The Beach

We recently took a trip to the beach... here are a few pics from the week. Big Girl Ellie's 3T swimsuits were too small so we had to make a target run...you know its a bad sign when she is pulling on her suit saying "too tight" and rolls are hanging over :) She really hates the beach/sand but loves the pool and her super-cool life jacket I got from wal-mart (there is a reason it is not pictured). She has been walking around our house saying "1,2, jump" like she is about to jump in the pool. She has also been asking "Where Carter is" and "Where Andes go?"

Note the third picture where the Daddys thought it was a good idea to ride the Ferris Wheel at the Wharf. It was a little scary...

Cutie Pie

Ellie's Drive-In Movie Bday Party

Dora on the big screen, what more can a 2-year-old ask for?

Happy Birthday, Ellie!

We celebrated Ellie's birthday April 6! Here are a few pics of our two-year-old.

In Christ Alone

We sang this song at the retreat this weekend and I just love it.... Here is an excerpt.

And as He stands in victory,

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine - 

Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death - 

This is the pow'r of Christ in me;

From life's first cry to final breath,

Jesus commands my destiny.

No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,

Can ever pluck me from His hand;

Till He returns or calls me home - 

Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

Against the Flow

I Thought you might want a glimpse of my life with my youth. They make me laugh so much. We went on a retreat last weekend and it was so exhausting and fun.  Any body else stayed up telling ghost stories with a bunch of teenagers in a field with no lights until 2:30 am lately? It's funny - you take them on a retreat, watch them goof off, watch them doodle on their paper and whisper to their friend during the talks, and you think they are not taking anything from it and then they surprise you with how much they understand and internalize. Here are a few pics and quotes from the trip. 

"Your understanding of God - who He is, who you are - changes with your age, how long you have been a Christian and your life circumstances. I know God is everything, but I mean, He really is everything." - Senior Boy at Jackson Prep

"Christianity is power. God is powerful and He alone has the power to conquer sin and carry you through a crisis" - Combined thoughts from a Sophomore at MC and a Freshman home schooler. 

Playtime

Just a few pics of Ellie playing recently. She is getting very hard to photograph bc she is so interested in holding the camera... 

The Zoo

We recently took a little trip to the Zoo with friends. Two funny memories from that day. 

1. Ellie looked right at the rhinos and said "hey ellie" 

2. On the way home, Sparks Grenfell was trying to take a snooze in his carseat and every time he would close his eyes and start to doze, Ellie would yell "Paaaarks"... Sorry, little guy, for the human alarm clock in your car :) 

The Family at Easter

My brother said it best: "There is nothing like Easter at PF Changs" - especially when you have an almost 2 year old who just discovered revolving doors. Thank Heavens Aunt Kim brought an Easter basket full of goodies or we would have never eaten...

Easter Pics

This is the one good picture that I got from a $25 Easter session. I should have just cut the money up and let Ellie play with it. She did not cooperate at all. She tore the flower off the plants, ran into the yard full of dog poo with no shoes on... reached for the camera bc she wanted to see "pictures Aowee (pictures of Ellie)" 

Fun Friends from the Wedding...

Kim's wedding

A few weeks ago, a precious friend of mine, Kim Anderson got married to a cute cute guy, Nathan Currie. Isn't Kim Currie the cutest name? It truly was one of the most enjoyable weddings I have been a part of bc everything was so worshipful and glorifying. I wanted to sit my POPC youth at a table at the rehearsal dinner so they could understand why waiting for God's best is worth waiting for...

Funny things about Ellie

I think it is time for a new top ten list. Ellie is changing so much and while her strong will is exhausting at times, it is also hilarious. Here are a few of her latests.

1. She now tells inanimate objects to "Stop it." For example, we were out riding in the wagon and she decided she wanted to push and hold her grapes and hold her lovey. When she dropped lovey and grapes, she looked down at them in anger and said "STOP IT!"

2. She has found a way to seek revenge on the ever growing number of time outs she endures at MMO. Her little brain decided that if they were going to stick her in that chair, she was going to peel the wallpaper off the wall.

3. She is not a fan of a wet diaper and walks like a cowboy until you change it - but she HATES getting it changed - NO BIAPER!

