The Rowley Family

I love the Oregon Coast

2011-08-24T13:52:00.000-07:00

We spent a few days at Cannon Beach in August. It's tradition. I love it. The kids love it.. and so does Brandon! My Mom was watching Ben's kids for a week so they came along for a couple of days. Ellie just LOVED having her cousins come with us! I love the views, relaxing by the beach, and the adorable little beach town. Although we are at the beach, it is COLD ocean water. No one in our family fully gets in the water. It is more just about playing in the sand, finding sea creatures at Haystack rock and playing in the shallow water. My Mom just about froze while she was there. She expected warm beachy weather. She was coming from Guatemala- the land of eternal spring. She is not accustomed to cold weather and it was pretty chilly our first couple of days. It warmed up to 80 degrees by the the end of our trip, but my Mom was already heading back home by then. It was fun to show my Mom around one of our favorite little spots. I can't wait for next summer!

Ellie lost her first tooth!

2011-08-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

Big news at the Rowley household. Ellie lost her first tooth! She was pleasantly surprised when the tooth fairy gave her a dollar AND let her keep her tooth. We had to make sure to clarify that it is JUST the first tooth that the tooth fairy would let her keep. Since then she has lost a second tooth as well. Her permanent tooth starting to grow in behind her tooth and I had to do some convincing that her tooth had to come out!!

Whirligig at Seattle Center

2011-04-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

There is an annual 2 week Whiligig extravaganza at the Seattle Center. I took the kids last week and they had a great time. Ellie couldn't get enough of the slide.
Ellie helping her baby brother into the gumball machine. Tommy was less than thrilled and immediately came out of the contraption! He was plenty entertained just watching Ellie jump.

Patiently waiting in line!

Simple fun

Tommy hanging out in the toddler zone. He wasn't sure about all of this chaos.

Once he realized it was BALLS he was surrounded by- it was all good.

Mr. Bunny

2011-04-20T12:33:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny made a surprise visit at Story Time today! Tommy was a little timid at first (yes, Tommy is a bit shy at times- a BIG surprise to all of us!). He said, "I scared" a couple of times... but when it was his turn he went right up and gave the big guy a high five. He was happy to get the egg (not because of the contents inside which he, of course, couldn't eat) but because it was close enough to the shape of football! By the end of the session he wanted to give the Easter Bunny a hug.

My little baker

2011-03-18T20:49:00.000-07:00

Tommy and I were busy in the kitchen baking. He wondered off and I didn't think much of it. It was quiet for a little too long so I went to investigate. Tommy had decided he wanted to bake on his own. Unfortunately I had left the flour storage bin open and Tommy had a little fun with it. For this little guy, this wasn't harmless fun. He broke out in hives (not pictured) from inhaling the flour. Poor baby.

Let it snow!

2011-02-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

I love snow days! The kids love just getting pulled around in the sled. In Seattle you have to go play out in the snow first thing in the morning, because it is often either all slush or completely gone by noon!
We have a great sledding hill in our neighborhood. The kids had a fun time and we all got plenty of exercise!
Ellie's favorite part of a good snow day is the hot cocoa that is guaranteed after playing in the snow all morning.

Can't get enough...

2011-02-16T10:09:00.000-08:00

...of this little guy. Seriously.. his smile is contagious. He has the happiest little attitude. I think he gets it from his dad :) I love the interaction between my two precious kiddos. The squeals of delightful laughter as they play together. Really, I can't get enough.....

Tommy's first haircut

2011-01-29T21:13:00.000-08:00

At 21 months we decided it was time for Tommy's first official haircut. We had given his hair a little trim at home before but he need a real haircut. He has a habit of twisting his hair up top while sleeping or when he is tired, so it gets a bit unruly. I don't put gel in his hair because then he would have a crispy curl on top of his head! Anyway, it was time to trim it up so his crazy curl wasn't as long! Where did this little guy go? SportsClips
He loved it! He was a perfect little angel and stood completely still during the whole thing! He loved watching the game while getting his haircut.
Ahhh.. much better! Too bad I didn't get a better final picture!

Cookie Helpers

2010-12-19T18:55:00.000-08:00

I had lots of help with the cookies this year!

We made 3 dozen sugar cookies for Ellie's "Winter Party."

And a couple dozen gingerbread cookies, just because it is the month of December and they are incredibly delicious. Ellie decided she wanted to maker her gingerbread cookies with pink frosting, I decided... sure, why not?

Too bad Tommy get to help eat them!

