Family...Another Word For Love.

Panties & High Heels?

2011-01-05T11:33:00.000-08:00

I think it could be the new fashion statement don't you?

Time To Potty Train?

2010-12-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

I think it is WAY past time don't you!

Another Christmas Come & Gone.

2010-12-26T05:40:00.000-08:00

Here a just a few pics of our Christmas festivities. We had a relaxing day full of present opening at 3 different locations. We started the morning out at our house with opening presents from Santa. Ellie got her bike and Emma got her plasma car among other things that aren't quite as exciting like books. Then it was off to the great-grandparents house and finally the grandparents house where we stayed and enjoyed good food and playing with toys. Now we are looking forward to the New Year and all it has to bring.

Christmas Dresses

2010-12-20T05:16:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would share a few pictures of Ellie and Emma in their Christmas dresses. Ellie kept calling her dress a wedding dress.

Preschool Christmas Party

2010-12-19T05:29:00.000-08:00

Ellie's little preschool has a Christmas party every year complete with Santa bearing gifts for each child. They finish it off with plenty of pizza, pasta, salad and dessert. It really is a lot of fun for the children. I'm so grateful that she is able to attend this school. I can't wait for Emma to go next year. Here are a few pictures from the event.

Christmas Fun at the Park

2010-12-12T06:02:00.000-08:00

Our city holds fun activities for the kids in our town for all the Holiday's. They really do a great job. Every year they hold a Christmas party for the kids at the park. They have pony rides, train rides, meet & greet with Santa, bounce houses, free hot dogs and crafts for the kids to make. It really is done nice and the best part is it's all FREE. The weather yesterday was perfect for it. First up was the pony rides.

Then it was off to the train ride which I didn't get pictures of. The girls were excited about seeing Santa. Mr. Grinch was on the stage so we took a photo with him as well.

Then (don't have a heart attack) I let the girls have a hot dog. You can tell they never eat them because they were eating them from the top part down. See pics below.

It was a great day and a beautiful day.

When We Get There We'll Say Yeah!!

2010-12-05T05:29:00.000-08:00

We had our annual trip to William's, AZ to catch the Polar Express Train. This has been our 2nd year and we will be making it a tradition for sure. It is so much fun and a great way to start of the Holiday season. William's is such a cute little historic town close to the Grand Canyon. I want to move there, or at least have a house there where we could escape every once and a while. This is also where the Grand Canyon Railway is. They have daily trips you can take up to the Grand Canyon, which we want to try out in the summer. They have a cute little train depot and it was all decorated for Christmas. We got there early enough for a visit and picture with Santa and Mrs. Clause. The train left at 6:30 and made it's way up to the North Pole. Along the way they give you cookies and hot chocolate, tell the story of the Polar Express and we all sing Christmas songs. It was fun this year because 70 something people from our church came along too and we were all on the same train car. The train ride is about an hour and a half and Santa even comes on and gives all the kids a bell. We had a great time and look forward to next year.

Ellie's Preschool Birthday

2010-09-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

They celebrate each child's birthday at preschool by letting the birthday girl or boy wear a gown and crown. I made cupcakes and brought them in for the children at the end of the day. Here are just a few pictures of the event.

Ellie's Day of Beauty

2010-08-12T15:49:00.001-07:00

I took Ellie with me to get her hair done. This is only her 2nd haircut ever so it was very exciting for her. He first haircut was with daddy at the barber shop so this was a step up to come with me to the beauty salon. She did pretty good. She had some problem keeping her head still for the lady. What 3 year old can sit completely still anyway, right? She asked to get her hair shampooed because she had watched me get mine done first. Anyway, she looks much better and we won't have to fight those tangles anymore, YEAH!

A Shrek Of A Time

2010-06-17T13:55:00.001-07:00

Ellie just loves spending time at grandma & grandpa's house. This past week she got to spend the night and grandma took her to see Shrek. Shrek was the first movie Ellie really got hooked on. One night when she was about 15 months old it just happened to be on T.V. She sat in front of the T.V. and watched it for a long time. She has been hooked ever since. So grandma took her to the 3D version. I am told she did pretty good. The glasses they make are really big for a child so that was her biggest obstacle. After the movie they went to McDonald's where they just happened to be serving their Happy Meals with Shrek toys, how perfect. The next morning she asked if they could go to "The Bear" for breakfast. It is a little dinner called the Black Bear that Ellie just loves. They decided they would take her down there where she had the pancakes for breakfast. We are so grateful for having grandma & grandpa near by. Ellie had a blast. It will be Emma's time soon, I'm not quite ready to let her go yet.

