Happy New Year, Finally!

I have to say, here's hoping for a quieter, happier 2011!  2010 was stress for this house from the beginning.  Tim lost his job the start of the year, during which I was enjoying the early pregnancy joys.  Then, my job became the biggest stress I've ever experienced in my life.  Finally that ended, but not before I could stress out about who would be there to take care of me while I had my baby.  After Anissa was born, it was stressful only in the fact that Tim hadn't found a job yet.  However, we got to end the year in stress as well.  The week before Christmas, Tim went on his first business trip-it ended up being fine, but as soon as he got home, we left for Grand Forks to see Ben graduate.  Well, Miss Anissa decided that she didn't want to leave uncle Ben so soon-she got pneumonia and we had to stay the night in the hospital there.  Then, I just finished up reloading everything on my latest hard drive.  Hopefully, the 3rd hard drive is a charm! Ay-yi yi! So there are a lot of pictures on this post since it has been so long since my last.  I didn't include all of my pictures since October, but oh well. 

 Here's my little trouble maker-at 5 months.  Now she is almost 6 months old!  She just discovered her piggies and likes to eat them.  She has also discovered her tongue and sticks it out and curls it up quite often.  We are working on sitting up-she's doing pretty well.  We started solids a few weeks ago and then promptly had to quit since she was pretty ill.  She has started up again and has tried yogurt to help combat the ickies that come with antibiotics.  She wasn't quite sure about the coldness of the yogurt, but we're getting the hang of it.  We are working on napping in her crib and that is going okay.  She has gotten better with the car rides-thankfully! 

This is last night-up until last night, she was VERY stingy with her giggles, but for some reason, she just thought Ellery was HILARIOUS and was belly laughing for near 15 minutes.  Adorable!!!

Jones Christmas

We had Tim's family over on sunday to celebrate Christmas.  Everyone playing Wheel of Fortune.  They look bored, but it was pretty fun.  Nate even told Grammy he was going to "own this game" and then promptly lost.  It was a good time.

 Auntie Janet

Christmas morning

 Jamming-Santa brought an electric guitar and a drum set.  We've become a bit musical.  He also brought a microphone, but it only worked for a second.  Guess it'll be making a trip back to the North Pole.

Ellery with Julie-her American Girl.  This was her only request for Christmas.

Matching outfits.

 Merry first Christmas sweet girl!

Christmas Eve at my mom's

 With Grandma Frisk.  I am so thankful that my kids have the opportunity to get to know my grandma.  They just love her!

 Uncle Jon and uncle Sara :)

Uncle Ben and Jaime (she hasn't quite embraced the "uncle" thing-yet :o) )

 Enjoying our 1+foot of snow

Gingerbread village.

I think I told them that I was going to eat the village.  Apparently it scared them!

Ellery with her preschool teachers for her Christmas program.

Here is my little sicko! 

In the hospital at Grand Forks.  She doesn't look too bad, but she just wouldn't keep her O2 saturations up.  Scary for mom!

All tired out!  And tired of trying to get that yucky tube out of her nose!

At the water park

In the hot tub-Caleb's favorite spot.  With papa.

 Fun on the big waterslide

 I know this picture is blurry, but it was so great that I had to share.  The joy in their faces-just out of the shoot from the big waterslide.  Ellery really bonded with Uncle Ben for the first time at this waterslide.  Good thing Uncle Ben is like a big kid-he was willing to go down the slide over and over again with her.

 Even Anissa was in the waterpark, but after we went to bed that night is when she really got sick :(

Daddy and his girls!

Even I got into a picture.  She begged me to put Anissa down and come down the slide with her.  It was cold, but really fun and I was glad that she begged me to go!

 See how much she loves her uncle!!

Ellery's Christmas party at dance.

Caleb's gingerbread house from school

That's enough updates for today.  Happy 2011!

