Adorable, Twins, Cookies

Couldn't pass up a picture of this sweet little girl named Elli who woke, up, walked downstairs and hugged me this morning, looking just like this!

Wesley was chillin in his bumbo seat. He is 5 weeks old, rolling over and sitting in his seat. Look how he propped his arm up!

How does Leah do it? Both babies were crying so I had to keep them both occupied and awake while Leah was showering or something:) Hard!

Wesley and Luka, in that order. They are so super sweet!

Elli loves to help make cookies with me. She especially likes rolling out the dough and pushing the cookie cutters into the dough. What a helper she has become!

My Birthday Celebration

The sisters.

My family, even poor Fergi looking for the fastest way down:)

It is not really a celebration without the twins:)

The loot. We had a fun time on my birthday. We ordered food from Los Mariachis and enjoyed time together. Elli got to play with her aunts and uncles and loved it:) I too loved my day.

Woodland Lights and Birthday Brunch

I wanted to get together with the ladies since it seems so hard to plan time. So, I reserved a table for us at the Blue Berry Cafe in Bellbrook where we enjoyed breakfast and conversation. Thank you ladies for making it out:) My peanut butter and banana french toast was awesome:)

We took a carriage ride at Woodland Lights. Elli's feet were frozen by this time, but she at least smiled for a family pictire.

We loved the cabin with Santa. What a nice place to visit. Warm:) Elli was being shy but still asked for a pillow pet and a play doggie. I love our family picture!

All she needed to see was that there were rides. She was freezing and they were full of snow, but she loved them all the same, except for the slide:)

I love Elli in this sweater. She looks like such a big girl to me!

I wanted to go to Woodland Lights this year as a pre-birthday celebration. It was very cold, but we had a great time. There were several carnival rides, a carriage ride, visit with Santa, lots of lights, and deer to see. Elli did very well except at the end. She wanted us to carry her most of the time which lead to some VERY cold feet. She screamed most of the way home. Finally her feet thawed out and she calmed down. So, would we go again? It was a bit pricey but it was a fun new adventure. I would go again if it weren't so very cold.

Elli's Preschool Program, Dec 17, 2010

She loved seeing Santa this year. She walked up to him several times. She told him she wanted a pillow pet and a play doggie. Brent just happened to come upon a fun doggie yesterday that he picked up after work. Good job daddy! And Gonga has a pillow pet. We are on it this year. Last year we did a last minute scramble for a recurring item, a violin, that didn't come up until the last week before Christmas:)

Daddy made it to Elli's program this year. She was very happy to see him.

Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. Elli was Miss Serious until after the play. She let loose the smiles when her teacher said it was time for pictures:) Afterwards while we were eating lunch, Elli pointed out the little guy, Isaac, who played Joseph and said, "Oh there's my husband. I sure wish I didn't marry him." That made me laugh, a lot:)

Most of the kids in the program. They had angels, shepherds, donkeys, sheep, pigs, cows, stars, an inn keeper, Joseph, and of course Mary! Look how serious Elli is. Her line was, "I will do what God wants me to do." She did a great job.

Man, not much luck in geting a smile here. She was all serious when she came out on stage until afterwards for pictures. Of course during the lunch time, she was miss social bug talking to all her friends and pointing everyone out to me. She may look and act like me 90% of the time, but she is still her daddy's little girl too:)

Visit from Devin, Visit to Papa's work, and a snowman?

OK, not the greatest snowman ever but Elli was so excited to make one. The snow wasn't quite ready for snowballs, so we have a snow mound with a hat, carrot nose, button eyes, and pipe:)

Elli was showing how strong she was by holding this heavy tool:) (No one was injured in the taking of this photo)

She enjoys when dad shows her all his toys, I mean tools. She especially likes the flashlights.

Devin stopped by to drop off his bike and get his suitcase for going home over the holidays. Elli loves Devin and was excited to see him. She also thought she was quite special with his hat on:) I love this picture of both of them.

First snow, sledding, Dec 12 and 13, 2010

This is the best part about sledding, according to Elli! Hot chocolate.

She couldn't resist making a snow angel:)

Elli and little Seth. We went to the end of our road to sled down the hill into the retention area. Aside from the concrete ditch, all went well:) Seth was a little unsure, probably because of the frigid temperatures, but Elli loved it.

Getting all bundled for our first sledding adventure of the year. It sure takes a while to get ready.

Brent had to shovel so we could make a WalMart run. What else are you supposed to do in a snow storm? I get really excited about snow and so does Elli. We had a great day!

Preschool Praise Performance, Dec 12, 2010

She was so serious this morning, but she did a great job.

