Ella Bryn

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

Ok...I am not even going to attempt to explain my absence of updating Ella's blog. I've decided to pick up from here & plan to think of a creative way to fill in the blanks of the last 5 months...to be continued...

We are back in time for Ella to say Happy Valentine's Day! We had a relaxing weekend and a wonderful day. It was so nice to see the sun for the 1st time in a couple weeks. We got to play outside this afternoon & Ella was so happy! We ended the day with a rainstorm and coldfront that blew in (surprising us) and a delicious steak & lobster dinner that Jeff cooked. Enjoy the pics & love to all!

Fun Dip break - a 1st from her Valentine party at school. Oh Yummy!

"E, l, l, a, that's Ella!"

2009-09-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

Ella wrote her name for the first time by herself the day before her 3 year old birthday party. I had been working with her on writing it for about and week, and we were very surprised she caught on so quickly! Friday morning she was in the bathtub while I was making her bed. She called me and said "Look what I did Mommy, E, l, l, a, that's Ella. I did it!" Yes, the "a" needs a little work to look just right, but "way to go, big girl!"

Labor Day Fun

2009-09-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month we had a fun Labor Day weekend. The Jenkins' came to visit - Nana, Papa, Aunt Jenny, Uncle D, Baby Taylor, Aunt Jules & Brent. Ella & Nana got some quality bonding time Saturday night while we went to the Robert Earl Keen concert & on Sunday when we had our last river float of the season. It was wonderful to see Taylor as she is growing so fast! She was a great little traveler, visiting New Braunfels for the 1st time. We also celebrated Papa's birthday & Ella's a little bit early since her Aunts & Uncle couldn't make it for her birthday party. Thanks for coming to see us!
Taylor Kellogg - almost 4 months.Look at that beautiful smile!

Adventures in Dallas

2009-09-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

Ella went home from Abilene with Nana & Papa to spend a week in Dallas. I had to start back to work a week before full-time childcare began, so "Camp Dallas" it was. After spending Sunday & Monday with Nana & Papa, she was on to Meme & Pop's house for the rest of the week. She had so much fun! Lots of swimming time, a trip to the Dallas World Aquarium & the Dallas Zoo. They rode the Dart Rail downtown on both outings & Ella thought it was so cool! After reliving her visit with a lot of great pictures, here some highlights.

1st Dart Rail "train" ride to The Dallas World Aquarium.
We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

Yummy berries!

Wedding in Abilene

2009-09-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

In August, we went to Abilene for Brad & Karen's wedding. Ella had a ball - it was her first wedding & her first hotel stay. We could not have asked for a better little traveler. She knew she looked so beautiful in her fancy new dress. She kept calling herself a princess. The conversation we had about Karen (the bride) was priceless. When Ella saw her at the reception she said, "Mommy, do you see that REAL LIVE PRINCESS? Let's go talk to her." When we had a chance to give our congratulations, Ella just stood there speechless, staring up at her. I picked her up & she was so happy to be so close to such a beautiful princess! We got a lot of great pics, because Ella was really showing off for the camera. "Face Mask," Hilarious! Loves her Baby Taylor... ...and her Papa. Dancing with 2nd cousins.Playing with Lauren.

Yes, it is True!

2009-09-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

I am now a working (out of the house) mother & this neglected blog sure shows that. My teacher orientation/staff development began Aug. 10 & the last post I made on here was Aug. 11. Wow - how ironic! I promise I had every intention of keeping up with this, but priorities have shifted. It's all good, though. After 4 weeks, we are settling into our new routine nicely & I am finding the time & energy for it all. Although I missed Ella more than I ever imagined the first couple of weeks, from day 1 she has LOVED school (daycare), Ms. Beth (her teacher)& her new friends. The stories she tells about her day are precious & make us realize how "grown up" she has become. Jeff has been absolutely wonderful with his new morning routine & is really enjoying his extra time with Ella! Since, I leave the house at 6:15 (before Ella is awake,) he is responsible for getting her up & out of the house. Everyday she is happy & dressed with tennis shoes, a "perfect" ponytail & matching bow. Now onto the updates. I am going to highlight a few fun times we've had over the past 6 weeks.

Ella & Mommy ready for their "new schools."

Family Visit

2009-08-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

Charlie, Linda, Bryan, & Bailey came to New Braunfels for a quick trip last week. It was great to get together & have the chance to catch up. Ella & Bailey were so cute together! We went out to dinner in Gruene one night & enjoyed grilling out the house the other. Ella got to show them all around Schlitterbahn & the girls had a blast swimming & sliding. They also loved chasing each other around the backyard & their little conversations were so funny. If Bailey got out of Ella sight she would say "Where'd my new friend go? Where's Bailey?"

At The General Store in Gruene

At Baby Taylor's House

2009-08-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

Still catching up from last weekend...
After the circus we went to the Kellogg's house for the afternoon, evening & night. Ella was so excited to spend some time with Taylor. She is growing, changing, & is still absolutely precious! We got to see her smile, hear her little coo's & she showed off with her new trick of rolling over! We went to an early dinner at Victor Tango's...Ella got a real "Dallas living" experience here. She loved the loud music & practiced some dance moves as if she were at a club. Wow! In the car after dinner she said, "I love baby Taylor. She is my sister!" Awwwww....

