Ella's Birthday

This year for Ella's birthday we went to Grandma Culbertson House. Kennedy and Presley were there too! We enjoyed some yummy teddy bear cake, then Ella opened her presents (and learned a quick lesson in sharing her new toys with her sister and cousins!)

She wouldn't even try to blow out the candles, so Daddy helped her out a little.

But she definitely wanted to eat some!

Ella really got into opening gifts this year, all she needed was to be shown a good starting place and then she was off!

Granna and Grandpa Smith gave Ella her first Barbie (not usually something I'd ask for a 2 yr old, but it has ended all sorts of fights and brawls over Aspens Barbies Thanks Mom!!)

Kennedy and Presley gave Ella this cute Princess Shirt/sweater/pants out fit!

Another gift from Granna and Grandpa Smith-A fun Sunday Board book. Just perfect for Sacrament Meeting.

Granna and Grandpa also sent a few outfits for Ella to wear. She immediately tried to put this dress on over the clothes!

And some Crayola Beginnings Markers for Ella from Granna and Grandpa too!

Mommy and Daddy gave Ella a baby stroller, some baby bottles for her baby doll, and a kids kitchen set for baking.

Ella got a big gift from Grandma and Grandpa Culbertson this year...another gift to hopefully make Mommy's life a little easier. A 'bike' (trike) for Ella! This way they each have their own to ride on the Lanai instead of shoving each other off Aspens. Ella can't quite reach the pedals, but that doesn't stop her she loves to kick it around with her feet and chase Aspen and/or Jules.

Ella had a great Birthday this year! I can't believe my baby is 2 years old already.

Here are some interesting facts about our new 2 year old Ella

She still doesn't speak 'English' very well, but she will still talk your ear off!

One of her favorite foods is Spaghetti

She loves anything that big sister has/is doing and wants to be involved

She no longer sleeps in a crib or toddler bed, the girls are in bunk beds (which makes them see so grown up maybe I'm going to put them both back in baby beds!)

Ella is in the middle of the terrible twos (started a few months before her actual bday) She hits, bites, pulls hair, throws things, and then throws her self on the ground screaming if something doesn't go exactly as she wanted it! She can be so sweet on second and then she is pulling Aspen's hair or trying to steal something from Aspen just because she knows it will get a big reaction from big sister. They are impossible to have sit next to each other in the car, if it weren't for the ease of reaching Aspen's buckles I'd put her in the back seat! Here is what I hear just on the shore 3 min drive from Aspen's school. Aspen starts with "Ella's hitting me, Ella's putting her foot in my face, (now come the water works) Ella won't leave me alone, Ella won't let me sing, Ella keeps saying no to me!" and Ella replies "NO NO NO NO NO NO" and a few silly laughs in between. Oh the joys of 4 yr old and 2 yr old girls!

Her hair is VERY different from Aspen's (you can tell from the pictures) she has her fair share of it, but it is light and stick straight compared to Aspen's dark and curly mess!

We love Ella so much and look forward to every day, month and year with her (and getting through these terrible 2's which are much more terrible then the last set I had to go through!)

Comparison

I thought I would post a comparison picture of my two blue fairies! I made this costume for Aspen in 2007, Ella was born 6 days later! Now in 2009 Ella got to be the blue fairy. Aren't the just the cutest!

Halloween Activities!

Friday Night!

To Start off our Halloween Weekend we had our Ward's Trunk or Treat activity. If you look closely at these pictures you will notice that the girls are SOAKED, it started to rain and then pour right as we started 'trunk or treating' it! Luckily it's been really warm here so the rain may have dampened us physically it didn't dampen any spirits. The girls had a good time picking out their first 'Halloween candy' treat before bed that night.

Halloween!

Aspen asked my hourly when it would be time to go trick or treating. At one point during the afternoon when Ella was napping Aspen put her costume on and was lounging in the rocking chair watching cartoons. I thought it was so cute to see here little stripped legs sticking up...looked like little witches legs to me :)

All dressed up and waiting for it to be time to go!

Cheese!

Pretty as a Princess!

Alright! Mommy says it's almost time to go!

After about 1 hr of trick or treating we took the girls to McDonald's for some 'real food' before heading home and off to bed.

It was a great Halloween weekend! Aspen was very excited about trick or treating and didn't have any fear going up and saying 'trick or treat' and getting her candy. Ella on the other hand was perfectly content to ride in the stroller as daddy pushed her around. She would occasionally get up and walk to some candy, but she just enjoyed the weather, ride, and people watching.

Every year as the girls get older I love this time of year more and more...halloween, thanksgiving, christmas! This year I was just so grateful to have a good Halloween. Ella and I both had the Flu this week (don't know if it was Swine Flu or not didn't feel like going to the Dr when they couldn't really do anything about it anyways....) but we were both feeling so much better for all our fun this weekend!

Date Night!

Brent and I went out last night and since we realize we have VERY FEW pictures of the two of us, asked Dane to snap a picture of us while we were both clean and had no kids hanging on us ;)

PS Those are my new jeans and for those not on face book, they are my FIRST new pair of jeans since Jan of 06! I'm so proud of myself, but Brent still have to basically kick me out of the house to buy clothing for myself-Yuck.

HOMECOMING

This week was Cape Coral HS Homecoming. It always involves one of Dane's favorite things....dressing up in costumes! This year their theme was Medieval Times and each class represented a different social class....Seniors=Royalty, Juniors=Warriors/Damsels in Distress, Sophomores=Peasants/everyday people and the lucky Freshmen=surfs/slaves. Then each day had a theme I don't know all the themes but some were Character Day where you dress up as any character, Safari Day, Feudal Days (you dressed up as your assigned 'class' that day). Dane was in Heaven! Our YM Pres is very big into costumes and MegaCons and Comicons and all those conventions and he was kind enough to lend some of his awesome costumes to Dane for the week. Here are some pictures.....

Dane is a Junior and went as a Scottish Warrior for their 'Class' Day.Then on Saturday Night Dane went to the Homecoming Dance with a group of Friends.Overall it was a pretty good week for Dane.

My Princesses!

Aspen and Ella have really gotten into play dress up together. It's so fun to see them pretending and learning together, I love those two so much!

But the truth is, they took these first pictures and then were rolling on the floor fighting less then 5 mins later! The love to play and then Ella loves to annoy and Aspen loves to give a huge reaction. It is an adventure every day to see what these two will come up with next to play together and fight over!

Mommy's Shoes are the Best!

CHEESE!

"Go Ni Ni SHHHH!"

We Live in Paradise!

Last night for our date Brent and I headed out to Matlacha Fl (pronounced as if Nick and Drew Lache had a brother named Matt :) ) It is a beautiful little town on the pass between mainland Fl and one of it's many barrier island's Pine Island. It is about 10 minutes from Brent's parents house, which is where we left the girls. We sat out on the porch of a little restaurant and enjoyed the view as the sun set, the wonderful temp (somewhere in the 80's plus a stiff breeze from off the water) some good food, and some great company.

Even though we've been in Florida for over 4 years some times I forget about what a special and beautiful place we live in!

I feel so blessed and lucky to have access to these amazing views all year round!