December Advent Calendar

2010-12-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

December 5- Pictures in front of the tree

December 6- Ice Skating a the Holiday Rink
Tommy had a ball running on the ice. Brandon could hardly keep up with him!

December 6- Decorating our gingerbread house- I'm not sure if more candy went in the kiddos mouths or on the gingerbread house, but either way we had fun :)

Christmas Advent Calendar

2010-12-05T11:48:00.000-08:00

December 1- Cooking decorating Sur la Table
December 2- Making snowflakes
December 3- Snowflake Lane
Tommy was a bit nervous about the mysterious large creatures dancing about.
December 4- Holiday Party

Holiday Parade

2010-11-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

That smile says it all.....

First Snow of 2010

2010-11-22T11:36:00.000-08:00

The kids had a ball playing out in the snow. Tom was just happy to be eating it :) Ellie loved making snow angels and was so happy when Daddy got home to take her sledding!

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

Despite having something like 2 full weeks of sunny days in Seattle this October, we waited until the last Saturday before Halloween before we got our pumpkin. Yes it rained. But we still had fun :)

Mount Rainier

2010-10-15T11:21:00.000-07:00

On a beautiful sunny day in October we decided to make the trek to Mount Rainier to go on a little hike. We were pleasantly surprised to see the beautiful fall colors.

Ellie spotted a deer along the path. We also played a fun game of bear along the way.

The gorgeous view.

First Day of Kindergarten

2010-09-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

Ellie was just a little bit excited :)

Brother had no idea what was going on....

Don't want to be late on the first day. That is a serious look of concentration!

There is no turning back....

This was a big day in our family. We officially entered the world of elementary school and the crazy life that it entails.... homework, play dates, extracurricular activities galore. Ellie is happy and enjoying life in kindergarten.

As for me, I had a lot of mixed emotions on the first day of school. I was nervous and excited for the Little Miss. No tears here but I was stilled surprised by the amount of emotion this milestone stirred up.

The Fair

2010-09-12T21:37:00.000-07:00

We made it to the fair this year. Oh..... and we had fun :)

Ellie milking the cow

Hard at work

Tommy checking out the cows. He mooed at them and they responded accordingly.

The highlight of Ellie's day. Yes the cotton candy was almost as tall is she is :)

Tommy got a kick out of the bunny.

And he wanted to take a ride on the sheep. He made a big fuss when we left the petting zoo. He couldn't get enough of those furry animals.

I have a new appreciation for Fern. Wilbur is as cute as she said he was.

Just watching Ellie go around and around on this ride made me sick.

We had a fun family day and will definitely return to the fair again!

Cannon Beach

2010-08-29T20:24:00.000-07:00

Ellie and Tommy hard at work at on their sand castles.

Ellie creating her first sand angel.

Haystack Rock

We love this place!

What we have been up to.....

2010-08-29T20:06:00.000-07:00

Splash Park

2010-08-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

Ellie loves going to the local splash park.

Tommy isn't sure he loves to splash park just yet. But he did love the big water ball.

Seattle Space Needle

2010-08-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

I took the kids up to the Seattle Space Needle. Ellie had a thrill with the elevator ride up. It was a fun little ride. When we got to the top they were excited for about 5 minutes and then they were ready to head back down. Oh well... at least now Ellie has seen the view and now every times she sees the Space Needle she will remember our journey to the top!

Ellie and Tommy chilling inside at the top.

The View
As seen by Miss Ellie, our budding photographer

Woodland Park Zoo

2010-08-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Tommy's first trip to the zoo.
He is already a little animal lover. To Tommy, every animal is a dog and the response to every animal is ruff ruff. He is just too cute.

Playing in the dinosaur egg with Safira. Ellie and Hazel helped make the dinosaur egg.

Trapped in a hut with my big sister... ahhhhhh!

Our sassy Ellie

Last Day of Preschool

2010-06-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

Tommy and I joined Ellie on her last day of preschool. I am not sure who had more fun, Ellie or Tommy. All the girls in the class had fun dressing up Ellie's baby brother.

The last day was an outer space party. The kids each made reverse tie dye t-shirts with planets and stars on them. Ellie is going to miss her preschool but can't wait for kindergarten to start!

Little Boy

2010-06-22T09:38:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love this happy little boy.

Father's Day

2010-06-22T09:35:00.001-07:00

Brandon was one proud Daddy wearing the tie that Ellie made for him for Father's Day. The tie was complete with gold beads, purples feathers and sparkly hearts. This little girl sure loves her Daddy :)

Little Cowboy

2010-05-29T22:22:00.000-07:00

In the city that we live in we are very fortunate to have TONS of parks. In the past, we haven't taken advantage of this. We end up going to the same few parks. This summer the kids and I are going to try out a different park every week. At this park Tommy tried something new.... riding horsies. My baby is growing too quickly!

