WW - Everett and the Donut

My nephew this past Labor Day weekend. His smile cant get any better.....








For more Wordless Wednesday images, click here and here.

First Playdate with Brianna

We went to my sister in law, Crystal, the other day for a play date with Ella's cousins. Ive mentioned before that Crystal finally got the girl on her third child. Jack and Everett are both big brothers now. Brianna is so sweet and has the best blue eyes and so much hair.

Here's a few pics of Bria and ofcourse, Ella, Jack and Everett.

Rounding Out Our Holiday

Last Saturday, we had our big family Christmas with Keith's extended side of the family. We went to his Aunt and Uncle's house and his Uncle made an ice skating rink in their back yard. They did this last year too and I was excited to see Ella get out there now that she is a year older and not as scared of everything! :o)

Once she realized that it was ice and not snow she did pretty good. She fell a few times and cried, but we just picked her back up and off she went. The big kids were playing hockey. Jack and Ella picked up some sticks and played a game themselves. Even little Everett got into the swing of it (although he really just sat there and held the stick). The kids ate snow, slid around on their hands and knees and had a gay ole' time.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS!

First Sleepover

Last Friday, Ella had her first sleepover at her house. She has slept over at the grandparents house many time, but we have never had anyone sleep over at our house before.

We kept my nephews, Jack and Everett so that my sister in law and her husband could go to the hospital early Saturday morning and get induced. We had pizza for dinner, played legos and watched movies. Jack and Ella even slept in a tent in her room. They were so excited. When we put them to bed around 8:45pm, they whispered to each other for the next hour and half. It was so cute to hear it on the monitor. When we would go in and tell them to go to sleep, they said they were just telling each other stories. The funny thing is, they stayed in the tent the whole time. I totally thought they would get out, turn the light on and play in her room. We finally gave up and figured they would fall asleep eventually. They did.

Everett is a human garbage disposal and so damn cute. If he hears a bag of something opening, its like his ears perk up and he follows the sound. Need him to follow you to go do something....give the boy food. While he was eating his pizza, I said to him, "Is Everett hungry?" He throws his head back and rolls it (think Stevie Wonder) and in this little tiny voice with his mouth open wide and smiling says, "Yessssssss!" I wish I could have gotten that on video. It was soooo cute.


Jack and Ella got to pick a movie to watch before bed. They both agreed on Shrek 2. Ella kept trying to cuddle up to Jack. She's such a girl. Jack inched away so many times that within 15 minutes he was sitting on the arm of the couch. He's such a boy.

Cousins are the Best

I post alot of pictures on my blog of Ella's cousins Jack and Everett. If I haven't mentioned it before, Jack was born 10 weeks before Ella and Everett is 1 1/2 years old. Ella loves them both dearly and is the closest thing she has to a sibling. Ella was conceived through IVF and though we would like to have another baby, and still plan on it at this point, it is very expensive and we are not sure if it will be financially feasible.

I moved to Minnesota about 17 years ago, so all of my family lives out of state (except for my parents). I am lucky that we are close to Keith's sisters because when I see Ella with her cousins it gives me so much joy. Toddlers having fun together anytime are wonderful to see, but to know that she has a closeness and a bond to them like she may not have with a sibling of her own is comforting.

My sister in law Crystal, is due in November with their first girl. I cant wait to see how Ella bonds with her. Thank you for being in our lives, Jack and Everett. Your Aunty Joey loves you wicked!


All 3 of them love to go on the 4 wheelers with anyone who is willing to give them a ride.