Elly turns 2

Elly turned 2 on January 2nd.  She was very excited when she woke-up sunday morning to find balloons and a big bike.  She ofcourse hasn't figured out how to ride it but by this summer she should be ready to learn.  She loves it anyway and can talk her brothers into pushing her around on it right now.  She loved the balloons so it was a good thing her dad remembered to get them for her.

 After church we took the kids out so Elly could have a picture the spot where she was born.  She was very excited when we pulled up and there were two balloons already there for her.  Jay had gone out that morning and put them there.  He also had one tied to the car.

 The boys wanted to know if Jay was going to put balloons out there every year for her birthday or not.  When we told them we were they asked if we were going to when she turned 100.  I told them we wouldn't be around by then but if they were then they should do it for her.  The balloons lasted out there for atleast a week which really surprised me, they might still be out there.

 Grandpa and Grandma  brought Elly over her present when we got back.  She was very excited to tell them about her bike.

 That night we took birthday cake and ice cream to Great Grandma and Grandpa's house and had it with the cousins that came there that night.

 She wasn't shy like one of the boys was she got right in there and blew out her candles.  She didn't like it when the kids tried to help her.

 We let her blow them out a couple of times, what kid doesn't like to do that a few times.

 Our beautiful little birthday girl in the dress that she got for her birthday.  She has been so much fun to have in our family.  She is talking like crazy and she is always on the go.  She loves to play with her brothers when they are being nice.  She is the best at going to bed whenever I put her down.  She is just a happy, funny girl.  Sometimes I can't believe she is only two because she acts older then that.  She does have attitude when she wants to but for the most part she has been a great baby and little girl.  We love her so much and are very glad that she is ours.

Happy Birthday Elly! We love you.

Tyler's first...

For Christmas Tyler got his first gun, a BB gun.  He was very excited about it so the first day we could we took him out to shoot it.  Jay and Mason also got a BB gun to share so they could shot with Tyler.

 Tyler was pretty exited about the BB gun.  He could do it all by himself and he was very good about remembering all the rules with guns.

 My cute boys and their guns.

 It was very cold the day we went out to shoot so Elly and I just stayed in the car and watched the boys.

Christmas

This year for Christmas we went to Wyoming.  We stayed in a hotel that had a little family room and kitchen so we could still have our own Christmas, but we could still be a part of my family's Christmas.  We got there Christmas Eve day.  The kids had time to play with their cousins and then do a little sledding before it was time to get ready for Christmas Eve at Great Grandma Teichert's house.  Great Grandma made pillows for my boys and they love them.  They have slept on them every night since they got them and if we go anywhere they always take them.  It was a lot of work for Grandma to do that for my kids and the others that got one.  We are very grateful for Grandma and love her very much.  I was very glad that we got to be there with her.

After the Christmas Eve party we went back to the hotel and the kids got to open a present, which was their Christmas pj's. 

 After they opened their present we had some caroler's come by, it was my brothers, sisters and parents that are at home.

 My sister let us borrow a little tree so it would look a little like Christmas at the hotel. 

 Christmas morning the kids were out. 

Elly was the first one to wake-up so we went out with her to see what Santa had brought her.  As soon as she came out the door she saw the slide and ran over to it and slid down.  At the bottom of her slide was her stocking and a purse that Santa brought her.  When she saw the purse she said, "Cool bag" and put it on her shoulder and headed back for the slide.  She was at a really fun age for Christmas this year.  She loved everything.

Tyler got a electric race track for Christmas.  The boys, including Jay had so much fun playing with it.

Tyler has been saying that he needs a new cowboy shirt and pants.  Santa was nice enough to get those for him.

Mason got a Nerf gun from Tyler for Christmas.

We had to have tears at some point in the day and Elly was the first one to cry.

Tyler gave her a baby that swims in the water. She loves it and won't let anyone touch it.  It has to take a bath with her every time she takes one.  He did a good job picking out something that she would love.

We had a great Christmas and it was fun to be up with my family.  The kids had a great time with their cousins.  We got to talk on the phone to my sister in Australia and that was fun to hear her.  We are very excited to see her the end of January.  We also enjoyed having a break from school.

Temple Square

The kids and I went up early one day to watch my brothers wrestle.  When they were finished then we met Jay at Temple Square and took the kids to see the lights.  We had to park a long way away, but the kids were good about walking that far.  We to the Temple just as the nativity was finishing up so we waited around for a while but the kid were getting cold standing there so we decided to miss it and just see the rest of the lights.  Mason was sad because he wanted to see it, maybe next year.

