Sledding

We went sledding and snowman building today....here are some pictures....I am too tired to type stories. Elli liked to sled. I have some funny pictures that speak otherwise, but she really DID like it. "Dain! dain!" I have her first sledding on video - I'll get it up tomorrow, maybe. It's cute!

RAAALPHIE!!! Wait Ralphie!!! I can't put my arms down!!!

Snowing today

Well, Elli is down for a nap and I have a moment of peace. She is being so good and just playing with everyone so nicely. She didn't go to sleep easily at all last night. I don't know if she was just too wound up from all that went on, she had a too long nap in the evening, she wasn't feeling well, over tired, or what. It is probably a combination of everything along with the fact that it wasn't her bed and she's in a fairly unfamiliar place, which doesn't make a difference unless it's bedtime. We didn't get to bed until after midnight...which is after 1 am in home time. She was so sleepy, but just wouldn't let me walk out of the room or stop humming. It was a long evening, but she did eventually fall asleep. The fact that she knocked her head and gave herself a goose egg probably helped her sleep too....it was a good one. She almost fell asleep in her heigh chair during lunch today, so hopefully this will be a good and long nap.

Anyhow, it's snowing today. It is beautiful! Here are some pictures:

I forgot to take any pictures yesterday...here's the two of Amanda and Elli that I did get:

Christmas at home

Here we are trying to get a good family Christmas picture... it is actually Christmas eve in our pjs, and this is the best out of the 11 pictures....THAT was interesting. :)

Elli's ready for Christmas! This dress is so sweet! And I got it at a yard sale...how awesome! She didn't mind the furry collar or wrist puffs at all, thankfully. And it was warm enough outside that we didn't need to cover her up with a big poofy coat. It was very nice. But honestly...could she be any cuter?

This is what Elli woke up to Christmas morning! She was so funny. She was walking into the room like any other day saying hi to the dog and then just froze and stared at the house. Then she took off after it and squatted down in front and looked at it more....and THEN she dug into it and played and pushed buttons and threw balls and had a great time. It was really cute.

I hate flying

So like I have said before, I really don't like to fly. I like to have my body as close to the earth as possible. I mean, I can potentially survive a car accident. Odds are pretty good that I won't survive a plane crash. I trust the pilot and the crews completely...it is the other passengers that I have a real hard time with now - since 9/11 has given me something else to worry about.
We made it though. It was, generally speaking, a smooth and uneventful flight. There were a little bit of bumps along the way (that really freaked me out), but thankfully I was distracted by the drink service and a baby. I have it timed that by the time the flight crew serves drinks and cleans up everything, we will be landing in a few minutes. Then I can breath a little more. I was so stressed about it all yesterday that I couldn't move my shoulders last night without serious pain. I took medicine and went to bed.
But speaking of babies....I don't like flying with a 1 year old! She was easy when she was 6 months old. Yesterday was a different story! I think it may have played a little differently if she didn't sleep for 2 hours on the way to the airport and then eat and get lots of energy and squirm and complain because she could get down and run the isle of the airplane and so felt the need to bang on the tray of the seat in front of us (that thankfully was empty) and punch the numbers on the plane phone and throw her toys everywhere! *deep inhale here* Yes, we are those people. Hey, at least she didn't scream and cry. I hope the trip home is well.
Today we celebrated the holiday with Mike's family. It has been a very good day. I will blog about it later with pictures of our Christmases! Right now, there is a little girl crying that I need to investigate.

What's a dog say?

Mom has taught Elli a little about dogs. Not only does Elli growl now because she hears them doing that with eachother, but she's barking like them too!

Amazing!

So I go into the store today to take a picture of the tree so that you all could see it whether the guy buys it or not - and it was gone! He bought it!!! I guess that when Tara told him (I don't even know his name) how much it was, he was a little shocked! He said that if we had time to switch out a few ornaments without making it look "cheap", that would be great, but if we didn't, then he would take it as it is now. Tara even told him that if they wanted us to take some ornaments off of the back if it is going to be against a wall or in a corner, we would. But when his wife came in and saw it with him today Tara said she waved her hands at her eyes and said that she was trying not to cry - she loved it so much! So I guess when he saw her reaction he said "I'll take it. How can I not after I saw her reaction to it?!" Tara even said "Are you sure?" and he said to wrap it up! AMAZING! He spend $1562 on a Christmas tree!!! I hope it got home okay. I guess that they bubble wrapped it and stuck it into the back of an SUV. I can't believe that! The tree probably came apart because it was in segments like fake trees are. They tipped us $40 to get a party tray or something, but Tara gave me 20 of it since I hurt my fingers so bad wrapping those ornaments on! They hurt for 3 days. So that's pretty awesome. I've never been tipped before for doing something for someone. I am all the time putting arangements together for people, and they never tip me! Oh well, I don't expect it. I just like to do it. We may call them and ask him to bring us in a picture of the tree so we can see it in it's home (and I can post it). So that's how the story ends! He bought it! Maybe now I'll go buy some new shoes...just what I need - right honey?!
Mike just told me he'll never buy me a tree for $1500. I told him he doesn't love me enough. :) Then I decided it's probably a good thing because I'd be too picky and would just want to do it myself - because apparently I can!

