Our Christmas Tree

Poor Ella Bear doesn't just get one flu shot like the rest of us. No, she needs her regular flu shot (like you and I get) and a booster shot. She's gotten both now, last Tuesday was the day of her booster shot. Scott took off work a couple hours early so he could come along to the doctor's office (down in Northfield). We decided since we were heading all the way down to Northfield, that we would stop at Hampton Hills Tree Farm on our way home and cut down our Christmas tree (Yay!).

Ella Bear hanging in the car on the way to the tree farm.

Thankfully Ella wasn't too grumpy after her flu shot... though she wasn't her normal smiley, happy self. We searched and search for the perfect Christmas tree (and almost cut down two other trees) before we found the perfect tree for our home. It was so much fun getting a real tree. I grew up with real Christmas trees. We always went and searched for the perfect tree and it often took lots of searching and debating until we found the perfect tree. It was very exciting to start this tradition for our family!

This is the first tree that we really thought was perfect, however after we snapped about ten pictures in front of the tree we decided it wasn't perfect and moved on.

Scott was in charge of cutting down the tree... once we finally found it.

At least this year he wasn't laying in the snow (he's had to do that a few times when we went with my family to get a tree).

Ella and I watched!

What did we make? A Gingerbread House!!!

We have begun checking things off our Christmas Season Activity List that I posted earlier. One of the fun things we wanted to make sure to do this season was build a gingerbread house. We started this tradition last year and wanted to continue it this year. Ella and I purchased a kit from Micheal's and that evening we went about putting it together.

Ella played in her high chair while...

Daddy read directions... and mixed the frosting.

The engineer helped ensure the house was structurally sound, while I frosted away.

Ella played with measuring cups and measuring spoons.

We worked on adding details to our little casa.

While someone began melting down.

Next we added candy...

Then we took a mini break to get someone out of her high chair.

Someone watched from the living room, but ended up back in her high chair (closer to mommy and daddy).

Yikes!!! That's my dinning room.

Her face says... "Put me to bed mommy and daddy. I rarely make it past 7pm."

These are my disgusting hands after frosting and decorating the gingerbread house. I showered after we cleaned up.

Beautiful!

Ella just wanted to go to bed.

Well... she also wanted to grab the gingerbread house!

Christmas PJs!!!

Scott and I had some groceries to pick up at Target on Sunday evening. So we loaded Ella, the diaper bag, and a pile of coupons into the car and headed down the road to Target.

We were in no big hurry so we strolled through several aisles that we usually walk right past. Ella loved the Christmas aisles. The lights, the sounds, the colors... she adored the excitement. She also enjoyed the toy aisle. We played with several of the toys, which Ella thought was so much fun!

Then we headed over to the baby section of Target... And what did we find? Baby Christmas stuff!!!! We looked at several fun Christmas jammies before picking out the ones below. We were so excited about the new Christmas PJs that we tossed them in the wash as soon as we got home so that Ella could wear them to bed that evening. Yay!

Getting in to her new pajamas.

Aren't they cute? We need to snap some pictures of Ella in her pajamas next to the tree.

So, they really do clash with her sleep sack, but Ella can't sleep without her sleepsack so we'll just deal with the clashing colors.

Her eyes are saying, "Put me to bed already!"

Ella's New Hat!

Scott has been telling me that I should make Ella a new hat (one with ear flaps) for the past few weeks. So I finally searched for a new pattern and found an adorable pattern on pinterest. I used some leftover yarn and created the following hat for Ella. I'm hoping to get some more yarn this week so I can make Ella Bear another ear flap hat to match her winter coat and snowpants from Grandma and Grandpa.

Ps. Ella Bear was a little nuts when I snapped these pictures!

So Scary!

On Sunday evening, we were sitting on the living room floor playing with Ella and watching Sunday night football when we heard a strange sound. We were trying to figure out where the sound was coming from, but couldn't figure it out. Then Scott thought maybe it was coming from the light fixture. He barely touched the light and it fell from the ceiling!!!!!!!!!!!!

See that pile of toys almost directly below the light fixture? Yep that's where Ella was sitting and playing!!!!

Scott took down the light and found that whoever installed the light fixture had the wrong size bolts and tried to make the too small bolts work by wrapping them in electric tape. We haven't yet reinstalled the light fixture. Scott will do that this weekend. And he'll be using the right size bolts. Thankfully no one was hurt!

Bath Time!

After a long weekend at Grandpa and Grandma's (we were there Wednesday through Sunday), Ella was in serious need of a bath...

Trying to Take Pictures with Ella and the Bear

"No, I don't want the bear near me..."

"Dad, I said No!"

"Fine, I won't look at the bear or at the camera..."

"Ha, I'll just fall down and roll around on the blanket!"

"Hmmm.... Where should I creep to?"

The phone of course!

"Yay, I've got the phone!"

"Oh no you didn't!"

"Please, give me back the phone!"

"This thing is so interesting!"

"WHAT! You took it away again!" (see the blurry hands that are protesting the missing phone!)