Flu-La

My poor baby got the flu. I have never seen Ella so sick, ever! She was out of school for a week and it literally took her that long to feel better. I'm so grateful that this has been the worst of her illnesses. If this is the hardest thing we have to deal with, then we are a very lucky family.  

Stay strong, baby girl! We love you!

Brownie Cookie Kick Off Party

I love our Brownie Troop. Ella has been with this troop since Kindergarten when she was a Daisy! Awesome troop leaders and girls, we have a blast. It's almost cookie time and the neighborhood had a Cookie Kick Off party; neon style. They got the BEST DJ EVER! I sat out a few songs, but couldn't hold back and had to jump up and join the girls. Too much fun!

Ella Jane and her BFF, Avi. 

 BFF's having cupcakes.

 Excited girls to go dance again!

 Dancing up a storm!

This is the most amazing dance video you will ever see.

About 30 minutes before the party was scheduled to end, our fabulous DJ's fog machine set off all of the smoke alarms in the school. Imagine 100 brownie girls scouts, dressed in neon and glow sticks with their moms filing out to a dark playground while the alarms in the school go off and crazy! The Gilbert Fire trucks showed up shortly after and all the troop leaders are running around crazy. One of the firemen took a peak into the playground area and started cracking up. We were let back in after they checked out the school and we finished up are party. Mama was wiped out after that and so were the girls. But we had the greatest time. 

One of my favorite things about Brownies is how much we give back to the community. Every event we have, we always have a donation to bring. This time we brought a new pair of shoes. Sometimes its a toy, or pajamas, it's always something. We are having fun, but always thinking of others. Good stuff.

Payson New Year's 2015

After a busy Christmas (lots of family), a quick trip to Sedona after Christmas, we thought it was appropriate to take another road trip to visit my parents in Payson. We LOVE to go to Payson, definitely one of our favorite places to be.  There is something about being at your mom's house that is so relaxing and comforting. Our plan was to head up after I worked a few hours on New Year's Eve; but Mother Nature had other plans. The storm I was supposed to avoid by driving up that afternoon hit New Year's Eve morning and it hit the Valley and Mountains HARD! By the time we were ready to head out, they had closed the highway. We were so sad! We drove around, getting gas and lunch, hoping by the time we were done they will have opened the highway. Nope! Still closed. We went home to wait. My mom kept telling me to come up the next day, but I knew we could make it up that day, I would make sure of it. I kept refreshing the highway website that listed the closures and after another hour, I noticed it was open! I had my mom verify that I read everything correctly (I had) and we were on our way!!! I knew I had a crazy drive ahead, but I didn't realize what I was getting into. Luckily I have a car that has 4 wheel drive, so I was fairly confident we would make it. That drive was very tense and scary a few times, but we made it to Payson safe and sound . . . and my kids were over the moon about the snow! 

Here is a picture of the two lane highway we drove on. It was down to one lane in the middle because the snow kept piling up on the sides of the road and the snow plows couldn't keep up with the snow. I followed a Jeep most of the way to Payson. 

This picture was taken about 5 minutes after we made it to my mom and dad's house. Quick change into snow clothes and they literally just flopped down on the snow. This is in my parent's driveway, the kids didn't even make it into the front yard! 

Happy happy little munchkins!

 Snow Mama. Happy to be here! 

 The next day after playing in the front yard again, it was time to go sledding! This hill was super close to the house and so fun! Here goes Lala Jane!

 We convinced Daddy to take a break from work and come up for the day. He decided to take on the sled hill once too!

 My daredevil little guy, sledding on his belly, face first.

 Another great things about my parent's house is all the CUTE animals they have. Here is the newest addition, Miss Tiffany. She's super cuddly, soft and chubby. We fell in love instantly!

 My favorite picture from the weekend. This was taken later on in the day, after sledding. They absolutely loved being outside in the snow; they loved jumping in it, laying in it, eating it. My desert rats have turned into snow bunnies! 

Thanks Mela and Papa Rich for the best few days! We loved being with you and had so much fun. I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year! Love you!

Annual Summer Trip to Nana & Papa's Cabin

Shauna and I always coordinate our summer trips to Pinetop/Lakeside to visit my Grandparents.  The kids have so much fun together and so do we! Here's our trip this year. After we spent a couple of days at Nana and Papa's cabin, we went to visit Shauna's mom and daddy.  They had a new fluffy, BIG puppy that my kids were obsessed with! Gemma is so amazing! We made a stop in Payson for the night on our way home to visit Mela and Papa Rich of course. Love having family in the mountains of Arizona. It makes for the BEST weekend getaways during a long hot summer!

Addie is my long lost baby. She is my special special girl!

We got to celebrate Bella's birthday while we were up north as well!

Shauna sneaking a taste of Bella's ice cream cake before we brought it out. I, of course, had nothing to do with the making of this cake, but helped keep Shauna's wine glass full while she slaved in the kitchen!

Jon Jon having some cake!

Beautiful Bella and Shauna

Annual picture on the patio before we took off.  Nana took it since she was still in her flannels and didn't have her "face" on. 

Kars with Gemma. He SO wants a big dog!

Ella Jane with Gemma. Gemma was so good and let the kids pet her to death!

Beans on the way home. Too much fun!

Karsten's favorite place to be - on Mela's lap, playing her phone. Someday he will be too big!

Wienermobile.

What are the chances we will see this again in our life? 

Well, maybe, I guess. But it's been a looooong time since I've laid my eyes on this vehicle so we had to stop and play!

