Pictures as promised......

Here's a look at our time in Rapid. Warning: there are a couple shots of us from Christmas morning in our PJs. Maia and Steve, I'm hoping you don't have the urge to kill me for that!

hanging out with Papa

buried in presents on Christmas morning

Steve & Maia look happy, but Ella still can't manage a smile for the camera

Cheese!

Family shot.... great T's Ollie!

Ella and Oliver kicking back

A 2nd bday party - Ella not enjoying the "Happy Birthday" serenade

there's a smile! I think it's the cupcake/sugar.....

How cute!

The Sweetest Thing

We're Home

We made it home yesterday from our trip to Rapid for Christmas. We had such a wonderful time. Tim and Margaret were great hosts, as always. Lots of family and friends around - it was perfect....just wish we'd had a little more time. I'll post some pictures once we get them downloaded.

This week: We've got a big New Year's planned. ZAC & KRISTEN'S WEDDING on New Year's Eve!

Ella's Birthday / Early Christmas Celebration

We celebrated Ella's 2nd birthday on Saturday with friends and family and also had an early Christmas with my family. My parents were here and both my brothers and their wives (well Kristen will be Zac's wife by next Thurs night!!). Going into the weekend Ella was pretty aware that it was Christmas time and by Friday night, knew that her birthday was the next day. Her head must have been spinning though... opening birthday presents at 11:30 and Christmas presents at 2:00. I made a Barney cake for her, she is still in love with the purple guy. Everytime she saw her cake before and after Saturday she'd say, "Happy Birthday, Ella!" She was a pro at unwrapping presents by the time this weekend came to an end, so she will be in shape for Christmas in Rapid City. We leave for Tim & Margaret's on Christmas Eve! Here we come McKinstry Family!

Thanks everyone for making it such a special weekend!

Gift #1, food for Ella's kitchen

Not too bad, right?

While she liked the cake, she really loved the ice cream

Diving in!

I'm thinking of using this as our Christmas card photo next year

Zac's pretty new coat

The adorable Fosler family

Here's JJ laying low, trying to avoid some of the craziness


Opening another present with Aunt Kristen's help

Dinner at Rancho Viejo

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLA ROSE!

Good Morning, Tree

We got about 4 inches of snow overnight, and I when I got Ella up this morning, I took her to the window to show her. As we were looking out the back window she saw the lights on the Christmas tree were on and she said "Hey! Good Morning, Tree". Just a sample of some of the random things Ella says....really cute! She's really verbal these days - with about 75% of what she says making sense to us. She is putting sentences together too. Her favorite thing to ask me right now is "Mommy, what you doing?"

Is it possible?

In a week, we'll be celebrating Ella's 2nd birthday. Simply amazing to me!!

Baby Update

So I'm now in my 2nd trimester. I always thought that started when you hit your 13th week, but for some reason everything I'm reading tells me it's once you get to the 14th week. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon and everything looks good. Hearing that little heartbeat is such a great thing! When you can't feel the baby moving yet it's such a reassuring sound. I've gained 5 pounds in a month.....it has begun! I am so excited about being pregnant again and getting to experience all the cool things that go along with it - BUT the weight gain and swollen ankles are 2 things I am not welcoming back!

I made our ultrasound appointment - set right now for Jan 18th. We were really hoping to have it before we head to S. Dakota for Christmas, but it would just be too early. We'd only be 16 weeks, so waiting until January will help make sure we get all the right information.... measurements, boy or girl, that kind of thing. Something to look forward to after the holidays. Can't wait!

He's not so bad.....

The Grinch may be a meanie, but we have a Grinch lover in our house......well a couple really I must admit. I've always loved the Dr. Suess story and the cartoon too. I recorded it the other night and watched it with Ella the next day and now she asks to watch it every day! "Watch Grinch!" she'll say. She loves it when he's on the screen, and she really loves Max the dog and Cindy Lou Who (or "girl" as Ella calls her). And she sometimes tries to sing along with the Whos when they sing..... they kinda speak the same language. I'd read the story to her many times before she ever knew about the cartoon, so I assume that had something to do with how quickly she latched on to the tv version. Anyway, it's pretty cute. Oh, and Jingle Bells seems to be one of her new faves. She loves to say HEY! in the right spot..... you know.... "in a one horse open sleigh - HEY!"

Winter may not be officially here yet, but it's as frigid as the middle of winter today. 3 degrees right now and I hear the high is supposed to be 12 today! Very nice!

Bathing Beauty

Decking our Halls

The tree went up on Monday and I've been trying to get some other Christmas decorations up this week. I absolutely love this time of year, so it's fun to get everything out and put up....work, but still fun. We are heading to Rapid City for Christmas Day this year, but I like to celebrate the whole month of December, so we had to get the house decked out. I'm pretty sure that Seth thinks I go a little overboard, but he's good about not saying anything. It's interesting decorating with a 2 year old in the house. I tried to do some of the hardest things while she was napping, but she was very helpful when it came to decorating the tree - which now has ornaments on just the top half!

Ella loves the singing snowmen, and her piano playing Snoopy!

Santa's little helper
Mom's little helper

Ella's own unique way of trimming the tree.....

....with Teddy and Baby, and hairclips too!

Thanksgiving

Now that it's December, I thought I'd give an update on our Thanksgiving. Timely, huh? Heh, it was only a week ago. Seth, Ella and I hosted dinner at our house and invited my mom and dad, brother Zac & his fiance Kristen (getting married New Year's Eve!), and Kristen's family..... Mom & Dad (Ruth & Tom) and her sister Kellie with her boyfriend Brett and her daughter Abby. Also, my Aunt Hazel made it as well. it was a full house, but we made it work and I think everyone had a good time. Lots of food of course. Abby was my hero of the day because she was a trooper putting up with our bossy daughter. Ella absolutely loves Abby and kept her prisoner in her room most of the afternoon.

our best attempt at a family photo - wish us luck on a Christmas card

Jim, Hazel and Zac

The Conklin family - Tom, Kellie, Abby, Kristen & Ruth

Cute Abby smiling for the camera - Ella was not taking notes from her......lately we get shaking of the head when the camera comes out.