Fish House Parade...

I think you know you live in a red-neck town when there is an entire parade dedicated to fish houses...and everyone around would agree that the parade is a huge deal! This was the first year than Elsie and I went...my dad and the kids have gone for several years...

The parade is always held the day after Thanksgiving...and it was cold...and I didn't feel well...but we still went and enjoyed the parade...
Auntie Emma and Elsie cuddling together on the chair...they had to wear gloves to keep their hands warm...but with them on they could not catch candy! Uncle Colter was a good sport and did all the candy catching for them! At one point some one was throwing out necklaces...ans Elsie really wanted one...so she pushed Colter and said "get!"...and being the good uncle he is he caught her one...and one for his little sister also!
It was cold...I think if I go next year we will need to get some hand and toe warmers...maybe I am just a baby about cold weather!?
This "float" was my favorite! Like I said... I think we live in red-neck country! Just for the record we live 2 towns away from where the parade was held...so I am pretty sure we live in civilized country!
Uncle Colter caught lots of candy for the kids...Elsie came home her pockets loaded with dum-dums! A good parade...lots of candy...good memories...freezing toes and noses...who could ask for more!?

Our Thanksgiving Celebration...

This year for Thanksgiving we went to my parents house for dinner and family time...with such a full house there is always something to do and some one to talk to...we all have such fun times together...

The Thanksgiving table was set with all the fine china and crystal goblets...
This year the entire dinner was dairy free and most was gluten free...we had a huge feast...we all brought a couple dishes to share...most than enough to go around!
After dinner all the girls sat around and did Henna art to each other...this is something we have always wanted to try...so my mom bought a couple of beginner kits from "The Magic Tree House" online...
I did my best to get the scrolls and heats just right...he have discovered that Laura is the one is the hidden talent for excellent looking Henna!
Elsie loves her Henna...she still has the Henna on her hands and arms...she wanted hearts...not sure if that is her favorite shape or just the only shape she knows!
I had to do a little Henna to my belly...when I am 9 months pregnant with a HUGE belly our plan is to do Henna all over my belly...a very neat look...plus something to look at and keep me occupied while in labor!
The lovely Henna on Lisa's arm...Laura did thins and it turned out so good...it gets darker and prettier the longer it stays on...
I think we will be seeing lots of Henna around from now on!
After it was to dark out to play outside the kids (and Nick) all came in to play games...looks like they were even trying to teach Lilly how to play!
As soon as dinner was over all guys disappeared outside...soon from in the house we heard the dirt bike and 4-wheelers going...at one point Nick would throw a football and Jon would zoom around on the dirt bike to catch the ball...crazy, red neck guys!

We have a knack of enjoying ourselves so much that we forget to leave and go home...the next thing we know Elsie is sleeping and is in bed with her aunties! Sometimes it just makes sense to run home and grab some PJ's and spend the night...that way we can stay up visiting and laughing until the wee hours of the morning. On this night we went to bed to bit earlier than normal...because 4 of us were up and our the door at 3:30am for Black Friday shopping!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrations...we have so much to thankful for...

A Little Miracle...

Jon and I are happy to announce that we are expecting a baby! After praying and wishing for over a year for a baby we are all so excited...what a wonderful miracle! Elsie is very excited and is always talking about the baby in Mommy's tummy. Elsie is the one who told our little secret to everyone...she most innocently touched my sister Jessica's pregnant belly and announced that Mommy has a baby in her tummy, too! I just love a child's innocent ways...and what sweeter way to make such a grand announcement!

Little Mommy...

Elsie is a very good helper with Lilly...if Lilly is fussing Elsie is always right there to sooth her with talking to her or giving her her paci...

Yesterday I was busy in the kitchen and Lilly started fussing...Elsie saw the bottle I had just mixed up sitting on the counter...so she grabbed the bottle and said "I do it, Mommy!" So in the living room she ran with the bottle and sat down to feed Lilly...It must have done the trick...Lilly quieted down and was just happily gazing at Elsie!

Baking...

