Florida Trip, Part I (3/23-3/28)

TUESDAY

Tally Cousins (Tullen, Thatcher, Ashton) WELCOME Elsie Anne!  And she was so excited to see them, after getting a 2hr nap on the drive home from Jacksonville!

All of EA's great-grandparents came to welcome us as well!  BumBum, Gdadddy + Gmommy...

BigDaddy took Thatcher + EA on a 4wheeler ride... Elsie Anne was not so sure of it + didn't last too long, maybe next time:)

Ashton + EA played in the leaves!  This trip had MANY firsts for EA, including 'raining leaves'!  She loved WALKING on the 'crunchy' leaves too!!

...'raining leaves' required a very well needed tubby!!  This was the FIRST time all 4 bathed together, so cute!

WEDNESDAY

After a fun lunch w/ Uncle Sydney, we walked all around outside Wing Stop + enjoyed the lovely warm weather!  Look @ her precious purple skirt!

...then home for some more Cousin playtime!!  This time, Thatcher + Tullen showed EA how to make a mud pie + get super dirty in the process:)  It took some major resistance on Momma's part to let loose + let EA get dirty!!  She SO enjoyed herself (she played in this same spot for about 15min, that's a record) + learned so much from this FIRST experience:)

...look @ this MESSY GIRL!  Needless to say, this new adventure caused for another fun tubbytime!

FRIDAY

We went down the road to Uncle Jeff + Aunt Lorri's house to hangout + play in their beautifully manicured yard!!  EA got plenty of practice w/ her wobbly steps...

And we had to pose for a rare family photo, while Lorri offered to take it:) 

SATURDAY

We went to the most gorgeous wedding... CONGRATS to the GWALTNEY'S!!  Elsie Anne had a ball dancing to the awesome band in her super cute 'pillowcase' sundress (my friend Jill made for her) + new crocs!

Almost our whole family... Dallas, Me, Shawn, EA, Memere, BigDaddy, Sara, Sydney!  Dallas' wife, Kirsten, was a bridesmaid in a different wedding the same day:)  GOOD TIMES!!

SUNDAY

Elsie Anne had many of her Tally friends come over for a Birthday Cookout!!  Her cousins, Alden + Carson, were of the first to arrive + were entertained by EA's crazy antics!   

I didn't get any other pics of the birthday party, thank goodness everyone else was snapping away!  Once the party died down, EA took a long nap + we were able to have a chill family afternoon!  EA is trying to catch up w/ her cousins!  Look @ those GORGEOUS curls... a reason alone, to move back home:)

It started drizzling for a few minutes, but that didn't stop EA from having fun!  She stuck her tongue out to feel the drops, just like she does w/ snow!!

Another FIRST... EA learning to use the ROLLER-COASTER!!  It became one of her favorite things to do @ 'Strickland Park'!

WEEEEEEEEE!!  Look @ that GRIN!

Memere + Aunt Kirsten LOVE...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Glenwood Springs, CO

To break up our long drive home, we stopped off @ Glenwood Springs Spa.  It is a natural Hot Spring that they've made into a huge swimming pool!  The large pool was 90* + the smaller one was 104*.

The Ilano Family, our new best friends:)

Elsie Anne surprises us each time we take her swimming.  This time she loved DIVING into the water.  We held her as she would JUMP out of our arms, head first, into the water.  So, we let her actually SWIM!  She kicked her legs + held her arms out to reach for us, all the while she was completely under water!  She came up w/ a smile on her face EVERY time. 

She loved climbing up + down the steps too!

Playing in Moab, Utah!

Nadia + Elsie Anne quickly became Best Friends on our trip!  It was so much fun staying w/ another family... we will definitely plan another trip w/ the Ilano's!

Nadia playing in her Mommy's running shoes!

This is HWY128...the Canyon that we RAN through!

More of our RACE stretch...

A momento to remember our hard work!!  We're definitely in a different state of mind in this pic!!

