Elli's Dance Party

Elli and Caleb snuggling with Leah after a long night.

Heather was helping the girls dance. Look at those smiles.

Gotta love the face of a girl gettin down:)

So happy. Elli wanted a dance party and planned it over the course of several weeks. She made out the guest list, which included Travis and Sven! She wanted her Bible School music played and wanted the girls to spin. She even showed me several of her dance moves. As it turned out, we had a wonderful time, ate delicious food provided by all who attended and watched these little girls, and occasionally boys, run in circles and spin.

Elli helped me make the princess cookies for the party. She wanted them to be perfect so she worked really hard on the dough.

Four Wheeler Fun

Elli and I

Lana enjoyed a few rides.

Elli riding fast with her Uncle Kyle!

And the maiden voyage with Daddy.

On our trip to Canada we wanted Elli to ride the four wheeler. She went on screaming and crying, then Brent took off. I heard her screaming still after they had gone on a ride through the trails. I was sure she was still upset, but I was wrong. As they got closer, I saw she was smiling and screaming for Brent to go faster!

Family reunions and candada trip July 30-Aug 1

Me, Lana and Liam, Aunt Marg and cousin Brittany. Aunt Marg is grandma Ferguson's sister. She organized and set up the reunion with the help of her family.

No, we didn't win but thanks for asking:)

Seth joined in on the fun too.

What a fun game for the kids. Elli really didn't understand that the object was to keep her doughnut, but it didn't matter to her. She was able to eat a doughnut off a rope!!!!

Lana and Linda enjoying some conversation at the Rogers family reunion. Lots of interest in the newest addition to this large family.

Water balloon toss game. Elli picked the biggest balloon she could find and had some trouble tossing and catching:)

We tried a photo shoot of the cousins down bu the water. They were fairly willing participants.

A trip to the beach turned out to be a little cloudy but Liam didn't mind. Elli went swimming with some of her favorite people. Devin, Kyle, Jenna and Justin.

Elli enjoyed the tractor rides.

Not quite as talented as her mommy, but Elli enjoyed shooting a gun for the first time. Brent enjoyed showing her how.

A family reunion tradition, water balloon volleyball. Elli was actually a pretty good partner. We could catch and toss the balloons pretty well.

Elli wanted to be a helper at the reunion dinner, so she took the pretzel bowl around to offer them to others. Here she is offering Grandpa Ferguson some pretzels. Sweet but not really needed:)

A Lesson on Confidence

We have really been working with Elli getting over some fears. One of these is with her riding her bike. She started out great this summer, but fell and didn't want to ride anymore. Well, over the last couple of weeks, Elli has been riding her bike everyday. Tonight, Brent rode his bike, Elli rode her bike, and she wanted me to walk with her. With me beside her and daddy in front of her, she rode very fast and very far. She was conifdent and said she wanted to ride more.
I wonder how Jesus feels as He walks beside us each day? He is right there, but we don't think He is near enough to keep us safe.
Lord, let me ride like you are walking beside me, holding out your hand to steady me, and even riding in front to show me how its done!

Summer Fun

Elli has really been working on learning to ride her bike. We don't even have to bribe her to ride it:) Notice her doggie in the basket. She thought that was the most fun thing ever.

Notice she is even wearing shorts. She found out early on that wearing a skirt when riding isn't the best idea. It got caught in the wheel and now has a whole in it, so she decided she needed to wear shorts. This is the only time you will catch her wearing anything but a skirt or dress:)

Happy birthday Caleb. He turned 5 July 25th and we got to celebrate with him at his Tom and Jerry party. Elli picked out a Toy Story car that Caleb loves:) We had a good time with Caleb and friends.

These girls love to be together. Elli plans play dates with Lily and then asks me if it is okay:) This is a play date where I had a date to help Paula paint Lily's room. The girls were so very happy, as you can see.

The Rental Property that took over our lives

The bathroom, in the middle of the re-model. Plaster gone.

The wall in the kitchen where the stove and fridge go.

The same wall before any tearing down.

Bummer, I forgot to rotate the finished bathroom picture. Doesn't it look great though?

