Merry Christmas from South Texas

I know I've been horrible about blogging lately. Our Internet stinks, I've been having camera issues (okay, Ellie dropped our good one and destroyed it!) - so I guess I have a million excuses.

I did want to wish all of our friends and family Merry Christmas! Just to warm you all up, who are in snow covered paradises at the moment, I'm posting some pictures of us a couple of weeks ago wearing shorts and t-shirts.

We love you and wish we could play in the snow with ya'll!

Funny...ha, ha...

Isn't modern technology great? Voila! Instant stick people family. Although, my stick person should have awkward flyaway bangs trailing her ponytail.

Holla!

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

Today's Activities

Today I was brave woman and ventured by myself to the neighborhood pool with three kids in tow.

It went better than expected. Ellie fell asleep in the stroller after her swim - she loves the water! The kids swam with their pool noodles as I sat by the side of the pool.

A Pic of Our Blue-eyed Girl

She loves to drive!!!!

Yet another kidism from Noah...

Tonight I was hanging out with Noah and Aaron. I jokingly told Aaron that he was getting old (at the ripe age of 31!). Noah heard and started singing quite loudly:

"I'll be sad when you're dead. I'll be sad when you're dead. I'll be sad when you're dead..."

I surmised that Aaron and I have told the kids that sometimes when people get really old they die.

we had to have a little talk about real old age and dying...the joy of a four year old!

Kidisms from Noah and Ava...

Noah:

"I sure like that George Lincoln...he's my favorite president."

"I love the Fourth and July because of the fireworks."

"When I'm a grown-up, I want to put tile on floors."

"When I'm 19, can I take Momma with me on my mission?"

Ava

"I cut my knee and now I'm blooding everywhere." (Tiny little cut easily remedied by a Shrek bandaid.)

"Ellie likes me because I'm her sister."

"Why do I have to go to college?" (Oh boy, it isn't starting already, is it?)

New Pics of the Ellie Bean!

In her bumbo seat:




She is so sweet when she's asleep:




Developmentally-wise she's right on target for a five-month-old (without adjustment for prematurity). She's trying to scoot around, reaching for and grabbing things, rolling over and babbling up a storm. She weighed in at 14 pounds 12 ounces at the doctors office on Monday. She's just started taking a little Zantac at night for her reflux issues (we think they've gotten worse because of her teething!

Major home renovations...not fun for kids.

So over the last few days we have not enjoyed living in a construction zone. I never knew that installing tile floors was so intense and so messy. Our whole house is covered in dust and we have little fragments of old tile everywhere. The kids and I just left the workers to themselves since it was really hard for Ava and Noah to stay out of their way and it was too noisy for the baby to sleep. Tomorrow the whole house gets new carpet. We are leaving and will probably spring for a hotel!

Long time...no post

So the month of May was a total wash. Aaron and I passed strep throat back and forth to each other all throughout the months of April and the first part of May. Aaron was found to be a "strep carrier" by his ENT doctor and underwent a tonsilectomy on May 22nd. It was a really rough surgery and it took him a while to recover. We are all feeling better now and I hope to blog a lot more...

I'm back folks.

Ellie's Smiles

Ellie is a very temperamental girl. When she is happy, she is very happy: she has started giggling when we do funny things and her gummy grin can't be beat. However, when she is grumpy, she is very grumpy and wants to be held, swaddled and paid attention to. Our high maintenance princess is going to keep us busy!

General Conference and disinfection

Today we cleaned the strep bugs out of our house and listened to General Conference on BYU-TV. I enjoyed all of the talks and the kids were very interested in the sustaining of our new prophet President Thomas S. Monson. We're lucky that we get GC on our satellite so we can watch it in our PJs!

After about a whole container of Clorox wipes, we've disinfected everything in hopes that we never get strep throat again!

What You Came Here For

I know that you didn't come here to read my ramblings on Post-Modernism or alternative fuel sources.

You came to see pictures of the adorable monkeys who make my life complete. Here are pictures from our fabulous Easter.

Here's our newest little one: Elinor Ayn - looking so demure on her first Easter





Ava and Noah being the best of sports in their matching outfits:

About my blooooggggg...

So I've jumped on the band wagon and started a blog. My main reasons for doing so include being able to post pictures and anecdotes for my far away friends and family, and also being able to chronicle the daily happenings of my little family. Hope you enjoy my ramblings...