Ellie's 5!

My little Ellie belly turned 5 on June 21st. She is such a sweet, funny, smart, and loving little girl. Ellie had a birthday party at our house this year and invited a couple of friends and cousins. The party was as follows.......


My pretty 5 year old waiting for the party to start!


She had a pony pinata. (of course she chose the biggest one possible!)



Instead of treat bags, everyone got to paint a pot and then we planted flowers for them to take home. The kids loved it!

She opened her presents. She got a barbie scooter from us.

Then we sang happy birthday and had cake and ice cream.

Ellie sitting at her new princess table dressed up in her new Silver Mist dress up eating apples with Ayzie and Maddie.

Ellie riding her new scooter with her barbie attached. :)

Swimming Lessons 2010

Swimming lessons went fabulous this year! Both Cole and Ellie did fantastic and there was never one tear shed or one whine about going! They both did really good jobs too!




Cute Ellie girl learned a lot! she finally got brave this year and decided to put her face in the water! Once she did it that's all she wanted to do the whole time a swimming lessons and in the bathtub at home!


At the beginning it was just her face.

Then came the whole head!

Cole is such an amazing swimmer and he should really be on a swim team but of course refuses to do anything that is a competition. He did so good and kept up really well even though he was in a class older then him. He also learned a lot this year.

One of the things he learned to do was dive


He did really good and caught on quick.

Good Job Cole and Ellie!

Last Day of School 09/10

Both Cole and Ellie had amazing teachers this year. They both loved their teachers and so did I! We will miss them but are glad that we still get to see them every once in a while.


Cole with his 1st grade teacher Mrs. Anderson



Ellie with her preschool teachers Miss Julie and Grandma Smith

1st Grade Program

Cole was so excited for his 1st grade program and had practiced so long and hard for it. His class had to wear green and he was even being picky about what green he wore and I had to buy him a new shirt for the event! The day of I got there extra early so that we could sit in the very front row to take good pictures. The kids all starting coming in, and soon we saw Cole's class.....everyone was there and sitting but I couldn't find Cole! Of course I couldn't find Cole he was hiding behind the risers that all the kids were sitting on! Mrs Anderson his teacher finally found him and he started crying and would not sit with the rest of the kids. Eventually about half way through the program one of the teachers bribed him with 3 toys to sit up on the risers with the rest of the kids. He finally got up there, he never sang, but at least I got a couple of pics. The next day the 1st graders did their program for the rest of the school and that morning Cole woke up and said, "I'm going to sing today!" And guess what? He did it! That kid sang when Carson and I weren't their to watch him! Oh Cole what will I ever do with you!?!



All the first graders





Cole sitting by the teachers!

Oh wait! Is that Cole I see?

Doesn't he just look thrilled to be up there!?

Mini Steps 'Spring 2010'

Ellie was able to do dance again this last spring and of course she loved it! She did so good this time and we were amazed at how much better she got from last time which was only a few months before. She is such a cute girl and we had so much fun watching her dance! Good Job my pretty Ballerina!

The whole dance group

Getting Grass! Yay!

The end of April this year we finally got some grass! The kids were sooooo excited and couldn't hardly wait to be able to play on it. Carson and Sam did all the dirty and hard work putting in a new sprinkling system in our lovely lava rock filled back yard! I really wanted to do a ground level trampoline but soon realized that would never ever happen! Carson's dad and brothers and their families came over and helped us lay the sod and then just like that we had a backyard and front yard with grass! Yay!
The yard still needs a ton of work done but I feel it is a never ending project!






The ground was so filled with rock that we had to
rent a trencher to even dig a few inches for the pipe.

The kids hanging out on the pallets of sod

Viola! Done!

Easter 2010

As usual we spent Easter in Fredonia with family. The kids love having their cousins to play with and experience holidays with, so we usual go and let them have Easter together. The kids got to decorate eggs together the night before and then Easter morning they all found their baskets and the eggs that the Easter Bunny had hid. They were very excited and it was so fun to watch Ayzie this year. She knew she was supposed to be finding Easter eggs and she was on the hunt! It was a good Easter.




Ayzie with her basket



Cole with his basket and eggs

Ellie found her basket (and look at that sassy pose!)

Daddy helping Ayz :)

Cute baby girl