O Christmas Tree!

Okay, so on my previous post I mentioned that I was going to work today to decorate a christmas tree for a customer. My boss is who set this whole thing up with this guy who lives in Arizona most of the year I guess and wanted to come home to this house with a tree ready to go since he isn't getting it until this Friday (21st). She told him it would be 5 or 6 hundred dollars! That is a lot! She was WAY off! The guy loved the way we decorated the trees at the beginning of the season, so that's what I gave him. When everything was said and done, I rang it all up just to see where we were on total price....it was crazy~ there were 20 $8 ornaments here, 32 $4 ornaments there....all totalling $1,531 !!!! I did it the way he wanted it! I haven't heard yet if he is going to take it, or if we are going to have to switch out some of the ornaments. Well, I won't be switching them out because I am not working until AFTER he picks it up. I feel bad for whoever has to, if they have to, because I really tied the ornaments on good. I mean, if a guy has to drive it home somehow, you don't want everything to fall off! I am anxious to see what he says. I'll find out tomorrow...I think Tara was going to call him today.

Late night

So last night I worked until 12:30 AM!! It was a late night for me! I enjoyed it though. I got to do a lot of visuals at the store...moving thingsa around and what-not. Today I get to go in and decorate a Christmas tree for someone to purchase....isn't that crazy!? The ornaments are NOT on sale and I am cramming as much stuff of it as I did when we decorated out trees for our displays - and the tree is hard to see for all of the ornaments. Seriously?! Can you see yourself spending at least $500 on a tree? It seems crazy that people have money to spend like that. Oh well. I mean, it makes a fun day at work for me! Wednesday I get to work another midnight shift to get ready for our big after-Christmas sale that I'll be missing because I am going to Chicago-land! I can't wait to see the family up there! Wait until Joy and the kids (and Dave too) see how big Elli is and how much she can do! The last they saw her, she was just beginning to pull herself up. It is going to be fun! I am seriously already dreading the plane trip. I may need to sneak some tonic into my ice cappuccino and relax myself for the ride! I know it will be fine... it's safer than driving, right?! Quicker too.
Well, I am pushing the clock here...I need to be at work in 45 minutes and haven't showered yet. What are they gonna do?

Bored

I am so bored right now. Well, I am actually not bored, I am really tired and have to just sit here until a little girl decides that she wants to go sleep. She was very tired, but since we were at a little Christmas get together with some friends of ours and it is 20 minutes away, she decided to sleep in the car and that was enough to keep her up for a while. GREAT! Mike is sitting with her right now, so I get a break at least. I should be sewing. I have lots of Christmas gifts to make still, especially since I pledged to do handmade stuff this year. Most of my stuff is handmade...not all of it I have made, but it still counts. I don't know when I am going to find time! Christmas is going to be here in no time! I really should be working on my stuff....maybe I will do that now. In all reality, I will post that I am working and then probably surf the net for another 15 minutes and then crawl up the steps and beg Elli to go to bed. So, I think I'll get to work!

We found Santa!

On a Sunday morning trip to Wal-Mart, Elli and I ran into Santa! We were looking at some Christmas decorations and low-and-behold there sat the big man! He was offering free 5x7 shots, so I thought - what the hey...let's do this. Now I am wishing I would have had one taken with me in it too... Oh well...maybe next year. She looks so tiny in here! And apparently, she thought he smelled funny...I don't know what her face is all about.
I had to scan the picture, and the quality is not great, but it is still pretty darn cute.

Christmas decor

Here's what I've done to my home so far for the holiday season. It may be all I do, but we'll see what I come up with in the next couple of days....I mean, Christmas is in 16 days or something, so it won't be up that much longer I guess...maybe this is enough. I put this pine garland up...40 feet for $8.50 at Sam's club....pretty good price I think. I am not convinced that I like the way it looks on my house...it sure is more interesting than nothing, though. I have lights in my 2 little Christmas trees in front and the azalea bush too...it looks better at night. (Is that a good thing?) I had still 4 or 5 feet left over too, so I made it pretty.

How'd she get in here???