Sushi a la Ellie

2010-05-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

Ellie learned how to make sushi at preschool last month. I LOVE the preschool she goes to. They go on a field trip once a week and do fun activities like learn how to make sushi during class. I wish I had attended with her that day! I would love to learn how to make sushi! Anyway, she brought home some of her creations and we all got to try. YUM!

The Tears

2010-05-25T19:45:00.000-07:00

These tears are just too precious to not document. Can a baby be any cuter even though he is crying? I seriously can't get enough of this little boy!

Spring at Kelsey Creek Farm

2010-05-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

I love spring. I love the look and feel of freshly cut grass, the smell of our lilac tree blossoming, the sunshine that beckons us to come outside to play and Saturdays spent exploring the outdoors. We spent last Saturday at Kelsey Creek Farm.

Sunny Arizona

2010-02-10T13:52:00.000-08:00

I was feeling a bit Vitamin D deficient so Tommy and I went on a four day trip to sunny Arizona to soak up some sun. Okay really I was in need of a retainer and Dr. Curtis graciously offered to make me one if I came down to Arizona so it gave me a great excuse to make the trip :)

I had a great time visiting Christie and her family.

I couldn't get over the size of the lemons in my sisters backyard. Yes we made lemon bars while I was there.

I heard about the famous Pizzeria Bianco a few years and have being dying to try it out. Christie and I braved the three hour wait time (on a Thursday night!). It was definitely worth the wait. YUM!

Tommy was able so spend some quality time with his little boy cousins. Alex enjoyed teaching Tommy all about the animals. Will guy kept Tommy constantly entertained by attempting to make him laugh.

And the final stop before the airport was Sprinkles cupcakes.

Somehow Sister and I didn't get a decent photo together the entire trip. I'm not sure how that happened. Thanks C for a fun time :)

First time Sledding

2010-01-31T14:44:00.000-08:00

We took the kids sledding this past weekend. Last year it snowed and snowed and we weren't prepared with the proper gear. This year we got the snow boots and snow pants and we haven't seen a single flake. So we decided to head up to the mountains to Hyak to do some sledding.

Ellie and I in action

I think the trip was a success :)

A few more from our trip

2010-01-28T17:35:00.000-08:00

Tommy hanging out in a little car while Grandpa gets his haircut.

Tommy hanging out with Grandpa

Tommy gathered crowds wherever we went. The Guatemalans were in LOVE with our little guy. It was like we were traveling with a little celebrity. Everywhere we went the people wanted to see our little guy :)

Bananas anyone?

The volcano puffing away

IRTRA

2010-01-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

We went to IRTRA (a big water & amusement park) in Guatemala for 4 days.

Ellie started out a bit hesitant about going on a few of the rides, but after going once she couldn't get enough. I was happy she got over her fear!

Tommy & Ellie from the balcony of our room. It was so lush and green.

Ellie couldn't get enough of the pool.

Grandma & Grandpa treating the grandkids to ice cream! It was a great way to cool off from the heat!

I couldn't believe how brave Ellie was! There is no way I would have let that bird on my hand!

Ellie loved this ride!

Ellie overcoming her fear of the pirate water bucket at the water park. She went on all of the water slides after that!

Tommy was an absolute angel the entire trip. He napped in the stroller the majority of the time. He was exhausted when we got home. He had to catch up on a lot of missed sleep.

Tommy and Brandon at dinner.

Christmas in Guatemala

2010-01-26T21:05:00.000-08:00

A swim in Grandma & Grandpa's pool

A surprise visit from Santa!
Ellie was ecstatic! She couldn't believe Santa found her in Guatemala!

Tommy loved playing with the boxes

Grandma and Tommy hanging out by the pool

Bowling 101

2010-01-20T13:34:00.000-08:00

Hazel turned 5 this month. The Bagley's celebrated with a bowling party. Ellie was very excited for her first trip to the bowling alley.

Priceless!

Fun with friends

We started out the evening with Ellie's ball stopping half way down the lane and then coming back towards us. (Not a good thing). Midway through the evening Ellie got a strike. Not bad improvement. We all had fun. Brandon even got a turkey (3 strikes in row) !

Can't wait!

2009-12-22T08:34:00.000-08:00

I think someone is excited to go to Grandma & Grandpa's house tomorrow.

