Catching Up

I have fallen way behind on posts. I have so much to share but will start with just a few pictures and videos to try and catch up a little!

Thanksgiving

Chef Eric and Chef Ellie prepared this delicious vegan feast for us to enjoy on Thanksgiving!


Christmas Fun

Santa visit


Christmas card picture


Christmas slide at the Children's Museum



Santa at the CM


making cookies



singing carols with friends


Christmas dance recital



Christmas

Ellie's new best friend.



Josie opening a favorite ball, Ellie with her new laptop, and Charlie dog happy with a new bone!


"Handy Ellie" already making a birdhouse with her new tool set from Santa.


Ellie's new "monster feet" and Josie's new piano.


sisters


LOVE this random picture!


Ellie's Birthday

Ellie turned FIVE on the 28th. I can't believe it! The main thing she wanted to do for her b-day was go sledding so we braved the freezing cold and went for it.

We lasted about 15 min but Ellie was happy!



Ellie with the cake she made and decorated herself. She is such a big girl now!

I hope everyone has had as much fun this holiday season as we have! It really has been a blur of activities but we feel so blessed to have so many fun things to do and so much wonderful family and friends to celebrate with! I have many more pictures and videos to go through so check back for more cuteness coming soon! :)

Random Cuteness

Fun Friday Afternoon

On Thursday evening, while driving in the car, Ellie out of the blue says "I am so sad that the dinosaurs are not here anymore. I really wish we could see a REAL dinosaur..." Well, our Children's Museum has an awesome dinosaur exhibit called the Dinosphere and even though we go to the museum often, the noise in the Dinosphere (very loud booming thunder and dinosaur bellows and other prehistoric sounds) always scares her and we do not ever make it through it. When I told her that if she really wanted to see a "real" dinosaur then the Dinosphere would be the best place to go, she exclaimed "Well, then let's go!!! But...let's bring Daddy with us..." So, on Friday, Eric decided to take off work early and we headed of to the museum as a family!



Ellie immediately got scared of the noises and covered her ears and if Eric had not been there, I think it might have been another failed attempt.

But he was so great with her and even encouraged her to talk to the staff and ask questions about the dinosaurs. The staff was so wonderful and even shut off all the sound and turned on all the lights while they told Ellie all kinds of neat things about dinosaurs. Then they even let Ellie press the button on the screen that restarted all the noises.



With only an hour left before closing time, the girls then hurried and showed Daddy a few more of their favorite places in the museum. My camera's battery died but here are the few pictures I was able to get...


Carousel with Daddy


Tea Party


Family (in the fun house)


Water Play

The girls DID NOT want to leave when the museum closed so we promised them some swinging time once we got home.






It ended up being a really wonderful fun Friday afternoon!

Cooking Fun

One of the few things that Ellie and Josie play really well together is pretend cooking. I love watching them actually share and make things for each other to "eat". It's been their favorite activity for the last few weeks and I hope it continues!


playing at their new table in the playroom (that stores all the food!)


at the Children's Museum (with their friend Maia.)

Spinning (at Children's Museum)

carousel


under glass sculpture