40th Birthday with Mickey!

Our life revolves around my crazy work schedule!  I took my first weekend off and have 13 days off beginning on Saturday!  We went to Ireland for my 30th birthday and have said we'll do something extravagant for Joe's 40th birthday.  Ideas included a transatlantic cruise, Australia, Paris, Euro-Disney, Hawaii, Disney Cruise, Florida, Cabo, and on and on! 
In the end, it must be a "fluid trip" due to Joe's travel and the fact that we had a hard time finalizing plans.  We are driving to Las Vegas on Friday night after work.  We'll arrive in time to cross our fingers Ella transitions to bed so we can go to bed!  Super exciting, huh?

Saturday we'll hang out in Vegas and wear out Miss Ella so she sleeps the rest of the drive to Anaheim!  We will attempt to force ourselves to relax, but most likely be sucked into the Disney Magic and experiencing everything through the eyes of Ella!

I've been teasing Joe that he chose to spend his birthday with the Disney Princesses, but I've been giving Ella options and she chose a character breakfast with Minnie and friends because she wants to see Captain Hook!  I'm sure we'll see some princesses, but we don't have the princess craze at our house!

We're excited for a fun family vacation and both happy we chose to make this an Ella-friendly trip!

Oh Miss Ella, you have no clue how LOVED (aka spoiled) you are!

We are not road-trip kind of people and haven't driven this far since we drove back to Iowa from Colorado.  We've never done this with Ella, but we're hoping it will facilitate more sleep for her.  We have the Leapster, DVD player, smart phones, iPad, CD's, new books/activities, and snacks.  We plan to drive at times when Ella will sleep.  I learned today, you can't see her Leapster when the sun is shining which is likely the same for ALL electronics!  Any tips?

She's her father's daughter!

I was upset with Ella tonight and she knew it.  I got on her level and asked her to sit accross from me so I could talk to her.  As I explained that I was upset, she listened for a bit.  Then she did all she could to change the subject and make me happy.  She pulled my mouth into a smile until I finally caved and smiled along with her!  She said, "See Mommy, now I made you happy"!  Change of subject and laughter!
What a stinker and EXACTLY how Joe handles the "I'm in trouble" situation!

Tubing - family fun!

Today we made a reservation and went to Soldier Hollow.  It was AWESOME!  Very few pictures, because we all went up and down together!  The first run Joe and Ella went down together, then for the next runs we found the slope that allowed 3 tubes together.  She rode in a regular size tube and had a blast!  It was FAST and on my first run I was worried that Ella didn't like it, but my dare devil LOVED every second and would have stayed all day!

Riding up the mountain

All smiles - click to zoom in

Miss Brave is leaning over to get snow to throw at Joe!

Tubing!

I bought a Living Social Deal (Joe's favorite words from me lately....NOT).  We had planned on tubing at Soldier Hollow on Monday.  We arrived with Ella nicely napping in the car and I went in.  SOLD OUT!  Seriously....you need a reservation for tubing?  We are newbies at tubing! 

I came to the car to tell Joe and we both looked back at a sleeping child who will LOSE IT toddler style if we don't take her tubing!  We drove back down the mountain to a Gorgoza Tubing hill.  They don't take reservations and don't limit the people on the mountain and the sign said 40 minutes round trip (wait in line for 39 minutes and tube down in one) AND I didn't have a "deal".  They did have a section for little ones and we only had to pay for Ella and she had a blast in Fort Frosty.  Fresh air, energy burned, nap in car.....SUCCESS!

Joe pulled her up the hill the first time

She came flying down and was ready for more

I CAN DO IT!

She pulled it most of the way

Here she comes!

They have a contraption that pulls them around in a circle!
This is not nearly as fun!

What would work?

Ella has had this color wonder book FOREVER!  She opted to watercolor every page.  It's the perfect size "sketch book".  The pages are HEAVY and work for water color.  The black, thick lines help her stay in the lines and makes her feel so proud.  She also is proud to tear out each sheet and put it on the table to dry.

