Santa Clause Came to Town!

For the last two years "Santa" has visited our house.  This year our little elf understood what was going to happen a bit better so Christmas morning was a very exciting time for us!  Every time we asked Ella Ruth what Santa was going to bring her she asked for a blue Choo Choo.  Thankfully she requested the same toy each time.  We were also thankful her request was going to be an easy one to fill.  Because we weren't sure if her train obsession would last, we chose a simple Thomas the Train track.  She later asked for a pink train too so we also got her Rosie!  She was very excited to see the train in the living room and ask us to play trains with her a lot now!

This Christmas we also started a tradition we hope will stick in the future.  We decided to keep Santa's gifts simple by only purchasing a few things rather than a ton.  Overall ER received a Choo Choo, a camera, bath toys, clothes, a book, and a movie.  In her stocking she got a big sucker, stickers, and a small coloring book.  She also got an orange, a family tradition!

She was also very blessed by many family members too!  She loves all her toys.  This past week I reorganized and cleaned out!  She is such a lucky little girl!  :)

Test Driving her new Bug from Birdie!  My parents gave her a portable DVD player!  

THE choo choo!  

Her loot from Santa!  

Christmas 2012

Christmas is always a busy time for us.  Fortunately we have lots of family gatherings to attend!  Although it makes for a busy Christmas Eve and Christmas day we enjoy it and love spending time with those we love (and don't get to see as often as we would like).

Our celebrations begin the 23rd at "Cookie Night."  This event started YEARS ago when Preston was just a little boy.  His aunt kept the kids over night so that Santa could get everything ready for the big night!  We now enjoy this celebration with our child, niece and nephew, and a TON of extended relatives and friends.  This year almost 30 people were there!  Of course we decorate cookies but we mostly hang out, eat yummy food, and try not to break any bones (this has happened A FEW TIMES).

Christmas Eve is spent with my side of the family.  We also enjoy time with my in-laws.  We always have a great time and have especially had fun watching ER with her cousins.

On Christmas day we host breakfast with my parents and grandparents.  We then head over to Preston's grandmothers which was only a short walk for us this year!  At night we travel a few miles down the road to end our day with my dad's side of the family.  There are lots of older kids in this family so of course Ella Ruth was in heaven!  She loves all the attention she gets from them although she claims she is "shy."  Ha!

Overall we had an amazing few days of celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  As Ella Ruth would say, "Appy Burday Gigi" (Happy Birthday, Jesus!)!

The decorated cookies!  

Sweet Lindsey helping Ella Ruth decorate!  

Ella Ruth's first cookie!  

Watching Christmas movies with her cousins (sorry for the picture quality)!  

Christmas Eve

More Christmas movies in their Christmas PJ's!  

Skipping rocks on Christmas Day!  

Trying on her new glasses (not real) Nana gave her!  She loves glasses!  

More cousin love Christmas night!  

Christmas Decorations

One of my favorite Christmas traditions has always been decorating!  After we got married and purchased a house I couldn't wait to decorate.  I felt the same way as the holidays approached this year in our new home!  I have always loved trees and said once I had the space I would like to have more!  This year we had a total of three trees!  We had one in our living room, one in Ella Ruth's room, and one in our dining room.  The ornaments on the tree in our living room are ones Preston and I have collected over the years.  Some were given to us and some we have gotten as well.  We try to get new ornaments each year to represent places we have traveled or fun things we have done.  This year we added a popcorn ornaments to highlight Ella Ruth's first birthday party theme.  Next year I plant to add a new home ornaments, DISNEY ornaments (more on that later), and pancakes of course!  :)

Ella Ruth's tree features the ornaments she has gotten in her short two years of life!  I cannot believe how many she has already!  The tree in our living room has my Disney ornaments I have collected throughout my life on it.  It is even complete with my Minnie Ears I got on my first trip back in 1989!  