Botanical Gardens

2009-12-17T21:42:00.000-08:00

The Swan Lake was this years newest addition to the Botanical lights display. Ellie had gone during the day for a field trip with her preschool. She had already found all of the special critters from the special map list while with her teacher, so she was anxious to point them all out to us.

Snowflake Lane

2009-12-17T21:34:00.000-08:00

We braved the cold and headed to Snowflake Lane last week. Ellie loved the candy cane lolly pops and the red patten leather boots that the drummer girls were wearing.

have you noticed.....?

2009-12-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed that there are not very many photos of the little guy by himself? As you can tell from the above photo the little miss always wants to be in on the action... photos included.

Ice Arena

2009-12-09T15:29:00.000-08:00

We took Ellie ice skating this week. It was a lot of work! After about 10 seconds on the ice Ellie wasn't sure that ice skating was a "fun" activity. I think she was a little bit nervous. But after we went around the rink a couple of times she became a little more comfortable in her skates.

Tommy was a trooper despite the colder than average temperatures around here. We all had a fun time, but we were grateful for the hot cocoa to warm us up!

Two little buddies having fun in the cold

Gingerbread Cookies

2009-12-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

This is a first for Ellie and me. We have never done the gingerbread cookie thing before. I've never really been a fan of them so I thought why all the work for something you don't love? Well, I made some yummy ginger snap cookies recently and thought gingerbread cookies have to similar so we decided to give it a try. We had a fun time rolling them out and creating little gingerbread men out of the dough. Ellie loved helping roll the cookies out and decorate them!

Holiday Parade 2009

2009-12-09T15:13:00.000-08:00

Traditions.
We are in our fourth holiday season in the Seattle area. We've developed some fun traditions over the years. I love this time of year and all of the fun activities there are to do. We kick off the season each year with a trip into Seattle the day after Thanksgiving to watch the Christmas parade.

Tommy enjoyed a little snooze in Daddy's arms while we listened to the bands marching by, etc.. I'm not sure how he slept through it all. But that is our little Tommy. So easy to please :)

For Ellie, the highlight of the parade had to be the candy canes. My favorite was the Seattle Sounders band. I was totally impressed.
We listened to Christmas music, drank hot cocoa, saw puppies, firemen, gingerbread floats, dancers twirl and of course Santa made his appearance.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

What a fun holiday! Ellie was a different princess at each festivity we went to this year.

Her preschool class did a little parade around the school before heading out the door for the weekly field trip. I love that she is holding her little friend's hand in this picture.

We stopped by the Halloween party at Brandon's work. It was over the top. Each wing had a different theme. This one is from Night at the Museum.

My favorite was the Willa Wonka wing.

The actual night of Halloween. Not sure where all the smiles are....
They sure came back with smiles along with all of their loot. That night the "good witch" came and took all of Ellie's candy. She left behind a Barbie doll. Ellie was excited about the exchange :)

Caramel Apples

2009-10-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Caramel Apples- the combination is unbeatable. YUM! Plus all the goodies you get to add on top. Oh so good :) We had a fun FHE at the Barney's this week.

Ellie had more fun making her apple than eating it. She wasn't too fond of the stickiness. But she did eat all of her M & M's off of it.

Brandon enjoyed his creation made by me. His hands were a little full. Tommy obviously enjoyed all the festivities and conked out from all of the excitement. I have to say Brandon and I are both officially fans of sea salt on caramel apples now. Don't knock until you try it. And please... do try it!

My little helper.....

2009-09-13T20:07:00.000-07:00

Mommy & Me- 5 months

2009-09-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

Taken by Michael Rowley

OUCH....

2009-08-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

Growing too fast...

2009-08-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

3 months old

What a lucky little boy...

2009-08-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

to have such a fun big sister...

Aspen Grove

2009-08-14T21:57:00.000-07:00

We spent a week at Aspen Grove for our Clarke Family Reunion this year. We had such a nice time. It was fun visiting with everyone and relaxing a bit. Ellie loved her time with the cousins. And everyone got to meet Tommy!

Blessing Day!

2009-07-14T14:24:00.000-07:00

We feel so blessed to have this special little guy in our family. He truly is a little Angel. He has such a calm demeanor. He is just precious!

Handsome...

2009-07-06T08:37:00.000-07:00

4th of July

2009-07-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

My parent's get the month of July off. So their first stop this summer was to Seattle! Yeah!
We enjoyed a nice and relaxing 4th of July with the family.

Brandon and Tommy chillin'.

Grandpa taking the grandkids to the ice cream shop! Yum :)

The kiddos playing a game of Let's Go Fishin'

It was so fun to have my parents here for the long weekend.

