Christmas pics

Ok, so I totally give up trying to write text beside the pictures. So, this first group are my attempts at a photo of the kids for Christmas cards. The second group (Ella in the santa dress) are Ella's little Christmas activities at preschool, (quick story, the pic of her standing under the two columns of names....everyday when Ella goes into class she has to find her name on a laminated pencil and put it in a pocket with her name on it, then she goes to the question of the day, anything from "have you ever tasted a gingerbread cookie," to "what do you like better, apples, oranges, or bananas?" Well, Thursday's question was "which Santa list are you on?" scroll down to see Ella's answer :)
And the last group of pictures are from the Down syndrome Connections group Christmas Party!

CUTEST HATS EVER!!!!

Lately Ella has been all about wearing hats at home. Especially this one made by Kristen (Cayman's mommy) for Ella last year,

she even wore it with her PJ's while putting up the tree....

So, I asked dear sweet Kristen if I could pay her to make two more hats for Ella. She said yes, I picked out colors and in less than a week she made them and they are on Ella's head. I got them in the mail today and she wore one to school, already I have received lots of complements on the hats from Ella's teachers and a few parents and have gotten a request for Kristen's name and email!! Thank you so very much Kristen, for making my girl some really stylin hats : ) These hats are just too cute, so I had to have Ella model them tonight : ) Here ya go.....

PS - Blogger is really starting to annoy the crap out of me. When I upload pics it won't let me drag them to where I want them, I literally have to more them inch by inch (because when they upload they are all at the top...) and now it won't let me write beside the pics either, it lumps all text together even though before I press publish it is where I want it to be. Any suggestions???

Tiny Dancer

Okay, I know I've used that title before but it totally fits this post!! Tonight Chris was listening to Elton John (get it, Tiny Dancer is an Elton John song....) and Ella went nuts!!! I don't know why it never dawns on me to pick up the camera to record Ella until after she has danced like a wild woman to 3 full songs and is a bit less enthusiastic and a bit more tired, but still she is quite entertaining!!!

I've been thinking about putting Ella in a dance class lately. My only issue is that I am afraid she won't behave as well as the other kids. What? Ella not behave?? NO!!! Yeah, I have been having a hard time with little miss thing here lately. She is fiercely independent and wants no input from stupid ol' mom!!! So she has taken to YELLING at me, I hear "NOOOO" several hundred times a day. Thankfully she is really cute, right??? Anyhow here she is rocking out to Elton John.......

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My little school girl

I just love this little outfit. Ella seems SO big in it, reminds me of a little school girl : )

I title this little series of pics "the path to a meltdown," ha ha. This is how pretty much every little photo session goes with Miss Drama Queen. Perhaps I take too many pictures, but how can I help it? She is far too cute : )

Fall 2009 Part 1

Last year was our first fall in Spokane, and I loved the leaves changing colors... (after living in Texas for the past 4 years I hadn't seen a whole lot of Autumn, and of course growing up in Alaska not too much there either) anyhow, I took a lot of pictures of the kids in the leaves. I liked those pics so much that we went back and took more this year. I love seeing how much the kids have changed in a year, although a bit bittersweet. These pics were taken 1 year and 4 days apart.

My babies 2008









2009

LOVE this pic!

Hunter 2008

age 4

Hunter 2009

age 5

Who is this

big boy????

Ella 2008

age 2

aww, I miss this

sweet little baby

Ella 2009

age 3

she just gets

more

beautiful!