The Wienermobile is making it's way around this beautiful country over the next year and made a pit stop in Gilbert. We got Oscar Meyer Wiener Whistles and I found these three hot dogs as well!

Mmmmm, hot dogs. :)

Goodbye First & Third Graders!

 I think I get more sad on the last day of school than on the first.  

There is something so final about the end of school. 

Another year has gone by.

The kids keep growing older.

(And so do I!)

It gets harder and harder to say goodbye to these grades as Karsten and Ella progress through school. 

So many different challenges and interesting things await us in the coming times. 

This was a good year though . . . we had great teachers, the kids did so well in school, fun friends. 

I have to brag a bit - Karsten ended up with straight A's, and improved on his percentages in every subject from the last quarter. 

Ella is meeting and even exceeding her subjects at school as well.

 (They don't give grades yet for Ella, so I just have descriptions for her.)

I am so proud. 

Just look at those monkeys - who wouldn't want to be their Mama?! 

Well, Hello Summer, we have missed your lazy days, full of vacations, movies and swimming. 

Much more fun to follow in the coming months. 

But goodbye to my first and third graders, I will see a second and fourth grader soon!

Not my Ella!

Would you believe it if I told you Ella ended up in the hospital needing stitches almost one month exactly after Karsten?! Surely you may say, I am joking. Nope, you would be incorrect! 

My beautiful daughter's, perfect little face, needed 5 stitches right by her eye.  It was horrible.  

I will save you the gory details and the horrible stress of the situation, but the end result is that we ended up at the same hospital I had to take Karsten to 30 days before. 

(Click this link to read about Karsten's hospital visit.)

Ella's cut was a bit more severe and required stitches instead of the "glue" Karsten's chin received.  

We will have to go get the stitches removed next week and she will be wearing hats and sunscreen every. single. day. for at least a year.  

My sweet La la fell asleep on me later in the evening.
She was scared to sleep without a bandaid in case she rolled over on her stitches. 

My husband has pictures of us in the hospital, but I couldn't bring myself to take any.  

It was too heartbreaking.  She was so scared and I just want to forget that day and move forward.  

Having babies is hard and scary. And then they grow a little older and a bit more independent and you think, oh this is easier. And it's NOT - it's harder and scarier in different ways.  

But I will say a special thank you for this small injury my daughter (and son) incurred.  

Thank heavens those little bodies are still healthy and happy. 

If this is one of our hardest days we have, I am overly grateful for that and for that, I give thanks!

Crafty Ella

Ella loves to craft. She loves to make things, with paper and crayons, or other elements. She was given a sewing craft by Grandma Karen and she LOVED putting it together. The funniest part was when she pulled out these glasses and placed them on while she sewed.  Ella doesn't need glasses, they are fake, but she felt they were appropriate to wear while she made her stitches.  That's my funny girl. 

No rhyme or reason behind this picture of Karsten, 

I found it in my photo stream. 

It made me laugh and hope it does for you too! 

Little Lala Gets Her Ears Pierced! (Much to Daddy's Dismay)

So my little baby girl finally got her ears pierced! She has been wanting this for years! It's been a hot debate in our family; mostly because her Daddy did NOT want holes put in his precious daughter's body.  I needed to explain to my better half, this is ear piercing, not nose or belly button. 

 He begrudgingly gave in and we were off to Claire's! Ella was so nervous, but once the technician did it, she was fine, not a single tear! 

And she loves them!!!!! So excited for this milestone in her life. :)

And she does it again . . .

I just recently wrote about my little Lala Jane. She is quite a character. Here is a prime example . . .

 The other night I was driving Karsten and Ella home from their Grandpa White Hair's house. 

Karsten was using my phone, asking Siri the capitals for different states. 

Karsten said that Siri was so smart and I responded, but of course, she's a computer. 

Ella gasped from the back seat and exclaimed, 

"I thought Siri was a small lady speaking into a microphone!" 

This entire time, Ella thought there was a tiny little woman living in my phone, 

waiting for us to ask her questions and then respond back to us.  

I love how her little brain works! 

Oh Ella

My daughter is awesome.  She is original, funny, weird and I ADORE her! She is sometimes like a sour patch kid . . . first she's sour, then she's sweet. But when she's sweet, holy moly, she is sweet! I've captured a few silly Ella moments over the past couple of months I just had to share. Hope you enjoy her as much as I do!

This is a self portrait by Ella, taken on my phone. (She loves finger mustache tattoos.)

 We cleaned out her toys right after Christmas, this is the attire Ella felt was appropriate for doing this chore. 

 Ella lost her two front teeth within 3 days of each other! I LOVE this gummy smile! :)

 My little princess sleeping - isn't she graceful and serene? (Like the gloves? Ella loves to accessorize and nighttime is one of the times she really piles on the stuff!)

Pure joy watching the bank teller cartridge get sucked up the tube.  It's the simple things in life. 

Thank you Ella Jane for making my life full of fun and love. 

Lunch with my favorite girls!

 I had lunch with some of my favorite people the other day - my sissy, my cousin and their two daughters, along with my little girl.  Ra was our choice and we sure did tear it up for a Saturday at noon!

I had to post pictures of my sister's parallel parking job. Granted she did it because I was way too freaked out to, but holy cow! You could fit a Prius next to my car with how far she is away from the curb! :) I made her pull in the driver's side mirror so it wouldn't get clipped from a passing car on Scottsdale road! :) Love you, Megs!

Oh these little girls . . . T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

Mmmm . . .  sushi!

Somehow I don't think this will be the last time these three will be clinking glasses!

Yep, all my favs on on park bench. My heart is full!