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World Fest! A great day for family fun! We will definitely go back next year, and we'll actually take $ for food...


When your friends take pity on you for not having a double stroller



Now for some random shots of Ms. Ella Bean:

How Ella watches TV


How Ella rides in the car


How Ella does some light reading (Twilight, anyone?)

Photos For You

Ella and her cousin Ashlynn


Ella, Auntie Cheryl, and Ashlynn


Fun in the backyard! I love a good action shot...


Loving on Uncle Jon's puppy Cash (this is how she "smiles" for the camera these days)


What a sweet puppy! He went to live with a new family, where he will get proper training as a hunting dog!

Squirting Dog Poop

Ella has been .. nutty lately. She is funny, though, I have to admit. Unfortunately she overheard Josh describing to someone the incident that occured several weeks ago when a certain 3 year old fed our dog many many treats, and he later left us many presents all over the garage. And the Garage door. And the kennel in the garage. Apparently the treats are too rich for him. Ugh.

So now Ella tosses "squirting dog poop" into any and all conversations she can. It's really gross but kind of funny, too in that sick 12 year old boy kind of a way.

ANYHOW! Probably shouldn't have led with that tidbit there...

Kyle. Sweet little guy Kyle! He is almost 8 months old. He has two chompers, and still happy as can be. He had his first little baby cold (barring the hospitalization many months ago) and he sits up quite well. Although today he did tump over and bonk his head on the floor. Crawling- I am pretty sure he has NO interest in crawling what-so-ever. But that's okay. He stands up pretty well with his hand on the ottoman, so I think he'll still somehow manage to walk in spite of the fact he may never learn that laying on your stomach can be conducive to more than just turning your head and falling asleep.

In other news- well, there's not much to report! We had a super Christmas. Lots of family, lots of fun. We hosted Josh's family here and that was fun. My first big meal at the new place, and I have to say it would have been really great but I was not feeling 100%. But I digress. Everyone was very gracious and complimentary, and it was neat to see everybody. My Aunt Chrissy hosted my mom's extended family at her place, and that was really fun, too. SANTA even stopped by! I KNOW!

My great grandma passed away, which was a tough thing right before the holiday. I am so thankful my mom initiated our trip to see her last summer, where we had pictures made of the 5 living generations of our family. Pretty cool. Technically Kyle was in the picture, too, we just didn't know it yet!

I pray for her often, and more for my Grandma Sweetie Pie (that's really what we call her) she lived with her and was care-giver. She'll be moving back to the area sometime in the coming year and while I wish circumstances were different, I am so excited to have her "back." She is awesome with the kids and always lots of fun.

So beyond that there isn't a whole lot to report. At least not that I remember which is not to say much. I rang in the New Year sick as a dog (as well as the kids) and Josh went to a friend's place and played 42 and drank like a sailor (judging by the stench I was able to pick up even through my completely congested, fever-ridden haze.) Not the best celebration, but that's how we do it.

SO! Enough of this jabber, huh? I need to upload about a bajillion photos to share, so I'll get on that. :)

MORE Vehicular Issues. Or just issues in general

Seriously. I tempted fate by posting that pic of the shopping cart stuck on my car.

On Saturday I started off having a great day. Ella was at her Mimi's for a sleep over, and I never realized until she wasn't here how fabulous sleeping in is. I'm used to her dragging in screaming screeching and yelling at me to get her some milk and turn on her cartoon!! ech, I digress.

So I left big Josh and litte Josh and headed to town. I did some errands and shopping, yet another lady asked me when my baby is due (um, 6 months ago) I got to visit my dad and run by the grocery. I got home in time to get ready and go to a baby shower and Josh realized I had not brought home the meat and beans he requested for his man-gathering. Well, I bought the stuff! Call HEB, Josh has to go back and pick it up as I was getting ready to go. ugh.

So it's time to go, Josh's buddies were very gracious and did the obligatory "you look nice" thing, and I almost forgot the pregnant thing. I suddenly remembered that a guy had flagged me down in town and told me I had a breaklight out. Silly me, I thought he was going to rob me, but then I remembered I was in MY car. Any-who.

I decided to take Josh's truck, to minimize the probability of getting a ticket since that seemed on par for the day. No ticket, but I was called out of the party when one of the neighbors backed into the truck! Seriously! Luckily it wasn't bad, but it did kill off any semblance of a festive mood I had, thanks to the yummy bellinis.

So, I returned home, plopped on the sofa, had a Bud Light, chips and watched a bit of football. Who was playing? No clue.

I think as much as I need it from time to time, spending the day withOUT the kids hanging off me throws me a bit off kilter...

As I type this Josh is likely at the repair shop dealing with his truck. Oops.

Lolli-Salad

Seriously. She eats some nasty stuff. But nobody tell her that- I think it's better just to let her eat whatever she wants and figure out what she thinks is gross. Or great. Whatever. I promised Josh a long time ago I'd even serve her ham. Blech. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

So anyhow. We went out to dinner the other day, obviously it was after Halloween, and she was doing her part to work through her candy stash after her kids' meal.



I guess orange tootsie-pop isn't flavorful enough on its own. But really, of all the condiments Wings 'n More provides, and she chooses the potato salad. Uch.

Vehicular Issues

One good, one bad.

I went to Target this morning and as I walked out in the lot to go to my car, I saw this!



Bummer! As if my car isn't already the glaring banged up tin can that most of my inner circle tries like hell to avoid riding in. Now it's being randomly accosted by inanimate objects in half empty parking lots, too. Poor car. Oh, well. It serves me and the kids well!

I was also very pleasantly surprised today! I went to fill up since I'd been rolling around all morning with the fuel light on. I stopped at the Kroger, and filled up for: drumroll please....



Awesome, huh? I've been waiting for prices at the pump to drop and I was so excited! My whole tank of gas was barely more than $30 !!

Cheesecloth Ghost

Well there was ZERO room for discussion regarding Ella's Halloween costume this year. No, not a princess or fairy or ballerina. A ghost. No- correction- a "scary ghost, that scares people."

I make no secret of the fact that I mildly despise Halloween. I don't think its a holiday, and generally view it as an inconvenience with little reward, I mean really- who needs a bucket of candy and plastic spider rings? But Ella was super excited this year, and our neighborhood did have a kickin' party, so we worked on making her the perfect ghost costume.

Last week at the grocery I was looking for a melon baller, and it hit me - cheesecloth! So easy, and cheap! So two packs of cheesecloth we cut, and carefully draped it over her, and even made a long "hood" with carefully placed eye and mouth holes as per the ghost herself.

She wore it intermittently thru the night, and I think it was perfect because it was easy to get on and off, and she wore her cute Halloween outfit underneath... anyhow, I think I am going way too into detail here, so heres a couple pics