A little of this, A little of that

We've had a busy couple of weeks but nothing as exciting as the bus fire has happened!  School for all three of us has been going great.  Brad is keeping busy with his Young Men's calling and is still working hard in school with all sorts of group projects.  He graduates in May, he's worked really hard in his program and I'm really proud of how well he's done!  Ella is really enjoying going to her "school" as well.  It was kind of a rough adjustment for her when we switched her day-cares, but she seems to really like it there and is always so happy when we come to pick her up.  She is learning so much everyday and it blows me away with how easily she can pick up on things.  She is really starting to talk more and more!  It's so fun to be able to some-what carry on a conversation with her (it still requires quite a bit of translating on my part and repeating words on her part).  School is going great for me also.  This semester is a lot more relaxed than last semester and we have started seeing some patients!  It's very exciting.  Anyway, here are some pictures....  (p.s. I didn't realize how long this post was until I was finished, so I apologize in advance)

 

The other day I only had to go to school until noon and so I was able to pick up Ella early.  Unfortunately she was NOT in the best of moods.  We call her Ella the grouch on days like this one.  She wouldn't lay down for a nap and even though I had a paper and a test due the next day, nothing compares to cuddling on the couch with your baby!  So that's just what we did...cuddled

The next few pictures are just of Ella being silly.  She has so much personality and makes me laugh all day long with her silliness. She also has a ridiculous amount of attitude but can get out of any sort of trouble with a smile and laugh.  How do kids learn how to be so manipulative with their charm...

Ella being silly while eating her favorite snack, applesauce.

Ella climbing in our pantry closet probably looking for some sort of treat.  Notice her "I'm busted" face!

I sent Ella in to get me a diaper so I could change her.  She was taking a long time and I could hear her talking to herself so I decided I should go and check on her.  She had found her diapers but instead of bringing one to me she decided to climb into the drawer that held them.  I guess she thought that it was the perfect seat. 

Brad and I went out for the first time together on Valentine's Day.  Ever since we started dating and since we've been married we've never been able to go out together on V-day so we decided this was the year.  Papa Murphy's makes heart shaped pepperoni pizzas (shown above) and we ate that for dinner.   We got one of the Young Women in our ward to watch Ella and went out to a movie--Confessions of a Shopaholic.  I loved it!  Sooo my type of movie! 

Ella got an awesome art kit from Grandma Jan and Grandpa for Valentines day.  She loves to color and was very excited to see all the markers and crayons.  She's giving her best "cheeeese" face for this picture!

From Grandma Sharon Ella got a Leap Frog fridge alphabet.  I thought it was going to run out of batteries on the first day--she played the alphabet non-stop!  This has been the best toy for her.  Before we got this Ella probably could identify maybe 4-5 letters.  We've had it for a week and the other night she knew every single letter!  We were so surprised.  We knew she was learning them but had no idea she knew all of them.  It's funny because she still can't sing the song but she is getting better at it!

My Bus Is On Fire!!

So, funny story.  On Tuesdays I get out of school late so Brad goes and picks Ella up from the babysitters and I ride the bus home.  I don't mind riding the bus and it's usually no big deal and uneventful.  Today however was a different story. 

 It had been drizzling pretty much all day and I had to wait a long time for the bus to come.  It was terrifying from the start.  I get on and the driver is having problems getting the bus to go.  It wouldn't accelerate but after a while we were able to get on the freeway.  She was a Craaazy driver, and what is that?...a burning rubber smell, great!  

We made it, who knows how, on and off the freeway when all the sudden we hear some sort of explosion coming from the bus.  Me and my bus mates thought it was a tire.  But, oh no, the honking motorist yelling out the window of her car informed us that the explosion came from UNDER the bus and it had started a FIRE.  That's right a fire, we are talking like actual flames engulfing the bus.  I really didn't think that the fire trucks were going to get there before the bus exploded.  Basically, I could have died.  Ok, not really but it was quite eventful.  

All the people around me on the bus were laughing because I was already on edge and when I heard the explosion I hurried and called Brad and said I was getting off on the first stop and asked if he could come and get me.  Little did everyone know that we would ALL have to get off the bus!  I sure wish that I had my camera with me, but I didn't so you will have to use your imagination!