Ordinary Days Are Full Of Extraordinary Moments

If you ever wonder where time goes, take pictures. I couldn't believe I was two weeks behind on making posts here....then I started going through the pics. My goodness.
We had a great visit with Grandma. Ellie and Madi love to curl up for movie night.

We got a little snow and had to run out as fast as we could before it melted away...

Madi's Basketball season is in full swing. We are having a great time watching her learn all of the fundamentals of the game. She still needs a little help with her competitiveness but that should come. In her first game she made a free throw, an assist and a rebound....

Ellie is already Madi's biggest fan. "Go, Sissy!"

Shout Out

I know, I know....I am totally behind with the blogging. With any luck I am catching up.

I have a special SHOUT OUT to my baby girl Ellie.

While Great Grandma Joanne was visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday....Without a whimper or a tear she got her little ears pierced. She was so adorable. Patient.

She listened to all of the instructions and waited as the kind woman marked her ears with the pen and gave her a Claire bear to hold.

After the first, not a noise. After the second, nothing. We all watched and waited, the nice clerk told Ellie she was done and all we got was a big ol grin from ear to ear.

So, the next time you see Grandma or Ellie tell them how nice their earrings look. Ellie will be more than proud to show them to you.

My Waterloo

Sunday afternoon we were driving to the Smokies for a picnic and a short hike. Our girls do a pretty good job entertaining themselves during mini-van rides. In the midst of their conversation Madi was talking about how when she grows up she is going to move back to Oregon, where she was born. She proceeds to talk about how I will someday move back to Utah and how Ellie and Dad will move back to Iowa.

Ellie, in all of her amazing wisdom pipes up and says "Daddy"
"Did you go to Iowa just to pick me up"

We spent an amazing three years in Iowa. Meeting some of the greatest people we will ever know. Creating friendships we will keep for our lifetimes. Ted found answers and guidance that brought Him into relationship with Our Savior. But, if you asked us why we were in Iowa, Yes, Ms. Ellie, we went to Iowa just to pick you up.......

Shock and Awe

Yesterday, I was doing my Yoga in the living while Buddy (our dog) and Ellie were playing on the front walk.

When I was done with my exercises I went out to see what they were up to. Seeing the beautiful creation made with purple moon sand all over the sidewalk, I asked her to clean up and put it all back in the container (wishful thinking). Out of no where Ellie says, with absolute shock and awe in her voice, "Oh my Gosh, someone drew on Buddy!"

I look over at my dog sprawled out in the shade under a tree. On his entire left side is a beautiful piece of chalk art, drawn by a three year old.

Funny in my Tummy

Ellie cracks me up. She is a constant source of laughter in our house. If you have never seen her in motion, it is hard to explain how she moves. Her body has a spring in it, seriously. She just bounces all of the time.

This afternoon, she gulped down her juice box. While she is hopping around as her normal self, she hears a jiggle in her tummy. You know the sound when you shake liquid in a bottle. That is what her stomach sounded like. She got an absolute kick out of it and kept bouncing around. More then normal, if that is possible.

I am sure you can imagine the noise of a gurgle and slush and you look at her bouncy pics.