Santa Fe

We're home again from an absolutely beautiful and relaxing time at Lake Santa Fe.

It has been 3 years since we made the trip as a family to visit KJ's Florida family; the last time all four of us made the drive James was 3 months old.  James ages 1-3 is probably enough of an explanation as to why there have been no long road trips for us in the past few years.  James at 4 was amazing, though.  We made the 8-hour drive WITHOUT PORTABLE DVD PLAYERS.  I call that winning.  I am thankful for God's grace in a peaceful trip.

Thanks to the graciousness of the Winter's neighbors, almost the entire family was able to come and stay comfortably with their own bedrooms and bathrooms, cribs and toddler beds.  It was such a blessing.

Our Home for the Week

I know I have family anxious to see pictures, but there are many errands to be run today, so I only have time to share pictures from the first day.  My youngest brother would groan if he read that statement.

 

The cousins in KJ's family have always been close, and it was fun to watch the second cousins have so much fun together.  Ann Elizabeth called Ella, "My Ella" all week, while Ella called her, "AE."

Sterling and James played a lot of Mario together, as well as building secret hideouts and playing with cars.

The big kids played a lot of games.

 They're not being unsociable, just playing a game against one another on their phones.

There was a lot of incredible food, compliments of Aunt Vicki, and lots of adorable babies.

There was also a lot of good conversation, and I'm glad Ella got to make memories with extended family.  She really enjoyed being around everyone.

And evening and morning were the first day.  I don't want to embarrass them when they're older, so no pictures of this online, but there was a big jacuzzi tub full of kiddos and bubbles at the end of the day.  They were loving it.

Ella's Samantha Tea Party: Part 2

We'll start with Big Daddy and James:  twins.  Big Daddy wasn't sure what the appropriate garb for the tea party would be so when James got there, he thought he'd join him in a red vest. They were pretty cute.

The "other Ella" was the first to arrive at the party, bringing her doll, Julie, with her.  As other girls trickled in and were led to the parlor by the butler, they started their embroidery projects.  They looked so ladylike and proper.

 Doesn't Lilla look like a princess?

 The dolls looked on at the work in progress.

The butler then called the girls to luncheon. 

They were all so dignified while partaking of their repast.  After tea we gathered to watch Ella's birthday video, which perhaps I'll be able to upload soon, and then it was time for presents.

I thought Ella looked so sweet in that dress.  The next group of pictures is for Aunt Katie to see her reaction to opening her gift.  It was a cheerleading outfit that Katie had never used for her dolls because it didn't fit the time period, and Ella had seen it and knew it had never been opened.  She couldn't believe that it was hers.

That top right corner?  She was just shocked.

It could not be said enough how much Audrey Ann (Ella's treasured doll from David and Hillary) needed new clothes.  Ella has been fashioning summer clothes for her from scraps of cloth and bandannas.

Ella had a surprise attendee towards the end of opening gifts.  Hooray!

We love it when Hillary rolls into town unexpectedly.  

Ella was thrilled with the Felicity books Hillary brought.  She loves a good activity book.  And here's where I had a photographer fail.  I switched my focus to manual, thinking I might take some video, then changed my mind and snapped pictures of her next present without focusing, thinking it was set on automatic.  So...out of focus pictures of the next present.  But it goes to show that pictures don't have to be perfect to be loved, because her faces are priceless.  

Needless to say, Ella was so excited about Kit.  "It was just the doll I wanted!"  She has talked this week about getting her hair cut and asked me how to make her hair more blonde so she can match her doll.  I told her staying in the sun would make her hair lighter, but my girl who doesn't like being hot and sweaty said maybe there was another way. Of course, there is another way, but we're not going there. :)

I didn't originally plan to post about Ella's party in three parts, but I just may have to.  This post is long with lots of pictures already!  And I'm tired of sitting at the computer editing pictures for the moment.  :)  I'll close out with her cake and the group picture of the party guests tomorrow.  Thank you so much, dear friends who helped make Ella's birthday so special!