Other than the trees I did not go over board.  I kept it simple and did not buy anything new.  Now that we have had one Christmas I have thought of some new ways to "dress up" our front porch that I hope to try out next year!  I would also like to add a fourth tree!  I already have an idea!  It will either be a fire truck theme or baseball (New York Yankees to be more specific).  I think I will let the hubby decide!  I hope to put this tree in our room or on our screen porch.  

Preschool Christmas Party

This posted was originally started in December. Hence the sad beginning.

As I write this post my heart is heavy. The news of the tragedy in Connecticut is horrible. There are really no words to describe such a tragic act, especially one that involves innocent children. Tonight I squeezed my own child tighter and said a prayer for those effected.

That being said we are super thankful for Ella Ruth's teachers and her school. She only goes one day a week but they are amazing and so loving!

In December we celebrated Christmas with a pageant and pot luck dinner. The kids made raffle prizes and they also sang several songs. ER wasn't sure about the singing but she did! She eventually went to he front and tried to direct the group! She must be my child!

Two already?

The last two years of our lives have FLOWN by.  I totally get why parents of older children tell us over and over to enjoy this stage because it will all pass by in the blink of an eye.  We are certainly trying our darndest to soak up every minute we can!  I have to say, this stage is my favorite.  Although I say that about every stage she goes through!  I think I am enjoying this age so much because she is growing and developing by leaps and bounds each day.  She is learning so much and talking more and more it is just FLAT OUT fun!

Last week we took her in for her two year check up.  She is right on track weighing in at 29 pounds.  She was also 34 inches tall!  She had grown three inches in six months!  That surprised us!  Overall she had a great check up and looked great!  They were excited to hear her speech development and felt that she was "off the charts" developmentally (Yes, that would be me bragging on my child!).  Of course she also won them over with her charming (and very friendly) personality.  In fact, she was so friendly we had to have the "stranger danger" talk.  We also discussed potty training, which I am hoping to start in full force while I am home for the holidays over break.

Speaking of language, Ella Ruth has said some pretty funny things lately.  Here is a list:
1.  Last week she told Preston, "Daddy has a big nose."  This is particularly funny because I tell Preston this at least once a week (with love in my heart of course, it is a joke we have between us).
2.  This weekend on a car ride my dad was talking.  She told him, "Be quiet Dubba D, shhh!"
3.  She is IN LOVE with her cousin Ruby and talks about her all day.  Yesterday she told me, "I want Ruby.  She tickle me!"  I am not sure why, but she wants to have a serious tickle fight when she sees her.
4.  When we went to see Santa she was "SKERD" of him but she did manage to shout out "Toys.  Choo choo!" When he asked what she wanted.

Speaking of, for Ella Ruth's official birthday we went to see old Santa.  Some of my wonderful in-laws joined in on the fun.  My parents were there too!  We had a great time and Ella Ruth enjoyed the extra attention she got!

Pancakes and Pajamas

Ella Ruth turned TWO a few weeks ago over the Thanksgiving holiday!  To celebrate we hosted a Pancakes and PJ party for our family and ER's sweet, sweet friends.  We had a ball celebrating and I think she did too.  Besides celebrating my beautiful little girl, I enjoyed planning the party as well.  We were very excited to host our first official gathering at our new house.  It meant a lot to us to have our family and friends filling our home!

Her precious cake!

Kiddie Table

Beverage station complete with mimosas ("Mommy drinks")!

The food table with all our breakfast favorites!  The pancake bar was on the other side of the kitchen! 

Guest Book (If you give a Pig a Pancake) and Party Favors (aprons and letter cookie cutters)

Our pancake eating machine!  

Disney on Ice

We are a Disney loving family. That is no secret. Heck, we even have a Disney themed tree this year! With that being said it was no surprise that we just had to get tickets when Disney on Ice came to town.

This afternoon we went and had the best time! Ella Ruth's favorites were Mickey and Minnie of course! She also really liked Ariel and Flounder!

I have to say, although it was a little cheesy I was impressed! The show was really neat! It kept my two year old entertained for two hours so that is saying something! I hope we can make it a family tradition every year!