Tag: Ellie

An Afternoon at the Museum

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Today was fun one, as always! Grandma and Grandpa had to work today but Auntie Jillian had the day off. SO after a relaxing morning we decided to head to the Museum of the Rockies for an afternoon of fun. The summer exhibit this year was about space travel, one I know Abby would not want to miss. That and I knew the girls wouldn’t stop asking until we went, many thanks to the Yellowstone play area for children.
We arrived just as an afternoon thunderstorm was trying to make its way into the valley. I was secretly hoping that we weren’t inside the museum too long. I didn’t want to miss it! Until then we would enjoy the museum and have a lot of fun.
Afternoon thunderstorm… Love it!
Abby and Ellie standing with Steve Hawley’s flight suite. The very last one of its kind.
Sitting in the kitchen, or a mock up of the kitchen, in the next craft intended for use by NASA.
Touching a real moon rock! Pretty cool if you ask me.
Fishing time! Who will catch one first?
Sisterly Eagle love… hmmm, that sounds awkward, but that’s ok.
Sisters in Eagle masks… AKA personal petri dishes.

The girls had a great time at the museum and really loved the NASA exhibit. They had the chance to see parts of the old shuttles and what the capsules looked like, They also had the chance to see a real flight suite and also touched a moon rock! We even had the chance to walk around in a mock up of the living area of the newest project by NASA. Afterward we headed up to the Yellowstone Adventure area to play for a bit. This is really what the girls came for and the NASA exhibit was a big bonus. As always they had a blast laying around and it was like pulling teeth to get them to go home.

When we left, the thunderstorm that was rolling had decided to get a bit bigger and the wind was blowing like crazy. We stopped for a yummy treat of frozen yogurt on the way back and when we left we had to book it home. Several surrounding areas were reporting major wind gusts and tornado warnings. The wind blew, we had some rain and thunder and continue to have some as we speak but nothing worse then that. It was yet another awesome day and we were so happy to spend it with Auntie Jillian!

A New Road Trip…

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After a lot of time and effort spent unpacking, its time for us to head to Montana for a quick little visit. My cousin David will be in town visiting and I couldnt miss the opportunity to see him. We have not seen one another since our wedding six years ago! 
This trip, the girls and I would once again be flying solo. Its a new one for the girls and its a drive I have done only a few times in my life. It should be quite the adventure. Shaun had planned to come with us but the job search started to heat up, so we felt that staying behind in the event of an interview was the best thing to do. As always I will miss not having my partner in crime on the road with me.
The girls and I left very early this morning with the hopes that we could avoid traffic heading into Bellevue and on I-90 heading towards Snoqualmie Pass. That and the drive is about 11 hours with stops, so I wanted to have plenty of time to travel but still get in at a decent time. So we left home just as the sun was starting to rise and it was beautiful.
Good morning Snoqualmie!

The drive over Snoqualmie was beautiful. It was a cloudy and somewhat drizzly morning, with some low hanging clouds through the pass.The girls quietly watched movies and drifted in and out of sleep. The drive out through central Washington was a smoky one. Fires in the Southeastern Cascades were growing due to the heat of the summer and the wind was blowing east, right into the valleys. It was still a pretty drive and of course I had the stretch of highway, about 18 miles worth, that had all of the local crops labeled. It keeps you busy for a while.

A stop in Spokane for some lunch and gas gave me the break I needed just before heading over 4th of July and Lookout passes. Both have very steep accents and descents, so its nice to rest the brain and the eyes before tackling them. Luckily driving through Idaho’s panhandle and the two passes was a breeze. The weather was beautifully clear and traffic was minimal. My type of driving.

Pit stop just inside Montana State Lines. Even the rest stops here are beautiful!

Heading over Homestake! The last major mountain pass before our destination!

Summer thunderstorm rolling in, so pretty!

The remainder of the trip was pretty uneventful and absolutely beautiful. Its so true that my heart belongs in the mountains of Montana. Every time we visit, I love it more and more. Driving from Seattle now gives us the chance to see more of it too! The mountains, the big beautiful and meandering rivers, and the amount of uninhabited open space. There is just something magical about this place that I just cannot describe.

When we arrived late in the afternoon a summer mountain thunderstorm was rolling in. What a greeting! You could smell the rain in the air and feel the warm temperatures cool a bit. The lightening and thunder tonight have been spectacular and I have a feeling there will be more. Nothing really beats a summer thunderstorm in the mountains. So glad to be here but missing Shaun a lot.

