Family Picture

Ok, so it's been a while. We took this picture when my parents were in town.





We've celebrated birthdays several times this summer.
Abby got some dress up clothes and
has really enjoyed them.

I think Ella's favorite is the shoes.

Bikiniland

Abby and Ella have enjoyed our backyard pool.

The girls got some hand-me-downs and both got a bikini!

Duck Pond

Abby and Ella spent some time at City "Lake" yesterday

and enjoyed feeding the ducks.

Happy Birthday, Ella!

Tonight we had a birthday party for Ella Bella.

As you can see, she enjoyed the cake and ice cream.

Abby decorated Ella's cake with sprinkles.

It was tough for Abby to understand that it was Ella's birthday, not hers. So she got to blow her candle out and got to open a few treats, too.

I think Abby was most thrilled with the wagon that our friend Jeanie brought the girls.

Happy girl!

She's really starting to gain confidence in taking steps. She is now taking 2 or 3 on her own. After dinner (and a bath), Daddy shot off fireworks and hosted a dance party in the living room.

Abby & Ella

Don't let this picture fool you, Ella enjoys her time in the high chair.

See?

Abby wore pigtails for the first time...for about 10 minutes.

Daddy has a different style of bathing our beauties!

Babes in Bloom

It is definately spring here!

The temperature has been warm and pleasant most days lately.

This field has thousands of jonquils and was in

full bloom the day we went to Greenville for

Jason's grandma's funeral.

Abby and Ella having fun.

Ella is 9 months now.

Lay Off the Bottle

The Super Bowl was an exciting game,

but the littlest fan could't make it until the end.

Doing Puzzles and Getting Stuck

Ella decided to help Abby and Katelyn with their game.

Abby likes to fit the pieces of Blokus together like a puzzle.

Doesn't she look like a big girl sitting in the chair!

We spent last Sunday at Josh and Laurie's house.

Abby got into her cousins' dolly high chair...

Getting out of it was another story.

Snow!

We had a light dusting yesterday.

Katelyn and Abby had a grand time playing in the half inch on the ground.

Of course, that means a snow day here in NC.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

We hope all is well for you this Christmas. We are blessed this year.
My parents came for a visit over Christmas and it was great having them...
and not having to travel ourselves! Here are a few shots of the fun.

Ella didn't really "get it" but had fun chewing on the toys and eating the paper.

Uncle Stephen was a popular playmate.
Yes, Jonathan has finally made it onto the blog!!!

First Haircut

Abby got her first haircut today.

Her hair has taken forever to grow, and

I've been afraid to cut it for fear of her looking like a boy.

Cookie Marathon

Laurie and I had a Christmas cookie marathon on Friday night.

Yep, more cooking than she's ever done before!

About 25 dozen cookies later, the kids had a great time decorating.

Anna, Katelyn and Ava trying to recycle the sprinkles

I guess they call sprinkles "hundreds and thousands" in Australia

because that's how many kids can fit on each cookie.

Abby and Ava rolling the snickerdoodles in red and green sugar

(No, they aren't wearing smocks, they had been playing dress-up.)

Abby got into the food coloring

Ava and Abby putting on the red hots

Mixing the butterscotch haystacks

Abby and Anna mounding haystacks

Katelyn making haymountains

Sweet Girls

Abby has been up to her usual antics and Ella loves to rough Abby up.
She will pull her hair and growl at her and then laugh.
Life is never dull.

Big Girl

Ella is 4 months and growing like a weed...almost 18 pounds now. She and Abby like to play - Abby tickles Ella and can make her belly laugh. Abby plays rough. Sometimes I'll go to protect Ella and find her cackling at Abby's antics instead of crying!

Katelyn got baptized a few weeks ago.
She was very excited when she came back from camp this summer and
decided to be baptized right after Vacation Bible School.
She is ready to do great things for God.

Abby and Ella got in some swimming time during the summer heat.
Abby isn't quite potty trained, but she is more than willing to strip down for any reason.

Ella at 3 Months

Ella is 3 months today!

...and teething already. Can you believe it?!

Happy Birthday!

Saturday was a joint birthday party for Katelyn (11) and Abigail (2).

They enjoyed the squirt guns and an inflatable waterslide loaned from a friend.

I made the girls a pool cake with a waterslide.

Abby got a "Princess" dress and loved showing it off.

Ohio Travels
Earlier in July, we headed to Ohio to see the fam. Ella got to meet her other great-grandparents. The kids got to enjoy Cedar Point with some of the cousins. Sammy and Livi were real troopers, enjoying anything we let them ride.