Ella on the Rainbow at the Elementary school... Tyler and I played on this very Rainbow when we were her age.

Just a little FYI... The black blanket Maya is setting on is one I made for Tyler in 1993, and the Car seat in the back has now been through four of my children and one cousin. Money well spent.

Ava is a little nervous to climb the rainbow. It's a lot harder than it looks. Trust me I tried it, I just got rid of the proof.

Summer 2008

In the mornings during summer I would go exercise with my friends and Ella knew she was in charge until I got back, looks like this time she thought Maya needed some medicine...

Almost every summer night Ava and Mirandah (and usually Chloe) would end up in our bath tub for hours. Really, it was a great babysitter.

Ah Maya and her chubby cheeks... I could just eat'em up.

Ava and her favorite friends playing in the sprinklers on a hot summer day...

I guess the parade wore these two pioneers out.

Don't let Drew's face fool you, they really had a fun time!

This is on the 24th of July, the kids got to dress up like pioneers and ride in old fashioned bath tubs while their uncle Jeff pulled them in a tractor.

Today (well not really today, I am a few months behind so bare with me) Ella's teacher called me up and asked if I would like to come to her class and watch her get "whizzed" around the room on the "rolly chair" and hear all the nice things her classmates have to say about her? Of course I would she has been talking about this since the first day of school. As it turned out I was working so my mom and I showed up in our painting clothes (when my mom would come to my things in her clothes I would be so embarrassed, but not Ella! She was just so PROUD to have us there, makes me tear up thinking about it). We said a few Wonderful things about her, her Teacher said some Amazing things about her and then her classmates got up one by one and they all (even the boys) said "Oh Ella you are my best friend." "You are so nice and you dress so crazy sometimes (that got me a little...she is a trend setter) They laughed hysterically and We All had a Ball! I can't go anywhere where Ella's teacher is without him saying how Great she is and what an example she is to all her friends. (She really must have got her manners from her dad)

Today is our Sweet Ella's 7th Birthday. I can not believe it has been seven years. I had to look back for a moment and just focus on her. It is hard these days to do that because we now have three other children that need us too, but I do remember when it was (for a lot of the time) just her and I. We would travel back and forth to Kanab together even to Az. She was a great partner and if she got upset I would just sing "Delta Dawn" and she would settle back down into her comfort zone. Tyler worked the grave yard shift so in the mornings while he was trying to sleep Ella and I would first watch an hour of the Wiggles and then walk outside to get the mail and chat with our neighbors. And if that didn't take up much time we would venture on over to Walmart and see what we could find. From day one she loved to shop so I had no excuse not to spend any money. Our time now is different and it is few and far between, but never the less it time well spent. Happy birthday Ella, I could not be the mom of four children without you. You get me through my days in more ways than you will ever know. Your laughter is contagious! Your "quirky" come backs are hilarious, and your heart is so kind! I pray your "hugs and snuggles" never end!!!

That was Ella then.....

Just a cute picture..

I had a great idea to make a purse cake for Ella...it looked so easy on the internet..

The girls decorated the cupcakes for the big birthday party. Ella was giving her expert advice on how to put the sprinkles on.

This would be the third time I baked a cake in two days (this one from scratch). Being so that my Purse cake didn't make the cut...If you are wondering that is a 7 and an E for Ella. (Grandpa Doug thought it was 78, thanks dad.)