Beautiful Taylor about to roll over!

"What's up Taylor? Tummy time is fun!"So sweet!The girls at dinner.The dancing begins......and continues.Not sure about this move.In the "big chair" with Papa.Found a frog with Uncle D.

Circus Debut

2009-08-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

The main reason for our trip to Dallas last weekend was so Ella could have her first circus experience. We went to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus with Meme, Pop, Nana, Papa, & Aunt Cici. Words cannot express the excitement Ella showed. I couldn't decide if it was more entertaining to watch the circus performances or Ella's face while she was taking it all in. She LOVED every single second of the 2 hour show! She still talks about it all, the clowns & elephants being her favorite memories. I think this was just the beginning of a yearly tradition. We all had a great time! Thank you Meme & Pop for planning such a fun day!

Not sure about the cotton candy.Ella & PopElla, Meme & ClownOn Papa's shouldersIntermission TreatOne of Ella's favorite parts.Ella & Aunt Cici Finale

Swimming at Meme & Pop's

2009-08-06T18:16:00.002-07:00

Last weekend we had a wonderful trip to Dallas. We spent Friday afternoon relaxing in Meme & Pop's pool. Ella LOVED swimming...we had never seen her so comfortable swimming on her own (with her floaties,) jumping in & going under the water. Ella stayed in the pool the entire afternoon! She got out long enough to scarf down an peanut butter sandwich, & was back in for more swimming until it was time to celebrate Meme's birthday with singing & cake.

Chilling!Racing Meme to the steps.Time for a short break.Playing frisbee with Daddy - good throw!Celebration Time

Happy Birthday Meme

2009-07-30T20:14:00.000-07:00

Ella was so excited about Meme's birthday all week. Since she LOVES birthdays, she can't wait to celebrate in Dallas tomorrow. Today we made a red velvet cake, from scratch. She siad she was "making a ladybug cake for Meme." This is because it is red & there was a ladybug on the box of the red food coloring. Here is step by step how to do it in case you ever need to know...pictures show the process minus the final product. She was in bed before I topped the cake off with the homeade icing. And to tell the truth, the cake has some "appearance issues," but I'm sure it will taste delicious! I don't blame Ella at all...she is quite a little baker!

FYI - this stuff does stain!Checking out how a sifter works.Of course I remembered her apron AFTER the red food coloring part.So serious!Showing some attitude!Snuck this one in...guess she was finished stirring.
And here is one of the Happy Birthday videos she made for Meme.

2 "Firsts" Today

2009-07-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

Ella got to experience 2 firsts today. She had her 1st visit to the vet with Aussie. I explained to her that we were taking Aussie to the doctor, aka "vet." She thought it was really funny that Aussie was riding in the back of my car (which was a first as well) and talked to her the whole way there. When we walked in, she said "This is NOT Dr. Boecker, Aussie has a different doctor." FYI...Dr. Boecker is her pediatrician. She was great the entire time we were there. They came & took Aussie a couple different times to run tests & Ella said, "It's ok, she'll be right back!" After the vet came & talked to us the first time she said "I LOVE Aussie's doctor. This is fun!" She was also good at comforting Aussie who was very vocal with whilning the entire visit. She would pet her tell her "It's OK. I think you are tired." I know where she'd heard that one before! She also learned a new word through the experience...leash...she had never seen Aussie on one before. In fact, we had to go to Target & buy one this morning before the appointment. By the way, Aussie is fine. She has a UTI & is now on antibiotics, but everything else looked great!

Putting stickers the vet gave her on Panda, which is now her FAVORITE animal & went everywhere with us today.
She also had her 1st sushi experience this evening. New Braunfels now has a sushi bar/restaurant & it is wonderful! Of course, Ella showed absolutely no interest in trying any of the food, but she had fun playing with the chopsticks.
.Get that spicy tuna roll!

Summer Visit from Cynthia & Arturo

2009-07-26T16:11:00.001-07:00

Aunt Cici & Arturo came to NB for a fun summer visit. We grilled great lamb chops Friday night, floated the river Saturday & relaxed with a movie that evening after cooking out buffalo burgers. Craig & Andy (from Austin) and Stewart (from San Antonio) met to float with us. It was a WONDERFUL float! In between, we enjoyed hanging out at the house with Ella. She was great & loved the extra attention! She got to share her "donkey experience" with Cici & Arturo Saturday & Sunday mornings. Each day, she fed them strawberries & peaches. Thanks for making the trip to see us. We had a great time!

Ready to hit the river on this 103 degree day!

Cynthia thought it was a little strange that this is Ella's new show watching position.

Donkey encounter Saturday morning.

Ella Loves to Cook

2009-07-26T12:56:00.001-07:00

On Friday afternoon, Ella & I had so much fun making a banana split pie for our weekend guests. She helped me every step of the way. And, we had a huge dietary breakthrough...she will now eat fresh strawberries! After she finished placing them in the middle layer of the "pie" I asked her to try one. While she wasn't so sure at first, she proceeded to eat every single straberry slice that was left in the bowl. Funny thing is they were supposed to go on top of the dish, but I was not about to stop her shoveling them in her mouth. She kept saying "delicious," "yum, yum" & rubbing her tummy!

