Ella Joy Taylor

And here is the video clip....

I think I have watched it at least a dozen times!

I may be slightly partial...but she is so cute! :)

Josh had today off....lucky him! I had to work. And actually I can say that Josh did a fair amount of work around the house. Our next project is to spruce up the upstairs bathroom. So Josh did some work in there. And he began a long process of cleaning out the office (aka JUNK ROOM) - it has just accumulated over the past 2 years - everything! He hung some pictures up on the walls, moved the book shelves, and began to start going through things....a big step! And he reloaded ammo.

I do 99% of our bills electronically. I opened up our electric bill this past week and about fell on the floor....it's the highest bill we've ever had! How is that possible....it was October...a few cold days...but not awful. I told Josh - he wouldn't even let me tell him the amount - he said he didn't want to know! However, said that he would make a phone call to the heating/air guy that put in our new coil this past spring. So today, Mike came out to the house....and discovered the problem...a wire had come loose and it was causing the air conditioner and the heat to run simultaneously. Cold air was being blown over the heater and the heater was trying to warm it up and blow out warm air - so that's why it sounds like it's been running 24/7 - because it HAS! That's just great. Oh well....at least it's fixed now!

Ella loves putting me to "bed." It's her new favorite game. I lay down. She covers me with a blanket, brings me dolls, "reads" me a story, gets me water.....I actually LOVE to play this game! :)

And speaking of bed....I am ready for bed...I know it's 8:19 - but Ella shared her cold with me and I am so whipped. I fell asleep around 9:30 last night and I woke up in the exact same position this morning - I'm pretty sure I never moved an inch last night! Plus my kindle is downstairs right next to my bed...and I just love getting into bed and reading!

No Naps!

Two days in a row...Ella wouldn't take a nap...ummmm I'm not happy about this!

We put her in bed to have resting time but she keeps getting up and playing. We go in and put her back to bed and she gets back up again! All is well - she's not grouchy....until about 6pm..and then she's rolling around on the floor as whiny as can be! Hopefully a trend that will soon be broken!

We're having family pictures done next weekend...I'm really excited about them! I just went today and bought 3 items of clothing - 2 for Ella, 1 for Josh to pull the look all together....and hopefully Ella will be co-operative and they will turn out!

My stories are going to be random...I'm too tired to try and put them in order tonight!

Ella and I went to church together today. I had nursery. Josh had to work today.  After church we're driving along and Ella points out the window and says, "Daddy get hair cut there." I was really surprised she put it all together...Good job Ella!

So I made the mistake about a month ago to let Ella bring her chair into the bathroom to let her stand on it and brush her teeth, etc. Well now she likes to get into Mommy's make-up bag! I was getting her bath ready yesterday so I went in her room to get a towel and washcloth and I walked back into the bathroom to catch her putting on my makeup!

Ella's doing better about eating. Even Beth (the sitter) said Ella has been eating more....yay a growth spurt maybe! Maybe she'll start filling out a little instead of growing taller! Some of her 2T pants are already getting a little short on her!

Ella is a little parrot. When we read her a story she wants to repeat every word. Which is good....helping her learn new words/phrases. The other day (I'm not sure where she learned it) - she said, "Oh snap." It was pretty funny! And she says, "oh my crackers" all the time.

My video isn't working....but I will try to upload it tomorrow. If you say to Ella, "your name is Ella," she'll say, "no my name is Ella Joy Taylor." It's soooo cute!

Since Ella didn't have a nap today and I had nursery....it meant I spent 12 hours with Ella today....12 hours straight....ahhhhhh! That 2.5 year old has run me ragged. I am so tired! I can't even think of anymore cute Ella stories!

Oh by the way (great) Grandma..Ella LOVES Raggedy Ann and Andy. It's her favorite thing to play with right now. She likes Andy the best and carries him everywhere! And she likes Felix to sit on the counter and if you move him she gets upset and puts him back on the edge of the counter!

Thankfulness!

So it's the month of November....the month of Thankfulness. And I have so much to be thankful for. I was reminded how thankful I am for Josh after spending a whole week of just Ella and I!

