June 2010

Ellia is very good at solitary play and one day she came out of her room all dressed up like this!
Ashlyn got herself into this...but couldn't get herself out.

This was Ellia's last day of school (not counting summer school) but since her teacher Becca - who was with her for a year - wasn't coming back we had a little photo shoot.

How Ashlyn rides in the stroller, when we are on a brisk walk her hair flies everywhere and she reminds me of a puppy hanging out of a car window.

Ellia has had some regression since Ashlyn was born. Yes, she got in all be herself.

We went on a tour of Dewars Ice Cream shop and all got to wear this fancy hair nets!

How the taffy starts,. This is peppermint, they added a stip of red and then started folding

A big square turned into this very longnarrow "square"

at last, taffies!

and afterward, ice cream!

Our flowers just the way I wish the always were.

My little flower

Making Daddy's handprint plate for Father's Day

Who loves ice cream?

ice cream nights like that end with baths

Grandma Laura, Mallary, Addie and Gunner came to visit late in June so we had an early birthday party (her smiles are kindof cheesy because they were brought on by bribe)

her most entertaining toy of the night, a bitty baby wagon from Grandma Laura...Ash liked it too.

Ellia's last day of preschool came during summer school and her teacher brought in this fun outfit and played the graduation song for her, it was very cute.

May 2010

We started out the month with a visit from Emily and Jed. We visited Six Flags on the best weather day EVER but I forgot my camera so sorry, no pictures! Ellia was really into Monsters Inc and Monsters vs. Aliens at the time so Six Flags is now called the "Monsty Park."

Two weeks later my parents came for a visit. My mom stayed the whole week and my dad came out for the weekend. We took a day trip (I'd recommend two days) to Solvang and found some fun things around the area. First was Flag is Up Farms where the REAL horse whisperer works.

This horse is Shy Boy, a mustang he "whispered" to and got to FOLLOW him back to his ranch.
Ellia was a little wary....


not Ashlyn!

So this is not the best family picture but the windmill in the background looks pretty great

There were so many cute stores but we spent the most time in the toy store trying out toys and trying on viking hats!

After eating at the Red Viking and getting some traditional pastries we took a ten minute drive up the mountain and then took a little hike to a beautiful waterfall.

couldn't leave without throwing some rocks

One weekend we decided it was time to visit the mountains for a hot dog roast. We seem to constantly misjudge the weather around here, more than I'd like to admit. We were FREEZING and didn't end up staying long

We also forgot a lot of things for dinner, first, a piece to the barbeque then, the hot dog buns.

For Ellia's preschool we got a trip to California Living Museum. The animals were all pretty active, especially the bears.

Ellia has really started to enjoy "reading" to herself - this time she was just a little too tired to finish.

Preparing for a camping trip - hick style!

For my little brother's birthday I made him a minky blanket and sent it to him in the mail. it was a little late and I wrote him a card that said, "I have two good reasons your birthday present is late" - then on the inside it had this picture.

For memorial day we went with some friends camping which was really fun, especially for Ellia since she is sandwiched between their kids by age.

The best part for the kids was a race track Nathan set up.

Ellia was the last to quit playing it at night and...

the first to start playing it in the morning!

the kids also enjoyed throwing pine cones in the stream...among other pine cone tricks.

Campspot. Ashlyn did SO good on her first campout!

Though she LOOKED a little tired the next day

at least she was in good company