Looks so yummy!Now for the bananas.All done!"Do I like this?"Going back for more & more & more...Finished product & strawberries in the bowl...ALL gone!Now for the beaters!

Growing Up

2009-07-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe how old Ella is looking & acting. Just for the record: she is a little over 2 months shy of turning 3 years old, weighs 25 lbs & is 35 inches tall. Did a little mini photo shoot this weekend...full of personality!

Showing Off

2009-07-20T07:36:00.000-07:00

After I took these pictures, I realized a video would have captured Ella's dance moves much better. I never think to get out the video camera...need to be better about that. Anyway, she has recently learned passé, pirouette, & loves to end it with a bow.

Trying a passé, looks more like a karate move.Much better!"Ta-da!"Turn aroundPretty ballerina"Thank you very much!"Loves her pink painted toes. It's a new obsession!

Backyard Animal Friends

2009-07-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

We had another visit from the Donkeys this morning. We hadn't seen them in awhile & Ella was eager to go outside & say hello. They are so friendly...they just stand there & let her pet them. What a wonderful 30 minutes of entertainment! Unfortunately, when we went inside to get something to feed them, they continued on down their path. Next time they visit we will have apples or carrots in hand before going outside.

Mind of her Own

2009-07-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

Here's a funny story for you:
Yesterday morning I was taking a quick shower & Ella was supposedly watching a show. Come to find out, she had gone outside to the back patio (yes, I left the door unlocked - oops) and brought her bubbles inside. You can guess what I found when I walked in the room...an empty container of bubbles, a mess on the floor & Ella saying "Well, I wanted to blow the bubbles inside, but something happened & they spilled!"

And...here is a picture of what naptime has looked like around here this week. Her room was perfectly clean each day when I put her to bed. This is the 3rd day in a row that I've walked into this after about an hour and a half. Hey, at least she knows how to entertain herself!

Nana & Papa's Summer Visit

2009-07-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Nana & Papa came to NB last weekend to stay with Ella while I had an outpatient day surgery. Everything went great, I am fully recovered, & Ella had a ball. She enjoyed playing outside & reading the new books Nana brought her. We were all impressed that she knew unprompted what a "comet" was when she saw a picture in one of the books. On Friday, Ella & Daddy took Nana & Papa to show them the fun they have at Schlitterbahn. Ella asked them "did you like MY Schlitterbahn?" She was so excited that Nana rode the Family Blaster & the red & yellow slides with her. Despite Nana being stung by a scorpian the 2nd night they were here (we still feel horrible it happened...sorry,) we had a wonderful visit. Thanks for coming!

Get well flowers Ella picked for meWhere'd the bubble go?Big helper - taking Nana's bag upstairs to herReady for Schlitterhbahn with Papa's sunglasses & hat

Family Vacation - Port Aransas 2009

2009-07-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

Over the 4th of July, we took a family vacation with the Blackburn's to the Texas coast. We stayed in a condo at The Sandpiper in Port Aransas. It has convenient beach access with shaded canopies & chairs set out each day. This is definitely the way to do the beach! Jeff wheeled our "wagon of fun" down every morning, set up camp, & we enjoyed it off & on all day long. Ella & Landry had 4 full days of beach fun - jumping the waves, swimming in the ocean, building sandcastles, flying the kite, looking for seashells & playing games. Rilyn fit right in and loved her 1st trip to the beach, too - she was so happy & content. Heather's niece, Lauren also went with us, as our babysitter. This was wonderful, because the adults got to enjoy a couple nice dinners out while the kiddos played in the condo & got some well needed sleep after the busy days outside. Lauren also rested with the kids while they took their afternoon naps. Therefore, Mommies & Daddies got to relax on the beach with cold drinks & some "red neck" golf & bocce ball. How nice! Ella was great & really liked her vacation to the beach. She is already asking to go back.
I LOVE beach pictures & always take a ton...since toddler's actions & expressions are priceless (in my opinion), there are a lot of good ones. I am going to post quite an assortment. Until next year...enjoy!
Ready for Vacation!

1st Day at the Beach

1st Evening Out to Dinner
Another Beautiful Morning at the Beach

And Some Afternoon Fun

Go Red Raiders!

Date Night - Dinner at Venetian Hot Plate

3rd Beach Day

Fun in the Condo

Happy 4th of July!

What a fun summer vacation! Ella gave it a big thumbs up!

And, just a note on the band-aids...we've been through about a box and a half in the past week. She scraped both of her knees when she fell at Schlitterbahn last week and "can't walk without the band-aids." So, we kept reapplying new ones after every bath. Since we've been home, we are down to 1 band-aid. The goal this week is to get rid of the other one!

