Christmas In Montana Part Five

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It had to happen, leaving that is. Our hotel room was emptied, the girls were packed up and now it was time to hit the road. First we had to stop at my parents house to pack up and give Abby some of the time we promised for her to play in the snow.





Abby has played in the snow before, but at that time the snow was melting away and could only be found in smaller patches. This time she was surrounded by that lovely white stuff. Abby was loving every minute she had in the snow and of course looked adorable all snuggled up in her snow gear. At first she touched it slowly but then began to dig in. Because it had been so cold, the snow was grainy and very difficult to pick up. I tried to help her make a snowball but to no avail. It was so cold that it would not stick together. It didn’t matter though, she was enjoying it. That us, until, she realized mommy and daddy had gone inside the house and left her out with Auntie Jillian and Grandpa.

During the trip Abby had become a bit needy of us, especially Shaun so when she discovered that we were no longer by her side, she was not a happy camper. I know that I shouldn’t giggle but the look on her face was priceless. Am I a bad mom for wanting to laugh and then take a picture of our little girls upset? I know, I am mean, but just look at that face! You have to get a picture for posterity. Trust me, one day I will use this along with many other pictures to embarrass her the first time she brings a boy home (which will be at age 40, just kidding).



After play time in the snow, packing the car and saying our goodbyes we were on the road again. I was definitely sad when we left, but I had to tell myself that we would see them soon. Our trip that day was a short one. Our stop that night would be in Pocatello, Idaho which would allow us some time to see Grandma Pat (Great Grandma Pat to the girls).

We stopped at her place for a few hours, visiting and catching up with her. She invited us for dinner, making sloppy joes for us. Abby loved them! After dinner we sat and talked, watching the girls play on the floor. Grandma Pat then offered Abby some ice cream, which we all know she couldn’t resist. Abby was even more thrilled to see that she got to eat it out of her very own cone! It was messy but Abby did well and I know enjoyed every minute of it.





After some pictures, snuggles and laughs it was time to go. We headed to the hotel for some much needed rest. In the morning we headed out on the road again, our destination… Las Vegas. We thought it would be nice to spend our last night of our vacation in a lovely room in a fun city. That night we stayed at the Lion’s House as Abby called it (the Signature at the MGM Grand). We had some very yummy room service which was worth every penny, watched some TV and Abby had the best bath ever. Our room had a huge jacuzzi tub and where there are jets, there are huge amounts of bubbles. Abby had a blast being surrounded by bubbles and on several occasions I thought I almost lost her in them.



Our stay in Vegas was the perfect ending to a perfect trip. My heart was still a little heavy but I had a lot of wonderful memories to look back on. Shaun could not have given me a better Christmas gift. I can honestly say that I am one very lucky person and blessed to have the family and husband that I do.

Christmas In Montana Part Four

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Happy New Year Everyone!

Well the New Year began yesterday, but I still had to say it! For the New Year my Aunt Diane, Uncle Barry and Grandma Prueter (Great Grandma Prueter to the girls) came over from Anaconda to enjoy a family tradition, Eggs Benedict. Eggs Benedict on New Years Day has been a tradition for as long as I can remember. Its been a few years since I have had the chance to be a part of this tradition, so I enjoyed it immensely and probably had more then I should have.

The rest of our day was spent visiting with family and enjoying each others company. I was so excited that we were there and my Grandma Prueter had the chance to meet her second great grandchild. Something I hope my Grandma Taylor will get the chance to do as well before she is in college. 🙂 At this point I knew our time in Montana was ticking away quickly, but I was trying very hard not to think about it. Instead my plan was to suck up every moment I possibly could.






Grandma Prueter, Aunt Diane and Uncle Barry had to leave in the early afternoon to ensure they would be home in good weather conditions. Abby was happy to spend time upstairs with her Auntie Jillian, watching movies and napping on the big air mattress Auntie had put up. Abby loves the air mattress. When Jillian came out to California with my parents to help me out just after Ellie’s birth, she stayed in our office on an air mattress. Abby loved playing on that mattress so Jillian, being the cool Aunt that she is, put their mattress up for Abby to play and nap on. At this point I am thinking that packing the toys that I did was a complete waste of time and space. Between the air mattress and Grandma’s holiday place mats, Abby was happy and content.

