of the family.  I worked Christmas Eve morning and we planned to leave around 12pm to make it home for church.  Well, Mother Nature threw us a curve ball and sent a crazy snow storm that morning.  I made it to work no problem at 7am even through it had started snowing.  By 9:30am, Matt called and said, "If we're leaving we need to leave now.  And I'm coming to get you because the car is not getting out."  At that time we had 4 inches of snow and by 11am we had over 7 inches.  We still thought we could make it out since it was a thin storm and we were glad we tried because by the time we made it to interstate it was pretty smooth sailing.  We made it home in time for Christmas Eve service.
Ella inspecting Christmas Eve dinner

Sass-a-fras #1 and #2

My Loves


Snacks for Santa and his Reindeer

Mom and Bobby looking at old family pics

Santa came



Reading the real Christmas Story



Chinese Feast in the works


On New Years Day we headed back home to spend the weekend celebrating Christmas with Matt's side of the family.  I love our weekends together and so look forward to the craziness that occurs every single visit!!  Let's say that these visits include 6 grandkids under the age of 5, 5 big dogs, and 9 adults...pure craziness!!  Thank goodness we have the farm to let everyone run around!  I love them all so much!
6 of our little crazies!!

Love these sweeties!

Carson and Ava ready for presents

Addie, Ava, and Jessie

Ava loving on Grandpa

Nai Nai has candy for the stockings!!


Baby doll accessories for the girls

"Uncle Dave, you look like you need chap stick"

"This is for me, right?!!"

Uncle Craig made all of us girls name signs out of old barbed wire.

Whipped topping, yummy!

These boys love puzzles

Two brothers mesmerized by the kid's toys

Game time

The whole bunch of us!

We made such fun memories on this Christmas with our amazing families!!