Monthly Catch Up

June: My birthday (I turned 24)  was spent at the beach with friends. We went to the little beach house that we had honeymooned at. We've been able to go back every year, it's a wonderful tradition and Ella's first trip to the beach! and Ryan's Birthday (he turned 32) also Ryan's first official Father's Day. He had taken to riding his bike to work so I bought him this fancy pannier bike messenger bag and bike rack as a birthday Father's Day combo gift. We also finally bought a house! It's a condo/townhouse and we love it.

July: 4th of July at Ryan's parents. The kids love to play minute to win it games and insist I prepare games before every holiday get together now, it is pretty funny, and keeps them entertained till it's dark enough to do fireworks. We sold Ryan's car and got him a moped to save on gas money and insurance.

August: Ian, Shannon and company came to visit, we went to the beach, the boys spent the night one night and I took them to see Turbo (cute movie), and played in our giant jacuzzi tub with lots of bubbles! I also started a new adventure selling Premier Designs jewelry. It's a really great company with fabulous fashionable jewelry that is good quality and has a great guarantee.

September: Ella turned 1! We had a great little birthday party, she ate cake and got frosting all over her face, received lots of wonderful presents and books, it was awesome. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. Love our sweet Ella girl.
Ella and I went to Orlando, Florida to visit my favorite Bowles sisters. The trip was originally so I could be there for Ivy's heart procedure, but she had gotten a cough and they had to postpone. Canceling and/or changing the flight was more expensive than the original ticket price so Ella and I went anyways. It was a fun trip, besides the UTI and emergency room visit at 4am Sunday morning, but I don't want to talk about that. She's better now and slept the whole second flight that was 5 hours long. I was glad to be home.

October: We went to Disneyland for a long weekend with Ryan's family. It was a fun whirl wind of a weekend. We were able to attend a sales pitch for Wyndham hotels  and gets free breakfast $100 Disney dollars which was awesome for getting food and extra souvenirs. The new cars land is incredible, the radiator springs ride is awesome, I convinced my father in law to go on tower of terror and it was hilarious. Ella met Princess Aurora and Minnie Mouse (as soon as I can find my stupid camera cord I'll share the photos) Ella loved the parade, she saw Simba on top of a float and said 'Kitty' the only bummer was California Screamin' was down cause of computer issues, and let's be honest it's the best ride in California Adventure. Halloween was pretty mellow, we went to downtown Gresham and got a little candy with our friends and their little girl, then came back to our place for pizza, cocoa, apples and Carmel dip, and watched the movie 'Wait Until Dark.'
Some exciting news for me, I was sought out (which never happens) for a job working for a local Orthodontist running his photo booth at school fund raisers. He's a member of the church and I was in their ward most of high school, so I know the family and am friends with two of his kids that are my age,but have never really gotten to know him all that well so I was totally flattered  and amazed that he called said 'I have a job for you'. After talking to him about it he said, 'I need someone energetic, and fun and a go getter for this job so I thought of you' let me tell ya when I say, I needed that! It was so great to be sought out for my personality, it will be so nice to have something else to keep me bust that isn't in the catagory of motherhood. I love Ella, however this is going to be so good for my family financially, and her relationship with Ryan. I'm really excited!! If you live in Gresham, Sandy, or Camas, WA you should totally check out Dr. Hardin if you're needing braces!

November So Far: Ella is 14 months old and officially walking! Ryan and I are excited but then we have this moment where we look at each other and go 'oh crap we have a toddler'. Last week we were able to go to the temple (thanks Mom and Dad) then the next night we were able to volunteer at the blazer game for the coat drive, long story short, I made friends with the concierge and we got bracelets that gave us unlimited food  and 200 level seat tickets, Woo! It pays to be friendly folks. We got Ryan a new car, the weather is just too crappy and wearing him down that we needed to have a second car again, it's a definite upgrade compared to his old car. It's a 2007 Honda civic hybrid, which should get at least 40 MPG which is great for his 15 mile commute. It's newer, less miles, 4 doors, built in navigation and power windows and locks, and a keyless entry. HUGE upgrade. It's great.  And will be perfect for my new job with Hardin Orthdontics getting good gas mileage because I will be needing to go to Camas a lot.

So that's it!! Sorry for the long post but it was waaaayyyy over due!

5 Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I hate wash cloths.

 In the kitchen, in the bathroom, used for cleaning. 

BLEH. I don't like them. They smell, after they are used they are cold and disgusting. I hate them. I'd rather use a scrubby brush in the kitchen, a loofah in the bathroom and paper towels or disinfecting wipes for cleaning. I know that's not the most 'green' way to clean. But thats how I roll.