Today was our last full day in Bozeman. Even though I tried not to think about it, I did. Leaving my parents and sister is always a hard thing to do and sometimes putting it out of my head just isn’t possible. I did, however, enjoy the time we did have. After spending some time over at the house we all decided to take a drive. I wanted to enjoy one last treat before heading home; a cinnamon roll from Wheat Montana. The best ever! We decided to take a longer drive to get their, following my parents. We took frontage roads, driving along the Gallatin River. We stopped at one point to that the frigid weather had created an ice jam where the river had become frozen over. It was pretty impressive to see, especially since the water had backed up and flooded quite a bit only to freeze over on its own. The other nice thing about stopping to see this jam was the sunset. It was spectacular that night. Very appropriate for our last night in Montana.



After our lovely drive, we finally came to Wheat Montana where we enjoyed a very yummy snack. I was good though and shared the cinnamon roll with my mom. Abby was completely taken by all of the honey containers being sold in their gift shop. They were the typical homey containers shaped like bears. She was very sad that mommy and daddy wouldn’t buy one, even though we already have one at home.

After our stop, we hit the road and headed back to my parents house. After what was a lovely dinner and a movie we packed up and headed to the hotel. We will head back in the morning to get all of our items that we left at the house and say goodbye before hitting the road. Abby will also have the chance to play in the snow like she has wanted to do since we arrived. Tomorrow should be a great deal warmer and much more conducive for playing in the snow.

Christmas In Montana Part Three

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After what was an extremely restful night of sleep, we woke up to frigid temperatures but very blue skies. It was one of those mornings that was just a tad deceiving. The clear blue sky and sun shining down made it look like it was warm, but when we stepped out of the hotel room… it was far from it. The temperature in Gardiner that morning was around -3 degrees and we knew that climbing into the park it wouldn’t be any warmer.

After packing up the car and having a lovely breakfast, we decided to take one last drive through the park before heading back to my parents house. I was sad to go but very excited to see the girls again. The morning was perfect and as we made the turn back towards the gate a large group of cow bison and their yearlings started to make their way from a small field outside of the gate through the historical arch. I think the only thing that defines Yellowstone more then this, is a bison standing in front of Old Faithful as it erupts. Needless to say, it was picture perfect.


On the drive up to Mammoth it was apparent that it had snowed again the night before. The roads were snow packed but it didn’t seem as icy as it had been the day before. Mammoth looked gorgeous in the morning sun. The steam from the thermal areas could be seen from Gardiner. After stopping a brief moment for some pictures we continued on back out to Lamar Valley in search of wolves and to enjoy Yellowstone in Winter.


The drive to Lamar was quiet in regards to animals, mostly bison off in the distance and people stopped along the roadsides waiting for the wolves to appear. Aside from the crazy drivers rushing to and from Cook City, the roads were deserted which allowed us to stop and casually take pictures. Sometimes this meant stopping in the middle of the road, which generally is frowned upon during the peak season in the park.


As we turned off at the junction and headed out to Lamar we noticed a large group of people stopped at the Slough Creek campground entrance. Now, generally you see people stopped like this all of the time and they have spotting scopes set up but nothing is going on. This time people were intently watching something off in the distance along one of the many open areas of the mountain sides. One of the men offered us a look through the spotting scope he had set up. We could see a pack of about six to seven wolves playing and casually eying a small heard of bull elk. While it didnt look like it the pack was on the hunt and playing it cool, trying to lull the bull elk into a sense of false comfort. Because someone was so kind to let us watch through his scope we had to step away and move on.

We drove out to Lamar but once again did not see anything aside from your usual bison, elk and deer. We turned around at our usual spot and headed back to Mammoth. On the way back we were greeted with a large bull bison once again using the road to travel to his next location. This guy let us pass by slowly without a care in the world. As we passed by the Slough Creek area again, people still had their eyes trained on the mountainside. We did not stop but we could see things from where we were. It looked as though the wolf pack was now chasing and attempting to disrupt the bull elk. From what we could tell, the elk were able to seek refuge amoungst the lodge pole pine. I have seen a lot is Yellowstone and been only a few 100 yards from my favorite animal in the world, so the next thing I would love to see is a wolf pack take down their intended prey. I know to many that sounds odd and maybe a little demented to some, but the pack mentality and the ability to watch several wolves who are only about 180 pounds each take down a bison or bull elk who are 3 times their weight or more, fascinates me. I felt like we were close to seeing that, but unfortunately that was not the case.



Our drive back to Mammoth was once again a quiet one but I enjoyed it immensely. The sun was shining and even though the high for the day was -11 degrees, it was a gorgeous day. One last stop in Mammoth near the terraces had me intrigued by an elk cow who was busy eating. It was so cold that you could see her breath everytime she exhaled. The sun behind her lit everything up… the perfect photo opportunity.