The paper in coloring books is too thin.  This book is not ideal because it's made for the wonder color markers.  She already begged me to go get a new book to paint tomorrow....what am I going to do? Do they make water color books?  Where would I find one?  I'll also have to buy more water color paint soon too!

Finally an activity she loves and can do semi-indepently!  I'm scared to lose it!

LOVE these two

My camera was set for outside when I grabbed it for this photo op, so excuse the darkness.  How cute are they?  Nicky really is her buddy and he gladly puts up with her and her bossiness!

Who wouldn't want to make a bed on the kitchen floor?  A duckie pillow, giraffe barney, blankie and a cuddly dog!

Who is this kid?

I woke up to a high energy child who was lying on top of me at 4:45AM!  Joe and I talked today about a game plan to deal with our grumpy child tonight!

I picked up Ella from school and she was super happy!  She ran and hid and waited for me to find her.  It was hilarious.  The kids were on the playground and all of her class helped me find her!  She was a pure joy the entire ride home.  She would like to go to Iowa.  She knows it requires an airplane ride because it is far away, but she really wants to go.  Everyone there needs monster hugs, but not me, ONLY her family in Iowa.

We came home and played.  She was the teacher and I was Ella.  I got to be the line leader.  I had to clean up.  I got to play outside (she helped me with my pretend coat, pants, hat, and mittens).  She even read me books and held them up really high so I could see!

She played with Joe while I made dinner.  She ATE her dinner.  We had chicken teriyaki.  She ate the chicken and said, "this tastes yucky, but it's good" as she ate it.  Guess the teriyaki was a bit much for her!  The only issue was when she accidentally dropped a piece of broccoli and Nicky ate it!  Peace at dinner and a child who eats??  I should pinch myself!

She is done with baths so she took a shower.  She does so well!  It's so much easier than fighting her in the bath!  I hold a towel for her to wipe her eyes whenever she needs to and it gets better and better every time.

She did some paintings, puzzles, had a snack (she easily chose from the healthy choices I gave her).  What!?!  No demands for TV, candy, chocolate milk, ramen noodles?  She went to sleep!

What an awesome night!  I'm not sure who I really brought home from school today, but I hope to see her again.....but not until after my alarm goes off in the morning!

Happy Birthday Oreo!

Have you tried these?  Warning - they are dangerously good!  I know this is a limited time opportunity and I just may stock up!  I guess Oreo is 100.  That's just CRAZY!  Did my Great Grandparents REALLY buy Oreo's? 

Timing is PERFECT with the 100 year celebration!  I have big plans to use Oreos as a tasty metaphor late April/early May!

Tears...

I'm in tears reading facebook tonight.  A classmate of mine with 2 little kiddos needs prayers!  She had a stroke last week.  Her husband describes it as "50 First Dates" right now.  She went through HELL last week (loss of consciousness, neurosurgery, ICU time) and now has an even longer road of hard work ahead of her!
Say a prayer for my friend Melissa and her family!

If you ever have THE WORST HEADACHE EVER --- go straight to the hospital where you KNOW they have a neurosurgeon on call!

Valentine's Week is officially one of the saddest weeks ever!

More Ice Skating

Blogger is a challenge with this many pics!  I uploaded these several times tonight!  I guess it will be 2 posts!

What a coach!

She takes off

The leap to Daddy

Let's go again!

Look at that push off

Great form!

Leap to Daddy!

A ride around the rink!

Come on Mommy....5 second later I let her fall!

Pushing Daddy

Grandma buys the best treats!

Hot Chocolate Treat!

Ice Skating - Joe's dream to teach his child to skate!

Joe's grandfather taught him to skate in upstate New York as soon as he could walk!  He has such great memories and he spent much of the first half on his life on skates!  He was so proud to take Ella skating!  Dorothy and I tagged along and I have the least experience on skates and I was the worst....AND I was attempting to take pictures. 

Putting on the skates

Lacing up his little girl!

Checking out the wall

Oops!

First fall

I'll just hang out here!

She's getting the hang of it!

Look at that smile!

Hangin' with Grandma

There she goes!