Winter fun

After Library time, we all headed to base where Clayton was going to warm up with his basketball team (no playing since tearing the ACL/MCL). We were early so the court was almost all ours. Just passing the time, Elliot looks so small in the big gym. I have started letting him walk around in stores and he is just the cutest thing tottering around.

Don't mind my talking. Here is Gabby making a snow angel on her birthday. She LOVES to eat the snow.

At the old house, wanting me to take a video of her- Gabby sings her favorite song. Enjoy!

Rough week, but a few BRIGHT spots!

This past week has been testing and hard at times, but also a few bright spots. Moving continued, what a pain! Elliot got sick with a high temperature which turned out to be a DOUBLE ear infection. The antibiotics from it give him a horrendous diaper rash (ie: went through 2 tubes of diaper cream). Gabby came down with the stomach flu the day before her birthday, causing the throw ups. Add to this that Clay was working night shift. She awoke on her 3rd Birthday to snow! She had told me over a month ago in the middle of the night that it would snow for her birthday, the girl wasn't lying. Virginia Beach got the most snow it has seen in 20 years. EVERYTHING shuts down. We got about 6 inches on Saturday. They cancelled school up until Wednesday! Gabby was very excited about the snow and wanted to eat it for her birthday breakfast. Snow and mini donuts were the perfect start to her special day. We baked chocolate cupcakes and made frosting. She decorated them and was so happy to use pink and green frosting and special sprinkles. We looked out our window during the day to see Think 1 and Thing 2 wandering around in the snow (seriously, what a fun new neighborhood. Two teenage boys in full dress up playing around in the snow).

A few days later I came down with the stomach bug, hard. I had it for a full 24 hrs and felt worse than bad. While I was up in the middle of the night unable to sleep due to a body ache, Clayton woke up at 2am sick. Elliot followed with throwing up on me at 3:30am. Elliot I were sick most of the next day. Clayton was busy running around getting things done and checking out of our apartment. We are all doing better, although Elliot is still going through diapers and clothes at a fast rate (two things to blame, the medicine and teething). All in all we are looking forward to us all being healthy and back to normal! Now for what you really want, the pictures!

G's new tool set, so she can be just like Dad.
Our new house, covered in snow.
We Love Dr. Seuss, what a fun surprise to see Thing 1 and Thing 2.
Elliot having a tea party, notice the pinky is even up (although he is trying to drink from the sugar bowl).
Cheesy smile, G with her supplies to decorate cupcakes.
We should go into business they are so beautiful!
My 3 year old cowgirl. She wore the "disguise" out to the post office and Target yesterday (although it was over clothes not ballerina pjs).
Playing with her "buddy" the snow, who she misses now that it has melted.
Happy Birthday Gabrielle Jean! We did re-light the candles for her 3 times so she could do it again, and again!
The One Sock Wonder, he always pulls of a sock and then often tries to eat it.
Moving is SO fun, when you are a kid. Notice the ugly kitchen.
Big Boy!

Goals

I have not made any resolutions for the year, but after ready about what other people have said it got me thinking. What would I like to get out of twenty ten, and what could I do to improve my life and the lives of those around me? Well my goals aren't really all that deep, but it has been interesting to see what I came up with.

*get some exercise at least 3 days a week, even it is just a family walk.

*try to do a better job grocery shopping, buy only what I need (and remember to bring my reusable bags with me). to do this I will also need to do some *meal planning and write it all down. this will help with *not letting things go bad in the fridge.

*figure out my style. Easy? No, I don't know what exactly fits my personality these days or works for my life. *buy quality clothes, not quantity.

*read more books, for ME (I read plenty of kid books). I read two books this week and it was fun (thanks Mol).

*develop a cleaning regime. I hate that all of a sudden the entire house feels dirty, and that can be overwhelming. Clean the bathrooms each week on a set day, dust on a set day, vacuum- well that is an almost everyday thing here.

*get caught up with my photos. Make scrapbooks and put all old pics into an album. For this I will need to get LOTS of pictures printed.

*be patient

*not interrupt or jump to conclussions

*get more involved with other kids, Gabby and Elliot need more friends to play with.

*have both kids sleeping through the night in their own beds!!! Gabby is good at this, but lately she has been wanting to come to our bed. Elliot, well this will be a major task!

Hope that writing this down helps inspire me to make it all happen- or at least work toward it! Yes, there are plenty of other things out there that I plan to do too but these were more of the selfish things.

click, take a pic.

Not too much going on here these days. Cold outside. Getting ready to move. Being lazy. Elliot walks all over and now has 6 teeth. Gabrielle is really into taking pictures, mostly of Elliot.

STEPS!

Here is Mr E doing some steps tonight! He took his first steps without anyone even trying to get him to, on December 22 and has been taking a few at a time daily. He is officially 8 months and 5 days old in this video of tonight! I figured I would keep up the image of my kids never wearing clothes.... we have been so bundled up the past few days this was his few nekid minutes before getting in pajamas for the night. The temperature is something like 23 in the morning and with windchill it is 6, BRRRRRR! We had ice on the INSIDE of our window yesterday, thank goodness we are moving in a few weeks to a house with better windows (I hope!) This wobbly stage is exciting, but so nerve wracking too. He bonked his head today, giving himself an ouchie on the eyebrow.

Christmas!

Gabrielle got a veterinarian dress up outfit, which is a big hit so far. If around during this play time be sure to watch out for random "shots" from her and be prepared to have her listen to your heart. Some of her other favorite gifts include Ariel and Eric wedding boat from Auntie Molly and Uncle Danny, wooden play food from Baba and Nene, Snow White the movie from Aunt Robyn and the doll from Aunt Michelle. New jewels and musical princess jewelry box were the excitement of the day when we let her open it early from the Ross cousins. The clothes she got from all her Aunties are a huge hit, she has been changing her clothes during the day and even in the middle of the night into new jammies just because! Elliot had a fever during the night of Christmas Eve, so he was not as happy as usual in the morning. He was more interested in trying to eat the wrapping paper and less into the actual presents... the blocks will probably be good for chewing on- he is quite the chomper. Working on tooth #5 at the moment, and I have the bite marks to prove it (yes, my nail is dented with teeth marks from trying to use the finger brush on him last night!).
We couldn't decide what to have for Christmas Eve dinner, being just the 4 of us and not wanting to do anything to fancy or time consuming my sis suggested pizza. It was a fantastic idea, and we all got our favorite toppings; Clay had ham and pineapple, plus a little red onion. Gabby had pepperoni with LOTS of olives and I made a "white" pizza with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, yellow pepper, olives and a sprinkling of onion.
Gabby loved putting it all together herself!
Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I didn't get as many good pictures or videos as I hoped. I will try to get a video of Elliot taking STEPS! Yes on the 22nd he took 4 steps by himself and ever since then takes 1-3 every now and then! I am trying to recover from the stomach bug and body ache that hit the other night.... lets hope no one else gets it!

Christmas Eve!