Bike Rides/Fair/Disney

We officially have started our Disney fund....hoping for 2016...Ella will be 5...Josh ordered a DVD all about planning your Disney vacation....and we watched the whole thing this morning :) It got us excited for Disney!

Last weekend we took Ella for her first bike ride...she's been on it a few times...but this was her first real bike ride....it was very short...and Josh pretty much had to hold onto the front the entire time...she doesn't have the steering part down yet!

 

She did a pretty decent job pedaling...by the end she said..."my legs are tired!"

This week a friend of ours had their first baby...so we went and saw them in the hospital the day she was born..Josh and I took turns staying with Ella in the waiting room as children are not allowed to go back...which worked out just fine....we're going over to see them at home tomorrow...so Ella will get to meet Baby Peyton!

Today is July 4th....we had a fairly low-key day...in the morning we actually went to the mall! I wanted to go TJ Maxx....and Bath and Body Works....then we came home and had lunch....then we decided we would go to the Salem fair as it was a little cooler today....but it was still about 85...no breeze, in the bright sun....it was a little toasty! We stuck it out for about 2 hours....then decided we were done. We watched the pig races, and went to the petting zoo....the two big highlights for Ella...and her and her daddy shared a funnel cake....she was all about that! After the fair we went to dinner and then headed home...Ella didn't take a nap at all the entire day...and she talked the WHOLE way home...I thought she would be out like a light once in the car....but noooo! So she was getting towards meltdown time...we weren't risking it....we came home instead of going to see fireworks....but we actually bought some small sparklers and little fireworks that we are going to do tomorrow.

And it's a 3 day weekend...I love it! Tomorrow Josh is going shooting bright and early....and then he's in a shooting competition on Sunday...we're going to go check out the local farmers market...I say it every Saturday that I want to do that and forget about it and remember it after they are already closed. That and cleaning is on my agenda tomorrow!

The past few weeks....

Let's see....

I left off at our anniversary....did I mention Josh surprised me with a new Michael Kors purse...good job Josh! ;)

Last weekend Ella stayed up probably the latest she has in a reallllly long time! It was our friend, Ivy's, birthday....so a group of us went to La Caretta for dinner and then to our friends house for a bonfire with s'mores....well you know it stays light out so late these days...I forgot to pay attention to the time! :) Then Ella laid on me and said, "I'm tired..." I looked at the time...almost 10:30...yikes! Well yes little girl you are tired! So we packed up and headed home to get her in bed! She did sleep in the next morning until about 8:30...then I got her up and ready as we headed to church and then to the lake for Father's Day....

Ella got a little braver with her car....she still won't push the pedal as it makes noise..but she was all about sitting in it and pushing it around! (with help from her Grandpa)

We went to the pool...which was lots of fun...followed by some ice cream at Sweet Frog...and thennn Ella crashed....just about 4:00-4:30....and she had a meltdown but was asleep within 5 minutes!

Ella's sitter moved last week....so this past week was the first week in her new house....she moved further away....yuck....I logged my miles one day to see how much I drove...73 miles total in 1 day...I said that's it...I'm ready to move to the other side of Lynchburg.

This weekend was a little quieter....yesterday I dropped Josh and Ella off to go to Amazement Square while I went and did the grocery shopping...that worked out great...she got to play for about an hour and half while I got all the groceries. We went to the pet store later on in the day...always fun to look around...Ella said her favorite thing was the kittens and the snakes! We walked around Best Buy too...we've been contemplating putting a TV downstairs in our bedroom....we "window shopped" but didn't take the plunge yet.  I did 7 loads of laundry in the past two days...how does 3 people have that much! Between all the bedding, clothes, towels, dog bed and blanket, and the blankets in the living room....it added up quick! I was doing some major cleaning today....I've slacked the past few weeks...so I was getting caught up...and I said...I really want to watch, "The Proposal"....so we did while Ella napped....I absolutely LOVE that movie....we don't watch many movies....but I'm pretty sure I have seen that one at least 5 times...I love it!

Oh yeah....can't remember if I said this or not...Ella had her 3 year old check-up...she did great. I absolutely love her pediatrician! She really put Ella at ease...she was running with her (as she wanted to see her walk/run) she tickled her belly when she was feeling her belly....she "played" with Ella the entire time while doing the examination....I was very pleased with her. Ella is 37 inches tall...and 27.8 pounds...a little on the small side :) However, according to her growth chart she is doing good...Dr. Gagen said that she has always been a little small but she's growing! I just can't say enough good things about Dr. Gagen!