My Christmas tree. It looks better in person. I like it a lot... it is very funky and fun - even when baby-proofed! :) We "potted" the tree...it is one of those cheap pencil trees that are so easy to tip over. So, we stuck it in a pot, put a couple of bricks around it to keep it steady, and then filled it up with that swelling foam stuff in a can....it is amazing! I could climb the tree and it wouldn't fall over now!

Christmas Parade

Yesterday was the big Vienna Christmas Parade. It was pretty exciting! :) I live pretty much at the beginning of the parade - someday this will be a great thing. Everybody in the parade is so excited to be there, that they throw TONS of candy out at the beginning and run out by the end...which is where I was during childhood...at the end of the parade. One day, Elli will be thankful she lives 50 feet from the main street and so close to the beginning of the excitement! She wasn't what got all of the oos and aaahs though...the dogs were! Mom came over and brought Emmett (who did suprisingly well, I thought) and June (I think to see if she could hear anything...drums...fire sirens...anything). I also walked Cali up to the corner.....this is where she ended up : ....tied to the stop sign. She is TOO wild to try to contain with a baby on my hip. She enjoyed watching the people.

Apparently, Elli was very sleepy. So sleepy that she (amazingly enough) fell asleep during the fire department showdown...where all of the firetrucks and ambulances run their sirens and honk their horns and see who can keep it up longer and louder than the rest. Cali and June didn't even notice, and Elli fell asleep. Here's proof : It was killing my ears!

Look Elli! Toy Soldiers! (Or the PHS marching band) Look Elli! Santa Claus!!! Oh well. At least she got to see the mayor, the beauty pageant winners, the antique cars, and the poor, freezing 4 year old baton twirlers.

Snow Days

Well, a few days ago it snowed! I love the snow! I love how it covers and quiets everything. It is the best! I don't, however, like it when my pants are soaked because everything is wet. That's an issue easily resolved with a quick change. :) Anyways, here are a couple pictures of our first time out in the snow like this! It hadn't snowed that much at this point. We probably got a coupld more inches after these were taken. We never actually got out into the snow and played, but we will get there. We are now in the big melt down. Everything is dripping everywhere you go. It doesn't help that it has been pouring down the rain....oh well. It was fun while it lasted. Here's hoping for a white Christmas!

Elli and the singing snowman!

Here's a video of Elli playing at mom's house with her singing snowman and penguins. She didn't like the dogs interrupting her groove session - so it sounds like she's yelling at the to "stop it!" "cut it out!" It's pretty cute :)


Here she is channelling her inner Stevie Wonder - but she quickly got distracted by the camera!


I don't know how mom doesn't get sick of this song!

You know you grew up in the 80s if...

You Know You Grew Up In the 80's if:
1. You've ever ended a sentence with the word SIKE.

