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!

Another Snow Day

I slept HORRIBLY last night because I kept waking up to big loud crashing noises.  I looked outside to see what was going on and saw that tree branches were starting to brake and fall off the trees!  The ice added a lot of weight to all the tree branches and then we got more snow on top of all the ice.  The tree limbs just couldn't handle all the added weight.  And for those of you who live out here know how many trees there are everywhere.  So, this morning we went out to investigate all the damage.  Here are some pictures of what we found...

Both of the trees above were ones that I heard brake and fall last night.  They are both right outside our bedroom window.  

This tree  was a few feet down from those other two pictures.  It is a huge tree and a big portion of it broke off.  

And this is what is under that huge tree that fell.  It's one of our neighbors SUV.  You can barely see it hidden under there!  Crazy

I just thought this little tree looked pretty.  It has little frozen berries on it!

Someone made this little snowman.  It was only like 2 feet tall.  Don't you just love the little frozen branches used for the arms...

Snow Day

Today we were lucky enough to enjoy a SNOW DAY!  Last night we got a few inches of snow, but we also got freezing rain.  Classes got cancelled and they even closed the Dental Clinic which hardly ever happens.  It literally has rained ALL day today and it is still coming down (it's like 10 pm right now).  It's cold so the rain turns to ice pretty quickly.  I know ice storms can be very dangerous when you are out driving and can cause things like power outages and stuff, but they make things look so beautiful!  Everything is coated with ice; sidewalks, cars, snow, and all the bushes and tree branches.  Here are some pictures that I took today...

Our frozen sidewalk!  Our poor neighbor totally ATE IT while walking on it today.  Now when you see him walking to his car he goes straight through the snow!

Some frozen branches.  Look how thick the ice is!

Some more frozen branches

Brad went out to clean off the car.  It had a thick layer of ice on top of the snow and you could break it off in big chunks.  

Family Pictures

Before my little brother left on his mission to Brazil we had some family pictures taken.  My mom gave them to me for Christmas so I decided to post them.  It was just kind of spare of the moment so it's totally casual and we don't have a color scheme or anything, but I thought they turned out so cute!  I don't have any pictures of my whole family so I was very excited to get these!

This is me with my sisters, brother, and Mom and Dad.

This is the whole clan!  

Even though it is the middle of January, I decided that it would still be ok if I posted some pictures from our Christmas vacation.  We were able to go back to Utah to visit our families!  I was so sad when I realized that I had left without packing my camera, so I relied on others taking pictures for me and then waited until they were e-mailed to me.  I was so excited to get to Utah and see family and friends.  We had a fabulous time staying up late and playing games and then sleeping in until 10 in the morning.   It was awesome!  Here are some of the pics that I have so far...

On Dec. 18, Brad and I had our 4 year anniversary!  He knew how much I love the show "Good Things Utah" and miss being able to watch it since we don't live in Utah anymore, so he took me to it and we were guests in the audience.  It's LIVE and they have fun segments like cooking and crafting and things like that.  Brad was a little self-conscious since it is a "girl show" but he was a great sport and we had a ton of fun.  Here I am with the hosts of the show: (L to R) Necia, Marti, and Reagan (yes we are on a first name basis)!

 

This is me, my sister Kim, and my niece Aubrey.  We had the fam over to Kim's house and made Chinese food and devoured it!  Kim makes the most delicious orange chicken.  The chinese food dinner is something that I look forward to when I come to visit!

Alison, Lauren and Ella hanging out on Lauren's bed.  What cute cousins!

Ella with her "happy" face during dinner.  Notice the big blob of ketchup on her plate.  That girl sure loves her ketchup.  She will eat anything if she can dip it in ketchup....is that weird?

Ella and her terrifying encounter with Santa Clause (notice I'm not the one taking her up to see him--people in costume just freak me out!)  When we told her that Santa would give her a present she wanted to go up and see him, but as she got closer the more nervous she got and burst into tears when it was her turn to see him.  When he said he had a present for her she immediately stopped crying and very carefully took it from him and then wanted nothing else to do with him.  It was pretty cute.

Ella showing off her new PJ's and her cute boots that she got from Grandma Sharon.  She loves those boots!

Brad, Ella, and I at the Joseph Smith Memorial building.  The tree behind us was beautiful.  We also looked at the lights at Temple Square.  It was so cold and there were sooo many people, but the lights were gorgeous and you can't help but have a wonderful feeling when you are near the Temple!

Free Stuff

Check out this website.  You can get free stuff, and they advertise a different free item every month.  You just have to pay $1 for shipping.  I am not sure of all the rules, but I do know that I've gotten a silicone muffin tin, silicone spatula set, and silicone cookie liner all for $1 each, so see what you think.  Just go to www.easybakeware.com and click on the "freebies" tab. 

Ella is 2!

This week we celebrated Ella's 2nd Birthday!  We didn't do too much, but we tried to make it a special day for our special little girl!  Ella got a kitchen for her birthday and has loved opening and closing all the cabinets and putting together all sorts of imaginary concoctions!  I see a chef in the making!  Here are a few pictures:

Ella enjoyed a scrumpcious Happy Meal from McDonald's.  They made the crown for her at school.

 

This little apron came with her play kitchen and looks so cute on her!  My very own little Betty Crocker!

Yummy birthday cake.  She was so nice to share with me!

It is hard to believe that two years ago we had the surprise of our lives when Ella decided to come 13 weeks early!  Every time I look at her I am reminded that she truly is a miracle.  We feel so blessed to have her part of our family!  Ella, we sure love you and enjoy watching you grow more and more every day.  I'm so proud to be your Mom!

Ella, 2 weeks old