When a Little Boy has a Big Sister.....

2009-06-29T20:27:00.000-07:00

Two Cutie Pies

2009-06-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

New Addition

2009-06-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

A few weeks after giving birth to Tommy, Brandon took Ellie on one of their Daddy-daughter dates. They came home with the above addition to the family. As soon as Marla (named by Ellie :) ) entered the house I made it known I would have no responsibility for this new addition. I had too many other people to take care of! I wasn't about to add a fish to my list. Ellie promised she would feed it. It is in the fishbowl in her bathroom. Occasionally I'll ask her if she has fed it. In all honesty, I have no idea how it is still alive!

Miss Ellie turns 4!

2009-06-12T17:10:00.000-07:00

We celebrated with friends and cousins at the water splash park. Ellie decided on cupcakes and popsicles for her yummy treats. The kids braved the clouds and had a fun time running around.

Then off to ice cream as a family.

Then we celebrated with Grandma & Grandpa the next day.

I can't believe my little girl is 4 already. She is loving it. She is officially a "big girl" now. She is declaring her new age to anyone with listening ears including all grocery store clerks, little old ladies sitting on benches at the mall and anyone working on their yard during our daily strolls around the neighborhood.

1 Month Old

2009-06-06T17:04:00.000-07:00

A Perfect Day...

2009-06-05T20:45:00.000-07:00

We set a new record in Seattle yesterday. It was 91 degrees on June 4th. We loved it :) Ellie, Tommy & I headed down to Grandma's house and cooled off in the pool for the afternoon. Ellie and I swam while Tommy got to chill out in Grandma's arms. It was a nice for Ellie and I to get a chance to play together while Tommy was otherwise entertained. And it was a special treat for Ellie to get to see her Grandma mid-week. Thanks Judi! We had a great time!

Sleepy Head

2009-06-05T20:36:00.000-07:00

I love seeing the sleeping positions of little ones.... from the roller coaster ride to sweet dreams.

Hanging on...

2009-06-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Tommy LOVES to chill out in the Baby Bjorn. He seems to fall asleep instantly whenever he gets in that contraption. I don't know how I would get through a trip to Costco without it. Tommy isn't too fond of his car seat so shopping in the car seat doesn't happen much.

A Day at the Beach...

2009-06-03T20:55:00.000-07:00

We went to the beach this week to cool off. Ellie and Hazel had a great time :) Tommy was such a great sport. He didn't complain until he got a little too hot at the end.

The Big Sister

2009-06-03T20:09:00.000-07:00

You know a big sister loves her little brother when.....

-she showers him with kisses to the point that no one else gets a turn

-whenever you are otherwise occupied and the baby is fussy she runs to get a pacifier or toy to

keep the baby happy

-she covers the baby with her absolute favorite thing on this earth (her gappy aka blanket) and dog dog

Ellie has been such a great sport with the transition of this new addition to our family. She is such a great little helper!

My favorite quotes from the big sister:

On the day Ellie first met him she was instantly in love. She and Brandon went to preschool that day and upon returning to the hospital she said, "I love Tommy. He is my best friend." It didn't take long for that to happen :)

When we first brought Tommy home and he was crying in my arms Ellie said with a bit of a twisted face, "Mommy, he doesn't really like you very much."

When a friend of mine asked Ellie what she thought of being a big sister she sighed and said, "It's a lot of hard work."

Spring Celebration

2009-05-21T20:18:00.000-07:00

Today was Ellie's last day of preschool for the year. They had a Spring Celebration concert. I was so excited to see it. She had been practicing the little songs for weeks.

Our first family outing.

On to Pre-K next year. Time is flying by too quickly!

It's a BOY!

2009-05-15T12:33:00.000-07:00

Thomas Dean Rowley

May 6, 2009

7:29 pm

9 pounds 7 ounces

21 inches long

Alkai Beach

2009-05-12T17:14:00.000-07:00

When spring hits in Seattle- you head outside. No matter how pregnant you are. Ellie and I did some serious power walking during the months leading up to Tommy's arrival. Ok- so Ellie rode her bike and I walked. But Alkai Beach was our favorite place to go. Nothing like some good scenery when you are trying to induce labor :) Brandon just unloaded this picture off of his phone. So I had to document it!

My Prego Belly

2009-04-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

A friend and I were heading to the park the other day and she mentioned she needed to take some pictures of a pregnant Mama for a church assignment and she wondered if I would be her victim. I was a little hesitant but agreed. She took a few shots while we were at the park. I was pleasantly surprised with the results. Not that I questioned my friends talent, but that I wasn't sure I was going to be excited about pictures of my pregnant belly. I haven't been as diligent about taking photos this pregnancy so I am happy to have these. Here are the rest of the photos.