Ice Cream Truck

2010-02-28T05:08:00.001-08:00

Who doesn't love ice cream and here in Arizona it is actually warm enough to enjoy it. The story starts with Ellie "taking money" from Grandpa's truck, with his permission of course, on Monday. It was her idea that she would spend the money on an ice cream when the ice cream truck came by. Well, Tuesday went by and Wednesday went by and no ice cream truck. I swear I hear that thing everyday and shutter because the girls always beg me for and ice cream but now that we actually want it to come, nothing. Thursday went by and Friday went by, still no ice cream truck and Ellie hasn't forgotten. Finally, yesterday I heard the music from that truck in the distance. I told Michael to get in his car and chase that thing down so that we can satisfy Ellie and we won't have to hear about it every waking hour of the day. He did and the truck came rolling by blaring it's song "When the Saints Come Marching In". I've never seen her so excited, not even when we drive up to Disneyland. They both decided on ice cream sandwiches and enjoyed every last bite. The joys of being a child.

Dentist Today

2009-06-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

Here is Ellie at her first Dentist appointment. I've decided to take my girls early in life to make sure they feel comfortable having someone look at their teeth as opposed to being scared. I took her to a Pediatric dentist because I know they are specialized in all the kiddy stuff. The office was so cute. They had slides and climbing things in the waiting room. They also had an arcade area for the older kids. Ellie did surprisingly good. She let the dentist look at her teeth and then brush them. Her teeth look great and he said we are doing a great job. We will go back in 6 months for her very first cleaning.

Happy Father's Day Daddy

2009-06-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

We Love You!

Beautiful North Carolina

2009-06-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful vacation in N.C. We spent two weeks at my parents house. They live on a beautiful 30+ acre piece of property. The girls thoroughly enjoyed running around barefoot, chasing the kittens, swinging on the tire swing, looking at the chicken and playing with their cousins. Michael and I enjoyed relaxing in the yard as we watched the kids play. The weather was beautiful for us. We are so happy that we were able to go back and we thank my Mom & Dad for their graciousness in letting us stay at their home.

Happy Easter

2009-04-12T15:23:00.001-07:00

Easter Egg Fun With Grandma

2009-04-07T06:29:00.000-07:00

Mommy had to get her teeth cleaned yesterday so Grandma had the girls over for some Easter egg decorating. I wasn't there but was told that Ellie was very HANDS on. She didn't want to use the little tool to get the eggs out of the dye, she just used her hands. It was probably easier that way anyway. Emma wasn't able to help too much but next year will be old enough.

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-07T06:22:00.000-07:00

We headed out to our Communities Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday. The kids were still a little sick but we all had fun anyways. They have the field all divided up into age groups so it is nice that the little ones don't have to compete with the big kids.

Swimming Anyone?

2009-03-20T15:50:00.000-07:00

We took the kids to the indoor waterpark that we have here in our town. This was a great thing to do considering it is in the 90's out. The nice thing about an indoor pool is that we don't have to worry about sunscreen. The kids had the best time. Emma is a little fish and Ellie had a blast "swimming". When it was time to leave Ellie through a huge fit and didn't want to leave. I don't blame her I guess.

Swimsuit Model

2009-03-19T06:24:00.000-07:00

It's just about swimsuit weather here in Arizona. Yesterday our car registered 89 degrees. Michael and I, along with Michael's dad took a nice trip up to Vegas yesterday. We were able to go to the temple, our main mission for the trip. We also needed to buy little Emma a new car seat as she had finally outgrown her infant carrier, thank goodness. It was getting pretty heavy to carry. We also headed over to Target, my favorite store, to browse around. This is where I spotted the most adorable swimsuit. It was the last one left and just Emma's size. It did have a small stain in the front but hardly noticeable. I asked for a discount and they gave me 10% off. She looks so cute in it.

Spring Time Gardening

2009-03-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Keeping Emma in her Corral (Should have put Ellie there)

Lavender, Smells Good

In the hole it goes.

Standing back and assessing the situation.

All Done! Good job Daddy and Ellie.

We decided to do some planting in the front of our house. We planted our first round of lavender plants when I was pregnant with Ellie back in 2006. They really took off beautifully so we decided to plant some more on the other side of the walkway to even it out. Of course we had the best helpers ever. Ellie is more than eager to get digging in the dirt and mud. I think we have a little tomboy on our hands. She even did a little tasting of the dirt to make sure that it was just right. Thanks Ellie. Emma is still not quite so stable on her feet so we put her in the corral with some toys. She was happy for a little while and then decided she wanted to help too. It was quite hot out today, up in the 80's for sure. I've decided that this is a fun thing to do to get you in the Spring spirit.