Tonight we played with some sidewalk chalk....

 

We all had fun playing with it!

Josh is on a Disney kick....researching it all....maybe we'll start planning our Disney vacation sometime in the near future! :)

 

Birthday/Vacation/Anniversary!

Whew...we've packed a lot into the past 3 weeks!

Ella is now 3...whew where does the time go?? She holds up three fingers...and asks..."Mama am I three now?" She's a very busy girl! Just about fully potty trained...it's a work in progress! She told me the other day (after having an accident)..."Mama I am learning. You don't need to be sad that I had an accident...I'm just learning how to use the big girl potty." We're getting closer! She's very much a routine girl (she gets that from me!) I always carry her in the morning from her bed into the kitchen...yesterday she told me that she didn't need me to carry her...because she was 3 now...she was a big girl who can walk by herself...I told her that she was never too old for me to carry her and get cuddles! She's all about FROZEN! She has pj's, a puzzle, sticker book, an Anna doll, 2 pairs of Frozen socks, a t-shirt, and a beach towel...I think that covers it all....she loves it! She sings, "Let it Go" on a daily basis...running up and down the hallway...sometimes Josh runs up and down the hallway with her singing too! :) I need to get that on video! ;)

We also went on vacation....to Cape May, NJ. That was a lot of fun. With Josh's family....parents, his sister and all of her family. We had such a nice time....we went to the beach, pool, the boardwalk, a really nice zoo, a pirate cruise, a lighthouse, an aviation museum, and got to eat some good seafood. It was a great week that went by so fast!

Ella played great with her cousins! She loved having little playmates! They even played dolls with her! She wasn't a huge fan of the ocean...stuck her toes in it the first day...and then that was it! Was scared of the waves chasing her!

Now it's back to reality....work, work, work! We got back from vacation on a Saturday...and the very next morning bright and early Josh had leave to go to Myrtle Beach for the week for a conference for work.

Ella has moved up to the 3 year old class at church...last week was her first week...there were tears....this week she walked right in and was just fine....Josh said, "wow, that was a much easier transition then I thought it was going to be."

It's our 8 year anniversary today...wow! Time has gone by fast! I stopped and picked up steaks for the grill for dinner. We also put a pepper and onion on the grill....and had some Chedder Biscuits...followed by cheesecake....yum! Now it's back to eating salads everyday! :)

It's been busy...and summer just started!

Way Overdue!

Whew...where does the time go??

It's been a whirlwind of much of the same things....work, work, work....a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning I was tied up with a baby shower for my friend who is due with her first baby in July. Josh played "Daddy Daycare" for a few hours while I was there (I was helping set up/clean up...hard to have Ella with me for that)....so after the shower...we switched...I got Ella while Josh went golfing with some of his friends. Ella and I went grocery shopping and then home for a nap! Once Ella got up...we watched...what else...FROZEN!

Last weekend we went to the lake for Mother's Day....for a quick lunch and then an afternoon out on the lake!

Ella did fantastic on the boat....she was a little leery at first of the wind....but got over that pretty quick....she liked the waves...she liked being able to walk around...and she loved looking out at the front.

An early birthday celebration was also done....and Ella made out well! And she got her favorite....

 

It's a little blurry....but it's FROZEN pajamas....she was thrilled!

Funny Ella antics over the past few weeks....

She loves to sing the Frozen songs....so she runs up and down the hall with her blanket like a cape singing, "Let it go!!!!" When she had on her Frozen pjs she walked up to the tv and was talking to Elsa...saying, "look I have you on my shirt!" 