After that last moment it was time to leave. Shaun and I hit the road and headed back to Bozeman. I hated to leave but I know I will be back to Yellowstone soon. Now we had the chance to get back to my parents house and see the girls who I missed dearly. It was also New Years Eve, so I wanted to be home in time to enjoy the evening and ring in the New Year with family as well.

When we got back to the house, Abby and Ellie were very happy to see us. That feeling was extremely mutual. Nothing beats seeing that little face of Abby’s light up as we walk through the door and then of course our hearts melt as she screams “Mommy! Daddy!”. Ellie was also very happy; bouncing around in Grandpa Taylor’s arms when she saw us. It melts my heart to know that she recognizes us.

To celebrate the New Year, we had our usual Chinese Food and then hung around talking, playing games and watching movies that Abby picked out. Surprisingly, the girls stayed up long enough to ring in the New Year. It wasn’t pretty though. The picture to prove it is posted below.



Despite the near meltdown that occurred when mommy asked for a family picture, the night was great. Yet another wonderful memory for the books. Happy New Year everyone! Here is to a great 2011!

Christmas In Montana Part Two

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After a wonderful nights sleep, we woke up to clouds and temperatures barely passing zero degrees Fahrenheit. It was very chilly and the look of new snow concerned us regarding our trip into the park, but we thought we would give it a try anyway.

On our way through the historical gate, I saw something in the road that made my heart skip a beat. At first I thought the gray looking dog standing in the middle of the road was a wolf. There is a pack that roams close to the gate, so I thought it might be possible. It was not, but it was a lone coyote taking an easier path of travel in the middle of the road.



After watching the coyote, we came to the entrance. The ranger allowed us to go through, telling us that the roads were very snow packed and icy in spots. We had tire chains to help us if need be. The plow had recently headed out to Cook City so things were working in our favor. I couldn’t have been more excited. Being able to enter the park and travel the only road open in Yellowstone made me very happy. I can now say I have seen Yellowstone in all four seasons.

Within a few minutes of entering Yellowstone, we came across our second animal sighting of the day. A small group of male bighorn sheep were eating along the roadside. Most of the males were young and had small sets of horns, but it was clear they were being looked after by a rather large and impressive male. He kept a watchful eye on us as we snapped a few photos but went about his business like normal.


Winter in Yellowstone is the prime season for wolves. They thrive in the snowy conditions, relying on the fact that elk, deer and bison are beginning to weaken as food becomes scarce and the cold takes its toll. Their major predatory competitor, the Grizzly Bear, is hibernating until Spring which means little to no worries about compeition while hunting. Being that the wolf if my favorite animal, a near obsession, my eyes were open for any movement. On several occasions I thought I spotted a wolf, but instead it was a coyote.

For those of us from Los Angeles, coyotes are mainly just a nuisance; an animal that rummages through garbage cans and eats our pets. They generally look pretty mangy and ready to try and take anything down just to eat. In Yellowstone, far away from any major city, the Coyotes are beautiful. Even though they still fight for food, their coats are thick and beautiful and their eyes have a sparkle to them. I still enjoy seeing them in our travels and will jump at a chance to photograph them, even if they are walking away from me.


The storm that rolled through and chilled things also brought fresh snow. Fresh snow meant that movement of animals through the trees and open fields and valleys could easily be seen by way of fresh tracks. There had been a lot of movement from bison, elk and other animals. There were tracks close to the road that looked to be wolf tracks, but we could not see them nearby.

The beauty of Yellowstone in Winter isn’t just about the animals, but the landscape itself. The snow covered mountains and trees made some of my photographs appear as though they were shot in black and white. It was amazing to see places that I am so familiar with covered in layers of snow. It is amazing to see how the snow can change the landscape so drastically.

As we traveled we came across another animal not often seen in the park, a bull moose. He was spending his time down in a small valley, moving along an exposed creek eating whatever willow and shrubs he could fine. His antlers had fallen off already and through my lens you could see the little nubs where his antlers will grow back as spring approaches. He seemed not to worry about us and continued to eat.

As our travels continued we also came across several large bull bison using the road to travel from one place to another. Smart guys they are! Why trudge through snow several feet deep when you can use the conveniently plowed roadways? Some of the bison had snow covered faces which I found fascinating. The most likely reason for the snowy faces? Well, in the winter bison use their large and very strong heads and neck to move the snow away from patches of grass in the open valley areas. The bison below had probably finished munching on a fresh spot of grass and was moving on to the next place.