Happy Birthday Emma

2009-03-08T05:28:00.001-07:00

Oh, where has the year gone and how has my little baby grown up so fast? Emma turned 1 yesterday and we had a little birthday party for her. I had her grandparents and great-grandparents over for a dinner of lasagna and of course birthday cake. I made her a little cake that she could dig into and she didn't waste anytime, with the help of Ellie. She then opened up her presents, with the help of Ellie. Emma got all clothes this year because it is probably the only year till she is a teenager where we can get away with that and she needed some dresses. She also really started walking yesterday. It's funny that it happened right on her birthday but boy did she really take off. Emma is such a sweet little baby. I feel so blessed to have her in my life and she brings a special spirit into our home. I just hope time slows down a bit.

Beautiful Day+ 2 Kids= Park

2009-03-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

I just have to brag about the beautiful weather we have here in the west. Now I know some of you might enjoy the cold and snow but this warm weather makes me happy. I'm not looking forward to the extreme heat of the summer but for now this is nice. I took the kids to the park to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. Emma is almost walking. She will take 8 steps or so at a time and is very steady on her feet. It is hard to believe that she will turn 1 on Saturday. It has gone by so very fast. She is so much fun to have around and very happy and pleasant doing her thing all around the house. Ellie and Emma are now playing so nicely together, most of the time.

I just started my new job this week. I am working for Keller William's Realty assisting a realtor who is extremely busy right now and needed some help with his paperwork. I am basically doing what I used to do so I feel comfortable doing the job. I work 3 days a week in the afternoons while the kids are sleeping so it works great for my schedule. Thanks to Kathy for coming over and sitting here at the house while I go to work. Anyways, it should go well and I don't have to spend too much time away from the kids.

Your Crib Or Mine?

2009-02-18T05:36:00.000-08:00

I KNOW! Ellie has crazy hair again. I just can't seem to tame it. It has a mind of its own. Emma and Ellie don't share a bed but Emma loves to climb into bed with Ellie and Ellie loves to climb in bed with Emma. I took this picture because they were wearing matching P.J.'s and I thought it was cute. Also, it's one of those cute sister moments I try to capture for when they are older. When I look back at my baby and toddler pictures, Allison is in almost all of them. I guess we were together all the time. I hope that they will always stay close to one another.

Ladybug, Puppy & Two Girls

2009-02-16T04:36:00.000-08:00

Here are the girls with their T.V. watching pals. This is their Valentines gifts from Grandma and Grandpa.

More Disneyland Pictures

2009-02-08T05:15:00.001-08:00

I posted about our trip below and just wanted to add a few pictures.

Riding the Train

2009-02-08T04:40:00.001-08:00

Emma just hopped up on her train all by herself and sat there drinking her bottle. She has never done this all alone so I thought it was cute. It looks like she is waiting for someone to push her around.

The Happiest Place On Earth

2009-02-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

On our way to Disneyland!

Disneyland! I think this is so true. We just got back from two fun filled days at Disneyland. We left at 5:00am on Wed. morning to get there in time for the gates to open. It's about a 5 hour drive from our house. It was the most perfect beautiful day to spend there with the temperatures about 78 degrees during the day. Michael's mom and dad came with us. It was nice to have some help, especially if we wanted to go on a big ride. As I said, Wednesday was beautiful and Thursday started out that way. We had been watching the news and knew that a big storm was headed our way. Sure enough, around 1:00pm it started to sprinkle on us. It wasn't too bad for a couple hours but then it started to pour rain. We were prepared with our ponchos but after about an hour in the rain I knew it was time to go back to the hotel. We stayed in a hotel within walking distance to the park so Michael's dad and I walked the kids back. Michael and his mom stayed and got in a few more rides. We didn't want to go back to the park in the rain so we all went over to the mall and walked around that evening. When we got back to the hotel it was about 20 minutes until the park closed so Michael and I left the kids with their grandparents and ran, I mean RAN, over to get one more ride on Space Mountain.

Even with the rain it was a great trip full of memories created. Ellie's favorite rides were Dumbo and Pirates. She kept asking if she could ride on Dumbo. Emma was able to go on every ride too and she was so observant, looking around at everything. They were both real good. We managed to get a majority of the rides we went on taped so we made a DVD when we got home. I'm sure this will be Ellie's new favorite movie.

