Christmas 2011

I finally got the three kids to sit still so I could get a picture of them with their favorite gifts.

Ella opening up her presents.

Ali showing her drawing kit.

Kade opening up his gifts.

He loved his lightening McQueen remote control car.

Ella's first Christmas, she sure loved to play with the tree ornaments.

Ali dancing to songs on her kindle.

Ali and mom trying to figure out the kindles.

Ella playing with her patty-cake dog.

Ali showing off her Kindle.  What a cutie!!

We had a hard time getting Kade to open his presents because he wanted to see what everyone else was opening.

We had a hard time getting Ella to look at the camera; she was too busy playing and exploring all the new things around her.

Due to Alan having to work at the Hospital on Christmas Morning Santa visited us on Christmas Eve.  Kade and Ali were so excited to both get Kindles and Ella loved her patty-cake Dog.  We all had such a great Christmas and the kids were spoiled as you can tell from the pictures. 

Christmas lights at the Zoo!!

We decided to go to the zoo and see the lights instead of going down to temple square this year.   When we got there it started to snow.  I didn't mind it made it a beautiful winter wonderland. We went with Sandy's family and had a fabulous time, as always, being with them. 

The kids love this statue!!  Every time we go to the zoo we have to pose with it. 

Justin wanted to see how he compared to a gorilla.  This picture made us laugh because Justin's arm look like they are mega long :)

Kaders got so cold that he said he couldn't walk anymore.  Luckily Zach was there to save the day. 

 Ella's little cheeks were so red and I don't think she was loving the cold. 

Ali and Charly best cousins ever!!!

Kade showing us the cool 3-D glasses.  He was the only one who kept looking through the glasses at the lights. 

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

Life lately has handed me and my cute family a lot of lemons and while I have tried to make lemonade it hasn't been the easiest.  Alan has been working a lot...like every single day.  I am so thankful for a husband that works so hard for our little family so I can stay home but I really like to spend time with my husband.  In this past year we have gone from working with each other to most nights maybe getting an hour or two with each other.  Wednesday was our 11th wedding anniversary and we had decided that this year we weren't going to do anything because we just wanted to stay home and enjoy our little family.  Well that didn't work out Alan ended up having to do something else and I was feeling a little down because of it.  So I decided to get online and reply to some emails when I noticed that Fox 13 and Morris Murdock Travel had sent me an e-mail.  I opened it to see that I had won a 7 day cruise for 2.  At first I thought that it was a junk e-mail but as I kept reading I began to realize it was the real deal.  I replied back to that email and within minutes someone from Fox 13 called me.  The next day I was able to go meet with a travel agent at Morris Murdock Travel to schedule our trip!!!  My not so great anniversary turned out to be great!!!!  Alan and I are so very excited to go on this trip.  We can't wait to have some one on one time with one another...it is way overdue.  I am a little nervous to leave my kids especially little Ella but Alan and I need this.  I can't seem to stop smiling.  Thankfully I have an amazing sister who is willing to take time off work to watch my kids.  I don't know what I'd do without you Sandy, so THANKS.  Can't wait for December and to have my husband around for 8 whole days!!!

Family Pictures

Six months

I can't believe Ella is six months old, where did the last six months go?!!!  She is getting so big.  She crawls a little bit and has even started pulling her self up to a standing position.  Her first word was MaMa and not far behind that was DaDa.  Ella is such a mama's girl and I am loving every minute of it.  She loves playing with Kade and Ali.  Kade and Ella laugh all the time together and I am so glad that they love each other sooo much.  Ali is such a big help with her and Ella loves her big sister.  She also loves to eat!!!!  I am so excited to finally have a baby that likes food.  Right now her favorite baby food is Peas.  She also loves any food that she can feed to herself.  We are all so excited that Ella joined our family.  WE LOVE YOU!!!!  

Just realized I haven't blogged in forever and I need to play some serious catching up.  So stay tuned much to come :)

Kade has always been a really funny kid.  He is always making us laugh.  We had the opportunity to go to Wolf Creek with my Aunt Jo and Sandy's family.  While we were up there we played tennis.  Kade had been swinging his Racket pretending to hit the ball when it would fly by.  One time he swung and hit the ball and he yells "now that's what I'm talking about"!!!!! 

OpPoSitE DaY

Ali was so excited to go to school today because it was opposite day!!!  We had a lot of fun putting together a crazy outfit and turning her clothes inside out and backwards.  She also decided she wanted to wear two different shoes.  When we went to do her hair she wanted it spiky and sticking straight up...after a lot of talking I finally convinced her to do ponytails that stuck straight up.  She had a lot of fun at school and all her friends told her she looked awesome.  She is already planning her outfit for next year. 

LOVE *sigh*

Today is one of those days where I can't help but feel grateful for all the wonderful things I have been blessed with in my life.  I am so blessed to have three beautiful children who love each other so much. 

They are so fun to watch.  Ali is such a great help to me and I am so excited to see how close Ella and Ali will become.  I hope they will always get along, I know there are going to be fights along the way, but I hope they will become the best of friends.  There is nothing better in this world then knowing you have a sister that loves you unconditionally, no matter what and I am lucky enough to have two of them.  Kade has become such a little man since Ella has joined our family.  He has been so gentle with Ella.  He loves to rub her cheeks and say "Hello Ella, I love you".  Every time he says it, it melts my heart.  He still loves my elbow and even though it annoys me at times I am glad that we have our elbow time together.  Ali and Kade are also extremely close I hope they remain this close always.  I am so overwhelmed with love in my life right now and can't imagine my little family without Ella.  I remember thinking our family was complete before we had Ella and now I know she was truly meant for our little family.  I am also so grateful for the chance I have to be a stay at home mom right now.  I have never been able to just enjoy my kids without the stress of work.  I am realizing how important it is to be at home with my family.  I hope I can be the mom that my mom was to me.  I hope I can be a compassionate, loving, forgiving, and understanding mother.  Now on to the love of my life.  Man I love my husband.  I am so glad I get to share my life with him.  I am so grateful for the hard worker that he is which allows me to stay home with our children.  I am so glad I get to spend forever with him.  He truly is the love of my life and my best friend.  I could go on and on and on right now but Ella is asleep and as full as my heart is at the moment with blessings that I want to share my bed is calling my name.  Goodnight!!!!      

Valentine

As Ali was getting ready for school on Valentine's Day she said "mom I don't want to go to school today".  It shocked me because she always wants to go to school.  I asked her why and she said "I am worried a boy is going to give me a valentine that says he loves me and then I am gonna have to marry him and I don't want to get married yet".  I couldn't help but laugh at what she had said and then I looked at her and she had such a concerned look on her face.  I explained that valentines were just for fun and no one would have to get married because of them.  She seemed very relieved and replied "great, is it time to go to school yet"?  She cracks me up.

Tonight before Ali went to dance she said "I just need to love my baby sister before I go to dance".  She was late but Ali says the cuddle session was worth it!

Ella Jean Andersen

Here she is our amazing little girl. She was born on January 21st weighing in at 8 lbs. 10oz. 19 inches long. She is beautiful. Ali and Kade loved her at first sight as did Mommy and Daddy. She is such a good eater and I am so glad...crossing my fingers that it continues. I keep looking at her and am so incredibly happy that she has joined our little family. She is such a blessing in our life and we just can't get enough of her.