Happy Birthday to You! Ellie is 2!

My Ellie came to us 2 years ago at 2am! I can't believe it's already been 2 years! She is full of energy and personality! A few of her favorite things:

hair 'pretties' (notice 2 in today!)
her booster seat at the table with buckles
babies
she LOVES to talk and tries to say everything
She will yell for you if you are not where she thinks you should be.... (DAAADDD!!! WHERE ARE YOU? EAT!!!!)
She calls all candy 'trick-or-treats'
She is a big fan of 'Dorya & boots!'
She can spot Santa ANYWHERE

Happy Birthday to my little angel! You are so precious and we are really glad you joined our family two years ago! We love you!

Snow day!

Livi finally got to build a real snowman.

We got to use our snow blower for the first time since we bought it last year. It was GREAT!

Family Pictures-attempt #1

This was our attempt at a family picture--take note, there is NO family picture! But we got a lot of cute ones! Ellie was a little stink and just wanted to run around. If any of us tried to hold her or got too close she would have a complete meltdown! Turns out she was cutting a tooth as it showed itself the next day! At least she looks like an angel in all these pics! Olivia was our little model. These pictures are already causing Nate to dread the upcoming "teenage" years with our cute girl! The kissing one is not our favorite--I was laughing so hard hard because I could hardly hold my head up for that pose, it was really awkward! We're happy with what we got and we will try again for that "perfect" family picture in the spring!

Ballerina in Training!

Seriously--you would think I've learned by now to not turn the camera when I take videos. Oh well, she is still super cute even sideways! She wore this tutu for 3 days straight (even for naps). She LOVES pretty skirts and dresses and necklaces and bracelets! All girl!

BOOOOOOO!!! My little ghosts!

Ellie really got into Halloween this year. By the end of the Trunk or Treat she was saying "Trick o treat!" It was sooo cute! Then she threw a big fit the next day because I wouldn't let her have her "trick or treat"--aka candy, right before dinner!

Does she have to grow up?

My favorite age :)

Broken Ankle

Olivia was at her 3rd gymnastics class on Thursday Sept. 16 when she hurt her ankle. I was on the side watching and saw her crying but I just figured it was the drama queen in her. So I waited until one of the adults asked if her mom was here and she pointed at me. They carried her over and her ankle was the size of a baseball! We all just figured it was a really bad sprain-she stepped on the side of a mat and rolled it bad. So I took her in the next day and the doc gave us an air cast and sent us to x-ray. She called back to say she had a fracture on her ankle. We got to go back to the doc for a soft cast and a trip to Norco for crutches. It was a long day! She got her hard cast on Monday for 3 weeks. Luckily, we only had to do crutches for the first week and now she can walk on it. It's been interesting! BTW-she chose the second pose all on her own. :)

"Mommy" Ellie

Ellie loves loves loves!!!! her babies! She always wants to give them a "ride" in the stroller.

Favorite place to sit and watch cartoons.

Yea for pigtails! We can finally do them!

GO BRONCOS!!!!

Olivia the 1st Grader

Olivia was really excited about starting the 1st Grade with Ms. Thurston. She had no problems getting up early for school (she got over that real quick!) On the first day she wanted so badly to get her name written in this bus poster that was for kids being good and of course, she did! The next week they started doing Citizen of the Week and we had a talk the night before about how it might not be her and that everyone has to take turns. She was so positive that she was going to be it--and she was! The very first person to be Citizen of the Week in her class! She is a pleaser :) Hope that keeps up! She loves all of the learning, PE, and learning Spanish and sign language. We just got her signed up for gymnastics which should help her get some energy out!

Ellie doesn't seem to mind that Livi is gone during the day--probably because she can play with all the toys she wants without someone telling her what to do! She does say bus everytime we see one and then she says Livi. I'm sure she does miss her but she is loving having me all to herself!

Pierced Ears

The Story of Pierced Ears

So for the last few months every time we went to WalMart I would say to Livi-"Hey, let's get your ears pierced today!" And she would say "Mmmoooooommmmm!!!! I told you, I am not getting them pierced until I am 18! I'm serious, pinky swear!" So one day, I had the bright idea of showing her the earrings she got to choose from. "Mmmooooooommmmmmmmm!!! You really talked me into it! I'm serious!" After a call to her Daddy (who was not completely sold) we went back to the jewelry counter and picked out some earrings! There was a little screaming, a little crying--and that was just the lady marking her ears with a marker! Somehow, we made it through the actual gun part. It did cost me a new toy to make her smile again but she LOVES them! She thinks she's quite grown up and beautiful! I agree!

Ward Campout-McCall

My parents ward has been having their ward campout at Ponderosa State Park in McCall for as long as I can remember and we went every year. Now I've started my own tradition of going with my kids (minus Nate-busy time at work) and mooching off my parents and the Darrington's :) I get the camping experience without the whole effort! We only got to go for one night this year but we packed every minute with fun!

Olivia was very proud of her sand ball she made at the beach.
Beach babies!

Ellie loved every minute of the water!

Grandma and Livi floating in the raft.

Where else can you ride around on your scooter in your PJs!

Playing in the woods.

Ellie loves to be wherever Olivia is!

Happy camper!!!

Olivia told me this was the best funnest fire she'd ever had because I let her play with a stick in it! It's the simple joys in life! I still like to do that too!