Little Dilbert Days

2009-01-21T09:49:00.000-08:00

It's so beautiful here is the Southwest this time of year. It's been especially nice lately with the 70 degree weather. Sometimes I do miss the snow sometimes but when you walk outside in the middle of winter in tee's and shorts you feel pretty lucky.

We spent Saturday at our town's Little Dilbert Day Rodeo. It's mostly for the kids with pony rides, tractor rides, a train ride, bass fishing, mud slinging, a petting zoo, good old BBQ and so much more. The kids really had a good time and us adults enjoyed watching. Ellie got to ride her little pony again. She loves horses and had named them all Lucky. Her favorite show is Calliou and on a particular episode he went to visit a horse named Lucky so that's why. Anyway it was such a beautiful day and so much fun.

Butterflies Everywhere

2009-01-11T05:11:00.000-08:00

Thank you Grammy Carol for our Christmas present. This is an elephant game where little butterflies fly up through the trunk of the elephant and you are suppose to catch them with a net. It is really fun. Forgive me for the pictures of Ellie in her undies. She is potty training and doing quite well. I can't seem to keep clothes on her anymore. Good thing we don't live where it is cold.

Happy 2009 & Rocket Day

2009-01-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Ready For Lift Off

Relaxing Sisters

Ellie's Shrek Rocket

Emma Caged Up

I wish everyone out there a Very Happy New Year!! I really look forward to the coming year and all it will have to bring. We had a great 2008 with much to be grateful for. Our New Year's Eve was so very exciting. The kids went to bed at 8:30 and I followed an hour later. We managed to drag ourselves out of bed for our annual Rocket Day at the park. The Murray's started this tradition of shooting off rockets on New Year's Day and have gained quite a following with lots of church people and neighbors joining in on the fun. It was a perfect day with 70 degree weather and no wind. Ellie got to shoot off her rocket decorated with what else, Shrek stickers. We locked Emma in her cage where she was able to roam around. It really wore the kids out running around chasing the rockets as they fell back to the ground. It was a great way to spend the day and start out our new year.

Christmas Dresses

2008-12-23T08:52:00.000-08:00

Here are our girls in their cute Christmas dresses. Grandma bought these at K-mart last minute. I wasn't going to get them any this year but I'm glad she did. We are excited about Christmas in a few days. After having our own little Christmas here at home we will travel over to Michael's parents house for the remainder of the day. Michael's Parents, Grandparents and Aunt & Uncle will all be there. Amy is in New York City this year with Angel's family. We wish all of you a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Cookies

2008-12-16T15:00:00.001-08:00

Ellie and Grandma spent the morning baking and frosting Christmas cookies. This gave mommy and Emma some alone time to go to Wal-Mart and get some shopping done. From what I hear their was quite a big mess when all was done. Ellie enjoyed eating the cookie dough and frosting as you can see from the picture.

Community Christmas Party

2008-12-14T04:49:00.000-08:00

Our community puts on this really nice Christmas Party for the kids every year. They have free pony rides, a train ride, Blow-up jumpers, Santa, and free food. It is really nice. We have gone for the last 3 years. Ellie really enjoyed the pony rides. She wasn't scared at all and looked quite natural on her horse Scout.

Crazy Hair Again!

2008-12-11T14:42:00.001-08:00

Just thought I would add to our crazy hair picture collection. I just wonder what she is doing in the night to get her hair this way. Must be some crazy dreams.

Hey Santa!

2008-12-05T11:26:00.001-08:00

We got our first pictures with Santa for the season. Emma was happy to sit on his lap. Ellie, on the other hand, would not. She really wanted a candy cane though so she very cautiously went up to him to get one.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-29T09:50:00.000-08:00

Here is our tree

Some more decorations

Emma riding her bike

Ellie catching a ride

Our little family

We had a nice traditional Thanksgiving here in Lake Havasu. The weather was great, it rained. We absolutely love it when it rains here because it doesn't happen very often. We started the day setting up our Christmas tree and other decorations. What better way to start off the Holiday season. Ellie was a big help. At least she thought she was. We have a plastic pool in our garage leaned up against the wall. I had it down in order to get to the Christmas boxes. Michael and I were busy doing something and when we turned around there she was in the pool, naked. I think she wanted to go for a swim. It was so funny.

Later on that evening we enjoyed a yummy Thanksgiving dinner at Michael's parents house. It was soooo good. Michael's sister Amy and her husband came in from L.A. and Michael's grandparents were there as well. After dinner we took the kids for a walk down by the lake. It was nice to walk after stuffing ourselves. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are now looking forward to the Christmas season. Here are some pictures from our day.