...And More Visitors

2009-06-29T16:07:00.000-07:00

Chad, Sara and Samantha came to New Braunfels from Dallas for a mini-vacation. Thursday night we cooked out while Ella & Samantha got to know each other. They seemed to have a mysterious "sisterhood" bond & got along great. Friday was Schlitterbahn...fun for Ella as always. She did fall down within the 1st 15 minutes we were there and scrape both of her knees. It took her a little bit to get over it and realize she really was going to be able to walk again. Once she did, it was Family Blaster, slides, lazy river, "beach" - all with her new friend Sam. They were too cute together...someone even asked if they were twins! Ha ha! That evening we had a great dinner at a nearby Mexican resturant. Saturday the adults floated the river. Sara was a trooper, 5 months pregnant with "baby boy Fox." The girls stayed at the house & played with Miss Melissa. They were great! She said they were giggling at each other all day! That evening the Andersons came over, we cooked out again, & it was more running & playing inside & out. What a fabulous day until about 8 o'clock! Then, we had 2 very tired 2 year olds ready for bed & the adults continued catching up. We will definitely make it a point to get Ella & Sam together more often from here on out.

Visitors, Visitors...

2009-06-29T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Herring Family came in town for a weekend full of summer fun. Saturday we took the kids to the Natural Bridge Wildlife Safari. Ella & Colten enjoyed letting the animals eat out of their hands & Sydney thought it was funny to watch. On Sunday we had a full day of fun at Schlitterbahn. Ella rode the Family Blaster for the 1st time and the 2nd time and the 3rd time...she liked it so much she didn't want to stop. Ella & Sydney swam, slid, and floated in the lazy river while the guys took Colten on some "big boy" rides. Won't be long till the girls are right alongside him!

Mommy Back to Work

2009-06-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

Job is official! Over the last few weeks I have interviewed, been offered, & accepted a job for next school year. I will be teaching 3rd grade at Freiheit Elementary. We are all very excited with this change coming to our household routine. The school is conveniently located close to home & I think it's going to be a great fit. Ella will attend First Protestant School starting Aug. 17th. She went with me to drop off some paperwork, meet my principal and said "Mommy's new work is a school!"

Fish Tank

2009-06-24T12:16:00.000-07:00

Ella just got her 1st pet fish. She was so excited when we went to pick out the tank & all the goodies to go inside. She was very specific that she wanted "pink & black" fish. This meant one solid pink fish and one solid black fish. The pet store had one pink danio, which fortunately for us was genetically altered to be the color he is. The other one she chose is a black molly. We showed her a really pretty black and white "dalmation" one, but she went back to the solid one and said "no, THAT black one!" Ironically so she will name them nothing except "Pink & Black." She loves watching them swim and thinks it is "so cute & funny" when its feeding time. We look forward to adding fish to her aquarium in the near future.

Visit From Aunt Jules & Friends

2009-06-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

Julie & some of her friends recently came for a fun summer visit. We ate dinner at the Gristmill on Friday & floated the river & had a cookout on Saturday. Ella was hilarious & loved the attention of many new faces. Everyone was so sweet to her & she loved dressing up in various hats, sunglasses & jewelry. She didn't miss a beat until about 9:30 Sat. night when she suddenly got fussy & told us, "I'm all done!" We couldn't believe that she went right to bed with a house full of loud adults & kiddos still playing.

Pool Time

2009-06-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

Sunday was pool time with the kiddos! How fun!Ella relaxing in her "floatie"
Allie "toobing the pool"
Swim, Landry, Swim
Ashlyn in mid-air
Good friends, good times!

Play Date at the House

2009-06-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

Ella & I had a great day at the house with Allie & Ashlyn. The girls played babydolls, dress up, had tea parties, and once all the toys inside were exhausted, they moved outside to continue the fun. We had a full day of playing while Stephanie & Shayne were in the hospital getting to know baby Aaron. Congratulations Anderson family on your newest arrival - how exciting to add a little boy into the mix!

River Girl

2009-06-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Ella had a ball playing in the river. We went to the "island," which is a beautiful private part of the Comal river. As you can tell, Ella was equipped for some serious swimming, but it mostly consisted of wading, "catching fish" (aka rocks) & playing with toys. We took a picnic lunch and my friend Amy & I enjoyed watching the kiddos take in the outdoors, while we were able to catch up on a little bit of "adult conversation." Ella and Axel had some great, humorous 2 year-old conversations, too. How cute & what a relaxing way to spend a day!

Life is Good

2009-06-06T12:06:00.000-07:00

It's a GREAT Monday at Target!

Mommy & Daddy ready for an evening out in New Braunfels. Going to a benefit dinner & a new seafood restaurant pre-grand opening.

The Many Emotions of Ella

2009-06-06T11:48:00.001-07:00

Here are a few funny pictures to give you a glimpse into the ever-changing emotions Ella. It is not uncommon for us to see all of these several times a day, or even all within an hours time. Wow, 2 1/2 is SO much fun!!

Meeting Baby Taylor

2009-06-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

We had a great trip to Dallas to meet our new niece & Ella's 1st cousin. Taylor is precious! Ella really enjoyed seeing everyone & was interested in Taylor just the right amount. She brought a gift that she picked out & when Aunt Jenny opened it she wanted it (and the card) laying right on top of Taylor, because it was "hers, not Jenny's!" She took some pictures with her toddler camera, touched her tiny feet, gave her a kiss on the head & then was off to play tennis with Papa or play in the pool with with Aunt Jules. We look forward to Taylor & Ella growing up together. There are so many fun memories to come!