4. She loves to crawl in the front seat of my car and "drive." This started out as a fun thing to do in our garage. The other day I was getting her out of the car for MMO and while I was gather her things, she crawled in the front seat and calmly turned around to me and held out her hand and said "Tar Teys Peash" (Car Keys Please)

5. She cannot get the concept of not pushing. We talk about "Dont push" and she gets spankings when I am around her and she pushes and time outs at school if she pushes, but it is not sinking in (this has been going on for months now). Now I hear her during the day talking to herself "Bon't Puush." "Bon't Puush, Mama"

6. She only lets about 4 out of my 40 youth hold her. She screams whenever the rest get near her. I think she is a little overwhelmed by how much attention they give her and how close they get to her face sometimes. I keep trying to explain to her that she needs to be nice, and she has gotten in trouble a few times but I sort of understand why it bothers her...

7. She is now "cared" (scared). This all started when she lost her cool at the Hibachi grill. All of the sudden we were having a nice meal with the Ueltscheys, when this Japanese man with a funny hat, big knives, and hot fire came to our table. And he was shouting. Ellie cried and I asked her if she was scared. Now she is scared of everything - especially Swiper.

8. We went to pick Everett's clothes up from the dry cleaners. I told her "let's go get Dada's clothes". She repeated "Dada cose." When I brought them to the car, she looked very confused and asked me "Where Dada?" I guess she thought Everett was going to be in his clothes. 

9. She can eat more fruit than you thought humanly possible. She will go through 3 whole oranges and a big cluster of grapes in a day. No problem. 

10. She LOVES to slide, and there is currently a slide in the middle of her room (until the weather decides to be consistent). She went to two playgrounds the other day and came home and said "Slide more." She also loves for other people/things to slide. The other day, I heard her in her room saying "Slide, Dor" I walked in and she was sending her Dora doll down the slide... 

Eye doctor?

Ellie thinks Anderson looks like Uniqua from the Backyardigans. I am a little worried that we should make an eye appointment ASAP. Don't worry, Rebecca, Anderson is much cuter than Uniqua.

A Day at the Park

Here is Ellie and her friend, "Andes" - she says it like it rhymes with Candace, and Ellie loves to hug Andes.... note that Ellie and Anderson are almost exactly one year apart and Ellie weighs twice as much as Anderson. 

Happy Birthday, Emily!

Happy Birthday to my precious neice, Emily ( or "Emwee" as Ellie calls her). She turned one yesterday. She is so sweet and happy and seems to grow faster than Clayton or Ellie. I really feel like she was just born.

We had a great time at her party. And by a great time, I mean Ellie got spanked twice for pushing, she screamed in at least 3 adults faces, rearranged toys in Emily's room in order to climb in and out of her crib, un-cleaned Christy's house by dragging out all toys, screamed and cried whenever Didi showed any attention to Clayton or Emily, threw a complete fit on the floor beating both fists and feet on the floor, and dove head first out of the space walk onto the wood deck. It's okay. I know you are all crossing us off your invitation list. I understand. My feelings wont be hurt :) 

Need a maid?

Maid for hire. Will vacuum slowly and ineffectively. Will scream if given any direction or instruction. Will quit or whine as needed. Seeking $15 an hour. Need to buy cute clothes that my mom will have to try to get difficult stains out of.

Interested? Call my Elmo phone. 555-elmo

Backseat Driver

Now, when we reach a stop light, Ellie starts yelling "Go, Go." Apparently, my mom taught Ellie a few things when she stayed with her a few weeks ago.  Didi is known for being an impatient driver who likes to direct the traffic around her. Ellie now thinks she knows how to rule the roads...  

Mini Me Makeover

Apparently, Ellie's study of my incredible ability to apply makeup has paid off - she knew just where to put the mascara. I caught her with it the other day. Notice the specks of black around her eye.

Arizona

Everett and I recently took a trip to Arizona, but we did a really bad job of taking pictures. Natalie and Brandon came with us and we hung out almost the whole time, but I have no pics to show for it. In this pic, we are sitting by the fire pits at our super nice resort, the Arizona Biltmore. Nat and Brandon actually took this pic. We had fun with ya'll! 

Few trip memories: 

1. Getting in a cab and finding out our driver used to be in Sadam's special forces and was a self-proclaimed "killing machine"

2. Eating the best meal of our life - a private dinner in the wine cellar at Lon's at the Hermosa Inn. The chef made a menu just for us and would personally deliver each course. The wine guy would match wine to each course - delicious! 

3. Beating Nat and Brandon at Bacchi Ball. I realize that is probably not spelled right but since my pathetic athletic ability rarely contributes to any Team White victories, I have to post about this one - I was pretty good! 

Ahhh.... When do we get to go back???? :) 

Mama and Ellie

Snow Pictures