After a good, slow drive we made it out to Lamar Valley where wolf sightings are generally at a high. What a different sight during the winter. At times it was hard to tell where the road was because it was so snow packed. We had a few white knuckle moments but I still enjoyed the drive and wouldnt have missed it for the world. Shaun and I stopped at one of the large pullouts to eat lunch and then decided to turn around head back. A drive that usually takes about an hour and a half without major stops took nearly two hours one way because of the snow and ice. The days are very short so we knew that the daylight would be fading fast and didnt want to be in certain areas after dark.

On our way back, we came across a large group of cars that were stopped. In Yellowstone, when you see this there is generally something worth stopping to look at. We discovered that there was a pack of about five to six wolves out on one of the bluffs in the distance. You needed a spotting scope to see them, so there was no way I could capture them with my camera.

As we were stopped though, a coyote started getting curious about all of the stopped cars. He checked out the car in front of us, sniffing its tires and watching its occupants photograph him. Once he was done he started to trot down the road, right by our car. It was a sight to see! He was certainly curious about all of these people.


As we sat there the sun began to fade. The sunset was amazing and gave me yet another reason to love Yellowstone. After that we didn’t have anymore encounters with wildlife and continued on. Shaun and I stopped in Mammoth and decided to have dinner at the Mammoth Lodge dining room. We had to wait for a bit but boy was it worth the wait. Buffalo Ravioli…. wow! It was an amazing dinner and worth the half hour wait. I also had an amazing cup of hot apple cider which made me very happy and warm. I needed it too as the temperature dipped well below zero and the wind blew hard. The short walk from the lodge to the car left me feeling out of breath and very frosty, that’s how cold it was. We discovered once we got back to Gardiner that the temperature in Mammoth was about minus two degrees, and with windchill it was about ten degrees cooler. Yikes! No complaints though… we had an amazing night and my hope was that the weather would hold out just one more day before we headed back to Bozeman.

Christmas In Montana Part One

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Well after a day of wanting to throw my washing machine out of the window, shopping, packing and cleaning we made it out of the door bright and early on Monday morning. The girls, still snuggled in their jammies, were packed into the car and we were on our way before the sun was even up.

The drive was pretty uneventful and the girls were real troopers. I feel very lucky to have two little girls that can behave so well and travel long distances in the car and our first day of travel was a long day. We drove from Los Angeles to Brigham City Utah just north of Salt Lake City. We made pretty decent time with two kids in the car and even had the chance to listen to the Kings game!

After a nights sleep, we woke up a little on the late side and made the last stretch to Bozeman. The weather was good to us on our second day of travel, hitting only a few issues north of Idaho Falls with some icy roads. The rest was smooth sailing! When we arrived in Bozeman we quickly checked into the hotel and then headed to my parents house. After we settled in and caught up with one another, we had a belated Christmas together as a family. My mom sent some gifts out to us to open on Christmas Day, just to keep the secret going, but the rest she saved for our arrival.

Abby and Ellie had a blast. I think Abby is beginning to get the idea that presents happen all the time! I guess thats not quite the idea we want her to have. The girls got puzzles, toys and clothes and Shaun and I were given a collectors print for the Glacier National Park Centennial that was framed and matted. Its a beautiful print and I cannot wait to get it up on our wall at home.




We decided to have the girls stay with Grandma and Grandpa Taylor that night so we could get some much needed rest. I don’t think Abby was too thrilled at first, but in the end she was more then ok. Ellie fell asleep with Grandpa before we could even get her crib set up! What a precious moment.


The following morning we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa’s house to check on the girls before we left. As part of my present, Shaun decided to take 2 days away for just the two of us while my mom, dad and sister watched the girls for us. We were scheduled to stay in Gardiner, Montana just outside the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. If the weather held up and the road conditions stayed favorable, we would travel through the parks only open road to wheeled traffic. There were several big storms heading our way with frigid temperatures, but we kept our fingers crossed and hoped for the best.

After running a few errands and making sure we had our proper tire chains, we took off for Gardiner. The highways were decent, mostly blowing slow. Luckily, on our way from Livingston to Gardiner through Paradise Valley, we followed the snow plow and de-icing truck through Yankee Jims canyon which can get pretty icy. On our way through the canyon we happened to catch five to six Bald Eagles flying in a row. It was a pretty amazing site and just gave me a reminder why I love this place so much. The scenery along the Yellowstone River was spectacular despite the storm rolling in.