2. I love Barqs Root Beer. 

If barqs rootbeer was alcohol, I would be consider my self an alcoholic.

And on that note I don't like A&W root beer, it has a weird aftertaste. (Love their cream soda though!)

3. I have a (progressively getting worse) anxiety about things breaking/falling

And by "things" I mean: Really tall buildings, Houses with really high ceilings that are two stories, Decks that are off the ground more than 5 feet, certain elevators, ceiling fans, roller coasters, the cool but terrifying glass floor you can walk on in the aquarium in the shark tank hallway. Yeah No. Not going to happen.  I don't know where it came from, or what happened to me to have such a fear, but it's ridiculous. In certain homes I'm afraid the upstairs is going to collapse on top of me, or that we will suddenly fall through to the crawl space. Airplanes are also starting to have this effect on me now and they never have before

Exactly.

4.  I've never sung karaoke

I really want to go somewhere I know I wont know anyone. I want to try and just belt it out and sing like I've never sung before, and like I think I might be able to, but have never had the courage to do.

5. I eat my oreos in a very specific way.

I take an empty cup. Break the oreos in half and drop them into said cup, pour milk into cup, consume oreos with spoon. The ONLY other person I've ever met who eats them the same way is my friend Jake. It grosses everyone else out, but we love it.

So there you have it. 5 things you might not have known about me

Bonus Fact: I rarely, if ever eat the very tip ends of my french fries. I know. I'm weird.

The other night I had a dream....

That Ricky Ricardo was my dad, and I was basically one of the Von Trapp children and we were practicing for some type of show. For some reason they wouldn't teach me the routine. And I was getting really mad at them. So I left because they weren't appreciating my tap dancing talent. I go outside , and of course there isn't any land, there's just water everywhere so you travel by wave runner and I hop on the back of a wave runner with Daryl Dixon (a character on The Walking Dead) and he said to me "you have a rockin' bod'



What the crap is my subconscious trying to tell me?!?!

6 Months Old

Our sweet Ella Girl is 6 months old today! We love her to pieces. Her most recent activities include
-rolling over regularly from stomach to back
-grabbing onto her own feet and socks and nibbling her own toes
-eating three meals a day (yesterday she had peas for the first time and LOVED them)
-smiling at everyone who smiles at her. Great Grandpa Harold is becoming one of her favorites, which is good because she sees him everyday.
-rolling and sticking out her tongue
-grabbing/reaching for everything with in a 1 foot radius
-screaming & squealing in excitement.
-Laughing when we sing to her
-Sucking on your chin, and laughing the whole time,
likewise when you nibble on her chin, she thinks it's hilarious.

She is such a happy sweet funny girl. we love her so much and can't believe how much she's grown!

Here are some highlight photos of our mini 6 month shoot.
Showcasing Ella's adorable chubbiness and the beautiful quilt Grandma Denny made!

4 Months

My little El Bell is 4 months old tomorrow. She is such a sweet and feisty little girl.

Here's an update on how our little firecracker is doing.

Nick Names: Ella, El, Lovebug, Stinker, Tooty McToots, Fussy Briches, Stink Magee

Loves: Sleep, Watching football or basketball with either of her two main men, her kick and play piano, baths. Practicing standing up

Favorite Toy: Grandpa Bowles, crinkle paper

The New Cool Thing to Do: Squealing and Laughing! Grabbing her toy or burp cloth and bringing it to her mouth. Suck on her hands, she makes some impressive slurping & sucking sounds.

Is not impressed by: Not being able to see what's going on around the room! Getting clothes put on her when she's enjoying being a naked girl. Sitting in a we/dirty diaper (but lets be honest, who WOULD like that?)  Her car seat

Not so fun for Mom & Dad: Explosive spit up. Dribbly spit up. Unexpected spit up. Silent spit up. I-can't-beleive-you-had-that-much-in-you-why-won't-it-stop spit up.

We love our sweet girl. She snuggles. Smiles and laughs and SQUEALS like you wouldn't believe when she wakes up happy. Which makes her mama happy. She is still has a full head of peach fuzz that is constantly covered in kisses. Happy 4 months baby girl! you're getting so big!

Here's some pictures and a video of our little love.

She thought her name was so funny

Ella & Dr. Traynor. She's about 8 weeks old

Before her first plane ride

Dinosaur Museum in Utah the week of Thanksgiving

Ella's First movie. Wreck It Ralph

With Daddy at the Ward Christmas Dinner

Smiley girl

At the Wecker Christmas Eve Dinner

Happy New Year from the Weckers!