Small Happenings

Yesterday was one of those rare Mondays where I didn't feel overwhelmed by a mountain of things I needed to do after the many comings and goings of Sunday.  I'm sure this was due to my staying home from church Sunday morning with James.  I don't like to send him to Sunday School when he has green snot pouring out of his nose.  It doesn't seem kind to the teacher or the other kids.  We stayed home and played Rummikub, and then he fell out on my bed by 11:15, a combination of getting up in the night AND too early in the morning in addition to the dose of Benadryl I gave him.

So we spent a pretty quiet day yesterday.  James' nose is still running, and he's got a cough, but I think he's on the mend.  It's probably not the best thing for him this time of year, but the kids spent a lot of time outside playing yesterday.  I took them out in the morning for a bike ride, and they were out in the backyard on two occasions throwing balls and picking grass and weeds.  Again, that's probably not the best for his spring allergies, but they were having fun.

We had a really wonderful time catching up with David and Hillary over the weekend, as well as being with the friends who came to the book party.

This is their second reading of what could genuinely be a helpful book, but it is also an extremely gross book.  But in our struggle with James and #2 in the potty, I've said this to him a lot.

Everyone does, and it's good to do it, James!

I just couldn't feel inspired to do housework last night, and things were mostly clean, so I played the piano and then sat on the kitchen counter reading my first P.G. Wodehouse book aloud to KJ while he conquered the world in a computer game.  And I just have to say, Wodehouse is a comic genius.  Seriously.  It's a pleasure reading to KJ because he laughs in all the right places. There just seems to be a certain wit in the writing of British gentlemen in the 40s and 50s that is not easily replicated. 

Usborne Book Party

We're having a party at our house Friday night, the best kind of party of all...a book party!  

The happy bride of two months (on Friday!) is now an Usborne Books and More Consultant.  I had heard of people selling Usborne books in the past, but it wasn't until this past year I've used and appreciated their products.

We use this Internet-Linked Children's Encyclopedia for History, Geography, and Science.  Almost every page has a link to interactive games, videos, pictures, coloring pages, or just more information about whatever subject you're studying.  I know I could search for all of those things myself, but it saves a lot of time having them all in one place, and knowing it's an okay link to click on.  The only link I ever got nervous about was a video of a dolphin being born...but it was amazing!

This Science Activities book is the source of all the science experiments we do around here.  It's probably the reason Ella loves Science, and the activities really do help concepts stick.  We've got some colored water with sugar sitting on our kitchen table right now.  We're waiting on it to evaporate and leave behind the sugar, illustrating how water molecules leave behind anything else they're mixed with when they become a gas.  Although, don't tell Ella what the results are supposed to be.  She wanted to be surprised.

Now this Sticker Dressing book is what Ella plans to order at the party Friday.  She emptied out her piggy bank and wallet last night and counted all her money.  She plans on doing some chores around the house this week to earn $2 more to order her book.  She ADORES these books.  I may order her another one, too.  Maybe this one?

I wanted to invite you all to be at the party virtually.  This link will take you to my e-show, and any purchases you make will go toward making Hillary's party a success.  Who wouldn't want to do that?  I know Ella wouldn't mind if you wanted to stock her up on the Sticker Dressing books.  She makes rules for herself on how many pages she can do each day so she won't finish it too fast.  Though she wants to finish it so badly.  That girl...

A Whirlwind of a Week

In the past week we've taken part in a lovely wedding.

We celebrated Christmas with KJ's family with a house full of children and family we don't see often enough.

We traveled to my parents' home and basked in the Christmas magic and gave thanks for our family's new addition.

We raced back home just in time for a little bit of the larger Pugh family gathering.

And yesterday we stayed quietly at home.  The kids played with new toys, watched new movies, KJ put his new hubcaps on his car, I jogged around the neighborhood with Ella while she rode her new bike, and the biggest accomplishment of all?  I unpacked all of the bags we dropped in the living room Saturday night, Monday afternoon, and Wednesday night.  They were beginning to pile up.

Now I've got a birthday boy to think about... or birthday man rather.  Someone's turning 30.