Fairy Beds

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The girls rooms are taking shape! Everything is unpacked, clothes are put away, toys are out! The last thing that needs to go up are the remaining decorations and pictures. We kind of decided that we wanted to give the girls a bit of a theme to their room and since they love fairies and butterflies we did just that. So we found these cools leaves to put over their beds, like canopies, and we made them fairy beds. As you can tell, the girls love them. Their room is really starting to feel like their own!

The Hard Work Continues?

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It was hot today. And humid. So we did some work in the morning and then got out of the house. We don’t have AC, like most homes here and the fans can only do so much. So unpacking in the middle of the day just doesn’t work.  
Instead of unpacking we went to the park for some play time and some shade. Then afterwards we headed over to DQ for a yummy treat. Ellie then discovered her talent of hanging her spoon from her nose and I was lucky enough to capture it. What talent! Love this little face and her sisters too, but she wouldn’t let me take a picture.

Ellie’s Very First Ferry Ride

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The last day and a half we have been working our tails off on cleaning and unpacking. Its getting pretty repetitive. Its been warm here too, high 80’s to low 90’s with 70% humidity and no AC. In the middle of the afternoon today, we decided that enough was enough and we needed to get out and away from the heat. As a break and a bit of a treat, we decided to take a ferry ride. But 
This wasn’t just any ferry ride, it was Ellie’s very first ferry ride! She has heard stories from us and especially from Abby about riding the ferries in Seattle and now she was going to get the chance to ride one! The idea of driving your car onto a boat is pretty thrilling for a three year old. Heck, its pretty thrilling for an adult too.

Today we decided to go from Edmonds over to Kingston and then take the Bainbridge ferry into Seattle. It seemed proper to give Ellie the full tour and she would get to see the Seattle skyline on the way back. Being that its a work day, the wait at the ferry was short and with very few cars. As we waited the train passed by too!

All smiles and ready for her first ferry ride!
Pudget sound looking North at Mt. Baker from the ferry.
Two adorable sisters. Abby was being a great helper showing Ellie around and telling her what the ferry was all about.
Mt. Rainer on a gorgeous and clear day. Love the place we live!
Daddy and Ellie enjoying a beautiful first ride on the ferry
Mommy and Ellie enjoying her first ride on the ferry!
Love having the wind in their hair and the air in their face.

Ellie giggled nervously as we drove on but then was excited to stop. Better yet, she was thrilled that we actually got out of the car and stand out on the “boat”. Abby was a great big sister and tried to explain everything about the ferry to Ellie. We spent some time out on the deck watching everything pass by. The day was perfectly clear, which allowed us to see Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier and the Olympics. All I kept hearing from Ellie was “WOW, so pretty!”

After the ride over we stopped for a quick bite, did a bit of driving and then headed over to Bainbridge to take the ferry back. Tonight was a full moon and the sky, as the sun set and the moon rose, was spectacular. As we sat and waited for the ferry, we had the chance to watch the moon rise and the beautiful colors of the sky. So pretty.

Full moon over Puget Sound at the Bainbridge Ferry Terminal.
Moon-rise over the Sound
A very happy and the Seattle skyline.
Sisters and the best of friends.

Once on the ferry we headed up on deck. The sun had pretty much set but the moon kept the sky well lit. Once we rounded the corner out of Bainbridge, Ellie could see the skyline and she was so excited. Never before had she seen the Seattle skyline lit up at night and when she realized that she could see the Space Needle she couldn’t stop jumping around and giggling. It was probably the best way to end a perfect day and a perfect first ferry ride. That’s one thing that Ellie can check off of her list of things to do!

Ellie’s New Big Girl Bed

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The first and only bed to built to be built tonight was Ellie’s and its a very special moment! 
Just before we moved we said goodbye to Ellie’s crib. I think mommy was more attached to it then Ellie was but that a whole different story. So, the bed Shaun built today was Ellie’s new big girl bed! She is so proud of it and excited to sleep in it. Now we just need to unpack the truck and get the mattress so she can sleep in it! Very exciting but I have to admit, it makes me sad to see her growing up. Such is life but I am excited for our little Ellie Belly!

A Little Prep Time Before Move In!

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Its nice to be in Seattle and no longer on the road. I don’t think I can describe how good it feels. We are not completely out of the woods yet, but a lot of the stress is done. Our last hurdle will be move in day tomorrow but once that has been completed, the truck will be dropped off and out of our hair for good.