Kickin' Off the Summer

2009-06-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

We recently enjoyed a fun "Salt Lick" evening. The kiddos got to run & dance, 2 of their favorite pasttimes these days. And the adults enjoyed listening to the music, watching the kids & eating good Texas BBQ. Meme & Pop were also in town this same weekend so Jeff & I enjoyed an evening out in Austin for a friend's b-day party (sitter free!)

Mother's Day '09

2009-06-03T12:01:00.000-07:00

We continued our Mother's Day tradition with the 1st trip of the season to Schlitterbahn. We were joined by several of our friends & their families. We all had a wonderful time. I feel so fortunate to be a mother to such a wonderful little girl!

Ella's 1st Cousin!

2009-05-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

Taylor Lynn Kellogg was born May 17, 2009 at 5:48 pm. She weighs 5 lbs, 14 oz and is 19 1/2 inches long. She is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! We are so happy Jenny had such a wonderful experience and she and Baby are doing great. We can't wait to meet Taylor in a couple of days. Ella said this morning after looking at a couple pictures, "I want to see Baby Taylor now in Dallas." They are going to have so much fun growing up together. Congratulations Jenny & Derek! Here are some pictures from her first few hours.

Crawfish Boil

2009-05-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

Ella had some "Daddy time" at a crawfish boil by the river. They enjoyed a great afternoon listening to music and Ella had a ball playing with the other kids. She played the drums, sang into a "microphone" and danced, danced, danced. Since her purse goes everywhere with her these days, she had coins that she even tipped to the band. Awwww, how nice...until she went & took them back about 10 minutes later. Ha ha! I saw Landry the next day & asked him if he had fun and he said, "Yes. Ella was a ROCKSTAR!" Go Ella!

American Girl Store & Galleria

2009-05-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

Ella had a real "city girl experience" one day when we were in Dallas. She got to take her baby doll shopping and to lunch. We went to the American Girl Store where she picked out a new outfit for baby and then we ate lunch at the Bistro. She was a perfect little girl and loved having her baby in the highchair at the table with us. We also went shopping at the Galleria. Ella was in awe of all the escalators and different levels. We don't really see that kind of thing in New Braunfels. It was so much fun! She was such big girl and acted so grown up. Wow - time really does fly! We look forward to returning to The American Girl Store in the future and can't wait to show Daddy what fun it is being a girl!

Last Minute Trip

2009-05-18T08:30:00.000-07:00

Since Ella was out of school & activities for another week (Swine Flu Break) we took an opportunity to pack up & hit the road to Dallas. We had a wonderful few days with family in the big city. Ella loves all the fun interaction she gets when we visit everyone! Next time we are in Dallas, Ella will have a baby cousin. She is ready for "Baby Taylor to come out and play!"

Swine '09

2009-05-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

The Swine Flu scare recently hit our area pretty hard. All schools, parks, & children's activities were cancelled for 2 weeks. So, we found a lot of new fun things to do around the house.

School Program

2009-05-11T09:43:00.000-07:00

We recently got to watch Ella's 1st on-stage performance. She once again brought joy & laughter to parenthood! It began with a shoving match with one of the boys in her class. There were flowers of the stage floor the children were suppose to stand on or next to. Ella was VERY determined to follow directions and stand right on top of the flower. As you will see, she got her way. After the singing began, for some reason Ella decided she wanted to be front & center. So, she made her way to her new spot (on another flower) and had a ball performing the rest of the song. I am sure this is just the 1st of great performances to come.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcNk8kqpAtA

"Cools"

2009-04-22T13:41:00.001-07:00

If you know Ella, these pics will probably be self-explanatory. The story is: Ella is newly obsessed with her "cools" (aka-sunglasses.) She left the 1st pink pair at a friends' house, so we went to Target to get her another pair. She needed some "real" ones anyway. For awhile, she wouldn't take them off long enough to remove the packaging. Yesterday evening, she finally did and they have hardly left her face or head since. Luckily, she has been cooperative about leaving them in the car when she goes inside somewhere (as long as I do the same.)
Jenny, you ready for all this?!? Ha ha!

Aunt Cici & Arturo's Spring Visit

2009-04-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

We had an enjoyable weekend with Aunt Cici & Arturo in town. Ella definitely loves her Cici & is obsessively crazy about Arturo. Ella's independent nature shown through as she told them what to do & told Mommy & Daddy to "go out!" (of her room that is.) I think she has unofficially turned 3! It was non-stop playing with Ella & she had a blast! We painted pictures, went to the park, grilled out buffalo steaks (yum!) & Ella was super when we went out to eat. She was very sad Sunday morning when Cici & Arturo were leaving. She climbed in the backseat of the car & said "Cici, strap me, I go wit you to Dallas." Awwwww. Thanks for making the trip to come see us!
As you will see, Ella grew very attached to her soccer ball that we took to the park. It went everywhere with her. Each time after she slid down the slide, she put the ball on the ground & kicked it back to wherever we were standing. It was pretty funny!

