Birthday Girl

Our feisty, tough, funny, aggravatingly intelligent, beautiful little girl is 8 years old. She has amazed us from day 1. This year she has read the entire Harry Potter series in less than 5 months, run 155 laps at school (38 miles), and lost 6 teeth (also in 5 months). If I want company, she'll hang out with me at night and tell me funny stories about her day. I adore my daughter and am so proud of her...I am so grateful to be her mother. I (once again) weaseled my way out of a full-blown birthday party and bribed her with extra activities for keeping it low key. She chose Chuck-E-Cheese (every other day of the year I say NO!) and then I took her and a friend over to get "up-dos."

Before

After

Ellie had a very happy day and felt very loved with all of the phone calls and (thank-you) Mamie and Papa and Jen and Katie for sending her treats and gifts!

Ellie will be baptized by her Dad in March when he comes home for a few weeks.

Zoo Day

We went to the zoo our 1st Saturday back in Washington. I am enjoying these soccer free weekends...we only have a few left.

Baby Z is officially crawling. He's almost fallen down the stairs twice and was sick for 6 days last week. I am thrilled to have my happy, healthy little baby back!

Christmas in Idaho

In Short:
We ate lots and lots and lots of food. The kids lived on sourdough toast with butter and chocolate drinks and sugar in all shapes and sizes. They also slept as little as possible. Can you say WIRED? Here is my proud creation. I selfishly wanted to make a gingerbread house ALL BY MYSELF. So I did. And I loved every minute of it!

The kids made a gingerbread train. Also very cool!

Here Comes Double Trouble...we loved spending time with our cousins!

We rode the Polar Express with Mamie and Papa and Aunt Amy and Uncles Matt, Scott, and Nick. What could be more fun?

Hot Springs with Papa and Mamie might have been the highlight of our entire trip. We had a blast!

And we played in the snow.

Izaac learned how to crawl...sort of.

We packed a lot into 3 weeks. I had lunch with friends...dinner with friends...a fantastic massage...shopping with Mom...fondue party...temple trip...Sherlock Holmes....Fantastic Mr. Fox...bowling...It was sad to leave. But we're getting back into the groove of our routine (hip hip horray for school!) and we're almost ready to countdown the days till Jaylon comes home for R&R. Between 60-70 days if all goes well.