Most of the day today was prepping some of the house for move in tomorrow. Shaun’s back spasms during our trip up a week and a half ago kept us from building the furniture that we needed finished, so his plan was to do that. The most important of those being Abby and Ellie’s new beds. Having their room set up and decorated as soon as possible is very important to us. A move isn’t easy on little kids, so we wanted to make sure they feel settled as soon as possible.

We slept in a little this morning, needing the extra rest and then headed out to get our day going. After breakfast, we headed to the house for the first time with Abby and Ellie. Abby had been with us when we looked at it back in May but she had yet to see it empty and with the changes we had made. They loved the house and when they saw their pink room, they were ecstatic. Both of them really wanted a pink room and we delivered.

New House New Rules! No Shoes!
Checking out our cool new balcony!
Enjoying a good run through the very empty living room.
Loving their new pink room!

After showing the girls around the house, we went out for a while so that Shaun could work on their beds in silence. The girls and I did some needed shopping at Target and then showed Ellie the new “pine cone park” that I know will become a fast favorite. Shaun attempted to put together their new beds while we were away but that task ended up being a bigger project than we thought it would be. One was accomplished and the other had to be left for tomorrow. Its a good thing we are still staying in a hotel tonight, otherwise only one of us would have a bed to sleep in!

A Little Mermaid Rockin’ Kids Party!

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Our littlest monkey is turning three in a few short days. Three! I really cannot believe it. I honestly don’t know where the time has gone. I say that every year with each of the girls birthdays but its the truth. I don’t know where the time has gone!
This year, because of the move, we opted to have a party away from the house. We knew that by this time we would be knee deep in boxes with most of our kitchen packed and we wouldn’t have a proper place for people to sit. So we decided to have Ellie’s Ariel themed birthday party at their favorite play place, Rockin’ Kids in Simi Valley.
Enjoying some play time with their favorite boyfriend, Harrison.
The adorable little birthday girl already sweaty from running around and playing with friends.
Sisters having a blast!
The Little Mermaid party theme! There was only so much decorating that I could do but I thought it looked cute.
Balloons and party bags from the Birthday Girl!
The dads have to keep busy too! The best way to do that is by playing a little air hockey.
The whole gang taking a snack and hydration break. 
Big cheese from the Birthday Girl.
So great to see familiar faces! Thank you to Barbara and Mile for coming to a kids place to hang out even though their kid is close to graduating from college.
Abby, Ellie and Grandma Zoe enjoying some snacks and smiles!
The cake! Super bummed that I didnt get to make it this year or even get her traditional ice cream cake, but this one was delicious.
Blue frosting tongue! That, or he just ate a smurf!
“Touch my presents and I will bite you!”
The Guerrero Family, now a family of four! This was our first time meeting Owen and boy what a cutie he is!
Abby and Ellie hamming it up with Auntie Fran!
Lots and lots of sisters!
“I got the Mermaid Barbie that I always wanted!”

Ellie had a wonderful afternoon with Abby and Harrison. Her party also gave us the chance to visit with some friends and family. This was kind of the last hurrah with people before the big move. After this party and our quick trip up to prep the house we wont have a lot of time to visit with people.

Ellie wore herself out, loaded up on cake and crashed later on that evening. After the party we opened presents from mommy, daddy and Grandma Zoe. Ellie loved everything she got especially her Barbie Mermaid and her Fisher Price Little Mermaid and Prince Erick Shell Carriage. What a fun and special day for our little cupcake!

Early Birthday and Goodbyes

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This morning Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Jillian had to hit the read and head back to Montana. Boy the time flew by so fast! We had a lot of fun though and of course had to celebrate one last time before they took off. Since they couldn’t come to Ellie’s birthday party we opened presents together before their departure. Ellie enjoyed it and so did the rest of us! 
Once it was all said and done off they went. I was sad to see them go but I knew that in just a few short weeks we would be moving closer to them. It kept me going and certainly made our goodbyes a bit easier. See you soon Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Jillian!
Lots of lovely presents and a toy or two from Disneyland to open!
So proud of her castle present.
Look a new bathing suit and cover up, with Ariel on it!
Big bags require standing up and digging. There must be good things in this one!
“Grandma, can you read me my card please?”
“Now I get to be a real Doc McStuffins. Time for your check up!”

Our Disneyland Adventure – Day Two

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The following morning we woke from a very restful slumber, ready and excited for a day of fun. OK, that was Shaun and I but the girls took some coaxing to wake up. Once they were awake though, it was game on! We dressed and packed up quickly and soon we were on our way to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Abby passed out in bed. Twenty minutes later she was bouncing around the room ready to get going. 
Ellie passed out and sleeping across the bed. Yes, that meant I had a foot in the kidney most of the night but I still slept well!

