Glorious Day

I know most of you are just thawing out from the recent freeze and even though we are in Florida we have experienced the cold too. Okay maybe not that cold, but the highs in the 40s and windy makes for a pretty miserable day. It has started to warm and today was glorious! The boys and i worked in the garage a bit today and then picked up Ella from school. We spent the rest of the afternoon playing in the yard. It is HUGE. Well huge compared to our other yards. It feels larger because we have so much privacy. I tried to get pictures but i was busy playing too. Here is what we did on our first (of many) beautiful days in our new home.

Jack and John played frisbee with the dogs. I don't know who enjoyed it the most.

Ella and I shot a little B-Ball. Check the jump shot. :)

They went on an exploration (under my watchful eye)

Their "discoveries". They also found a few places that the raccoons could be coming from.

We started by fishing the frisbee out of the water. Then tried for a fish.

After a call to Daddy. He arrived to show us how it was done. ( It got away) :(

Ben enjoyed his afternoon too.

This is where most of Eric's free time will be spent.

My Mom brought me lasagna when they came so i threw it in the oven and now i have some pretty cool people waiting on me in the hot tub. :)

Flash to later:

I hopped in the hot tub and as we were chillin' Ella told me that when she grew up and didn't have kids she was going to be a doctor. I told her that was great. The rest went like this..

Me: What kind of doctor do you want to be?

Ella:I am going to be a doctor that will help make you small..

Me: Oh, so like a plastic surgeon

Ella: yeah, and and i saw a commercial that you need

Me: what was it

Ella: it will help make you small like here (pointing to her legs) here (waist) and here (chest)

Me: well what was it?

Ella: it was on t.v. it was, it was like a chair and you do a chair dance like this (she shakes her hiney around). It even comes with a pole.

At this point Eric is laughing.... he asks if it is like a fireman's pole.

Ella:yeah, like a fireman's pole. and you learn to do a chair dance and a pole dance and it makes you small, it is exercise, it really is!

Me: maybe i should just use the elliptical.

Ella: no that won't work. this would only take 6 weeks.

I just turned my head and laughed at the thought of my 5 year old suggesting i take up pole dancing as my exercise program. Eric wasn't so good at hiding his laughter. Ella had no clue what was so funny. Lesson: restrict T.V. watching! Dang commercials.

Finally...

Here is a brief look back at the past month for us. Eric left for Florida at the beginning of December. That left the kids and me in North Carolina until the move on the 23rd. Before he left we took a moment and took a family picture for the Christmas card.

While Eric searched for a home the kids and i made our own houses, gingerbread houses. Thanks to Melissa. When making a gingerbread house with four kids alone, make sure you have had a lot of rest and extra patience. It was a fun time for us.

Melissa kept me company and also came by to help with the boys so i could run Ella around. I paid her in food. Mom and Dad came for a visit over the weekend of the 12th. Ella was going to participate in the Christmas parade with her cheerleading squad. It was nice having them there. They also brought Eric. I was super surprised that they had all worked around me to surprise us. Ella's parade was cancelled due to rain but Ella put on her outfit and did her routine at home.

I also got to return $100 worth of mittens, hats, scarves, earmuffs, leggings, and hand warmers. Eric had to get back to FL. Mom, Dad, the boy's and I went to have lunch with Ella at school on Monday before they had to head out. Ella LOVED it!

One more week of school and then the big move. Thursday we had a party at snack time. Mrs. Cronce announced to the class that Ella was moving. Caleb cried. We had cupcakes and Ella handed out treat bags. I read them Elf on a Shelf (BIG thanks to Eric's Aunt Linda for sending us our elf on a shelf, ziggy), one of Ella's favorite books, and then got back home. Friday, was craft day at school and it was cut short due to the snow. It snowed all Friday afternoon and through the night. Ella's last gymnastics class and cheer class were cancelled. We got about 4 to 6 inches and it was beautiful to look at. It was so wet that it looked like snow felt like ice. The kids could walk on top of it. HA! We made the best of it. Melissa came over to play and we shoveled a few drive ways. John helped. :)

I think the picture speaks for itself. Eric says john is going to be "that guy". Start praying now. Part two of the update coming soon.

First day of school

Take two.






Today was Ella's first day of school. I had hoped this would be a smooth transition but it was a little bumpy. After our arrival I found that if you continue to drive east passed Ella's (zoned) school, you cruise right into the ghetto. This made the elementary school a little sketch for me. We gave it a shot and went to look at it. Um, no. I am convinced it is named Dogertown because when you get to the school you want to turn and dodge that part of town. Anyway, we filed for a zone change and got approved to go to Glendale Elementary. Still different from Troutman but we will all adjust. Very ethnically diverse. Ella says there are some almost black kids, some brown like dark brown, and some just a little brown, and then there are some that are a really really little brown but not really. :) she seems to have a nice teacher. She talked about the school all afternoon. She will continue to adjust and we are checking into the gymnastics places. We do have phone and Internet. I will be sending out our moving cards with all our updated info soon.

Tough life

As we get settled and back into our old routine in our new home we are finding that life is tough. It was in the 50s here today.






We made the best of it but it was hard. :) we got out to the mall and then just drove for a bit (and had a hot tub party). We are going to get Ella registered for school in the morning. Still no phone or internet but I will keep you posted on my handy dandy iPhone.

Needless to say, life in Florida is good. :) Still waiting on internet. I will update when we get it (and when I get out of the hot tub). God is so good.

Amidst all the packing we found time to take a trip to the "Christmas Mall" to see Santa. They closed the line in front of us and we had to wait for Santa to take his break. Wes was kind enough to hold our place at the front of the line while we had dinner. After leaving and retrieving John from the top of the escalator, we sent Wes off to get his dinner before Santa returned. Note: Do not let a two year old step onto the escalator. He will let go of your hand and you will be running back up the down escalator in a packed mall to retrieve him. :) Santa came and we toured the polar express and hen took a turn on his lap. No tears so it was a success.

Quick up date:

We have a house. Eric is living there and our stuff will arrive there after Christmas. While he has been away the kids and i continued our routine. Mom and Dad came to visit and see Ella in the Christmas parade. Dad left to do a little Christmas shopping and returned with Eric. The kids and i were so surprised. It was great to see him even if it was only for a day. Rain washed out the parade but we still had a nice visit. The kids, Melissa and I made gingerbread houses. One word..patience. Ella had a party at snack time at school and it snowed. Wes arrived and we left for Clanton. I am positive that i have left out a million things but this is all i can remember. Pictures and more details when i get settled in the house in FL. All the kids have a cough and i hope they will shed it soon.

Ben's 9 Month Check-Up

Wednesday the 9th, Ben had his 9 month check up. Technically he was 9 and a half months. He weighted in at 18.5 lbs which is about the 20th percentile and was 30 inches tall, a little over the 90th percentile. He has 5 teeth and will bite the hand that feeds him. HA! He eats. All the time. He is crawling all over and now pulls up on the furniture and walks down to the end, or cruises (for those familiar with baby terms). He eats. He is super handsome and still loves his mommy. Did i mention he eats?? He is a great sleeper but hates when i put him down. He is healthy and lots of fun. What more could i ask for?