After checking into the hotel Shaun and I headed out to dinner and to the local Food Farm in town. We decided that since we had a fridge in the room we would pick up some supplies and assuming we could travel through Yellowstone over the next few days, we could make sandwiches and have snacks in the car. After that we went to one of the few places open, Outlaw Pizza and Pasta, for dinner and then headed back to the room for some much needed sleep. So far this trip couldn’t be anymore perfect, although I do miss the girls already!

Christmas with The Whartons in 2010

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Christmas is a busy time for the Wharton Family, as I am sure it is for many families. We are still making our own family traditions, but there are a few that we already have. For our family, everything starts in full force on Christmas Eve.

Abby was primping and getting ready for the festivities of the night.

For the last several years, on Christmas Eve, we would head on over to The Oliver home for some Christmas festivities and then head over to Grandpa and Nana’s house for the remainder of the evening. This year we were unable to attend the festivities at the Oliver home, but we still had the chance to spend the evening with Grandpa, Nana, Auntie Brittany and Uncle James for some dinner, presents and of course a lot of laughs.

The girls had a lot of fun opening presents. Ellie made out like a bandit with some adorable outfits from everyone. She also got a sleeping bag with a matching pillow just like Abby’s. Now she has something to snuggle into when she is at Grandpa and Nana’s house. Abby also came home with a few new outfits but the two hits were her Cash Register and her Art Easel. Abby just had to open the cash register right away and play with it. Between that and all of the ripped up wrapping paper to roll around in, Abby kept herself very busy.




After a fun evening we headed home so that the girls could go to bed and sleep. Abby knew about Santa but at this point she still doesn’t understand the whole concept. This made it very easy to get her to bed on Christmas Eve. I know that will change by next year. Once they were in bed and sound asleep, Shaun and I brought out all of our presents and decorated the tree. Yes, the tree stood there completely bare until Christmas Eve. I knew Abby would be all over the ornaments so I left it alone until Christmas Eve. I was kind of nice to have everything completely decorated as a surprise for the morning, so much that I thought about making it a tradition. But then I realized that meant going through most of the Christmas season without a decorated tree and I didn’t like that idea.


The next morning everyone was up bright and early and very excited to see the tree and all of the presents that Santa brought. Abby was amazed at the tree and kept saying “Oh Christmas!” and “Presents!”. That sparkle in her eye as she stared at the tree with all of its ornaments and the presents underneath was priceless. I love Christmas for all of the wonders that it brings, but now to see it through my daughters eyes, I have a whole new love for it.

This year Abby was pretty good about opening presents. She would get distracted from time to time by the ornaments on the tree but for the most part she was excited to open things. Santa brought her quite a bit from clothes, to movies, toys and a few dolls. Ellie also did a great job too. If I tore a little piece to start she would grab it right away and pull hard. Although once unwrapped, Ellie’s toys were secondary to the crinkling and rustling of wrapping paper.





Generally I would not talk about the Christmas gifts I received, but this year was different. Shaun once again out did himself. Through out all of the holiday craziness, I was getting things together for trip out of town after Christmas. We had decided to take a trip up to Mammoth for a few days and then over to San Francisco. It was going to be a much needed getaway.

When it came time to open my present I found a very cute scarf, gloves and a book that after first glance was an itinerary that was approved by Shaun, Santa and some of the North Pole staff. It was extremely cute and clever. Then I had to look through it again and realized that the itinerary wasn’t for our supposed trip to Mammoth and San Francisco, it was for something else. Shaun had tricked me and had quite a few people in on it as well. Instead we were heading to Montana to spend time with my parents and sister! It was the best surprise I could have asked for and made my Christmas. No present would have been better! I do have video of by reaction, but I refuse to post it in a public forum. Sorry! After this surprise I was floating on cloud nine and I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I needed to do. We are leaving for Montana in a day and a half!

In the afternoon, Grandma Zoe came over to open presents and have dinner with us. She brought lots of goodies for all of us and boy were we lucky! Shaun and I loved watching Abby open everything from new clothes, most of which would be very useful in the snow up in Montana, to toys. Grandma Zoe got Abby a cute Monkey backpack for traveling. Better yet was a cleaning set that included a mop, broom, bucket, vacuum and caddy. Now Abby can help mommy clean up her messes around the house! Grandma also got Abby a tricycle, bike helmet and pads. While she doesn’t quite know how to use it , Abby was very excited just to sit on it and ring the bike bell. I know she will be zooming around outside on it in no time!