The day started over in California Adventure. We wanted to do all of the favorites over there before heading over to Disneyland for the rest of the day. Abby and Ellie had fun on The Little Mermaid, Luigi’s Flying Tires, Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree, Monsters Inc. and more. They also had the chance to see a few of their favorite but more obscure characters like Jake and Mr. and Mrs. Incredible!

So excited for a day with the mouse!
Waiting in line for Luigi’s Flying Tires. Abby was super excited to ride this one.
Hanging with Auntie Jillian while we wait for our turn on Luigi’s Flying Tires
Abby and Daddy flying along!
Lots of fun on Luigis Flying Tires!
Ellie and Auntie Jillian having a great time!
Grandma and Grandpa embracing their inner child. It’s Disneyland, its allowed!
A “Pit Stop” at Flo’s before moving on to the next exciting ride.
“No pictures while I am eating, please.”
Grandma at Radiator Springs Racers… They loved it!
I love Cars Land. Disney did such an amazing job recreating Radiator Springs!
All ready to spin on Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree!
Grandma and Auntie Jillian well… embracing that inner child again!
Finished up with Monsters now we are waiting on Auntie Jillian!
Enjoying the Mad Tea Party chairs… Anything Alice is worthy of Auntie Jillian’s attention!
“Welcome to Hollywood!!”
Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates loved Ellie’s glasses.
Can you tell that Ellie really loves Jake. Such a big smile!
We never get to see the Incredibles! This was so awesome to get a picture with them. More so for Abby than Ellie.

After California Adventure, we made our way over to Disneyland. On our way Ellie fell asleep and missed out on the one character that we wanted to see before leaving. Donald Duck. Every time we go to Disneyland she wants to see him and take a picture but we never find him. This time he was there in all his cranky glory with a small line and Ellie was too passed out to wake up. Oh well, another time I guess! Instead we continued on our way over to New Orleans Square for a birthday lunch at Blue Bayou, how exciting!

A special pirate chest cake just for Ellie. It was yummy!

After lunch it was time for more fun and rides. First up was Pirates of the Caribbean. Abby was not so thrilled about this but we gave her a cotton candy incentive. She hopped right on. Both girls were very brave and once we were off, wanted to go again! After Pirates it was on to Winnie the Pooh and then Jillian, Grandpa and myself used out Fast Passes for Splash Mountain. I am so glad our pass was for the afternoon. It gave us time to dry off in the warm weather and not in the cool of the evening. After our soak we headed over to Big Thunder Ranch to rest and dry off. We were even serenaded by a rather lovely singing cowboy. Too cute! After our visit to big thunder it was off to Fantasyland for some more fun!

Our brave girls in line for Pirates of the Caribbean. It took bribing Abby with cotton candy to get her to go one, but she did and had a blast!
Auntie Jillian and I just as we were taking off. Nice and dry at this moment.
This is Auntie Jillian and myself after several good soakings on big and a few not so big drops. Soaked from head to toe.
Visiting the animals at Big Thunder Ranch… This beautiful horse named Belle was quite the love bug and wanted lots of loves and scratches.
Checking out the goats with Grandpa Jerry. Abby wasn’t too keen on this one. One day she wont be so afraid anymore.
Let’s climb Rapunzel’s tower!
Lots and laughs and giggles while we wait in line to see a few of the lovely princesses.
The girls were so excited to meet Snow White for the very first time. Ellie and Abby showed her how to dance and Snow White tried very hard. It was very cute. She was a great Snow White.
Ellie always gets a bit shy when she meets her favorite Princess Ariel.
Luckily she is never to shy to stop and take a picture.
Auntie Jillian, Abby and Ellie stop for a quick dip in the tea cup!

After some time spent roaming around Fantasyland, it was off to Toon Town. That was Abby’s request. We spent some time in Minnie’s house and also had the chance to see Mickey! Ellie kept telling Mickey she was turning three. I think she is excited for her upcoming birthday! After a good tour around Toon Town we took a ride on Its A Small World and then made plans for dinner. The girls were starting to wind down, the fireworks were close to starting and everyone was hungry. Luckily we snagged a good table at the Plaza Inn and had the chance to eat dinner and watch the fireworks too.