Canyonland Half Marathon: Moab, Utah

Before the race... me, Taneil + Becky

Crossing the FINISH LINE!  I can't believe Shawn was able to find me in all the crowd!!  There were over 3,000 runners that crossed the line:)  And, yes, I was DYING!

A teary kiss for my priness!  She was so excited to see me:)

Playing in the Park afterward!

The Ladies from Breckenridge!

Elsie Anne enjoying the live music @ the Park!

Wow, did that 1/2 Marathon humble me!  I had done a 10mile race a few weeks ago, but those extra 3miles really did me in!  I will be much more prepared for my next one!!

A Day In The Life...

...of the Big One Year old!!  I'm sure every parent has experienced this, but it is new to us + we can't get over how BIG she feels, looks + acts now:)  Its like she knows that she just turned ONE!!

MORNING...
Elsie Anne loves helping Momma w/ the dishes!!

She also loves her morning play-time w/ Daddy!  She still can't get enough of her SUNGLASSES!  Its too funny, they really don't even fit her, but she gets so fiesty when you try to take them from her!

She even reads books w/ her SHADES on!!

NOON...

EA is INTO everything, LITERALLY!!  Anything she can climb IN, ON, OVER or UNDER, she is doing it!! 

She looks like she's in Kindergarten when she sits on her chair:)

NITE...
So happy to play 'PEEK-A-BOO' anytime of day, she says, "BPPOOO!" its a funny little word!

Elsie Anne is trying to walk more + more, and wants to walk @ stores holding our hand (which can be challenging @ times)!  We've decided she is a 'PERFECTIONIST'... she's been @ this same stage of walking for about a month.  She doesn't want to fall, she wants to do it perfect, so she waits to find the perfect environment to step out on her own.  It won't be too much longer + she'll be going for it anywhere!!  Its still amazing to watch the changes in her EVERYDAY, she is SO MUCH FUN!!

More Bday Shots!!

These are some pics that Emily took for us @ Elsie Anne's Breck Birthday party!!

The Birthday Beauty is HAPPY to see her friends arriving...

We had been practicing 'BLOWING' out candles... and look, she really tried to do it!!

Gently touching her cake... such a dainty little being!  She only tasted the icing a bit + wasn't interested.  Daddy showed her there was something under the icing, then she nibbled @ the Carrot Cake:)

Emily made even MY baking look tasty!!

Daddy the Chef... yummy burgers + dogs!!

Elsie Anne's friends... this was the last task before heading out for some sledding!!

Proud Parents of the ONE YEAR OLD!!

Getting Missy Moo in her Sledding Gear!  Can you tell how pumped Momma is?!

So happy our party was a success + all the families had a good time:)

Little Helper!

Shawn was able to get to one of the household projects (that have been accumulating) done!  But, I don't blame him for not wanting to work once he gets home from work!!  Today, he got to go skiing though, so he decided he'd get a few things done before taking off... recycling, garbage + cleaned up his sports area in the mud room... THANK YOU HONEY, that makes me feel so much better:) 

Elsie Anne has to help Daddy w/ everything he does... + he just loves it:)  Project #1: hang mirror in EA's play area!!  Something I've been wanting since she was about 6mo old!

She's going to be a 'Miss Fix-It' when she grows up!!  She was REALLY into this project...

The finished product... I LOVE IT! 

song..."SPIDER PIG, SPIDER PIG, DOES WHATEVER A SPIDER PIG DOES!  CAN HE SWING FROM A WEB?  NO HE CAN'T, CAUSE HE'S PIIIIIIIIIIIG!!!"  If you've seen the 'Simpson's Movie' than you know what I'm talking about, otherwise... it's too long of a story:) hahaha!!  Yes, EA got to be a SPIDER PIG!

Close Up of the SPIDER PIG!  She absolutely loved this... she was cracking up histarically:)  She loved the song too!

Enjoying a little MILK in her 'big girl chair'!!  She really feels grown up when she's in it!

Adeline is BETTER!  We haven't had (nannied) Adeline in almost a month, due to virus after virus, which ended up causing RSV (resperatory infection) + 3 days in the hospital:(  Poor sweet baby girl... but we are so happy to have her back!!