One day this week Ella and I were playing outside...Josh had torn apart our oven (the bottom element burned out so we had to order a new piece...and it took a week to get it! Being without an oven is hard!)....so Ella and I were outside staying out of Josh's way...we took the puppies out. Ella kept running on the sidewalk and I told her not to run on the sidewalk she was going to fall...so after about the 10th time of me saying that....what happens....she falls on the sidewalk...drama galore! Thankfully she had capri's on so her knee had been somewhat protected by her pants...but sure enough...still scraped it up...a very small scrape...so she has tears....I carry her inside and I clean it up (after her Daddy gets to see it first)....and I put some neosporin on it....and a little pink Cinderella band-aid....well for the rest of the night she's hobbling around...and let me just say that this was the tiniest scrape ever!! The next day she wakes up grumpy and still hobbling around....we get to the sitters house..and I tell Beth what happened and Ella is still being sour....well the kids that were there were like....can we see it? can we see it?? Ella hobbles over to the living room and sits down and all the kids sit around her...she pulls up her pant leg...and the kids are oohing and aahing over her band-aid....asking her questions..and she was just soaking it right up....it was sooo funny! I wish I could have recorded it!

We have been working on the potty training pretty hard....and we're having some good success....even a few hours have been spent in "big girl panties"....and she thinks she is so special by getting to wear those....we're working on it!

Ella is getting a DVD player and some movies for part of her Birthday gift (a portable DVD player for the car)....I got Cinderella and The Little Mermaid....now she'll be even more into Disney Princesses! However we figured those things would be good for longer car rides....as vacation is coming up VERY soon!

Ella keeps us on our toes that is for sure! She's always making us laugh...this is a fun stage....she just says the funniest things sometimes! 

Well I need to work on my grocery list for tomorrow...Josh brought home a lot of venison that his co-worker gave him....now I need to find some recipes...I don't know what to do with venison?? 

Frozen...and More

I forgot to post this a few weeks ago....a great article about Josh's office....

http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/9da8872b#/9da8872b/106

So...Frozen has taken over our house....I mean....really taken over! Ella LOVES it. She watches it any chance she can get (usually in the morning when I am getting ready for work she gets to watch it a little bit...and maybe a little bit before bed)....and a lot of times it will be on but she'll be coloring or playing lego's while it's on....but the main song..."Let it Go"...she is up and dancing and singing....it's so cute!

Josh had to work late Friday night (night qualifications)...so he worked until 11....and then was up at 5:30 to head into work...he actually was supposed to work at the office but got roped into working an event....they did a "Child ID" event at the Chocolate Festival on Saturday...so Ella and I decided we would go visit him there....we walked around and got to see Alpaca's...Ella jumped for a few minutes in a Bounce House...we ate lunch...then went to Sweet Frog for Frozen Yogurt...Ella got a balloon...she was having fun! After we did that we went to the grocery store....I thought for sure she would fall asleep in the car on the way home...but she didn't! We got home around 3:45...I carried everything in and put her down for a nap...and she was in her room playing...she was playing in her bed...but I could hear her talking...then Josh came home...so I just let her get up since she was clearly not going to sleep....a few minutes later we made plans to go to the park with friends. They picked up dinner and we met them over there...the boys all played "Disc Golf."....Golf with frisbee's?? The girls walked the path...and then we came across a playground that Ella spotted and wanted to go on! It was made for 5-12 year olds is what it said on it....so it was a little big for Ella...I had to help her on everything...she wouldn't go down the slides...she was too scared....but she had fun climbing on everything! She finally got into the bed around 8:45...and she was GROUCHY! It was past bedtime!

I had to wake her up this morning...we were going to the early service as Josh had to work again today. I needed to get her up and have a bath before church. After church Josh went to work...and Ella and I went to Target...mainly to just walk around....something to do! Ella loves to play with the toys..and she is actually fine playing with the toy and then putting it back on the shelf....and by play...I mean she picks it up and looks at it...and if she can push a button on it she will...and then onto the next toy...works for me! Then...the best part...she took a 3 hour nap! I was happy....she needed it! And I was happy to have some quiet time! Josh came home...and it was so nice out...we cooked dinner out on the grill...actually Josh did everything....prepared it and cooked it....we did Black and Blue burgers....they were good! I cut mine in half....for Ella and I to share...I put it on her plate...and she took one bite and spit it out...she was also eating cucumbers...dipping them in light ranch dressing...so Josh said...why don't you dip your burger into the ranch sauce...so she did....and said, "Oh I like that." Way to go Daddy! She ate her cheeseburger...dipped in ranch! Oh well...at least we got her to eat it!

We had weather in the 80's today....and tomorrow is only supposed to be 62 and rainy..yuck! At least we'll be at work!