Tea time at Minnie’s house!
It’s Mickey’s laundry room! Lets all strike a pose!
Ellie was blown away by the fact that Mickey was in the mirror! Such a cute moment!
Showing Mickey and anyone who will look that she is turning three!
So happy to see Mickey and loving every minute of the day.
Sometimes a day at Disneyland makes you sleep at the dinner table, under your blanket, during the fireworks.

I couldn’t help it but the fire works had me emotional. OK, I cried. It was surreal knowing that this was the last time we would go to Disneyland for a while. I know we will come back again but it wouldn’t at our leisure. We would see it in a new light, as a vacation not just a day trip. It made me realize that we would be moving very soon and it made me a bit sad and nostalgic. Trust me, our move to Seattle has me very excited and I cannot wait to go but we are still leaving a lot of things that are familiar to me, to us. I think what had me the most was watching the girls, their excitement and the way their eyes light up any time we walked through those gates. I guess it wont happen as often but when it does their excitement and the light in their eyes will be ten fold. 

There a lot of changes and new things coming our way, its scary and exciting at the same time but it was wonderful to make one last memory here. Now its time to take on the future and see where the next path will take us. All I know is that I couldn’t have asked for better people to take that path with. 

Our Disneyland Adventure – Day One

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Two busy days of stage rehearsals and recitals have come to an end. As I said before, its a bittersweet feeling and while it was chaotic I am going to miss it. Now it was time to relax and enjoy some time with Grandma, Grandpa and Auntie Jillian. Since this would be the last time they visit California for a while, we decided it would a blast to head to one of our favorite places in Southern California and do it up the right way! So off to the Happiest Place on Earth we went.
Our plan was to stay at the Paradise Pier Hotel, one of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels. However, when we arrived it was discovered that our reservation was incorrect and the hotel was completely booked for the night. I nearly jumped over the reservation desk and strangled the gentleman who was “helping” us. Once it was determined that we had been booked for the wrong day he basically told us it was our problem and to check other places. Luckily my dad and Shaun kept their cool and kept me under wraps. Shaun called his friend who booked the reservation for us and all was fixed. Instead of the Paradise Pier Hotel, we now had reservations at the Disneyland Hotel! I guess things really do happen for a reason.
At the Paradise Pier Hotel and ready for a great time at the Happiest Place on Earth.

Our experience at the Disneyland Hotel was far better then we expected, especially after the gentleman at the Paradise Pier. We were quickly checked in and she was very mindful of the fact that we had two rooms and wanted to be as close to one another as possible. She wasn’t able to put us on the same floor but later on while we were at dinner, she found us and moved rooms so that we were all on the same floor! She went above and beyond for us and that made us completely forget about the problems earlier.

After check in we scurried over for a surprise dinner at Goofy’s Kitchen. The girls were so excited to have dinner with their favorite Disney Characters. We were also celebrating Ellie’s birthday since Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Jillian couldn’t stay in town for Ellie’s party. We had such a great time and Goofy, Minnie and Mickey all came around to sing Happy Birthday to Ellie too! She was smiling from ear to ear.

Dinner time at Goofy’s Kitchen!
Princess Aurora stopped by to say hello to two very excited princesses.
Here comes Goofy with his pals Minnie and Mickey to sing Happy Birthday to Ellie!
Saying hello to Minnie Mouse!
Look Mom… No Hands!
Cupcake bliss!

After dinner it was time to hit the hay and get ready for our day at Disneyland. We had never stayed at the Disneyland Hotel before, so coming up to the room was quite the treat. Having the Tinker Bell button made the night for the girls. Disney always knows how to do things right. Sure you pay for it but I think its worth every penny to see the smiles on Abby and Ellie’s faces and hear them squeal in delight. What a night it was. Its amazing how mistakes can make things better in the end.

“The Tinker Bell button makes the whole room sparkle” – Ellie
We slept the entire night with our sparkly lights on. It was a perfect night.

Ellie – Dumb Dog

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Ellie’s still little and with that comes the element of complete surprise. Stage rehearsals can go horribly for some little dancers and then they are wonderful for the recital. The exact opposite can happen as well. A little one can really enjoy and love being on stage at rehearsal but then meltdown completely when it comes to having a full audience, brighter lights and all the things that might overwhelm a child. 
Because of this, I took video of Ellie at rehearsal and for the actual show, just in case. Lucky for us she was wonderful for both occasions, so I thought I would share both of them with you. As you can probably tell, the top video is from stage rehearsal and the bottom is from recital. Hope you enjoy!