Ella's video

I made a video of Ella. I am obsessed with pictures, I tell you! I made this for us, and thought her grandparents might enjoy it, too. Seth is trying to help me figure out how to get it on a dvd, but we haven't been successful yet so I thought I'd put it on here. It is very long 16 minutes or so) so if you aren't a relative, you'll probably be bored to tears. But, if you are a relative... enjoy! I am going to start working on one for Noah, too. His is a little more overwhelming to me because there are so many more pictures, but I think it will be fun once I get started.

Update

I haven't blogged in a while, so I thought I would just jot a couple updates on our family:

I'll start with Seth. Wait, who? Oh yeah, that guy that comes and leaves dirty laundry and then goes back to work. He is counting down the days until tax season is over (as am I). He has been doing a good job of trying to leave by 7:00 so he can help me with bedtime, which I really appreciate.

Noah: He had a field trip for school yesterday to the Children's Museum. He spent a full hour doing an art project there with stamps. He has been keeping busy playing with a pirate ship that he got from Grandma Jolene for his birthday, and a whale that goes with it that he got for Easter, and, of course, his dinosaurs. All at the same time. He pretends that the pteranadon is eating the pirates and then the pirates tie up the pteranadon with the rope from the anchor and make him walk the plank. Then the whale shoots water out of his blowhole at them all. HOURS are spent with this game. I still can't believe he's 4 years old. He's had a recent growth spurt and he just seems so big to me all of a sudden. Sigh.

Ella: Ella is her usual sassy self. She loves, LOVES, to play - especially with Noah's toys. Which is why the dinosaur/whale/pirate battle scene has been taking over our kitchen table lately. She is sooooo close to walking it's scary. She will take a couple steps on her own if someone is standing by her, or if she thinks no one is looking- like from her little play table to the couch. The past two nights she has slept through the night-- hooray!!! I got 7 hours of sleep in a row for the first time in months!

Me: Still obsessed with pictures. I've started a new project- I'm now making a photo video that's set to music. I started with one for Ella because hers is less overwhelming since I don't have as many pictures of her yet. When I'm finished I'll start on one for Noah. The kids and I have been going for a lot of walks, we take advantage of the nice days and go to Zorinsky or around the neighborhood. Work is really busy all of a sudden- there are only 8 weeks of school left. It is going to go sooo fast. I'm very anxious for summer and warm weather.

pictures

I took this picture at Zorinsky the other day. The first one is the actual colors- I brightened it a little. And the second I edited by taking out most of the colors except red. I thought they turned out cool.

Noah is going to be 4!!!

We celebrated Noah's birthday yesterday with a dinosaur party. His grandparents came, Derek, Michelle, Delaney, and Gavin, my brothers Ryan, Jeff, and Jeff's girlfriend Lacey. We didn't tell him when he party was exactly, because I really wanted him to take a nap before the party started and I knew that if he knew when it was he would be way too excited to sleep. My plan worked, so when he woke up from his nap he was surprised to see the house decorated with balloons and dinosaurs. He had a really fun time and was excited with his presents. He got some Legos, a pirateship, a spaceship, a dinosaur book and puzzle, and some money to buy... what else?.... new toys! All the little kids played very nice and all the big kids (myself included) played with Jeff and Lacey's Wii! I played boxing and tennis and I am so sore today! I only played for a total of 10 minutes- how sad is that? Delaney and Noah played a little boxing, which was very funny to watch! All in all, it was a fun time for Noah. His actual birthday is on Thursday so Seth and I are taking him to see Horton Hears a Who. I don't know who's more excited about it- him or me!

VOTE!!

These are the top five choices according to all those I asked. I still can't decide!!

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The Henry Doorly Zoo is having a photo contest. The photos must be taken in March and only one entry per person in the following categories: animals, scenery, people, plants, and amphibians. I can't decide which shot I want to enter. Let me know which is your favorite!

progress

lost 1 lb- yippee!! Gotta keep this short so I can go to bed since we lose an hour tonight for DST. I'll write more in the next couple days.

rub a dub dub

Poor Ella!!

I saw a picture like this today and I had to try it with Ella. I don't feel too sorry for her, actually, because she LOVED eating the noodles!

Another zoo trip

The kids and I went to the zoo yesterday with my parents. The zoo is having a photo contest for the month of March, and we all know how I love photo contests. I was all set and had my camera all charged up and ready to go. When we got to the zoo I realized I had forgotten my memory stick that holds 300 and some pictures! I had two extras that only hold 10 each, so I had to use those. I usually take at least 5 shots of one thing and hope that one turns out. But yesterday I only took one or two shots of each thing, and didn't get any that I really liked! I do like the one of Noah and my dad, and the lion yawning is the best animal shot I got, but it's pretty blurry. So.... I think we'll have to go back to the zoo sometime so I can try again.

When we got to the zoo at 10:00 it was beautiful and sunny and 60 degrees. By the time we left at noon it was cold, cloudy, windy, and 40 degrees! Crazy Nebraska weather!

Yesterday Noah and I were talking about being married. I asked him why he thought people get married, he said "to have babies". I asked why people have babies and he said "so they won't get lonely". I thought that was so sweet!

progress

I gained 1/2 a lb. Hmmmm... not good progress so far. I'll have to try harder this week.

It is such a gorgeous day outside today!! The kids and I played outside a little this afternoon. Ella didn't quite know what to make of the grass. My friend Melanie brought her kids over to play and have lunch. Paul is 4 and Joseph is two days younger than Ella. He has so much hair, and is much taller than Ella, who is a little runt. He was so cute! Noah also had his last swimming lesson today. It's been a busy day!