Video

2008-11-26T05:53:00.000-08:00

Here is some video of Emma and Ellie playing together in the kitchen.

Sister's Playing

2008-11-26T04:54:00.001-08:00

Emma and Ellie are now starting to play together. It is sweet to watch them. Here they are playing in their tunnel.

Emma Finally Did It!

2008-11-21T14:53:00.001-08:00

Emma is crawling!! Yea she has really taken off going all over the house. It seems as though she really knows where she is going, so cute. Also, she is getting her first tooth. I've been noticing her hands in her mouth a lot lately and last night at dinner I was able to spot the very tip coming on through. I am totally excited as Ellie didn't get her first tooth till she was 13 month old.
The girls and I had an enjoyable day. The weather here is beautiful. Mid 80's. We went for a nice walk this morning around our neighborhood. Afterwards I got the energy to wash the van. It was quite dirty and doesn't get washed very often. Emma sat nicely in her seat watching Ellie and mommy scrub and spray. Ellie kept sucking on the sponges so I hope the soap was non-toxic. We were all drenched when all was done. Emma was a little too close to the spray and got a little squirt now and then. I must say that we did a very good job. Daddy will be happy. After lunch and before naps I pushed them in their little red cars. Ellie has her car and Emma another. They both enjoy being pushed all around the back patio and I get my exercise. It is nice to wear them out so they take good naps, which they are doing now. Anyways, we had an enjoyable day together.

Ellie Singing

2008-11-20T04:32:00.000-08:00

I took this video of Ellie yesterday. She is singing Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes and then the ABC song. Ellie loves to sing. We listen to the primary songs on our car rides and she has gotten to where she will sing along. It is so cute.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T13:58:00.000-07:00

We attended our church Trunk Or Treat and chili dinner last night. It was nice. I like that we are in just a small area for trick or treating with a two year old. Here are some pictures. Ellie was a witch and Emma just dressed in some Halloween clothes. It was a very warm night.

No Rain On Our Parade

2008-10-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the Anniversary of our little town. It is the 37th or something like that. I can't remember the exact number. There was a nice parade down the center of town. We decided to take the kids. Oh what a beautiful day it was. The weather was perfect. We chose our seats towards where it began feeling lucky that there was lots of open seats there when there was so many people across the street. I know why now. We were in the direct sunlight and the people across the street where seated comfortably in the shade. It wasn't bad a first but after about an hour we were really starting getting hot. I broke out the sunscreen and covered the kids. Good thing I keep some in my diaper bag. Anyway, the parade was really fun. Ellie and Emma were excited about all there was to see. Ellie liked the horses and camels, yes they had real life camels. The human society group was fun to watch as well with all their little doggies walking down the street. We ended up leaving after and hour and a half because of the sun and kids getting cranky. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday morning. Later that evening we went down to the Fall Fun Festival that our town holds every year for the children. It was okay, you have to pay for anything you want to do. That was the only bad part. Anyway, we had a busy day but lots of fun.

My Little Princess

2008-10-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ellie hasn't been much of a princess lover. She never really cared about watching princess movies such as Cinderella, Snow White or Sleeping beauty. She really loved her Shrek, Monsters Inc. & Finding Nemo. Lately she has been quite interested in Little Mermaid, which I'm glad about. Anyway, some friends of ours gave her this trunk full of princess dress-up clothes. Ellie tried on all the little outfits and I got some cute pics of her. It's just funny to see her in them because she is such a tomboy.

Pumpkin Carving Fun

2008-10-21T12:10:00.000-07:00

We had some Halloween fun last night for FHE. First, there is this house a few streets over from us that goes all out to decorate their front lawn for Halloween. Lots of skeletons, ghosts, pumpkins, spiders and other scary things. It is very cute, I mean SPOOKY. We went for a walk to check it out. Ellie loved it, kept saying "Wow". Afterwards we came home to carve a pumpkin. It's the first one for Ellie and Emma. Mommy and Daddy haven't done one in a long time either but it turned out nice. It was a nice way to spend the evening together.

Home Depot Day

2008-10-14T14:43:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures from our fun at the Home Depot Day project. Ellie, Daddy & Grandma put together this cute little fire truck. Emma had fun playing with a balloon. All the children get cute little aprons and a pin to stick on their apron for each project that they participate in. Our Home Depot holds these activities on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning.

