FLORIDA!

We finally saved up enough Southwest Airline miles to take a trip- so we decided to go to Orlando and take the kids to Disney World and Sea World. Doug and I went there for our honeymoon- so it is a special place to us. This is the first family vacation we have taken that wasn't to visit family. It was busy but fun! Vacations are so wonderful- they give you a change from the everyday routines and it was so fun to see the kids so excited about everything. As a mom one of the best things is seeing your kids happy- not that you have to go to Disney to do that:)


Nick with his winnings from a Sea World carnival game.


Joselyn after a long day at Sea World. Asleep in her stroller.


Me & Joselyn.


Nick.


The longest we waited in a line was to see Mickey and Minnie. The kids were excited and I have to admit, I was excited when I saw them.


Meeting the white rabbit.


Nick on the slide.


Joselyn loved the Winnie the Pooh play land- especially these pots of honey.


In line at It's a Small World.


Doug & Nick on a ride.


At the Magic Kingdom.


Nick.


Magic Kingdom.


On the ferry ride to Magic Kingdom.


Joselyn loved the sandy play area at Sea World.


Nick


On the carousel.


At Sea World.


Joselyn LOVED the character. She couldn't keep her hands off of them.


Sea World.


Me & my girl.


Joselyn & Nick captivated by the show.


Joselyn with Daddy.


We went early to the dolphin show (which was my favorite) and the dolphins were out swimming. I love this picture.


We had to take a picture of this sign for Nana and in memory of our apartment complex in Seattle that often smelled like ethnic food.


Visiting the World's largest McDonalds.

Doug is 31!

This past week Doug turned 31! We enjoyed going out to dinner and strawberry cheesecake. I'm so grateful that my wonderful husband was born:)

Day After Christmas Birthday Girl

Our sweet Joselyn turned 2. We enjoyed an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese and then went out to eat. Then she opened presents and had cake.


The birthday girl with Daddy.


Joselyn.


After opening presents.


Nick.


Joselyn with Chuck E. Cheese.

Christmas Fun

We had a great Christmas. We all sent some time in Omaha before Christmas and then Doug went back early to work. The kids and I flew back to Denver on Christmas Eve and Doug was so sweet and had prepared all my favorite christmas foods- soup bowls, crackers and cheeseballs, shrimp. Then Christmas day was so fun to see the kids open presents. We stayed in our PJ's all day and played with new toys and games.



Nick with his race car set.


Joselyn with her play kitchen.


Nick with new PJ's on Christmas Eve. You would never guess that in a few hours he would be throwing up all night!


Joselyn in her new PJ's.


Celebrating Joselyn's birthday early in Omaha.

Merry Christmas!!!

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!!!

Nick Started Kindergarten

That’s right Nick started Kindergarten! If we were still living in Seattle he would have missed the cut off date, but in Denver their cut off date is later, so he is able to start Kindergarten. It is so nice to have the school right next to us. Nick rides his scooter to school and I walk with Joselyn in the stroller. I think Nick feels pretty studly cruising up to school on his scooter and with his superhero backpack. It works out great to walk him to school- except when it is raining and we’ll have to see how the snow goes, but for now it is nice. Nick likes not having to ride a bus. He is in the afternoon class, so it is nice not having to rush in the morning and class is 2 ½ hours long. Since Doug has not started work yet, I have been able to go up and volunteer several times. It is fun to see the kids and see how the interact. Nick has a few kids in his class that he also knows through church, so it has been nice to have a few friends that he knew a little before school started. He is liking it.

One thing that surprised me is that he has homework! The teachers request that we do homework with them 4-5 times a week for 20-30 minutes or more:) I was unsure about it, but so far I find it enjoyable to sit down with him and see how much he knows and help him improve. They are teaching him sight words and he is reading a little, and by a little I mean just a few words, but I already see that he is learning a lot. Homework is still new and exciting to him, so we’ll see how things go as the year goes on.


Nick showing off his back pack.


In line on his first day of Kindergarten!

SUMMER

I have a lot of blog updating to do, but I will start with summer highlights. First I got my braces off right before we moved, so that was awesome. My 10 year old sister can no longer call me “the teenager”.

Also, I am so happy to be done with apartment managing. It was such a blessing to get free rent for 5 years and help us go into less debt and it was wonderful to be home with my kids, but I'm so happy to be done! So long apartment managing days! It is so nice to not have people calling to view apartments, or telling me their sink is broken, or telling me someone is parked in their spot. It's no longer my problem. Anyone that has managed can understand my happiness.

Then the move went pretty well. It was so wonderful to have Doug's family help with packing and watching our kids while we packed. It is hard work!!! We moved with PODS and it worked out nicely. We were able to load it up, then spend a few weeks with family in Utah, and then have our POD delivered to our townhouse in Denver. Our POD was so full! I was so relieved when we got the door shut and everything we wanted was inside.

Here are some pictures from the summer.


Nana & Papa with all the grand kids at our favorite restaurant Cascade Gardens.


Me and Doug at Covington Days. It was nice to spend a few days with Doug's parents before the move.


Nick at Covington Days.


At the Dino Museum in Vernal Utah!


Nick kissing the dinosaur.


Dino Museum.


Up in the mountains near Vernal, Utah with my family.

Joselyn at the Homestead for the Ellis Family Reunion in Midway, UT.

Gabby and Nick in Park City, Utah.

Nick on the Heber Creeper- train ride.

Corey and Joselyn after the train ride.

Nick with the conductor.

Grandma made beautiful aprons for all the girls. So fun!

The boys got hats.

At the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Open house in South Jordan, Utah. It is beautiful!

We also got to spend a few days with Doug's siblings in Provo. We took the kids to Seven Peaks, which was really fun. I wanted to walk around campus, but it didn't work out. It was so fun to be in Provo- my old stomping ground. Then we made the drive over to Denver.