Easter Egg Hunt

2009-04-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

We had a nice relaxing Easter Day, just the 3 of us. Ella LOVED the egg hunt in her backyard & you would've thought there were 10 other kiddos chasing her down for eggs. Her sense of urgency was hilarious! I will warn you - I am posting A LOT of pictures because it doesn't get much cuter than Easter pics. I couldn't narrow it down anymore. Oh, and there is a video, too. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZacIbDdbxiQ

Easter bunny brought Ella new swimsuits & a princess hopscotch. She was so excited about the hopscotch - "it's like the one at gym school!" And once Schlitterbahn opens in a couple weeks, she will appreciate the new "suits!"

Easter Prep

2009-04-14T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ella had a fun & busy week last week getting ready for Easter. She had a blast decorating everybody's Easter cards to "send bunnies" (that's what she called her pictures) to family & friends. We went to a neighborhood Easter egg dying/decorating party. When we were leaving the house, Ella went back inside to get her basket because she thought we were going on an egg hunt. She had one the day before at Mother's Day Out & obviously it left an impression. Once she understood what was going on, she had a great time "painting," gluing, & stickering eggs with other kids in the neighborhood. And, let me tell you, dying eggs outside is the way to go! You will also see we are trying out a new hairstyle in hopes of growing some of the bangs out. All of a sudden, Ella once again wants a "little ponytail" everyday.

1st Visit to Sea World

2009-04-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

Daddy took off work on Good Friday & we went to Sea World. We had a beautiful family day enjoying the animals & shows. Ella's favorite thing was dancing in the isles & watching the sea lions play. Since we live so close, I am sure it is just Ella's 1st of many trips.

Bunny Photo Shoot

2009-04-14T05:54:00.000-07:00

We took Ella to have Easter pictures taken with live bunnies. With her love for animals, it was not surprising that she had a great time. She was so impressed that she "put the white bunny to sleep." Once again, the photographers did a wonderful job capturing Ella's many looks.

Ella LOVES Birthdays!

2009-04-09T11:05:00.000-07:00

Ella really enjoyed celebrating Daddy's birthday yesterday. We made cupcakes during the day & Ella helped every step of the way. As soon as I put them in the oven, she climbed in her seat at the table & said, "OK ready for my cupcake & my party hat!" She sat at the table for 40 minutes - while both batches of cupcakes baked. I then explained to her that we were not going to eat cupcakes until Daddy got home from work. Surprisingly, she said, "OK!" & got out of her chair.
We had a fun evening at the house. The Anderson's came over for dinner to help celebrate. Jeff grilled fillets & they were outstanding! Ella, Allie, & Ashlyn had fun chasing each other around the backyard, playing babydolls, & the cupcakes were definitely a hit! Happy 27th (or 32nd) Birthday, Jeff!!

Weekend with Daddy

2009-04-07T13:45:00.000-07:00

Ella had a fun-filled weekend with Daddy while I was away on a girls trip. She saw her 1st movie in the theater - Monsters vs. Aliens. She was great & enjoyed it! The movie was in 3D so she had fun putting the glasses on & off over and over again. There was one part where a paddle ball seemed like it was bouncing out of the screen and Ella said, "ouch, ouch, ouch." Jeff also had to hold the seat down the whole time, because she was not heavy enough for it to stay on it's own - if he let go, she folded up in the seat - ha ha!
Ella has been telling us she wanted to go fishing, so Daddy found a stocked catfish pond & took her. She was so excited! They caught 2 BIG catfish, Ella controlling the net most of the time. She was not the least bit timid or scared of the fish. They had them filleted (Ella watching,) brought them home & we fried them for dinner. Ella ate a hushpuppy & said, "I am eating my catfish!" Unfortunately, she wouldn't taste the actual fish. What a great weekend of new experiences!

Trip to Katy

2009-04-07T11:59:00.001-07:00

Ella & I took a little road trip to Katy to visit The Herring's. It was Colten's 5th birthday party. We had a great time! It's hard to believe that Colten is starting kindergarten next school year. It was so fun watching Sydney & Ella, so close in age, really "play" and talk with each other.

Nana, Papa, & Aunts Jenny & Jules Visit

2009-04-06T15:05:00.000-07:00

Nana, Papa, Jenny & Jules came to visit a few weeks ago & Ella LOVED having everybody here! Friday evening we had a nice dinner here at the house & enjoyed hanging out on the patio. Saturday we did a little shopping at the outlet mall. Thank you Papa for Ella's new tennis shoes & clothes! Saturday afternoon we all went to a wine tasting home tour at Vintage Oaks, where Jeff's new model home is. It was really nice & Ella was a trooper walking through all the houses with us. Her mission when we walked in each house was to find the bathtubs & her favorite part of the afternoon was riding "her white bus" with Aunt Jenny. Ella completely understood that Jenny is going to have baby Taylor soon. She put her hand on Jenny's tummy & Taylor kicked. How fun! Ella said "baby Taylor is in the belly under the blue shirt." Just last week, out of nowhere, she said "baby Taylor is in the belly & Jenny is the Mommy." She is going to be such a great big cousin. We can't wait! We ended the day with dinner at a Mexican resturant & another evening on the patio. Thank you all for coming to visit. Everytime family comes to New Braunfels, there are such wonderful memories made for us & Ella.

