Ella dancing

I love to watch Ella dance around the house. Enjoy.

videos of Ella and Eli

I love to watch my kids and assume you do to so here are some videos:


Ella and Grandpa Utah pretending

Ella playing the piano

Malinda and Eli playing

vacation

I went on vacation.

I took a vacation from vacation.

Then I went back to vacation before I came home.

I was gone a long time.

I am home now.

On Feb 21st Ella, Eli and I flew to Utah. We spent several days there getting them adjusted to life at Grandma and Grandpa Utah's house. Then, on Feb 26th I left my children in the care of my parents (this involves a lot of trust) and went on my own vacation. I met up with Chris in Dallas and we continued to fly to the Caribbean.

That's right. I went on vacation without my children and got to spend it on a boat island hopping in the Caribbean.

After a very short (and yet long as I missed my kids) two weeks I returned to Utah and spent another week there readjusting to motherhood.

I believe that every mom needs to take vacations from their vacations.

Here are some fun pictures:

This was taken in February. Ella is wearing my very first tu-tu that is now hers.



I loved to kayak with Chris. We are a good team-I do all the work and he steers...much like at home. =0)


These were my boat mates: Stacy, Chris, Peter, Kathy and Keith.


This waterfall is on Guadeloupe in Basse-Terre. I hiked through a rain forest!


This is at Basse-Terre on Guadeloupe.


Ella was very excited to see the temple in Salt Lake.


Once we were home again Ella wasted no time before dressing up as a princess. Here she is an island fairy princess. She actually told me "I'm prettier than you are, mom." while I put this dress on her.


Here Ella is feeding the ducks at Reid Park. We like to go to the zoo, have a picnic, and then feed the ducks.


Eli loves to wear these Easter bunny ears. He will bring them to me to put them on him. very cute.


-Malinda

Ella takes Ballet

Yesterday was Ella's first dance class at the YMCA. She was very excited to dance ballet. We showed up early because I had the time wrong. Ella nearly burst with excitement as we watched the class before hers. I think that we will switch to that earlier class because it works with Eli's naps better.

Ella was the only one not in Ballet clothes. She was happily oblivious.

I loved watching Ella dance and thought you would enjoy it to:

Ella in ballet #1

Ella in ballet #2

Ella in ballet #3

Ella in ballet #4

Ella in ballet #5

my son, the genius

Eli gave us a laugh yesterday and I have to share the story:

Chris, Ella and I were sitting at the computer watching a video on youtube (I have posted this video on my facebook page for your viewing enjoyment.) Eli crawled up to Chris with a diaper in his mouth. Chris thanked him and smelled him to confirm that, yes, Eli did need a diaper change. I loved that Eli took the diaper to Chris because that meant that Chris had to change the diaper. hooray! Chris of course complained that Eli forgot to bring the wipes. Much laughter ensued.

I know, I know. You are thinking, "What an amazingly smart baby to bring a diaper in request of a diaper change." Well, technically Eli had simply been playing in the diaper bag and thought it would be fun to crawl around with a diaper in his mouth. It was mere coincidence that he needed to be changed. Although I do think he is a very smart little boy and I am not at all biased.

Eli's first meal

I know it was a month ago, but late is better than never...

When Eli turned six months old we celebrated by feeding him rice cereal.

Chris did the honors.

Eli didn's seem to like it all that much.

No meal at my house is complete without finding mom's hair in it.

Eli likes his food a lot more now. And we have yet to find another of my hairs in his food, thank you very much.

Family Vacation

Chris recently had one of his two vacations of the year. It was great to spend consecutive time together as a family.

We went hiking up Sabino canyon:

We visited family up in Prescott:
We drove down to San Carlos, Mexico:

It felt strange to have a family vacation where we didn't go home to one of our parents. We had a family vacation with just our little family. I remember going on family vacations when I was little, but this was different...this time I was the mother. Aaaaaah.