To Vermont and Back...

Well...We did it...a 12 hour trip to Vermont...there and back...and it went just fine...it really was only 12 hours...not 15 like the last time I went last Fall! :) It was actually easier at the age Ella is now....as opposed to her at 4 1/2 months old. We left on Monday afternoon...I worked for a few hours on Monday while Josh slept (he worked part of Sunday night)...and then we were on the road at about 1:00pm. We arrived in Vermont at 12:30am...not bad! Of course Ella woke up when we got there...and she was a busy bee...got down and walked around, had a snack...and then it was bedtime. We tried to put her in the pack and play...but everything was different...not what she was used to...so she screamed and cried every time we tried to put her into it...so she ended up sleeping between Josh and I...note how I said..she slept...Josh and I did not! I dozed off here and there...and caught little naps...but by 6:30am...Ella was up...not a great start to our week off!

To put our week into a shortened version...

Joy, Joe, and the 5 boys came over for 4 days, and Josh's Nana and Papa drove up from Texas while we all were there as well. So...yes...14 people all in one house...8 adults and 6 kids under the age of 5...we need a vacation from our vacation! We did however have a great time, and Ella misses having all her cousins around! Josh and I got to go visit my grandparents and Ella wasn't shy at all (which I was thankful for!) Ella and I went to go see our friends Scott and Cheri (again she wasn't shy there either!) We went to church and Ella got to meet a lot of new people! We visited Church St. in Burlington...and went out to lunch. We went to dinner for Josh's Dad's birthday. We got to do a little shopping. There were a few Dunkin Donuts runs (for their Iced Coffee....I miss that down here!) A photographer came to the house and did lots of family shots, the boys all went fishing, lots of swinging on the swing set outside, and lots of just hanging out with family!

A few pictures....

Swinging...which Ella loves!

 Silas and David...Ella learned how to say "baby"...she also tried to "rock" the babies by grabbing onto the handle and "rocking" it!

 Nanny and Nana loving on those boys!

 Church St.

Ella learned what a cow was....she could even "mooooo" to them!

We arrived back in VA at 2:30am...and we were in bed by 3am...and I was up at 6am to get ready for work...I was tired! Lucky me...I also caught a cold in Vermont...so I am still battling that almost a week later...I just can't seem to shake it! Ella was very quick to settle back into her routine!

The puppies came back to our house today after being with their grandparents at the lake for 3 weeks! They are excited to be home...and Ella enjoyed seeing her grandparents today! She is turning into quite the little ham...and was good entertainment today!

A special present that Ella got while in Vermont are some blocks that have been in the family for quite some time...she really enjoys playing with them!

 

This morning Ella and I went shopping....she lucked out with some new shoes....

I however didn't find a new bedroom "comforter set"...I'll keep looking!