Josh left Monday morning at 5:50am. I can't really complain too much. Ella did fairly well. We kept up with our normal routine during the week. Thursday was Halloween. I let her wear her Minnie Mouse costume to Beth's house. Beth's house is in a very popular neighborhood in Lynchburg....well I didn't think about it...but it was Halloween! So I got to Beth's house around 5:15 and it was already packed out with kids trick-or-treating...they were coming in droves! Ella was scared of the kids in masks...glad we didn't go! I took her to my work just to say, "Hi" to the few people who were still at work and then we headed home.

Saturday morning Ella and I went to a vendor show....had some pictures done...

It's this booth where they have all kinds of props that you can put on and take pictures - it was cool. Ella enjoyed it! We went outside and got to go in a big bounce house. She jumped for about 20 minutes and then I took her to the mall where she got to go in a place called, "Bounce About" that had 7 BIG bounce houses....that was pretty cool!

We stayed there for about 1.5 hours. Then we went to the food court to Chick-Fil-A to get lunch. We walked through the mall. And then it was about 1:30...time to get Ella home for a nap! I sang songs with her the whole way home to make sure she stayed awake in the car! I thought for sure she would sleep for at least 2 hours....nope...1 hour - that was it! So when she got up we played for a bit and then went to the grocery store. Josh called around 5:40...I thought to tell me that he was home....nope...instead told me that their car had broken down about 35 minutes from our house....on their way home from Chicago....great just great! A tow truck was called and I went and picked them up....again THANKFUL that they were that close to home...could have been much worse!

Sunday - went to church. Josh found a great new way to get Ella to go to the nursery...so he brings her as it's a little easier than when I try to drop her off. So he brings her and she is just screaming MAMA...I can hear her as I am walking down the hall! He ended up taking her outside and they talked. He told her that he would let her go down the slide 2 times...and then she had to go to nursery and play while we went to church. She agreed...he let her go down the slide twice...and he said that they went to nursery and she walked right in and did absolutely great - no tears! And had a great morning....now hopefully that works every week! I did 6 hours of laundry! All of Josh's clothes, towels, bedding....my washer and dryer were non-stop! I cooked a few meals, made muffins, made brownies. I was busy but was LOVING having Josh home to help entertain Ella!

Ella can talk really well. She is forming sentences. Oh....I went to lunch with mom and dad on Wednesday as they had a trip to Lynchburg. We went to lunch and it was free pie day! So I brought home a piece of pie. Ella said, "Pie? I like pie!" And yes she did...they few bites she was allowed to have!

She is such a routine girl. She has a mini muffin and yogurt with milk EVERY single morning....routine like her Mama!

She did great with the time change....although this morning she was up about 30 minutes early. Talking of sleeping....making me super sleepy...time for me to go to bed!

Go, go, go!

Go, go, go! That's what this weekend felt like! We both worked all week. It was a COLD week. Saturday we got up and played/cleaned around the house for a bit. Josh then took the puppies to go get their pedicures and took Ella with him (the vet is about 1.5 miles from our house). When they got to the vets office he let Ella carry Bella's leash. Well the receptionist, techs, and even the vet were all swooning over Ella and her two adorable chihuahua's. The vet was even carrying Bella around saying that they were two of the sweetest dogs. And they gave Ella a kit-kat. It was her first ever kit-kat (the snack size) - she liked it a lot! Once they got home, I was ready and we went to an apple orchard that is about 15 minutes from our house. It's a small little orchard but they had goats, and a donkey that Ella was in love with. She kept petting them and just laughing away. We got some fresh cider and some apple cider donuts. Then, out of the blue, Josh says, "let's go to Roanoke to the gun show." So...why not! We drove to Roanoke and went to the gun show. We looked around and saw lots of pink guns (Ella and I checked those out!) We saw a few people we knew from church there. And Josh found some powder that was a good buy. So he bought that. By this time it was about 2:30...and we had not had lunch yet. So...I told Josh to just pick where he wanted to go...he chose Red Robin...which is pretty much all gourmet cheeseburgers (his heaven!) I did eat a cheeseburger and it was very good...Ella had a corn dog (she loves those and only gets them on occasion). I let her choose between broccoli or apple slices and she chose broccoli! She actually ate some of it too (good girl!) Then we headed back to Lynchburg. Ella fell asleep...and so did I! We stopped at a tool place on the way home...Josh wanted to get some work gloves - he's clearing out some brush behind our house. Ella slept, I stayed in the car, and Josh went into the store. Then we went to TJ Maxx....Ella slept, Josh stayed in the car...and I went shopping! :) Ella woke up just as I was walking out to the car....we came home and had just enough time to get changed and head back out again! We were going over to a friends house for dinner and a campfire (and to make S'mores!) Well it was a late night! Ella stayed up til 10!! The latest I think she has ever stayed up! I felt bad having to wake her up Sunday morning!

