General update

Yep, I've been a HUGE blog flake. Sorry. Actually, I'm not REALLY sorry, but I'm not really THAT concerned with keeping up my blog. If you people want to know what is going on in my life, shoot me an email. :) haha!

But anyway, here is a general update. The pictures are random. I just like them :)

 I am still working at Summerhays Music. I love my job still, but I still don't love the hours. I love the people I work with. I love what I do.

 Ella started preschool!!!! YAAAAAAY! She is SOOOO cute!!!! She looooooves preschool, but she has two little nemesis' that are causing problems; a little boy, and a little girl. I am going to sit in on some of her preschool classes to see if Ella is the problem. The teacher says she isn't, so we will see...

 Tommy turned two! He is SO cute! He is talking more, but not completely comprehensible. He loves to eat. He is absolutely obsessed with any type of balls and airplanes. He can drop kick like a pro and he has a REALLY good arm, much to Ella's dismay who cannot catch them because he throws them too hard! He doesn't walk anywhere - he runs. He loves to play and loves to be tickled! His new words are "No! Tommy's turn! I'll do it!" Our favorite words he says are "Coyote" and "apple pie". I don't know why, they just sound hilarious :)

Ella is almost five. I'm trying to plan her birthday party. She wants a tea party, so I'm gonna scope out and see what kids in her preschool we should invite :) She is excited...

Tom is job searching. He finishes his MBA in May. So far he has straight A's, and one B+. He is really excelling in it! Hopefully he can find a job soon, even if it takes us out of state, so I can concentrate on being more of a mom!

The kids took a trip to Seattle with Tom to see Tom's brother, Sam, get married. They had a fabulous time! I was sad I couldn't go, but it was right in the middle of my works "Fall Rush", which translates to "Crazy Rental Season". It is crazy. Everyone works overtime and it is a fun but chaotic four weeks!

We also took a trip to Lake Powell in July that was SUPER fun! The kids absolutely loved it and no one got sunburned! Yay! Tommy and Ella LOVED riding in the boat and I enjoyed reading some books :) I finished reading The Game of Thrones series and am almost done with the Lonesome Dove series. I love reading. Ella wanted to learn how to water ski - maybe next year. Tommy and Ella are definitely not afraid of the water and Ella even jumped off the top of the house boat! Ella and Tommy went on a really long hike, too, through some narrow canyons where they had to swim through some places. They are total troopers :) So adventurous. I love how un-wiener-like my kids are! Okay, Tommy can sometimes be a little bit of a whiner...but all in all, he is pretty adventurous :)

Here are some other pictures of adventures we have been on this summer!

 At the Renaissance Fair! Ella dressed in her princess dress. I absolutely love the Renaissance Fair. I sometimes think I should have been born in the 1500's...but then I start to sweat and am glad I can take a shower...with running water...that is warm...in my own home...and can wear deodorant...etc.

 Tom and I went to the BYU Rugby National Champtionship game. Woah. My first rugby game. That sport is hard core. I could TOTALLY get into rugby. So cool. And those rugby players...yummm.... :)

 Tommy hangin' out by the pond. Checkin' out the ducks...

 At the Millcreek Days Festival. Everything was free! Yay! :)

 Hangin' out at Liberty Park at the waterways. There are little shallow canals that the kids can play in. It is so fun on a hot day!

 Just bein' cute.

 Yep. That is Ella. My four year old. Climbing a huge rock wall at Trafalga.

 New swimsuit this summer! Woo! love it! :)

 At the drive in movies! My first time to the drive in. I absolutely loved it. Tom was so cute, too. He had little bags for the kids with treats, drinks, and premade popcorn. He even had a treat bag for me :) And blankets and pillows. We saw Ice Age 4. It was PERFECT for the kids. They could crawl around and didn't have to be quiet! We will be going again...

 Playing in the fountains at City Creek! :)

 At the County Fair!

 At the State Fair! On the Ferris Wheel!

 Riding horses at our friend's house! These kids LOVE horse back riding! :) Ella says she wants a pony...big suprise.

Okay, that is all for probably another six months! Haha! Sorry :)

Ella-isms...

 Ella is my four, almost five, year old daughter. If you're reading my blog, you probably already know all about her - but just in case you have forgotten how brilliant, intelligent, hilarious, sassy, sometimes bratty, and otherwise AMAZING my daughter is - here are some Ella-isms for your enjoyment. Keep in mind I am absolutely not making these up - I'm not that creative...

*walking around the house with a box full of stuffed animals*
Ella: Babies! I got babies! I got babies for sale!!

 Ellaism of the day: talking about making bad choices
Ella: you know what some bad choices are?
Me: what?
Ella: watching bad movies, listening to bad music...and killing your mom
Tom: wow, that escalated quickly.

 *Ella conversation while trying to get her to BE QUIET AND GO TO SLEEP!*
Ella: I'm already sleeping mom! I'm just sleep talking!
Me: No, you're not! You stop talking right now or I'm going to give you a sleep spanking!
Ella: What's a sleep spanking?
Me: Keep talking and you'll find out!
Ella: *silence*
Me: *aaahhh*
Ella: Show me on dad first. 

 Ella: Who am I going to marry?
Me: I don't know, sweetie. You don't really have to worry about that right now.
Ella: I'm gonna marry Tommy.
Me: You can't marry your brother. You don't marry family.
Ella: You married dad though? He's family.
Me: But he wasn't before we got married. We get married to start your own family.
Ella: So who am I going to marry?
Me: I don't know sweetie. You'll figure it out when you're a lot older.
Ella: Like maybe a guy without a wife?
Me: *laughing* Yeah, definitely a guy without a wife.
Ella: I'm gonna get all the guys, line them up in a line, and pick one of them that has hair just like me. Then I'll marry him.
Me: That's a great idea :)

*very seriously*
Ella: Mom...I can't go to preschool
(keep in mind she has been excited to go to pre school since she heard about it MONTHS ago)
Me: Why not sweetie?
Ella: *sigh* I don't have a backpack...
Me: Well, baby girl, we will get you a backpack.
Ella: Really?! OKAY!!! That's really cool, mom.
I hope she stays this easy to please for FOREVER. 

The other day we went to the BYU football game...
Ella: MOM! MOM! MOM!
Me: What?!
Ella: Look at that girl! She's black! Just like I saw on t.v.!
Me: Uh. Yeah?
Ella: Woah.

We need to get out of Utah...

Another bedtime episode...keep in mind that bedtime is an hour or more long process before she finally wears herself out...and me...holy cow...
Ella: Mom, I am NOT going to bed.
Me: Ella! You get in bed right now or you will be in HUGE trouble!!!
Ella: *sneers her face* Bring it on.
Tom: *sticks his head out from the other room* Did she just say bring it on??
Me: *shock* Child. You better get your bottom on your bed now, or you will spend tomorrow in your room. Move. It.
Ella: Fine. 

This is Ella's "model" face...

My sassy daughter. I love her. She is so stinkin' smart. Sometimes I just don't know what to do with her. :)