Hello again,almost

I am sure that people are wondering where I have been...I took a hiatus and then my harddrive crashed.  So my intention was to post before Christmas and then again right after, but alas here we are in the new year.  I have a new harddrive and I have to get everything put back on it and then I will post.  Sorry for my absence.  Just busy with life and 3 cherubs.  Will update as soon as I can...

Anissa's baptism and others

Anissa was baptised this weekend.  The day was beautiful and we had almost all of our families present.  Afterwards, everyone came back to our house for a nice time there.  A big thank you to everyone.

Here we are with the newly baptised one.

Deacon Rich baptised both girls.  Ryan (my Godson and cousin) and Tonya (my sister at heart and bff) are Anissa's Godparents.

 

With grandma G and Papa.  Thanks for all of your help!!!

With Grammy

My whole family. 

Jaime and Ben, Caleb, my dad

Uncle Sara and Jon, Ellery, Tim, Me, Grandma G (mom) with Anissa

with my other Godchild, Tonya's daughter Aubrey

Uncle Ben and Jaime

Uncle Jon and Uncle Sara
(Caleb started calling her Uncle Sara when he was about 3 and the name stuck-thankfully she likes it!)

   Papa Bob

Auntie Janet

My Godfather (my uncle Dan), me, Anissa, my Godson and Anissa's Godfather-Ryan (who is Dan's son)

Love from great Grandma.

Apple Orchard 2010

This year, we couldn't go to the orchard we usually go to because it had too much hail damage.  We tried a new one-it was okay.  We did get some good apples and I made an apple torte and applesauce with them.

 Yummy apples.

 Silly boy!

 On the tractor-unfortunately we didn't get to actually go on a ride.

Anissa got to join in the fun too.

Ellery's tea party

 I had a small tea party for Ellery and 3 of her friends to celebrate her birthday.  The girls had so much fun playing with eachother! 

I made cupcakes and they had "lemonade tea"

Thats all for this post.  If you haven't been to the blog in a while, mom put a few posts up in september-check 'em out!

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Miss Ellery Lynn is 4 today!

Last night, we celebrated with the family.  Ellery made a haul, though today she was asking where her presents were for today-her actual birthday.  Guess I messed up and should have saved some for today.  She wanted a Belle cake this year so here's my attempt.  It didn't turn out half bad-thanks to my neighbor Sarah for the pan and the photos for inspiration!

At 4 you: know about 1/2 of your letters, can count to 20 (forgetting 15 always), are working on writing your name-you can write an E and L.  You love animals.  Eat most vegetables happily and most fruits too, but you aren't so fond of meat.  You love grapefruit and avocados-I think they might be your favorite.  You seem to have a love of chocolate like your daddy!  You can pedal a bike with training wheels, you learned how to skip.  You are mostly a great listener and are generally always sweet.  You love your brother even when he is mean to you and are very sweet with your baby sister-often saying "I'll calm her, mom" Your love is still your blankie.  You want to take it with you most everywhere and when you leave it, there is no subsitute but you will sort of settle for the blue blankie.  You go to quiet time well and often play quietly or read  for 2 hours.  You LOVE to have books in  your bed at night and read before falling asleep. 

A little walk down memory lane...

Here's my little lady at about 3 months old.

Oohh, that first birthday cake.

Strawberry Shortcake for my little strawberry girl.

Here she is last year.

The Birthday celebration

I found "Go-go" my walking pup and thought she would love it.  I was right. She has been asking for a pet for quite some time-this little dog barks, pants, whines and walks.  Just no mess for mom and an off switch!

She named him Snowy

Playing nicely with her brother on her birthday. 

A few other shots...

Of course I had to get a few matching outfits for the girls...I just couldn't resist.  Aren't they cute!

This was her first official day at preschool.  As predicted, she LOVED it and came home singing the songs they sing and just ecstatic that she got to be there alone.  What a difference from my boy.  I might have a kid who participates in the programs-yeah!

And her first night of dance.  We were a bit rushed since we haven't done dance in the eves before and it was right after dinner.  She is once again loving dance, but she was a little sad that none of her friends from last year were in this class.