Easter Egg hunt

2009-04-13T10:33:00.000-07:00

We went to a pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt with Ellie's cousins on Saturday. The hunt went so quickly we didn't even get a clear shot of Ellie until after it was all over. This is the best we got before the battery died. But she had a fun time hunting for eggs and eating candy at 9 am. She was happy to see her cousins again. They had been out of town for a week visiting family and Ellie continually questioned me as to when they were going to return. I think she feared they were never coming back!

Her hair...

2009-04-13T10:27:00.000-07:00

So the other day I got out of the shower to realize Ellie had been busily working on her hair for some time. This is what she had come up with. She is rather particular about what gets done with her hair these days. Haircuts are out. Growing her hair out to match the picture with the pretty long curls is in. "Bows are for babies." Hair clips are a maybe. "The headband with the pretty things on it (jewels)" are a sure bet yes. Any other headband is definitely not ok.

Seattle Children's Museum

2009-04-13T10:20:00.000-07:00

On the last day of spring break our friends invited us to head to the Seattle Children's Museum with them. We hadn't been in a couple of years and were excited to try it out once again now that Ellie is a little bit older. She loved it!

Climbing through the caves

Being eaten by the whale

Curious George was the traveling exhibit at the museum right now and Ellie couldn't have been happier.

Blasting off on Curious George's rocket ship

The master painter couldn't be distracted with a photo while concentrating on her artwork

Creating with clay

Bouncy Extravaganza

2009-04-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

Last week was spring break. In the beginning of the week when it was a surprisingly sunny and warm we went to the park, the park and then the park some more (living in Seattle.. when the sun is outside... so are you!). But later on during the week when the weather changed we headed indoors for some fun. The Seattle Center had their annual Bouncy Extravangza. Ellie and her friends had a great time jumping, bouncing and sliding the afternoon away!

Easter Eggs

2009-04-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

Last weekend Ellie had sleepover at Grandma & Grandpa's house. One of the many activities they did while together was decorate Easter eggs!

Ellie was so excited to tell me all about the colors they created for the eggs. Most importantly pink and purple.. her favorites:)

Oh my! :)

The finished product!

Thanks for the pictures Judi! And for the great weekend :)

Brandon and I had a fun weekend and Ellie obviously had a great time at your house!

Photo Shoot

2009-03-28T12:17:00.001-07:00

Brandon's brother, Michael, took a few photos of Ellie yesterday during her sleepover at G & G's house. Check them out on his blog.

What to do?

2009-03-03T19:47:00.000-08:00

When your daughter goes down for a nap at 3 pm.... and she still isn't awake from her nap at 10 pm. What do you do? This could make for a very long night.

Valentine's Party at Preschool

2009-02-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

Today was the Valentine's Day party at Ellie's preschool. I helped out at her school today so was able to witness all the festivities. It was so fun! I love seeing Ellie in her element with her little preschool buddies.

Ice cream with sprinkles! YUM! Served the same day that the kids learned about the food pyramid. I thought that was pretty funny :)

It was Ellie's turn for sharing day. She brought her favorite My Little Pony.

YEAH for outdoor play time!

Learning to balance.

Waiting in line to head back inside.

Bainbridge Island

2009-02-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

We took a fairy boat ride to Bainbridge Island last week with Ellie's cousins. It was a cold, windy and foggy day but we still had fun. On the return trip home the fog lifted a bit and gave us a great view of Seattle.

Asleep on the floor

2009-02-09T10:32:00.000-08:00

When she said she didn't want to go bed.... I didn't know she meant it literally.

Family Photos

2009-02-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas

2009-01-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

So I know I am a bit behind.. but I think I have a pretty good excuse :)

We spent the holidays in Guatemala with my parents. We barely made it out of Seattle among the chaos of a week long snowstorm in Seattle. Being that this area isn't used to much snow, they aren't exactly prepared to deal with it. People had been stranded in the airport for days, half the flights were canceled the day we left, but somehow we thankfully made it out without any problems.

The pilot invited Ellie to check out the cockpit and she excitedly accepted the invitation.

Santa made his rounds about the airport and Ellie was ecstatic to meet him. He had a real white beard and everything! He even gave out coloring books to keep the kids entertained. It was so fun. There were also Charles Dickens carolers walking through the airport singing. It was really the best airport experience we have ever had! I think they were trying to entertain all the stranded people!