Doing all the motions. These kids are always so fun watch. Elli sang herr little heart out. What a sweet girl. Later in the day, Brent was singing one of her songs and she smiled really big and said, "You like my music daddy?"

Santa Visit Dec 10, 2010

She was not afraid this year. She did however take a second look when she realized Val wasn't working here anymore.

Proud of my little girl.

Mom's Surprise 60th birthday lunch at Logan's, Dec 5

Gonga and her grandbabies.

Elli wanted to help blow out the candles.

This is just one of the three tables celebrating mom's birthday. She had mentioned to LInda that no one had tlked about celebrating her birthday. What she didn't know is that we had already called her friends and set up this surprse lunch at Logan's for her. Not even dad knew. It wasn't until she got to the restaraunt and gave her name that the host asked if she was there for a borthday party. Then she saw her friends and family waiting on her:) Leah and Matt came with the babies, us, Heather and Gary, Shaneyfelts, Bradds, Kubinas, Daniels, Hinkels, Kundiffs, and mom and dad. Fun times.

Elli was at mom's later in the week and saw the huge balloon. She had mom pick her up and put her on top of the balloon and then told mom to let go. She was upset when mom said she couldn't let go or Elli would fall. Elli told her she was going to float on it and was very upset with mom. She said it would work like on TV:)

Clifton Mill, Dec 10, 2010

Elli was in awe of this site! So many lights. I loved her little gasps when she saw it all.

We enjoyed looking at the collection of over 3000 different Santas.

Elli noticed this little Santa right away. Leah has one just like it from when she was a little girl. I think my grandpa bought it for her.

Elli was fascinated with this Santa on the roof. She asked Brent how he got in the chimney. He said it looked like he got up there by the reindeer. Elli replied, "He is not our Santa. He looks different. And these are not real reindeer. They are machines." We figured we better leave before she put it all together in one swoop.

It was a fun night. We enjoyed our $4 cup of hot chocolate:) At least the tickets were free!

Dec 1-3, 2010, A Finger Trial

My brave little girl. I was proud of her for being brave.

Going potty before the surgery. She was quite brave. She was still crying when they took her away, so I was too. She doesn't remember it though. Good thing:) The surgeon only did one incision and removed the dead skin on top of the finger. We will see what it looks like in three days. Monday we go back to the Dr for him to remove it.

She woke up ready to go. Look at her little smile. 6:00 am!

We had several visitors. Mom and dad, Heather and Gary, Sherry, Devin and Drew. The next morning, Pastor Joe and Paula and Lily came. Elli did say she didn't want too many people to come because she didn't want to give anyone her infection. She got several goodies while here from visitors. She really did like some parts of her stay.

We got all ready for bed, Brent went home, and then the nurse came in and said Elli needed to put on a different gown. She screamed at the top of her lungs, at 9:30 at night, that she was, "Not wearing that. It is ugly, ugly, ugly." She wore it:) As we were finally going to sleep again, in the same bed, she was telling me how much she loved me. She said, "I love you all over the whole world, even China, and all the way to moon, all the way to the sun, and even all the way to God." Love her too, more than she can even name.

IV in, medicine on shirt, hurt finger propped up, watching TV. Poor little baby.

When she went for x-rays, I told her it was like getting her picture taken just like we did on Tuesday for Christmas pictures. So, when she was set up she started smiling while they took her x-rays. No bone infecton:)

When we checked in, they gave her this pink blanket. Look at that poor little finger.

Wednesday, Dec 1, we noticed Elli had an infected finger tip. Brent poked a needle in it that night and got some green puss out but it was not enough. Throughout the night we did not sleep much due to Elli's pain. Her entire finger swelled and even into her hand and wrist. Brent took her to the Dr. Thursday morning and they sent us right to the hospital where they said we would stay the night at least. Upon arrival, the orthopedic surgeon checked her out and thought we might take her irhgt into surgery. The final decision though was to put her on IV antibiotic and do surgery Friday morning. Elli did pretty well though she cried quite a bit. She got upset at everyone that came in the room assuming the worst.

Due to the look of her finger, several residents came in to take a look. It did look terrible.

The nurse drew lines around all the red infected areas on her hand and wrist. Elli told her she didn't draw a very good picture:)

A visit with the twins

Look at sweet Wesley:)

Wesley has the crazy hair:) These boys love each other.

Look at Luka's smile:) It is not voluntary, but cute all the same. Look how big it is!

How big eyes! (Luka)

Elli was loving on Luka. She says he is her favorite, but I think she loves them just the same:)