4 Years Old...

Today Ella is FOUR years old!!!!

Feels just like yesterday when we had you...

 You were a fantastic baby.  You hardly ever cried...we could take you anywhere!! Pretty soon you were zooming around running everywhere...

 You are our big brown eyed girl...

 Here you are right after you turned 2 with your new baby brother...

 You take such good care of him and love him so much...

 These two girls are your favorite people in the WHOLE world...

 Daddy is your favorite too.  You love to play with him as soon as he gets home from work.  You ask for him after naps too...

 You would follow these girls ANYWHERE!!!

 You are so smart and LOVE to play and read all day...

 Tyler is your bud...but he drives you crazy at times...

 only because he wants to do EVERYTHING you do...even put his hands on his cheeks...

 But you really love him and take great care of him...

You even give him the biggest smooches EVER...

 

You love funny face time...

 We love you so much Ella!!

Happy 4th Birthday sweetheart!!

Ella's Last Day of Pre-School 2011

WOW...a half a year of preschool is over and done. SCARY.

So scary to think that the school year is almost over.  That just means LOTS...and LOTS of craziness to begin the Summer!

Here is Tyler watching Ella through the window...playing outside!

Tyler runs into the classroom and plays immediately when going to pick Ella up :)

 It was their "water party."  Weather didn't cooperate very well, so they made the best of it using squirt bottles and towels.  It was adorable...

Tyler got in on some action playing with the big kids.  Becky says he was in HEAVEN.

Ella with one of her teachers, Miss Beth.

Ella's friend Addy.  They are attached at the hip at school.

Tyler getting some work in on the playground :)

Ella and Addy again...like I said, attached at the hip.

Kids running wild :)  SO cute

Posing in front of her school building.  Hopefully we will be back their again next year.

Probably my favorite picture EVER...

Can't wait to start our crazy Summer out this evening at Gracie's birthday party...and another one for Michael tomorrow!! YAY SUMMER!!

Walls and Roof up!!

We have WALLS and the trusses are up too :)

Our construction craziness is further along...here is the side view of the new walkway and kitchen!!

This is our newly formed hallway...

 And this will soon be the view from our breakfast nook out the windows to the front yard.  Our cooktop and mantle-like hood will be placed in between these two windows...

This LARGE window will be the view from the sink area.  It will fit beautifully beneath this  5 foot window :)

Another view from the outside...as hubby trims a few branches that got banged up with construction!!

This is just a view up toward the trusses.   Hard to tell, but they will soon house a tray ceiling spanning the entire space!!

 

 Lots going on here.  We hear they may want to tap into our existing kitchen soon...which we are not fond of.  That means lots of crockpot and microwave meals for us. AND no dishwasher!! YIKES!

We will see how long we can keep them out of there.  There is still completion work to be done on the other side...painting, molding, light fixtures, flooring.  So we are hoping to distract them with that work at least until Summer break gets here!!!

MUST HAVE...

I HATE my camera bag.  Seriously...I think it may be the ugliest thing on the planet to lug around.  So recently I have been obsessing over these bags from JO TOTES

photo courtesy of jototes

I mean seriously...how cute are these bags??  They are so cute and perfect for what I need.

THEN...I found THIS tutorial on LilBlueBoo!!!

Photo courtesy of lilblueboo

I can not WAIT to get my sewing machine out of storage so I can make one of these ASAP!!!!! So easy and perfect and FREE on her website.  I love Ashley from LilBlueBoo.  She has the most creative stuff.  If you haven't come across her website already you are in for a treat.

So in case anyone is bored and has a lot of free time...its going to be at least another month before my sewing machine makes it out of storage...feel free to make one in your spare time. :) ha ha ha

Walls!!!!

Things are moving along here on the home front!! Drywall is being done on the first side...and the floors are going down and walls going up on the other side :)

Here are a few pics of the progress...ceiling in bedroom





Fireplace in the bedroom...





View of bedroom as we walk in. I am in love with the massive French doors to back yard...





Our tub will soon be placed under this window...





And tons of cabinetry and double sinks will soon take over this wall below...





And side #2 has begun too!!!! YAY! Sad that the windows below will be gone. However, new 5 foot windows will take their place!





It is so annoying that we have to go OUTSIDE to get to our favorite hangout spot in the house...these rooms will soon be reunited :)





The walls actually went up today, but I haven't taken pictures of them yet!!





More updates to come!!

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Mother's Day

Just wanted to post a few pics from my Mother's Day. My day started with a 4.5 hour car ride from Louisville to St. Louis to get back from the Kentucky Derby!!! I went straight to the restaurant to meet 2 of my sisters and my parents...who had my kiddos for the weekend! To say I was excited to see them is a HUGE understatement! I always miss my kiddos when I am gone. Don't get me wrong...the mini break is always nice. I don't remember the last time I slept until 8:30pm. But hugs were in order the second I got back!!!! Lots of hugs :)

Then we headed to MY grandma's house to hang out. LOVE seeing all the kiddos running around together. It is absolutely adorable!

Here is Tyler playing a little whiffle ball in the back yard...



The kiddos loved hitting the shed in the back yard...


Maggie and Austin...


Noodle wars...


Trying to get a mom and kids picture...


The kids were not cooperating :)


My mom and dad...love them to pieces...


Little Meade with his momma Adie...


Then we headed back to my parent's house for beverages and cigar time...


The kiddos played in the yard...


Tyler was a sweaty disaster for the car ride home...YUCK



My Mother's Day was a great day...sad my hubby couldn't be with us, but he spent the day with his mom instead!!

So thankful for my mother and sisters. Having them has made being a mom so much easier!! I love you Mom! Thanks for showing us how to be there for our kids!

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