So there are a few experiences in Guatemala that I didn't get documented but the highlights included Christmas morning with the orphans, a day at the amusement park, a couple of days at the best water park we have ever been to, an eye clinic for 500 Guatemalans and TONS of time with my family :)

The cousins at the end of a fun day at the water park. The best part was that Ellie could go on so many of the rides!

The wave pool. The little Miss was hesitant about the wave pool at first (like a little bit hysterical) but once we got out she kept talking about how much fun it was.

One of the many places for the kiddies to play.

The water slide at the resort we stayed out. There were about 20 peacocks that roamed around. They weren't afraid of the people at all. They were so pretty!

We spent a day at Antigua with my Mom. Ellie and I had been before but it was Brandon's first time. It is such an amazing city with so much history.

The little Miss

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2008-12-18T20:55:00.000-08:00

After much anticipation we received about 4 inches of snow today. It is definitely the most snow I have seen since moving here. Ellie's Christmas Program at preschool was canceled today. Upon hearing that Ellie ran to her room, leaped onto her bed with a huge frown on her face and then put her covers over her head. She was pretty upset about that.
But I think playing out in the snow today made up for it :)

The Holiday Season

2008-12-15T12:24:00.001-08:00

Ellie playing with her friends at the ward Christmas party

YUM :)

The first snow of the season!

All dressed up for church

The Next Sasha Cohen...

2008-12-09T11:59:00.000-08:00

Ok maybe not. But we had fun :) We went half way around the small rink and Ellie said, "Ok I'm done." But by the time we finished that lap she was just getting warmed up. I had to beg her to be done after an hour of skating.

Garden d'Lights

2008-12-09T11:57:00.000-08:00

We checked out the Garden d'lights display this weekend. They seem to outdo themselves every year. It is pretty unbelievable what they come up with. So beautiful!

Gingerbread House

2008-12-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

We decorated the Gingerbread House this weekend. Always a fun tradition. Somehow a lot of the candy is already missing... hmm I wonder who could be eating it?

Day after Thanksgiving Traditions....

2008-12-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

First stop.... Macy's Day Holiday Parade. I have never seen a little girl so excited to see gingerbread and snowmen! It was adorable to see Ellie's excitement this year for the parade. Of course she loved the candy canes that they threw out to the crowd as well :)
Our next stop was the Gingerbread Village display at the Sheraton. This year's theme was super heroes. This was the one we voted for.
Next up was the Festival of Trees. This was Ellie's favorite.
Our final stop, before heading to Pike's Place for lunch, was the Teddy Bear Suite. A suite full of Teddy Bears and Christmas decorations. Ellie found a comfy place to rest for a little while after a busy morning.

Ellie's Photo Shoot

2008-11-25T08:13:00.000-08:00

Brandon's brother, Michael, did a great photo shoot of Ellie last week. I love how they turned out. For more... check out the posting on his blog.

The Big Night

2008-11-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

After a week's worth of anticipation and ten outfits later she is ready.... yes ready for her first official daddy-daughter date. It has been the topic of the week. She couldn't decide what to wear (but then again that is always a tough decision for the little Miss). She finally settled on the above combination. I'm not so sure about that sassy pose but I am just happy that the chosen outfit coordinates.

Every morning the first thing she has asked is today the day? Hope you have fun little Miss. Today is the day. Have fun with your daddy.... I'm off to see Twilight with my friends.

It is 2:30 AM.. do you know what your child is doing?

2008-11-10T08:39:00.001-08:00

I woke up to an abrupt cry... not one the one from a child scared but from one that was hurt. I thought to myself, did she fall out of bed? No, upon entering her room I realized that was very far from the truth.

We had cleaned up her entire room before bed. Not a single toy on the floor... but when I entered her room at this very early hour of the morning the lights were on.. and there wasn't an inch of carpet to be seen. The toys covered the floor. My daughter was dressed from head to toe in princess attire (not exactly the pajamas I had put her to bed in earlier that evening). The only reason I had been awaken by this little escapade was because there were SO many toys on the floor she had tripped while wearing her princess shoes, fallen and hurt herself. That's what the crying was about.

3 going on 13

2008-11-01T17:53:00.000-07:00

Situation:
Ellie getting ready for preschool. She puts on her skirt and we proceed with the following conversation.

Ellie: "Mom I want to wear pants with my skirt."
Mom: "Ellie you don't wear pants with your skirt you wear tights."
Ellie: "But Mom, all my friends wear it like that."

I was in complete shock. I didn't think I was going to be hearing anything like that until my little girl was 13 not 3!