Las Vegas Again

2008-10-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

We just got back from another exciting trip to Las Vegas. Thanks to Aunt Patty we got to stay on the strip for two nights free. She gets these rooms comped. We went with my In-Laws and had connecting rooms. Our room was nice. We had a strip view and were able to look out the window and see the water show at the Bellagio. Ellie was so excited to see it. We really wore ourselves out walking just about the whole strip in one night. One of the highlights was going to the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. It is the huge Aquarium right on the strip. It was fun for the kids to see all the fish and most especially the sharks. One of Ellie's favorite movies is Finding Nemo and she loves the shark on there named Bruce. She kept calling all the sharks Bruce. Emma and I enjoyed watching the jellyfish. The next day we went to a place called Pump it Up. It is this really fun place full of inflatables to jump on and slide down. Adults are allowed on everything too so there we were right along with Ellie and Emma jumping and sliding. It was so much fun and a very good workout I might add. Just in case your wondering, Michael had the week off. Back this way the kids get a fall break as well as a spring break. Kind of nice. Anyway we had a great time. I've included some pictures of our adventures.

Finally, Some Relief

2008-10-05T05:22:00.000-07:00

Oh my goodness. We actually had a day yesterday in the 80's. I was able to turn the air conditioning off for the entire day. Up until then we were still experiencing triple digits. I was starting to curse the heat and trying to think of a way to escape, only kidding. It truly felt like fall. We spent the morning at the Home Depot doing their kids workshop deal. Ellie got her own apron and made a fire truck. They were also having a safety type fair with real fire engines, police cars and police boats. Ellie got to sit in all three. They also had their inflatable jumping deals for the kids. Free hot dogs, popcorn, slushies and drinks were also part of the deal. It was a nice way to spend the day.
The kids were worn out when we got home so were were able to put them down for naps and watch the afternoon session of General Conference. I remember as a kid dreading this day thinking how boring it was to sit there and listen to the talks. Now I look forward to it, especially when the kids are asleep and I can actually listen.
I've included some video of Emma. She is really trying to crawl. I love to watch her get up on her hand and knees and rock back and forth. She will put it in reverse pretty good but has trouble going forward. I'm sure she will get the hang of it soon. It is so fun to watch her grow and learn.

Bad Hair Day

2008-09-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Ellie has some wild hair. We went in to get her this morning and this is what she looked like. It took lots of detangler to get it under control.

More Disney Pics

2008-09-16T18:31:00.000-07:00

I just got the rest of the Disneyland pictures from my In-laws and thought I would post a few that I liked.

Disneyland & California Adventure

2008-09-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

We had the best time ever this past week visiting Disneyland and California Adventure. Michael and I, the kids, Michael's parents and grandparents all went together. We spent two days there and it just didn't seem like enough time. Ellie had a great time. She rode all of the rides she was tall enough for and wasn't scared. Emma also rode all the rides. I didn't think they would let a baby on them but she was able to go on just about everything Ellie was. Ellie got to meet her idols: Woody, Jesse and Buzz Lightyear. She was so excited to see them. We also got to watch a Disney/Pixar parade at California Adventure. It was a great parade, the best I've ever seen. The parade had all the characters from Ellie's favorite like Nemo, Monsters Inc, Toy Story and Cars. We were so very worn out by the end of both days so it was nice that our hotel room was across the street. We can't wait to go back, hopefully soon.

Pinewood Derby

2008-09-14T06:36:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed a ward party yesterday at the park. They held a Pinewood Derby where anything goes as long as it would fit on the track. Michael's dad participated in the event with is Homer Simpson tow truck. Ellie had fun running all around with her friends. It was quite hot so I stayed in the shade with Emma as much as possible. After the derby they had a lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers. We just returned from our trip to Disneyland. We had soooo much fun. It was hard to leave. Disneyland is truly the happiest place on earth. I will include some pictures of the trip later.

Happy Birthday Ellie

2008-09-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Ellie's birthday. I can't believe that she is 2 already. Time sure does fly by. We had her little Toy Story birthday bash last night. Toy Story is her new favorite by the way. Her daddy and I got her character dolls from the movie. She loves them so much. She even slept with them last night. I've included a picture of her playing with them which she hasn't stopped doing since she woke up this morning. We love our little Ellie. She bring such happiness and joy to our home and makes us laugh everyday. I've said it before, I think she is going to be the class clown. She is such a special little spirit . We are now preparing for our trip to Disneyland. We are leaving on Sunday for Los Angeles. They have a new Toy Story ride that we can't wait to take Ellie on. Anyways, I will report when we get home.

Emma's Driving

2008-08-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post these pictures I took last night. Emma loves to ride in Ellie's Coupe. I thought these were cute of her. Notice the flowers in the background. Grammy Carol planted those right before Emma was born when she came out to help us. They have really taken off and are so big now. They were just tiny plants when she planted them.

