Birthday at PinStack

Here's the really cool photos we got from taking Ellie to Pinstack for her birthday.  There is bowling, rope climb, and lots of arcade games.  This photo booth was one of the arcade games.  We had so much fun - as you can tell!

The school sign

We made sure that Ellie's birthday was recognized on the sign outside the school for her birthday this year!  It started running two days before and lasted several days after .. I told her that birthdays absolutely last more than one day!

Easter Monday

Ellie and I couldn't resist taking one more photo outside in the sun.  We had an awesome Easter Sunday with sun shining and temps in the low 70's.  What a wonderful Spring day for us to enjoy.

Yes, she's been  up to her normal self these days.  The bout with strep throat didn't change her sense of humor - not one bit.

On Saturday I was moving from room to room taking the piles that had appeared and figuring out where there final resting spot would be.... clutter is such nuicence ... and my family knows if they leave something out where it doesn't belong it may not be there when they return.

I had just finished the kitchen area and a few minutes later when I returned I found a disarray of items on the kitchen table.  "Ellie is this your mess?"  I asked to her in the next room.

"Is that a rhetorical question?" she countered back.

Oh, she's back alright.  Sarcasm and all!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Morning!

Ellie has a wonderful Easter Egg Hunt this morning on the first floor of our house.  She carried her basket around and happily gathered up the eggs!  She said she liked that this year she had candy inside the eggs instead of silver coins like last year.

Eas·ter

ˈēstər/

noun

noun: Easter; plural noun: Easters

1. the most important and oldest festival of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and held (in the Western Church) between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.

   • the period in which Easter occurs, especially the weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday.

     
     

     
     

     
     

     There's so much I never knew about Easter.  All these years.  Why is it a different time every year?  Sometimes in March and other times in April.  Why is that the older I get the less I feel I know, when it should be the other way around?!

     
     

     
     

Throwback Photos for Easter

Here's a great picture of Ellie and I at the same age - 2 years old!  Of course mine is on the left sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap and Ellie, cute as a button, is on the right.  She's sitting on the kitchen counter at 22 Ichabod Lane in Ballston Spa!

I realized this week after showing the picture of her with her burger birthday cake that our faces are so similar in shape.  So when I found my photo from Easter, many years ago I found a similar aged photo of Ellie to see if we really did look alike!

You decide!

Hail Storm in TX

We've heard about these awful hail storms in Texas, but never having witnessed one we didn't really know what to expect.  On Wednesday night we went to bed at the normal time - for Bill this looks something like falling asleep on the couch at 7:30, 8:10 and then for good in bed at about 9:30.  We awoke at 10:30 to a sound so loud I thought a train ran straight through our house.

The noise was so loud coming from the master bathroom, I jumped from bed and shut the door without thinking.  I went from sound asleep to jumping out of bed in 2.3 seconds.  Bill jumped up at the same time and we ran from our room.  Without speaking we had the same idea.  GET ELLIE!

We bounded upstairs and when I hit her doorway, there she was - standing looking at me.  She was still half-asleep too.  She didn't ask what the loud noise was, she wanted to know why we were upstairs.  We took her down with us and we piled on the couch.  Thinking we may not have had satellite reception we took a chance and flipped on the tv.  It took a bit and finally programming so we found the local weather station.

What a band of storms was passing through our area!  Rain, wind and huge hail was passing in a wide band.  I finally thought to go to the window and look outside.  This is what I found.

This is what we saw from our front window.  Hail covered the ground like a blanket of snow.  And until it passed, the sound continued to amaze us!

The next day we were able to assess the damage.

Needless to say we needed to call Jake, from State Farm!  In all our years we've never filed a claim for damage to our vehicles or any of our homes! And in one day we filed three claims!  Our cars are covered in dents on the hoods, roofs and sides.  And the roof apparently needs to be completely replaced - the damage is severe!

So we've had one heck of a week here.  But the good thing is - we're okay, the cars are very drivable and the roof isn't leaking!

Happy 10th Birthday Ellie !!

What an amazing cake to find for this amazingly wonderful 10 year old's birthday!  For her love of burgers and fries .. the perfect birthday cake!

Sunday - Early Birthday

On Sunday we took Ellie to Pinstack to bowl ... and begin to celebrate her birthday!  We had an awesome lunch and played video games and the high ropes course.  She had a ball, earned prizes and celebrated her birthday!  What fun we had!

Food Truck Saturday

Today we traveled to Klyde Warren Park today on a beautiful, sunny Saturday.  The park was lined with food trucks and we were so excited.  There were tables that were full of families big and small and there was such a great feeling to be in the sun with so many other people happy to be there.

I decided on a gyro, and Bill and Ellie had sushi and pizza - and of course, ice cream for dessert!  What a treat!

Ellie enjoys her sushi lunch while watching all the people go by!

A view from our table of the arches - representing a local bridge ... and all those trucks lined along the curb!

Bedtime

Ellie goes to bed each night with a variety of stuffed animals, blankets, and pillows.  She has her bedside light on with the colored dot lights on her headboard and the radio set to go off in 30 minutes.  Most nights when I go up to make sure she's sleeping and turn off the lights she's got stuffed animals in her face or under her arms and blankets all twisted.

On Friday night this is what I found when I went upstairs.