2. You can sing the rap to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and can do the Carlton

3. You know that 'WOAH' comes from Joey on Blossom

4. If you ever watched 'Fraggle Rock'

5. It was actually worth getting up early on a Saturday to watch cartoons.

6. You wore a ponytail on the side of your head.

7. You got super-excited when it was Oregon Trail day in computer class at school.

8. You made your mom buy one of those clips that would hold your shirt in a knot on the side.

9. You played the game 'MASH'(Mansion, Apartment, Shelter, House)

10. You wore stonewashed Jordache jean jackets and were proud of it.

11. You know the profound meaning of ' WAX ON , WAX OFF'

12. You wanted to be a Goonie.

13. You ever wore fluorescent clothing. (some of us...head-to-toe)

14. You can remember what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off and his cheeks shifted.

15. You have ever pondered why Smurfette was the only female smurf.

16. You took lunch boxes to school...and traded Garbage Pailkids in the schoolyard.

17. You remember the CRAZE, then the BANNING of slap bracelets.

18. You still get the urge to say 'NOT' after every sentence.

19. You thought your childhood friends would never leave because you exchanged handmade friendship bracelets.

21. You ever owned a pair of Jelly-Shoes.

22. After you saw Pee-Wee's Big Adventure you kept saying 'I know you are, but what am I?'

23. You remember 'I've fallen and I can't get up'

24. You remember going to the skating rink before there were inline skates.

25. You have ever played with a Skip-It.

26. You remember boom boxes and walking around with one on your shoulder like you were all that.

27. You remember watching both Gremlins movies.

28. You thought Doogie Howser/Samantha Micelli was hot.

29. You remember Alf, the lil furry brown alien from Melmac.

30. You remember New Kids on the Block when they were cool...and don't even flinch when people refer to them as 'NKOTB'

31. You knew all the characters names and their life stories on 'Saved By The Bell,' The ORIGINAL class.

32. You know all the words to Bon Jovi - SHOT THROUGH THE HEART.

33. You just sang those words to yourself.

34. You still sing 'We are the World'

35. You tight rolled your jeans.

36. You owned a bannana clip.

37. You remember 'Where's the Beef?'

38. You used to (and probably still do) say 'What you talkin' 'bout Willis?'

39. You're still singing shot through the heart in your head, aren't you!

Nothing to write about

I have been very unmotivated to write anything lately. There is not a whole lot going on. Well, there is stuff going on, but nothing I feel that's exciting enough to write about. Sorry.
Elli's sick AGAIN. My pediatrician said that toddlers can have a runny nose for 260 days out of the year. That's crazy! At least we get a break now and then. She didn't have a yucky nose for her birthday - so that was great. But here we are again - "Elli, let me wipe your nose." "Elli, come here....Elli, stop crying, I just have to wipe your nose!" "See? Isn't that better?" Oh, it's so fun. Not only that, it makes it close to impossible for her to eat AND I believe that she is getting a tooth or two in on top (finally) - so she's not sleeping through the night, which isn't like her at all. Last night was a miserable night. She woke up and I brought her into my bed thinking that she would sleep and I could sleep. I was wrong. She didn't sleep well at all, and I didn't sleep at all, and Mike didn't sleep well either. My back is seriously messed up right now, so I had to sleep funny which she didn't like and picking her up in general is so stinking painfulit's rediculous. I need to go to the chiropractor or something, but I have to work the next two days. I hope that it doesn't get worse.
Anyways, like I said not much to write about. I no longer have a house guest (so sad...it was fun having Mike's mom around!), Elli's sick, I'm messed up and have one nostril clogged, and it's Christmas time with a million things to accomplish......but YEAH!!! IT SNOWED TODAY!!! I'll get pictures up later of Elli if there are any worth posting.

post cake Panera

Here are post cake pictures :)
These are a couple of gifts she got - loves them!
We had panera for dinner...Elli likes chicken noodle soup! She was pretty excited about that crumb on her finger too!

Cake pictures

I had a little get together for Elli and Mike's birthdays yesterday afternoon. Here are her "cake pictures" - and no, she didn't eat much. She dumped all over the floor and into her lap! She was a little afraid of it at first - but quickly dug in once I gave her a spoon! She wouldn't even take in from Mike at first! She had a good time :)

She's not a baby anymore...

What an amazing and bazaar place I am in today. Elli is 1 year old. I don't know to cry or what exactly. I am shocked that it has been a year. A YEAR! That's just amazing to me. She just started walking (2months ago)...she just got her teeth! (3 months ago). It doesn't seem like those events happened that long ago. It is a crazy whirlwind of time and I don't know where it went! It seems like it has been a while since she was this size







but certainly not a year ago! I can't believe how much she has accomplished! She learned to hold up her head, smile, sit up, laugh, crawl, grab things, stick them in her mouth, kick, stand up, she's flown on an airplane, play with the dog, recognize me from a distance, cruise along furniture, walk!, climb, talk, interact with people, know what to do to get a laugh, she's in a big girl carseat now, I think I could go on an on. I am speachless. I can't believe that I have been a mom for a year. I don't know how she survived. I don't know how I survived! I don't do well on little sleep, but I have learned to adjust I suppose. I like coffee drinks. :) Here is my toddler. Here is my 1 year old toddler who won't stop moving long enough for me to take a good monthly picture of her.























And to add to my depression, I just realized that with every new post that I do, one of my old ones get deleted. I don't think that's fair. I don't know how to change that so it quits doing that... It's really sad to me.
I'm going to bed. It's been a long day.

It's been a while

So it's been a while since I have blogged. I have been busy! It has been hard finding time to sit down here and play on the computer when I have a child who like to climb up the steps, but hasn't yet figured out how to safely come down and skulls and concrete don't mix well. So I have literally 2 minutes before she realizes "Hey! There are steps here!" and off she goes. That's not enough time to get signed in, let alone type up something worth reading. Then during nap times - which vary from 20 minutes to 2 and a half hours - I need to get house work things done, or nap (ha!), so I really hate to take the time to do this then.


Anyhow, those are my excuses - along with the fact that I have nothing more exciting than a snotty nose to write about and I thought I'd spare us all.


I did, however, get my cabinets painted! I am done! Woohoo!! My kitchen is so much brighter...more updated...less old-wood looking. I like it a lot, and Mike likes it too. :) I knew he would :) He really helped me out a lot getting them finished. He primed them and painted all of the hardware (reduce, re-use, recycle!) for me and then, I painted the paint part. I put chalkboard paint on a couple of them and on a spot on the wall. It's pretty cool. I will get pictures up soon.


Ooohh.. I got my Christmas lights up - Elli helped ofcourse. She had a good time sitting in the yard and playing with the gourds. She loved it. (And yes...there is a picture of my big butt in one of these, and I am too lazy to cut it out...or work it off) :)