Oh, Christmas Tree; Oh, Christmas Tree

Last Sunday we went to pick out our tree! Due to the recent "take-over" of space by baby items, our cozy little home did not have room anymore for a "normal" size tree. So, we picked out a little one that fits in a corner on a table but still brings the lights, smell, and beauty of Christmas into our home! Eric hung the Christmas lights on our house and with the cool weather upon us, it's definitely starting to feel more and more like Christmas!

Jani & I recently made a Christmas tree of our own...an advent Christmas tree. My VERY creative friend Krista posted pictures of her Advent calendar and we copied that, along with the one for $70 in Pottery Barn...these pictures are of it almost completed. It was a fun project and we had a lot of fun thinking of different things to put on each pocket!

Sunday Night Dinner

Every Sunday night, Eric & I have a meal of grilled cheese & tomato soup. We started this tradition when we were first married but then it was just grilled cheese. I think it was about a year ago, I mentioned we used to have it with tomato soup when I was a kid and it stuck! Now that we have Ella, we wait until she's in bed so we can thoroughly enjoy this delightful meal! We "plate" it the same way every week too...

Not only is this meal super yummy, but it's SO nice to know what we're having for dinner and we don't have to ask the question, "What do you want for dinner?" We are excited to get Ella into this tradition when she's big enough to enjoy it!

it's been a while...

I haven't posted in a while and I'm not sure why...just not in the mood, I guess! But, I do have some fun pictures to share! Ella has been sick the last week with cold and I had it too...now Eric's feeling sick! It hasn't been aweful but there have been a few times we've cursed the cough that's woken up Ella and we really wish we could teach her to spit up the yucky stuff she coughs up! Thanks to the humidifier in her room, she's getting better quickly and I'll be VERY happy to have my normal little girl back!

This is from a while ago but we went to the park with Keith & Carmen and Lucas so the kids could "play"! She LOVED the swing! We then went over to their house and gave the kiddos a bath and hung out for a while...here are the pics!

Nothing really new going on...this week was my first 3 day week in a month and it was BRUTAL! I know, it sounds pathetic and those of you that work that many days or more are scoffing at me but it kicked my butt! I'm SO tired and I am SO excited to be home tomorrow with Ella. I'm SO thankful to be working part-time. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Eric's sisters and the 3 kids slept through the whole dinner...we didn't even plan for that to happen! It was very relaxing and a very nice day. Of course I hit up the stores on Friday and I was out the door a little before 5...crazy, yes, but it's been a tradition with my mom & sisters and even though I wasn't with them, I still went! I got some AMAZING deals and I was home to feed Ella when she woke up at 6:30! Nothing better!

I'll leave you with a sweet picture of my little pumpkin at 6 months! Kristen took this while she was out here and it's my "teaser" picture to the ones to come...thanks, Kristen!

6 Months

Our little girl is 6 months old today! I cannot believe how quickly time has gone and that she has already been in our arms a whole half a year! I love her more everyday and I feel so lucky to be her mommy! A friend of mine did this about her son and I thought it was a cute idea so I'm stealing it! Here are a few of the things I know about Ella in the 6 months I've been her mommy:

• She loves music. At any given time when she's fussing, you can start singing Jesus Loves Me and she almost immediately stops...it's true, ask Kristen!
• She CONSTANTLY has her arms sticking straight out when you hold her. She doesn't like to cuddle and she looks like she's trying to fly!
• When she's excited, she does this thing when she breathes in and out really hard, like she's anticipating whatever you are going to do to get her to giggle.
• If she wakes up and we're trying to get her to sleep, she'll go more easily if we wind up her lamb or play her music worm...sometimes she's quiet until it stops and then we have to go in there and start it again.
• When she doesn't get her naps, she is CRANKY! It happened today...not a fun Ella.
• Also, when she's tired, she'll give you some smiles and giggles & then turn to crying in about 2.5 seconds...volatile, this little girl!
• She LOVES her brown blanky and cannot sleep without it. If we're out, I just give it to her, cover up her stroller so she's not distracted by whatever is going on, and she'll sleep.
• She likes to put anything she can into her mouth.
• She finds the tag on any toy and will suck on it until it's sopping wet.
• She loves to look at our fish.
• She loves to be outside and if she's fussy, she'll usually calm down if we walk her out there.
• She loves books...Her favorite is "Tails" and daddy's favorite is "My Daddy & I." She really seems to be listening when we read them to her!
• When she smiles, she melts her mommy & daddy's hearts and she is immediately forgiven for any past grievances!

Happy 6 Month Birthday, Ella! We're SO thankful for you!

P.S. 6 month pictures will follow...Kristen took some this weekend and they are AWESOME!

Scary...

The sky is FILLED with smoke right now and there are fires burning to the north and the south of us. It looks like a war-zone in the sky, ash is falling and the smell of smoke is thick. The pictures on the news are terrible. I know so many people in the Yorba Linda area and I just hope they are all ok and their homes make it! Fire is scary...whenever there's a big one, I find myself making a mental list of what I would take if there were fires by me...pictures ALWAYS top the list!

On another note, I said good-bye to Kristen this morning. We had such a fun time the last 2 days...Disneyland on Thursday and the beach for a while yesterday. It was SO much fun and it was great having her stay with us! I'll post some pictures and give you a rundown of our time sometime soon!

Trip Change

Ella & I were going to fly up to Seattle to visit Kristen this Thursday but there's been a change in plans (yes, this is the second time but it's really working out QUITE nicely!)! Because they are still in the middle of remodeling their home and not moved in as they thought, Kristen thought it would be better (and I agree) for her to come down here and me go up there with Ella in February! SO....I get to see Kristen Wednesday night and FINALLY get to introduce her to my little munchkin! AND, this means that I get to see her again in 3 months and possibly be the first overnight guest in their new and beautiful home! I can't wait!

In other news, I LOVE November! Last week, I worked Monday and had an in-service Tuesday (no kids) and it was my short week so I was done. This week, I worked today, off tomorrow (Veteran's Day), work Wednesday. Then, the next 2 weeks, I only work Monday & Tuesday and then there's Thanksgiving break! It's SO awesome. Then, only 3 weeks until Christmas Break! I love the holidays! Time is going by so quickly though and while I love work to go fast, I don't like how fast time seems to be going with my little girl! Too fast, she's getting too big!

Halloween

I'm finally getting this post up! For Halloween, we headed to Redlands so Ella could be a part of the cousin themed costumes...Cowpokes & Indians! Getting a group picture proved to be quite a challenge but this was the best Jani got! Nice work, Jani!

The VG Indians! Tessa was SO adorable with her little feather headband!

Tessa & Ella

The Cowpokes

And now the cutest little cowgirl in the Wild West...

After the photo shoot, we headed to Halloween Happening and got to hang out with Chris, Kelly & Cameron. It was SO fun to hang out with them since we don't get to very often! We walked around and then enjoyed dinner. We hit up the magic show but Ella was pretty much done by then so we headed home and put her to bed! The night wouldn't have been complete without some good rounds of Dominos with my parents! It was a fun time and I was so glad Eric was game for going out to Redlands for the festivities! Hopefully the cousin themed Halloweens will live on in the years to come!