That same kitchen wall, all done:)

We tore out all plaster in bathroom and kitchen, had drywall put in, plumbing and electrical re-done, then painted, put in cabinets, had flooring done including carpet, and did the rest of the finishing work. It looks so good in there now. The new renters move in tomorrow.

Great Grandma's idea

My grandma brought a unique play idea to Elli's birthday party. We have played it a few times, but this morning I got Elli's picture. Grandma cut out lots of furniture, people, and accessories out of magazines and showed Elli how to arrange rooms. Grandma didn't have much money growing up if any at all, and they would play "dolls" like she showed Elli. Elli loves it and we spent about an hour working on it. What a great way to spur imagination.

Memories for Keeps

"I'm so interested!" Elli said with clenched fists as she meant to say she was frustrated.

Brent, "Elli, what do you want to be when you grow up?"
Elli, "A teacher and a mommy."
I was feeling so proud.
Brent, "Why?"
Elli, "So I can be in charge."
I am no longer feeling so proud:)

Me when Elli was disobeying in the car and I asked her to stop talking to me in a harsh voice, "Elli, did you hear what I just said?"
Elli replies to me in exactly the same tone, "Did you hear what I just said?"

Elli asked me this the other day. "Mommy, do you want to play mommy-daughter? You can be the mommy and I will be the daughter. Okay?" I really had to stretch my imagination for this one:)

On my way in to teach aerobics Elli says, "Mommy I made you an I love you bracelet so you can remember I love you while you exercise." It was pretend, but she even put it on my arm.

Just a few more memories of precious times with our precious daughter. Saying that I love Ellianna doesn't quite cut it. It is much deeper and better than three simple words. Thank you Jesus for letting me raise this very special girl.

Larry's Birthday and other fun memories

Elli put Seth in her baby stroller. He actually really liked it. Look out for those tutus little guy! I see them in your future:)

Elli helped her grandpa blow out the candles on his delicious cherry cheesecake birthday cake.

The gang came over on the 4th to celebrate and just be together. It was fun to have a house full at least for an evening.

Elli really wanted to play with her great grandma Donough, so she asked her to sit in her little "house." She even got a stool for grandma to sit on. Then, she said, "Do you want to hold Fergi?" Grandma was a great sport:)

I think Elli loves fireworks as much as I do. Here is one sample of how pretty they were at River Scape. Elli still asks, "What is your favorite firework?" She started this last year after seeing them in Chicago, but she really wants to know your favorite color. Her favorite right now is purple or red or pink. She will tell everyone mine is yellow and Brent's is green.

Playing Go Fish

Elli and I enjoy playing Go Fish. She has learned her capital and lower case letters very well by playing this game. She does have trouble holding the cards though so I made her this "house" to hide them in. I also love the mistakes she makes like, "Do you have a J for lion?" Such fun.

Elli, the Cabin Girl

She loves to pretend she is a cabin girl from VBS. She sings and dances and pretends to talk to the kids watching her.

Part of the performance.

Still dancing.

She likes to watch ehrself in the tv.

This is the pose before she starts dancing. She told me at one point, "You can dance with me on stage when VBS is done, Babe." Boy do I love this girl.

Fergusons Visit for the 3rd-5th

Elli and her Devin. She ran up to him when we saw him walking towards us and then turned red when he picked her up. She loves him!!!

Little Seth with Kyle and Meg.

The whole gang. We met up with Justin and his family as well at River Scape Fireworks. Such fun to see them all.

They love each other!

Nana, Elli, Jenna and Devin in the background. She was so excited to see everyone. We had just finished driving in from SC and met up with everyone for the fireworks at Riverscape which we thought were awesome.

Trip to SC to see the Fergusons + One

Elli learned to float on her back and swim on her back as well!

Lance and Liam taking a nap at the pool. So sweet.

Elli thoroughly enjoyed her newest cousin. She was pretending she was the doctor and was making him better:)

Liam would smile and make faces right back at me. He was so cute and such a happy baby.

We went to an authentic Italian Restaurant while visiting. The owner/cook loved us and the kids especially. She was from just north of Avianno Italy where Lance and Lana were stationed for a while so she enjoyed talking to us. She loved that Lana could speak Italian to her. Elli went over to her at one point and said, "I can speak English":) Anyway, we loved the food and the cooks. Fun times in Sumter, SC.