After dinner it was time to make an appearance at a friends house for a Christmas party and then it was off to bed. We had a lot to do in one day to get ready for our trip!

Snuggles With Ellie

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Shaun and I try to get Abby and Ellie to nap in the afternoon together, so that we have time to spend with one another and just get some things done. Today that didn’t happen, so Ellie spent time in our room, snuggling with daddy and taking some stabs at sitting up on her own. The bed is nice and soft, so if she tips over and doesn’t catch herself, the landing wont be so tough. She did well! Its amazing to me how quickly she has grown and the big changes that have occurred. She has such a personality and her facial expressions are priceless. Although, I never seem to catch the best ones on camera! Who wouldn’t want to just sit in bed and snuggle with this little face. Almost made me want to wake Abby up and snuggle with her too! Almost, but not quite! 🙂






Candy Cane Lane

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Since the holiday season began, each of our trips down Candy Cane Lane has been a rainy one. Tonight was no different, but luckily because we are so close to Christmas, most of the homes participating had their displays up and running. When Shaun came home from work, we spent some time getting the girls ready (and having fun doing so) and then took off to get some dinner and enjoy the sights of Candy Cane Lane.





You can tell that the current economic times of our country play out even in special places such as Candy Cane Lane. The amount of homes participating have noticeably dropped but when you stop and listen to your little two year old laughing and pointing out all of the fun displays that she sees, you stop thinking like an adult and start looking at things through the eyes of your child. Abby loved everything she saw, especially the house that had nothing but original Disney characters displayed like Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Even though she is still little, I can tell that she is starting to see, understand and enjoy the fun and excitement of Christmas. It became apparent that Abby loves Christmas lights, which means that next year we will have to put them up. But lets not think about next Christmas just yet.





A Quick Trip to Disneyland… Ellie’s First!

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Today was one of those “fly by the seat of your pants” kind of days. After running some errands and taking a drive we decided to pack up and head to Disneyland. The main reason being that it was a gorgeous day, in the 80’s, and our dear friends Byron, Erika and their son Harrison would be heading there as well after a party.

Our time spent there was brief but special. It was Ellie’s first trip to Disneyland and she seemed to enjoy all of the colors and characters of both parks. The parks were also decorated for Christmas, giving Ellie even more sparkly lights to look at and keep her attention. She also went on her first ride and Abby rode Toy Story Midway Mania for the first time. The wait for Toy Story was long but she had her friend Harrison there to keep her company. They played, talked and definitely enjoyed watching Mr. Potato Head talk to them. It was definitely a memorable and special sight to see as the two of them got along so well.



Abby sat with daddy on Toy Story Mania, and because of the way things were set up, I couldn’t see the two of them. Ellie giggled and laughed as we took some of the sharp corners and spun around. When the ride stopped, Abby asked daddy if she could go again. A sure sign that it was a hit and she had a great time. Abby even wore the 3D glasses that go along with the ride, something I never thought she would do. You know life is good when your toddler surprises you.




After our fun time spent on Toy Story Midway Mania, we parted ways with Harrison and the crew and headed over to Disneyland for the remainder of the night. Abby enjoyed the lights of the castle. We checked out the line for Small World, which is also done up for the holidays, but it was just too much for two little girls who were already tired. Luckily we caught the light show that it presented every 15 minutes on the facade of the building. Abby was completely in love it and was glued to it, all while sitting on her daddy’s shoulders. It was a sight I loved seeing. Nothing melts your heart more then the bonding between your daughter and her daddy.


Ellie is a Rolling Stone!

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Ellie is a little Rolly Polly! She is rolling from tummy to back and from her back to her tummy. I have yet to get video of it but when I do I will post it for all to see! Now it means crawling is next on the list. I am not sure I am ready for two little movers and shakers around the house, I dont have enough hands!

Abby’s New Hats…

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In the last few weeks Abby has been given a few new hats. At first I thought she would hate wearing them, mainly because its been that way in the past but I was completely wrong. She loves them! I am very happy about this because I saw the owl hat at The Children’s Place and I just had to get it. The Pink and Brown hat was made by our dear friend Jackie and it completely fits Abby’s personality. Yay for cute hats for winter, even if it is Southern California!


Childhood Regression?

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I think that Abby has regressed back to the age of 6 to 9 months. She constantly climbs into Ellie’s play saucer while Ellie is napping. The funny part though is watching her try to figure out how shes going to get out. It usually ends in tears and asking for mommy to help her. Gotta love this free little spirit.