It is about 5:30 a.m. here and dark out. The sky keeps lighting up because of a little storm going on outside. I love it! I am going to do my work out DVD because I guess it wouldn't be safe to run.

We have a busy week with Ellie's birthday on Wednesday. We are having a Toy Story birthday party for her. This is her new favorite movie. She is having just a few friends over for a BBQ and cake. Michael and I got her 4 plush character dolls from the movie. She will be so excited.

Day At The Park

2008-08-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

We went to the park today. Last night we had a HUGE thunder/lightning storm with loads of rain. The great thing about this is that in the morning it was actually cool. The is not normal for Havasu in August. Anyway it was the perfect opportunity to take the kids to the park. I just let Ellie run wild. Emma and I followed her all over the park. Here are some pictures of our day. By the way, this is the only place that we have grass in Havasu. It doesn't look this pretty in the rest of the town. This is why we go to the park so often.

Cute Little Emma

2008-08-21T18:02:00.000-07:00

Here are some cute pictures I took of Emma today. She is learning how to sit up so well now. These girls are growing up so fast.

Video of Girls

2008-08-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

This is some video I shot yesterday. Ellie was playing with Emma. I heard Emma laughing from the other room and walked in to find Ellie trying to climb up on Emma's seat. Emma loves her sissy to much and always smiles and laughs when she is around.

Our Busy Week

2008-08-10T06:06:00.000-07:00

It is crazy how fast this week has gone by. We had a fun week with some friends from California that came to Havasu for some boating fun. Ellie enjoyed playing with their two girls Sammy and Sydney. Here is a picture of the three of them. They are on their way home today and we will miss them. It is still hot here. It's been humid as well with the monsoon season upon us. I take Ellie outside in her pool as much as possible. She loves the water. We were lucky this past week to have a few days where it was cloudy. I was able to take the kids to the park and not worry about sunburn or heat exhaustion. Still trying to hold on till October when we will feel some relief from the heat. Hope everyone has a great week ahead.

Ellie's Fashion Statement

2008-08-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

We went in to get Ellie yesterday morning and this is how we found her. She had taken off her shirt, turned it inside out and backwards and then she pulled it down to her chest. I don't know how she did it but we thought it was funny.

Ellie, Emma and Homer Simpson

2008-08-03T06:49:00.000-07:00

No we don't watch the Simpson's but Ellie loves to play with her Homer Simpson doll when we go to Grandma and Grandpa's house. We had a nice dinner of there last night and Grandpa took these pictures of the girls, they were watching Spongebob Squarepants. Nothing too exciting going on. We had a lazy day yesterday. The girls both took 3 hour naps yesterday at the same time and I was able to clean the house. Oh yea, daddy slept too. I get jealous when I see him sleeping because I can't seem to take naps anymore. I have too much to do and my mind can't rest until things are done. Anyways, we will head to church today. Not much else going on.

Emma's Bear

2008-07-30T06:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some cute photos of Emma with a bear that her Grandparents got her up at Twin Lakes. I thought they were cute.

Sweet Sisters

2008-07-27T06:45:00.001-07:00

I took these photoes of Ellie and Emma last night and I thought they were really sweet. Notice how they are holding hands. I hope they always stay this sweet.

Viva Las Vegas!

2008-07-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our two night vacation to Las Vegas. You might not think that this is the kind of place you take kids but there is so much for them to see and do. We had such a great time and Ellie and Emma were very good. Our first day we took the kids to walk on the strip. We walked down to the Bellagio where they have this awesome water show. It is so beautiful to see the water moving to the music. It gives you goosebumps to watch. The girls loved it. Ellie wanted to watch it again so we stayed another half hour till the next showing. The next day we took Ellie to a place called Bounce U. It is these big rooms with huge inflatable slides and obstacle courses. It was so much fun and you wouldn't believe how fast you go down the slides. It was just as much fun for us as it was for her. Micheal and I were worn out but Ellie just wanted to keep going. We walked along the strip again that evening to see the different hotels and what they had to offer. We had such a good time and the girls slept so good at night from all the excitement. Here are some pictures of us in front of the Bellagio and one of the girls in bed at the hotel.

Both Girls Are Asleep, Yea!!