Trip to the Riverwalk

2009-04-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been awhile (again.) We are having a great spring & keeping busy! About a month ago, Ella had her first trip to the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. Jack, Patti & their boys were in town for a quick vacation. Much to my surprise, Ella was a PERFECT little angel at a fairly nice resturant & a nearly 3 hour long dinner!! The boys, Gage & Garrett, kept her interest & modeled such great manners for her. She really took to both of them & they were so sweet to Ella. Just last week, Ella was looking through the Pottery Barn Kids catalog & said, "Look mom, I see Gage right there!" Sure enough, it was a boy that definitely resembled Gage. Pretty funny! Anyway, we had a nice afternoon walking along the riverwalk before we met for dinner & a wonderful time catching up with family we haven't seen in a long time.

Visit From Meme & Pop

2009-03-16T09:54:00.000-07:00

We had another great weekend! Meme & Pop came to visit & Ella LOVED spending time with them. She read a lot of books, had a tea party, & helped cook breakfast. We had a nice relaxing afternoon & evening at the house Friday. Ella had 2 b-day parties to go to on Saturday. Catie Caroline's was at the Jumping Jym & Allie's at the Children's Museum. Ella was so worn out she fell asleep as soon as we got in the car to come home. What fun! Meme & Pop kept Ella Saturday night while Mommy & Daddy went out to dinner to celebrate their 6th anniversary. Thanks, Mom & Dad - we had a wonderful night out! Sunday morning the rain had moved out & it began warming up a little bit. We were finally able to get outside to play! Meme & Pop brought Ella a new "big slide" with a rock climbing wall. It is PERFECT for Ella & she is going to have a lot of fun playing on it. It was hard to get her to come inside for lunch. Ella says, "Thanks, Meme/Pop!"

Our Little Helper

2009-03-16T08:17:00.000-07:00

Ella has become quite a little helper around the house. Recent rituals include feeding Aussie her "cheerios" (that's what Ella calls her dog food,) her baby dolls real cherry tomatoes & helping her animal friends go "potty." Here are some funny pics!

A Week in the Life of...

2009-03-10T12:06:00.000-07:00

Ella's social & activity calendar has definitely been keeping us busy. She goes to MDO on Mondays & Wednesdays. She absolutely LOVES it! Every morning as soon as we get upstairs where her classroom is, she runs around the corner, finds both of her teachers & gives them big hugs. She hardly even says goodbye to me or Jeff, because she is so eager to play with her friends. Her favorite part of the day is "stretch & grow." It is a physical fitness type class for toddlers & she is always talking about it on the car ride home. Tuesday morning usually starts out at "gym school" as Ella calls it. She has really come to love the girls that work at the childcare at my gym, too. She runs in & is always ready to play hopscotch, puzzles, or go outside to slide. I am happy she is so comfortable there, so I can get in my workouts without worrying about her. After that, we are onto gymnastics. Ella's favorite thing at gymnastics is jumping & doing tricks on the trampoline. Sometimes it is hard for her to understand that the concrete floor at home is not the same as the trampoline! Thursday morning is gym school again for Ella & then onto Kindermusik. Ever since we began this class, before Ella was even walking, she has thrived every week. She is in her element when singing, dancing, & playing instruments. This class has been a great aid to her development every step of the way. Lately, there are a couple songs where she matches pitch really well for her age (according to Ms. Brooke.) Honestly, it makes me laugh when she gets so serious about her singing! Fridays are usually spent getting together with friends for playdates at home, the park, or the Children's Museum. We are looking forward to summer so we can add swimming & Schlitterbahn into the mix. Once again, Ella has a pretty sweet life as a 2 year-old.

Daddy Time

2009-03-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Ella enjoyed a day & night with Daddy while Mommy made a quick trip to Dallas for Jenny's baby shower. Jeff & Lance took Ella & Landry to Natural Bridge Caverns. Afterwards, Ella said, "I had fun at the caves, but the rocks scare me!" She was a trooper, pushing through her uncertain feelings, & had fun anyway. Daddy wore her little legs out & she wore Daddy's back out (on the way back up.) What an exciting adventure!

Kite Festival

2009-03-04T13:42:00.000-08:00

Zilker Kite Festival in Austin, Sunday March 1, 2009. It was a beautiful day for a picnic lunch & kites galore!

Visits From Family

2009-03-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

The last 2 weekends Ella got to enjoy visits from aunts & uncles. Jenny & Derek came 2 weekends ago and Cynthia came this past weekend. Each weekend was very relaxing - it was great to just hang around here and let Ella keep everyone laughing. She loves her Aunt Jenny, Uncle D, & Aunt Cici SO much. We tried to explain to Ella that Aunt Jenny had baby Taylor in her belly & Ella just said, "uh uh, nope!" She doesn't quite get it, but we can tell once Taylor is here, Ella is going to be a wonderful big cousin.

Learning Machine

2009-03-03T07:33:00.000-08:00

I'm not really one to brag too much, but I'm going to take a minute to update everyone on our little girl's progress. So, it is going to consist of some bragging... Since Ella was about 15 months, she has learned (& mastered very quickly) her colors, shapes, letters & sounds, numbers, counting to 20 & by 10's to 100. Her latest is learning to recognize sight words. "Sight word flashcards" is her newest favorite game. We are fortunate to have a 2 year old that loves to learn & has caught on quicker than we expected to these basic skills. Ella has a wide vocabulary & we are surprised everyday with the words that she uses & the sentences she constructs. We are having so much fun with Ella, watching her soak in all these important building blocks.