Sunday morning I had nursery at the 8:30 service....so I had to wake Ella up to get her ready and to have a bath (to get the campfire smell out of her hair!) We went to church, then stopped at the grocery store. Josh took care of the trash while I made lunch. I did a bunch of laundry. Ella got a good nap in....then it was time to go to a Fall Festival! Ella got to wear her costume....

What a cute Minnie Mouse! It was at Hyland Heights church. It was from 4-7. We had a trunk or treat at our church tonight....but it didn't start until 7:30 (which is actually Ella's bed time) - so we opted not to do that and instead go to the Fall festival. They had a "kiddie-zone" area for Ella's age...2-5. So she got to play some games and got to get a few pieces of candy. We went on 2 hay rides! She did get to bounce in a bouncy house for just  minute but then they let some bigger kids in and she got scared so she wanted to get out. The hay rides were her favorite. They had pony rides too - we brought her over by them - and asked her if she wanted to do that -she watched them for a minute and said no. It was a long line - I wasn't going to stand in line and have her back out! It was fun....we stayed for about 2 hours.

And now I'm getting ready to go fold all the laundry. Josh is leaving for Chicago first thing in the morning and will be gone for a full week :( He'll be home Saturday night. So another week of just Ella and I - whew - I'm tired already!

Fall Weekend!

Well it might just be our last Fall weekend...I looked at the weather this week...a high of 49 on Wednesday...what is up with that??

After a week of getting up at 5am, working full-time, being a mommy full-time, and cooking, cleaning, etc, etc....by Friday night...I'm done! I was falling asleep on the couch by 7:30...I did manage to stay awake for another hour or so...and was asleep by 8:45! And what time was Ella up...5:41 on Saturday morning...what?? Josh got up around 5:15...he had to work...so I don't know if she heard him...but when I heard her start making noise...I thought oh man! So I jumped in the shower so I could get that out of the way before she was fully up. I was really hoping she would go back to sleep....but no...she was up for the day. So we had breakfast and got ready...and really it was only 7:30...nothing was open of course! So we hung around the house and played for a bit....then we went out and I had looked up to see what time TJ Maxx opened...and their website said 9...so that is what time we were there....well their website lied...because the sign on the door said 9:30...well I wasn't going to sit outside for 30 minutes...so we went to a different store instead, Ollies, and walked around. We looked at books. And found a couple of good deals. Ella got compliments galore there. "What pretty eyes. What a good little girl. She sings so pretty." Yes, Ella was singing in the store...I kept saying..."shhh remember to use your inside voice!" She was a good girl though! Then we made our way to Kroger to do our weekly grocery shopping! It was only 10am...and really quiet at the store...it was nice!

Saturday at 5pm was when we went to the birthday party for Ellington. They had 3 bounce houses, games, painting pumpkins, hot dogs, and cupcakes. Ella was loving every second of it!

She talked about it the whole way home! "Had fun!" And this morning she got up and wanted to see her pumpkin.

We went to church this morning and then after church they had a Fall festival. So we ate there and then played on the playground. They did have 3 really big bounce houses set up...but Ella was too scared to get on it...they were much bigger and there were a LOT of kids!

At least we got a few more fun activities in before the weather gets really cold!

A full night's sleep!

The coughing has stopped at our house! Well at night at least. Ella's cough is completely gone. Josh's is almost gone. Mine is gone at night...during the day I still have a decent cough....but I do think it's finally starting to get better (today being the first day I didn't have a coughing fit!)

The princess and me....

Ella is quite the talker now and is saying all kinds of funny things...

