Basketball Season #1

Ella just completed her first basketball season this morning. Holly was nice enough to take on a third team this year, so that she could be Ella's coach. I pretended to be her assistant. Ella played on the Monarchs team with a great group of girls aged 3-6. It was definitely a fun experience for us both. I think Ella has started to learn a little bit about team work. When we first started the season she was not sure why she could not just be out there on the court all by herself with everyone watching. She also wasn't sure she needed coaching. By the end of the season she seemed to grasp the concept and even made a few baskets. It was also very exciting for so many of her friends and family to come and see her play. Thank You all very much for making the time.

Christmas (Better Late Than Never)

Ella was a very lucky girl this Christmas. She got to spend some time with her Great Grandma Jo and Great Grandpa (Pa Pa Art), who came to visit from Pennsylvania. We enjoyed spending time with them and Ella has no problem getting spoiled by extra grandparents. Santa weighed down his sleigh with huge presents for Ella. She got a real big girl bed with a bookshelf and drawers and Dora bedding to go with it. She got a Trampoline and a Playhouse*. As if that wasn't enough she also got a bicycle, which she is prepared to ride "all the way to Grandma's House".

Waking Up in a new Big Girl Bed on Christmas Morning and Hopefully for many more mornings to come. It is one of my Resolutions to train Ella to sleep in her own bed all night. Wish me luck!

Everybody took a turn jumping on the Trampoline. I'm the only one who got caught with photographic evidence. It is actually just as much fun as you might remember. Even with all of its safety features Ella has managed to find dangerous stunts to preform on her trampoline. She enjoys walking around the edge on the OUTSIDE of the net, and she has mastered flips.

*Playhouse- formerly Papa's deer blind. As if the yard didn't look white-trashy enough with the trampoline and big blue pool we now have a camouflage playhouse. I have requested that it be painted a nice girly color like yellow or purple.

Ella's Third Birthday

slideshow - Powered by Smilebox" src="http://www.smilebox.com/globalImages/blogInstructions/blogLogoSmileboxSmall.gif" width=386>

Make a Smilebox slideshow

I have been a little neglectful of the blogging lately, so I have decided to catch up periodically. Ella turned Three on Oct. 1 and had 2 wonderful parties. On the day of her Birthday we went to Gattitown and had pizza and cake and played fun games with our Friends and Family. Ella also had her traditional Birthday party at home complete with a bounce house, pinata, burgers and hot dogs, cupcakes and most importantly, all of her friends and family to help her celebrate. She was very surprised at how many presents she received and kept asking if they were all hers and if she could open them all by herself. It was very cute.

Ella's 1st dance Recital

Ella began taken dance lessons at Dance Unlimited in Buda this Fall. She takes a one hour combination (ballet, tap and tumbling) Class. She is lucky to have her friend Bristol in class with her. She looks forward to every Wednesday when she gets to practice her moves. Here is a video from the mini-recital they had last night to show off their Christmas Dance.

Wursfest

(Posted much much later)

We went to Wurstfest in New Braunfels for the first time. I didn't know what I was missing. It was a lot of fun. I might even start to like Beer. The kids had fun on the rides and games, and we all enjoyed the weather.

Above Left: Beck on the Super Slide
Right: Ella and Bristol on the Ferris Wheel

Left: Maddy and Brennah on Super Slide

Below: Group- Jessie, Jeff, Ella, Maddy, Beck, Kels, Sam, Holly and Bristol

Ella's Political Training

UPDATE....
On Sunday at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure Ella's (and maybe mine a little too) Dream came true. She got to meet her President... Bobby Bones. He was very nice to her and she was very happy to meet him. She is more convinced than ever that he is cool enough to be the President.

To recognize the political atmosphere and in trying to teach Ella new party tricks I have been teaching her who the president is and who the next one will be. So every once in a while I quiz her... "Ella who is the President? and who is going to be the next president?" The other day we were watching the Obama-mercial and so I asked, Hey Ella who is the President?" And with a wry smile she looked at me and said "Bobby Bones"* and then just started laughing like she new how funny she was. I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time.



*Bobby Bones is a local radio DJ that we listen to every morning on the way to school/work.
Maybe I should start listening to NPR.