Easter Weekend....and Ya'll

Josh finally got to hear Ella say ya'll....she has only said it a few times...and each time he hasn't been home....but finally....at dinner tonight...she was talking about her Easter basket and that Josh and I could share playing with her new things....and as she was saying it...she said..."and ya'll can share my toys." I started laughing...and Josh smiled...she's our Southern girl! :)

Yesterday we got up and got ready to go to the mall...I promised Ella she could go on the Easter train ride...and she wasn't about to let me forget that...so we went to the mall....she wanted to look at the Easter bunny...but not go near him....but she did want to ride the train!

 

It's a little blurry....but she was having a blast. Josh said to her, "wave to Mama." And she was just waving as fast as she could to anyone and everyone!

Sunday morning...the Easter bunny paid her a visit...and she got lots of fun things...I think her favorite however was the few pieces of candy she got...

I asked her to say cheese and to smile...and this is what I got...

 

Then she did finally give me a real smile...

 

I did lots of cleaning this afternoon....not really what I wanted to do....but had to be done. Once Ella got up from her nap we watched "Frozen"...that was in her Easter basket...mainly because I really wanted to see it....we all watched it and enjoyed it! It was a good day!

Feeding the Neighborhood

Well....the birds found the bird-feeder....and we have a ton of birds now! While I was making dinner tonight I looked out the window and there were 5 birds out there. We also have seen a big ole squirrel eating out there. Ella saw the squirrel and got really excited and said, "ohhhh can I hold him??" Wellll....no you can't...he's a wild animal! The bird feeder has been a big hit....she loves looking out at it...and so do Josh and I!

On Saturday I had to work....so Josh told Ella a secret....they talked about what they were going to do while I was at work (I didn't know that they talked about it)....so right before I left I asked Ella what kind of fun things her and Daddy were going to do while I worked....and she looked right at me and said, "Go to Lowes and buy mulch." Hahaha...Josh was like Ella....I told you don't tell Mommy! He wanted to surprise me with it......but they did surprise me with one other thing....They planted some seeds in a big planter....more of a fun experiment...Josh said he really doesn't expect anything from it....but it would be cool if they sprouted so Ella could see it....so everyday she looks in the planter to see if her seeds have grown.

Ella has allergies/cold...I'm not sure which right now...it's fairly mild....but I think her throat hurts....she keeps saying my neck hurts and is holding the front of her neck....but I think she means her throat hurts but she doesn't know how to relay that. I did take a light and look in her mouth....I didn't see any white spots (usually means Strep)....so I'm going to give it another day or so....and the few people that I know that have had strep in the last month....were really sick...Ella hasn't been sick....so I'm thinking it's just a little sore throat....I told her she needed to be quiet to let her throat rest...obviously it doesn't hurt that bad as she's a chatterbox!

I have made in the past few weeks...a few times...roasted baby potatoes (yellow, red, and purple) and asparagus...soooo delicious! I never knew I liked asparagus!

I don't have any updated pictures...I will need to work on that!

Last weekend after I worked we went over to the lake so Gigi could watch Ella...and Josh and I went to my parents church to watch a play that my Dad was in (Mom was in it too....but took the afternoon show off so she could watch Ella) - it was fantastic! Gigi tired Ella out....so she slept on the way back to Lynchburg...and woke up just in time to go to our friends house for a cookout....perfect weather Saturday!

Sunday evening I went with a few co-workers to another play at a church called Hyland Heights to see our friend Caison and her family in the play. Again - another fantastic job. Poor Ella was so upset that I left...she's never really threw a fit about me leaving before...but she had just woken up from her nap...and was grouchy...and not feeling well....and she saw me dressed up and was like, "where are you going mama?"...and burst into tears....well Josh said...she threw a fit for 1.5 hours!! Poor Josh! He said really there was only tears for about 20 minutes....then she just carried on screaming and whining....Josh said she was screaming....."I want Daddy to go to work.....and Mama to come home to stay with me. I don't like Daddy! I want my Mommy!" Apparently she carried on for quite some time....yikes! Then she decided she was done...and was fine for the rest of the evening!

Well...I am tired...it's been a long week....and a long battle every night with trying to get Ella just to sit on the big girl potty.....she just might be in diapers FOREVER! :)