I love her to death, but GAWD she's a lot of work!

Ella's birthday is on Thursday.  Her party is this weekend.  It's hard to believe that it's almost here.  You have to understand...Ella's birthday is a major event around our home.  She has been planning her birthday since last summer.  She plays "birthday party" as often as other kids play "house".  She's had an invite list for her party taped to her bunk bed for months.  The theme for her party has changed at least 20 times.  Finally, after months and months of planning and contemplating, she decided that she wanted to have it at the house.

Great.

If you know me personally, then you know how stressed this decision makes me.  My house is not a castle - hell, it's not even as large or nice as the foyer of a castle.  The idea of lots of screaming little girls inside my house for two hours pretty much makes my skin crawl.  Cleaning, in preparation for this event, makes me even happier.  My absolute favorite part of all of this?  Planning the crafts and games for the party!  (that was sarcasm)  I am so uncomfortable with projects and Ella has requested that we make purses.  

Sure.  I'm on it.

So far, we have purchased one pinata (in the shape of a purse), handed out invitations and bought all the materials to make purses (and one picture frame for the male guest on her list).  All I have left to do is clean, make cupcakes, buy icing/decorations for aforementioned cupcakes (she wants to decorate the cupcakes as a group), finish shopping for her presents, fill the pinata (did you know they didn't come filled?) and make one purse to make sure it works.  I'll be working all week, and need to pack for the trip I'm taking on Sunday, but I'm sure I'll squeeze everything in with ease.  

That's just the kind of gal I am.

Just when you think they never change

Now

Then

Ellastyle - Easter

Classic

We were walking back to the car after the University of Utah gymnastics meet tonight, and since the walk was about 15 miles, I had plenty of time to look at Harrison's coat.  He's worn the same coat for two years.  I spent more than I wanted (about $54) on a ski jacket at the Patagonia outlet.  I mentioned to Chris how nice it was wearing, and that it still fit, blah, blah, blah.  

Harry, who was running all around us - never on the sidewalk near us - ran up next to me and said, "It's because I don't eat my carrots."

Florida pics

When we first arrived and walked into my dad's condo, I noticed a large "something" across the pond out his back door.  I joked that it was an alligator assuming it was a log.  Of course logs don't just fall onto golf courses from palm trees, so we looked closer.  It was indeed an alligator that was about 8 - 9 feet long.
Ella definitely has gotten over her fears of swimming independently.

Harry - my wonderful boy who still refuses to pose for any and all pictures - was much too busy collecting each of the 70 billion "noodles" that were all over the pool.

Not the best shot, but I wanted to capture this moment.  The day after we arrived, February 18th, was my mom's birthday.  We decided to celebrate anyway.  Ella decorated the condo with streamers and balloons (which my dad didn't seem to mind for a minute) and then we bought cupcakes, candles and even sang.  It was pretty sweet.

Ella style.  This was what she chose to wear to our first dinner at my dad's clubhouse.  I just told her that we needed to dress up a bit.  She loves to pose!

Here is a close up of the alligator.  I may have learned how to post photos, but I do not know how to arrange them in a chosen order yet!

I just learned!

expect greatness

I did it.  I signed up for a training class at the Apple store for tomorrow night.  I don't know diddly about this new laptop toy of mine, so Chris got me a "One on One" membership which allows me to get trained on any and everything MacBook Pro for one year.  Tomorrow, I will learn how to organize my photos.  That's what they're calling the session...I'll just ask for help setting up Flickr or something similar so that I can post photos here.  

After my training session, on my uber expensive non-necessary computer, I'll be taking 100 blankets to a homeless shelter with about 15 of my students.  We are going to do crafts with the children that are there for an hour.  I bought, with our club funds raised from bake sales, etc., THREE HUNDRED yards of fleece.  I have been tying knots for the last month.  We are making 200 total.  We are giving the other 100 to a domestic shelter located near our school and to Project Linus which gives homemade blankets to children in the hospital.

The dichotomy of the two events I'm attending after work seem almost surreal.  Most of the students that are going tomorrow night are from wealthy families.  I hope they gain from this experience and don't just log it into their community service hour tallies without thought.  I wish I could bring my kids, but they discourage bringing young children to these activity nights. 

I have a constant fear that my kids will become unappreciative and materialistic.  I make it something I work on with them all the time.  

Parenting - if it's not one thing - it's another.