PS. This kitchen window sill is where Ellie waits to keep on eye out for her Dad's daily return home from the office. Sometimes she is waiting for a VERY long time....as in she starts looking out for his return as soon as he leaves!

Our Little Princess

2008-11-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

Preschool Field Trip

2008-11-01T17:48:00.000-07:00

Ellie went on her first field trip with her preschool.
They went to Kelsey Creek Farm.

Each of the kids helped make the straw beds for the animals.
Ellie is doing her part bringing the straw to the stables.

Checking out the animals.
The highlight was the 500 pound pig chomping on an apple but I missed the photo opp for that one.

Fall Traditions...

2008-11-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin soup, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies... we are LOVING Fall!

The little miss hard at work!

First Day of Preschool

2008-09-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

Last week was Ellie's first day of preschool. She had been talking about it for months.
"Mom, when do I get to go to school?"

She was excited for her first day and had a great time.

At the end of the first day she didn't want to leave.
There were too many fun toys to play with and just not enough time to play with all of them!

Summer Hasn't Ended. No not yet.

2008-09-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

We are still enjoying the sunny weather and heading outside to the beach and park as much as possible. Summer doesn't officially end until September 21st... right?

Can't get enough of the water

BYU Cougars vs. UW Huskys

2008-09-07T08:29:00.001-07:00

After a close game of BYU football the Cougars pulled through and won the game 28-27. We've been looking forward to this game since it was announced on the schedule two years ago. It was an eventful game and we had fun proudly wearing our blue among the much more dominate royal purple in Seattle. Brandon even got water poured on him by an upset Husky fan while he was leading the BYU section in the Cougar fight song. Yes, he is a die hard Cougar fan.

The Clarke Clan

2008-09-03T15:09:00.000-07:00

We watched the Clarke kids this weekend while my brother and his wife went to Chicago for five days. The twins, Cammie and Timmy, were great and Ellie loved the nonstop play date. Rachelle (10 years old) was a great helper with all of the kids and was constantly asking me if there was anything she could do to help out. I was grateful it was over the long weekend so Brandon was there to help me entertain the troops over the weekend.

On Labor Day we took them to the Seattle Center and they each got to choose a ride they wanted to go on. No pictures but I have never seen Cammie smile that BIG! Each child chose a different ride so the whole experience took a bit longer than had been anticipated. Then we headed out to get ice cream before their parents returned home.
Ellie loved having a four night sleepover with her cousins. The sleep deprivation was a bit much for her and the day we came back to our house she slept in until 9:30 am! (yes I was shocked as well)

Cannon Beach, OR

2008-08-25T17:06:00.000-07:00

We took a long weekend and headed down to Cannon Beach for our annual family vacation. We loved spending the time just the three of us. The weather was fabulous. It is always a bit unpredictable but we got lucky.

Ellie loved having Daddy's help with her sand castle creations.

Cannon Beach has the cutest little downtown strip with little knickknack shops and candy stores. I love all the little cottages right along the water front.

The Clarke Family as Cowboys

2008-08-21T10:56:00.001-07:00

The Gang

Ellie loved her time as a cowgirl at Red Horse Mountain Ranch last month. We loved spending time with family. Ellie is still talking about her horse Gray Mare. Ellie had requested a pink horse and was pretty devastated when her horse was a little shade off of pink. Well the kids counselors came through and put a pink cowgirl hat on the horse. That satisfied Ellie for the first day but later on in the week they picked up some pink paint and painted pink polka dots all over Gray Mare. Ellie was in heaven! It has been a month and the first thing she said when she woke up yesterday was, "Do I get to ride Gray Mare today?"

All the cousins with Grandma & Grandpa

When do we get to ride?
Oh they got their turn! We each had our own horse and rode every day for a week!

All Clarke Cousins in Hot Tub= Total Chaos & lots of fun :)

My favorite cowboy and our sassy little cowgirl

Didn't you know I am a cowgirl at heart?

Happy Fourth of July!

2008-07-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

We headed to the Bellevue Downtown Park with my brother, Ben, and his family to celebrate. Ellie loved dancing to the live music.

Ellie loving life with her cousins!

Movies on the Pedestal

2008-07-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

Last night we went to the opening night of Movies on the Pedestal.
"Movie viewing under the starry nights and in the heart of downtown Seattle.
Rainier Tower's unique pedestal doubles as a 50' movie screen."
Last night's showing was an all-time favorite The Princess Bride. It was so fun to be in the middle of downtown, watching a movie, in an open courtyard in the middle of the night!