Last week I was putting her in her car seat and I said, "Ella you are as cute as a button." Her response, "I know" (pause) "pretty too." Well she has self-confidence! Actually after this picture she grabbed the sides of her dress and she was dancing around saying, "I'm cute." Silly girl!

I made dinner this week and we had tacos...well let me start over...I normally just buy the taco kit and make tacos...well I didn't pay attention and I apparently just bought the box that had shells...no sauce or seasoning....so I had to create my own seasoning...healthier I know...but it was lacking a little in flavor...I used black pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and a touch of salt. I was impressed with my quick culinary thinking! ;) Anyway....Josh had a few tacos and I made a little taco salad....and I had fixed something different for Ella. Well she took one look at our plates and said, "what you have?" "What's that?" So I told her that Daddy and I were having tacos. She said, "I like tacos. I want taco too!" I've tried to give them to her before and she never wanted it....so I made her a taco....with the soft shell....and she ate the entire thing! Guess she does like tacos!

This past weekend it was pretty rainy....so it was kind of a bummer weekend...we didn't get to do anything fun outside. On Saturday we went and got Josh's hair cut. Which Ella and I went inside to the Barber shop too. Well the lady barber let Ella pick out a "sucker" - I guess that's what they call lollipops in the South! I do believe it was the first one Ella has had (that we have ever given her) - it was one of the real small ones...well she was in 7th Heaven! So I let her have it in the car...and I watched her like a hawk while Josh drove :) We went and checked out a house....it was already under contract....but we thought it would be fun to just go see. It was up a side of the mountain....literally. It's not really a place I would ever want to live (now that I have seen the drive) but it was a really pretty drive. Just too far away for me. There were some beautiful houses up that way though! Saturday afternoon I had a baby shower to go to. So Ella and Josh both had naps that day...Josh let Ella sleep for 3 hours! She didn't wake up til 5pm! Sunday we went to the early service at church so Josh could get back to go to a shooting competition with his friends after church. Then Grandpa and Gigi came over in the afternoon....well Ella and Grandpa played and played and played....that's her new favorite playmate! :) By 5:30 that afternoon she was rolling on the ground saying, "I tired." I think Grandpa wore her out!

This coming weekend Ella has a birthday party to go to for one of our friends...I'm excited about it! I think she'll have fun. They are going to paint pumpkins.

Sickness All Around!

Pneumonia for Ella. Bronchitis for Mama. A cold for Daddy.

That has been our life the past 10 days!

We ended up taking Ella back to the Doctor last Monday. As her cough was really not getting better at all and actually getting worse. So I called first thing Monday morning and brought her in. The Doctor listened to her lungs for like 3 minutes straight (which felt like an eternity trying to keep Ella quiet and calm). She FREAKS out at the Doctor's office. Does NOT like it. So he listens to her lungs and says..."well she has pneumonia." He did however say thankfully it was caught early and she wasn't going to be hospitalized for it. He put her on an antibiotic and said she had to be at home for 48 hours. Oh just great! So I took her to get the prescription filled....and she got to pick out a whole pack of stickers for being a good girl (well kind of a good girl) at the Doctors. Josh took the rest of Monday off and Tuesday off to stay home with her. I brought her back to the Doctor this past Monday for a follow-up visit. Everything was good. Her lungs cleared up. We have started her on an allergy medication regimen. So now she gets Zyrtec everyday. That is something we are going to have to do for Spring and Fall as apparently she is going to have allergies in the spring and fall as that is when the complications start up for her.

Last Monday I started out in the afternoon with a slightest cough....it slowly progressed over the next few days. By Thursday I was hoarse. And Saturday night I couldn't take it anymore. I went to a walk-in Doctor's clinic as it's hard for me to take off during the week to go to the Doctors. I got told...sure enough you have bronchitis. So I started my antibiotic regimen. Today was my last day of it. However, I'm not quite sure it worked. I am coughing almost just as much as before! We'll see how the next few days go!

Ella has discovered that the top comes off of her table and it turns into a LEGO TABLE!

It's her new favorite toy. She keeps says, "Daddy wanna play Lego's with me??" How can you resist that?

Well I am ready to go read a chapter in my book and call it a night. I'm so tired! I've been so sleep deprived these past few weeks! Lots of coughing in our house!