Last Sunday we went over to Grandma B.'s house for a little visit...Elsie loves visiting at B.'s house...I think it is because B. spoils her terribly!

Elsie and Grandma B. maee Rice Krispy bars together...Elsie got to help pour the rice krispies and marshmallows in the big bowl...
I think Elsie's favorite part was licking off the spoon...( the pink around her eyes would be stains from the stamper!)
No Rice Krispy bars are completed without lots and lots of sprinkles...

The Stamper...

This is the cute little Hello Kitty stamper that Jessica and Nick gave to Elsie for her Birthday...as of tonight the stamper is being put up for awhile...

This is why...lots of stamps across the eyes, forehead and head! I have always said I love Elsie's creative mind...but this is going to far! You see, the ink is not washable!
She thinks she looks lovely...Jon and I cannot keep a strait face when we look at her! She just looks so funny!
Now...the question is...will be gone before Thanksgiving?
Note to Jessica and Nick...if is not washable it will be re-gifted back from now on!!

A Special Night...

Last nigh Elsie and I went to the Nutcracker Ballet in town...all week long Elsie had been talking about going to the Ballet...she was very excited!

Since we were all dressed up in our "fancy" clothes for the Ballet we had to take a few pictures...
Elsie loved the Ballet...I had fun listening to her chattering away about what she was seeing...and seeing her so excited at some points in the performance that she couldn't even sit back!
I feel so lucky to have a little girl to do "girly" things with...I think every mother needs a daughter or two!

Ana and Oliver...

On this particular morning Elsie was no where to be found...so Ana and Oliver joined me for breakfast...Elsie loves to pretend to be Ana for some reason...

Dolly Oliver needed some pancakes to eat also...every bite first was held up to the doll's mouth than Elsie would eat it...
What a good mommy...love the syrup face "Oliver" has!

Earings...

If your sister can fit her wrist through your earrings while they are still attached to your ears...they are probably to big of loops!

What a Big Girl...

Elsie is getting to be such a big girl...but she is still my baby...she can even fit in the baby seat with the cover all zipped up! I think her aunties might have helped her a bit! Her legs were all tucked up to her armpits...but it didn't seem to bother her all! Goofy girl!

Baby Lilly...

Yesterday Lilly fell a sleep on the floor and the light was streaming in the window just right to turn the flash off and take a few pictures...
Baby fingers...

Perfect in every way...sleeping so peacefully!

Games...

Elsie loves to play games...to her anything she doesn't get to play on a regular basis is called a game...such as a box of little beads. Yesterday she was into playing the Cooties game...
To "play" Cooties it means I have to help her put all the cooties together...than she just has fun with the cootie bugs!

She enjoys putting new ears, hair bows and antlers on each bug...

What a happy girl with all the Cooties...As Elsie gets older I find that she is getting into "little" toys...toys with little pieces that she can put together. What a fun stage...but than I say that at all stages!

Imagination at Work...

All day today Elsie was in a very imaginary-like mood...I think she could spent hours in her own little world! Lately she has been into pretending to be different people...her favorite person to be is Ana and her dolly is Oliver...other days she might be auntie Em, or a character from a book! Today she wanted my to called her "Jane with a car"...I think the name came from playing blocks and cars in her room all afternoon!
She is a girl and doesn't quite know what to do with the toy cars...she just stacks them up...today she was stacking the blocks up in front of the cars so the cars could watch tv!

I love watching children play...they play imaginary play so cute!

Elsie must listen to her Uncle Colter...because this truck was her dump truck...with tv's in the back!

Mosaic...

Tonight I discovered a new site that will allow me to make mosaic pictures...looks like I still have a little tweaking left to do on the cropping...but this will work for now!

Craft Time...

This week Elsie and I were able to find some time to do some crafting...Lilly is gone every week for 2 hours for her weekly visit with her parents...so that time is our special time for just Elsie and mommy...this week we pulled all the markers, crayons, glue and coloured paper out...
and we made hand-print turkeys! Elsie taped them up on the dining room wall...she is always looking them commenting how nice they look!