 The kids loved all the water fountains.

 The reflection pond is one of my favorite parts of Temple Square.  The kids loved it too.

On our way walking back to the car we stopped and got some hot chocolate for everyone.  We had a great time and I appreciate Jay taking us to see the lights.  The parking there is always frustrating, which sometimes makes it hard not to get mad.  It was fun to walk around with the kids though and they were so good.  They finally did get tired of walking when we were almost to the car.  This is one of my favorite parts of Christmas and we haven't been for the last two years so it was nice to take the kids again.



What happened to her?

The other morning Elly woke-up early so Mason got Elly out of her bed and brought her into me.  She was being so good just laying there by me letting me sleep.  When I woke-up I looked at her, in a dark room, and it scared me.  I laid there and kept looking at her trying to figure out what was all over her face.  Then it dawned on me...she had a bloody nose in the night.  This was the result.

She hasn't noticed that anything is wrong with herself yet.

 She finally caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.  She is probably wondering what happened to me?  She just stared at herself for a minute.

 Then I discovered that she had got it all over my arm and my bed.  We found out shortly after that it was all over in her bed as well.  You have to love those days.  Wouldn't you know it was the day after I had finished all the laundry.  What a mess.  It was kind of funny looking though.

Tyler singing

Tyler's school went and sang Christmas songs at the bank the other day.  We kept reminding me about it for days.  He needed a solid green, red or white shirt and a Santa hat is what he would tell me.  So the day came and I took the kids down so they could watch and Tyler sing.  I don't know what his deal was but this was the best picture of him.  In all the other pictures he looks really mad.

 After they sang their songs then each of the kids got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they want for Christmas.

 They even had Miss Claus there handing the kids a piece of candy after they finished with Santa.

 Each class made ornaments to put the the tree down at the bank.  Tyler's class made Christmas trees.  His was at the very top of the tree.  It took us a minute to find it.

Elly

We were watching football the other day and Elly was laying on the bed with this football propped under her chin just watching the game.  Of course when Jay got the camera out to take a picture she saw him and had to say "cheese."

 This little girl is such a goofy, funny little thing.  We sure have some fun with her.

She even let the football cuddle with her and Dee Dee (that is what she calls her blanket.)  You are pretty lucky if she lets you share Dee Dee.

Christmas tree hunting

The Saturday after Thanksgiving we head to the mountains to get a Christmas tree.  I had to take a picture of the lake because it looked so pretty with the mountains reflecting on it.

 While we were looking we put the kids in sleds behind us so they could have a little fun while we were looking for the perfect tree.  We went with Jay's brother and his family, so the kids had their cousins to sled with.

 Tyler and Autumn helping uncle Dean cut down their Christmas tree.  I didn't get a picture of Jay cutting ours down.

 The kids had fun playing in the snow.  Tyler running back to the cars after we got the trees.

After we found the Christmas trees we had hot chocolate and donuts.  Then we loaded up and hurried home so the boys could watch the football game.

State Football

The first week in November we went to Laramie to watch my brothers play in the championship game.  The boys were so excited that their uncles were playing for first place.  It was a cold day, but with all our winter clothes on we were fine.  The boys feet got a little cold, but other then that they were fine.  Elly didn't want her gloves on because then she couldn't suck on her thumb.  She fell asleep for part of the game so that was nice.  When she was awake she would cry anytime someone scored because they would shoot a canon and she did not like that loud sound.

 This was our first time in the stadium so it was pretty exciting for us too.  Here are some pictures during the game.

My brothers are 80- Brock and 4-Tenor.  I just liked getting a picture of them standing there together.

 Grandpa walked my boys over so they could talk to Tenor and Brock about the game afterwards.  They loved seeing the team hold up the trophy.  I have got to see my boys do it a few times at our house since then when they win a football game.  It is pretty funny.

 Mason and Jay stayed with my Dad, Micah, Rodney and Savanah to watch the football game after while we went and got some groceries and dinner.  When we got back to pick them up this is what it looked like outside the stadium.  I thought Mason would be frozen but he fell asleep through part of the game so he was fine.  He did wake up in time to see the end of the game and the part where the kids dump the water on the coach.  He told me it was funny.

We had a great time and it was fun to watch my brothers play football.