2008-07-21T14:26:00.001-07:00

I love when they both sleep at the same time. It gives me a chance to relax for a moment. I woke up yesterday morning to find it all cloudy and rainy here in Havasu. This might not excite too many people but for us this is so very nice. It just doesn't happen very often. I took both the girls outside and let them play in the rain. Ellie loved splashing all around in the puddles and was so excited to be outside. Emma was just trying to figure out why she was getting wet. After breakfast I took them for a walk. It was still sprinkling a bit, very cool and refreshing. Unfortunately, it cleared up and got hot again. I can't wait for the fall. Summers just aren't fun here. I feel bad for my kids because we have to spend all our summer days indoors. My childhood summer memories are of me being outside all summer long. I want that for my kids someday soon.

We are heading up to Las Vegas on Wednesday for one last little mini vacation as a family. We are staying 2 nights and are looking forward to getting away. We want Ellie to see a few of the free outdoor shows that they have at night. Michael's Aunt Patty got us free rooms on the strip, thanks Aunt Patty! I will take picture and post them when we return.

Ellie got to go on her first boat ride the other day. She had such a good time on Grandpa's boat. She liked it when he went fast. She also got to drive it. It was so exciting for her. Emma stayed back with mommy. She didn't have a life vest small enough to fit her. Maybe next time. Here are some pictures. Take care everyone.

Just Another Day

2008-07-16T14:59:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would write again to keep things updated. It is crazy how fast time goes by. Here it is another week passing by as well as the month of July. The girls and I had a fun day. I let Ellie color this morning, which she loves to do. I can't turn my head for very long though because she likes to eat crayons. I made the mistake of turning for a moment and sure enough she had the crayon in her mouth and blue all over her face and clothes. It happened so fast. That was the end of our coloring. We went to the grocery store today as well. I have to put Emma in the Baby Bjorn carrier so that Ellie can sit in the cart. Ellie does really well as long as I have snacks for her. Emma does well as long as she is in her Baby Bjorn. I've learned to juggle the kids and she shopping quite well. We then came home and ate lunch, peanut butter and jelly & strawberries. After lunch we always watch Barney before nap time. Ellie loves to sing and dance along and I think Emma enjoys watching Ellie. I then put the kids down for naps at which point I was able to do some scrapbooking. I am now here with a few minutes to update my blog. Just thought I would let you in on a typical day in our lives. I've included some pics I took of Emma eating her breakfast. She is still trying to get the hang of this eating stuff. Also a picture of Ellie on her couch. She looks kind of lazy but this was right before bed so she was tired. I hope everyone is doing well.

Welcome To Our Life

2008-07-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

Hello to Everyone. I've been wanting to create a blog for our family for a long time. I read Adam and Trish's blog all the time and really enjoy it. What a great way for friends and family to keep up to date with our lives. Anyways, I will try to keep up to date with this and post many pictures.

Just to get you all up to date with our lives, here is a little of what is going on. We are now and have been living in Lake Havasu City Arizona for the past 8 years. It is so very hot here in the summer. It is hard to get use to the 120 degree weather but the the winter comes and it is very nice here. As all of you know we had a baby girl, Emma born March 7th of this year. She joins her big sister Ellie who will be 2 in September. These two girls keep us extremely busy. They are both very active. I quit my job of 4 years to stay home with the girls. I love this decision because I experience so much on a day to day basis that I would have otherwise missed. I am teaching an after school nutrition class to elementary school kids 2 days a week to bring in some extra money, which probably just goes right into the gas tank. I'm really into running now. I guess I take after my dad. I'm up to about 4 miles now. I have to get up very early to escape the heat but I find it very theraputic and a great way to start the new day.

Michael is on his 4th year of teaching. Time sure goes by fast. He teaches 1st grade and loves it. Sometimes it can be challenging but very rewarding for the most part. He is starting is Masters Degree program in the fall through Northern Arizona University. He hopes to get into administration and hopefully we will be able to move somewhere where we can have grass and trees and the kids can actually go outside in the summer to play.

Ellie is our very active but very sweet little 2 year old. She is very funny. I fear she will be the class clown someday. Hopefully her daddy is the principal of her school. She loves Shrek movies and anything Shrek. I guess you could say she is obsessed. She loves to swim, read, do puzzles and amuse anyone she is around. She is very smart and has a great memory. We feel very blessed to have her in our lives.

Emma is such a sweet little baby. She is 4 1/2 months old and is growing so fast. She weight 13lbs 8 oz and is 24 1/2 inches long. She is rolling all over the place and reaching out for objects. She loves to watch her big sissy play and will smile and laugh at her. We just started her on solids this week and will try a little more each day. She is high maintenance and wants to be held or entertained unless asleep. I guess we all do though.

Anyways, this is just a little about our family. I hope you all enjoy reading and viewing the pictures. Love to all.