This video is too big to post here, but here is Ella's latest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peRBlBGhZxY&feature=channel_page

Big Girl Bed!

2009-02-27T13:51:00.001-08:00

Going to backtrack a little bit (again & this time it's out of order.) Hopefully someday soon I will get a better hang of this "blogging" thing. Love it, just not sure I'm the best - yet.

Anyway, I can't leave out this monumental transition of Ella's. We moved the crib out & the big girl bed in over Thanksgiving week. She helped Daddy every step of the way. We set up her new monkey room & she loves it. We could not have asked for an easier transition. To this day, Ella has NEVER goten up in the middle of the night. She rolled off onto the floor one time & gave her self a bloody nose. She was such as tough girl - she didn't even need comforting. She just wanted me to put her back "night, night." One more sign that our baby girl is really beginning to grow up!

Holiday Fun With Friends

2009-02-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

There is always something to do with the kiddos here in New Braunfels. Christmastime is no exception. A few places Ella got to go with her friends this December are Waissalfest, Schlitterbahn Hill Country Christmas, & a Santa party at the Allen's house. Oh what a sweet life this little 2 year old lives...

Family Fun at Christmas

2009-02-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Ella was so much fun at Christmas this year. We went to Dallas to visit all of our family. We spent Christmas Eve with the Jenkins side - Nana, Papa, Aunt Jenny, Uncle D, and Aunt Jules. Christmas Day was with the Chaffee side - Meme, Pop, Aunt Cici, Arturo, and Great Aunt Jackie. As the only grandchild (for a little bit longer) Ella received more than enough love and attention from everyone. She is truly a wonderous blessing to us! Jeff had to get home and back to work shortly after Christmas Day, but Ella and I stayed in Dallas a little longer. We enjoyed more family time and I had the pleasure of helping Jenny begin registering for Ella's 1st cousin, due in May. We found out Jenny and Derek are having a baby girl - how great for Ella! Meme and Pop drove us home to the NB and stayed to celebrate the New Year with us.

Holiday Season

2009-02-26T19:32:00.000-08:00

Well, since it's been forever since I updated this blog, once again, I'm going to have to back track. Let's take it back to Christmas. Yes, I know it's almost March and I promise to get better at keeping up with this to show how little miss Ella is growing up! Here are some pictures from Christmastime around home & in Dallas.

Afternoon at the House

2008-10-20T20:30:00.000-07:00

We had a relaxing afternoon at the house. Ella got a birthday present in the mail. You can tell what entertained her for many hours . . . It was picture day at school. Hopefully we won't have as many retakes as last year!

Funny Girl

2008-10-18T19:05:00.000-07:00

Some pics of Ella being silly. She is quite hillarious these days!!

Dallas October Visit

2008-10-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we made a quick trip to Dallas for Luke's birthday party. We had a great time seeing everyone. We spent Friday afternoon with Jenny, Derek, & Jules. Nana & Papa came over to the Kellogg's for dinner Friday night & we enjoyed staying at Jenny & Derek's new house. Saturday morning we went to Luke's 2nd birthday party at a park downtown. Then, it was off to Meme & Pop's to spend the afternoon & evening with them, Cynthia, & Arturo.

Ella's 2 Year Portraits

2008-10-03T11:57:00.000-07:00

Family Pictures

2008-10-03T10:37:00.001-07:00

We had a photographer (husband & wife team) come to the house a few weeks ago. They got some amazing pictures of Ella & some great family shots. It was so nice & comfortable for Ella since we were in our own home. They took outside pics & set up a backdrop in the media room. They included a CD with every picture, which we have the rights to print wherever we like. I would highly reccommend them to anyone in the New Braunflels/San Antonio area!

Website: http://www.betruephotography.com/

1st ER Trip

2008-10-02T12:18:00.000-07:00

Ella's 1st accident (happened a couple weeks ago) resulting in a trip to the emergency clinic. She cut her chin pretty good while playing outside. Nothing a little glue & butterfly bandages couldn't take care of. She was a tough little girl through it all!

Parade & Fair

2008-10-02T11:59:00.000-07:00

I'm going to back up & post a few pictures from the parade & fair. It's so nice that every year Ella's bithday weekend is accompanied by the Comal County Fiar & the festivities that go along with it. This was her 1st year to ride the midway rides & we could not get her off them. We learned that the $20 all you can ride wristband is worth it - good to know for next year. She was such a BIG girl on the rides all by herself!

More Party Pics

2008-10-02T09:59:00.000-07:00

Ella is 2!

2008-10-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ella turned 2 this past weekend & had a BLAST celebrating. She had a cowgirl (and boy) party with pony rides in the backyard. Thank you to all the family & friends who came in from out of town & also to all our NB friends who showed up for the fun! Ella took everything in very seriously & definitely new it was "her happy birthday."

Welcome!

2008-09-30T20:16:00.000-07:00

I have finally created a blog so you can all keep up with Ella's ever-changing life. I'm already regreting I didn't start sooner, but oh well. I will update tomorrow with pics from her 2nd birthday weekend and go from there. Talk to you soon!