She'd thrown herself off - or rolled, I guess - off the pillows and had her head on a rolled up blanket.  The animals were all over the place and she was sound asleep.  What a wonder she gets any sleep at all!

Daddy Daughter Dance photos

The theme of the dance was Paris in the Spring so there were all kinds of references throughout the entire place.  And this photo spot was set up with a photographer.  Just this weekend we got the link to download all the photos.  This was right after we got there ... before all the dancing .. hence the red cheeks you'll see in the photo below.

 Hannah and Ellie hanging out at the Eiffel Tower for a photo op.  So, so cute!

Bralyn Weist, Kenzie Wilson, Ellie Smith and Ellie Fricano all posing at the Eiffel Tower!

Spring has sprung!

What a gorgeous day for a soccer game!  There was a bit of a breeze and beautiful warm sunshine.  We knew we wanted to enjoy every minute of it since this week we're expecting rain!

We played a Plano team and did very well - in the end we won 8-1!  Hard to believe all our girls are playing so well, and playing so well together!  Coach Mario is over the moon with how well they are working together, practicing together and in the end winning together!

Since it was a 1pm game Ellie had eaten lunch before we left.  And after the game she convinced Bill that going to Bahama Bucks was a good idea.  It's like the Humpty Dumpty (soft ice cream) of Wylie - and instead it's shaved ice with flavors poured over the top.  She loves it!

She asked if we could take Hannah with us to celebrate and bring her home afterward.  Her parents agreed and off we went.  Hannah is our goalie - most of the time.  When we're up 7-0 Coach Mario often rotates players - for all the right reasons.  Hannah is a wonderful girl - happy, happy, happy and these two get along great!

Her parents are wonderful too!  As soon as I snapped that picture at the bottom I sent it off to her mom Lynae who loved it too!  We see her parents a lot too - at school events as well as soccer.  I know where she gets her happiness from because her parents are so positive and easy-going.  And we share the common trait of having an only child - and a daughter at that.

College Week

This week at school the students investigated colleges - by location, by study of focus and football, of course!  The students were encouraged to wear their college t-shirts.  And lucky Ellie had shirts to wear all week.  Two Siena shirts, a Texas Longhorns football jersey and even a St. Bonaventure shirt!

Saturday

With an afternoon game on Saturday we got lots done in the morning - stopped for lunch - all before the soccer game.  This team was a bit intimidating .. which seems like how we feel each game.  They came on strong in the beginning, and before long we scored once, twice, three times.  And by the end of the game we had scored 6 times - and they hadn't scored at all!

What a season we're having so far!

Can only hope the rain holds off better than it did last spring!

Daddy and Daughter Dance

Daddy and Daughter posing at the school.  So many fathers and daughters arrived with each one looking as wonderful as the last.  Sparkley makeup and adorable dresses!

She was so happy to be there!  She waited all week. 

The theme was a Night in Paris complete with Parisian backdrop and pink lemonade to go with all the snacks!

The two lovebirds danced the night away!

A fun photo at home outside the front door started the night!

Cousins!

Ellie loves to remind us that she has lots of cousins.  And by cousins she means lots of people who 'in the spirit of the definition' qualify.  That includes second cousins and third cousins too.  And especially if they are little people like her!

On Saturday night we met up with AJ, Bryan and Garrett for dinner in Plano.  They were in town overnight for a birthday party on Sunday.  We were fortunate to get to spend time with them at one of Ellie's favorite burger joints!

Kenny's is an old standby of ours.  We don't go nearly as often as we'd like - which we say each and every time we go there!  We left the house a bit early to get a few errands done so we arrived at the restaurant early.  We found a few old friends, and enjoyed the Grey Goose on tap for cocktails.

Garrett and Ellie had a wonderful time together with their side-by-side chairs and crayons!  So, so cute together!

Saturday

Grace carrying the ball and Leah with the hat on.

Saturday's game was tough.  This was the second game of the season with only few more practices than that under their belt.  Seems each year the other teams get stronger and we're finding our way to catch up.  This season we also had a very strong forward not return.  She's playing in the highly competitive team with her older sister.

Saturday we traveled to Plano to play their fields.  It was cloudy and we were sure it was going to rain - even though we haven't seen rain in weeks.  The clouds made it a bit chilly, especially when the wind blew.  And this field in Plano was torn up and rough.

Grace is the most talented youth girls' soccer player we've ever seen.  She's fast, strong and has amazing footwork.  She's good because she practices.  A lot.  She scores the vast majority of our goals.  Last season between Grace and Kirby they had the offense under control.  Fast forward to this season. No Kirby.  How would we keep up with Grace?

That's where Leah comes in.  She's small and oh, so quick.  And she's smart and tough - which makes up for any lack of height.  She's amazing to watch.  And Saturday she scored our only goal.  Which is why we won 1-0.  Phew~ a tough-fought victory with a new star!

Happy Birthday Bill!

Last weekend Lyndsey and Grant came for dinner and brought a delicious box of cupcakes as a special Valentine's treat for Ellie.  We fell in love with them and decided to order more to celebrate Bill's birthday.

Melissa from ConfectionPerfection lives in the Woodbridge development just across 78.  She runs this cupcake business in a very organized and wonderful way.  I met her whole family when I picked up at her front door on Friday afternoon.  Her daughter just turned 10 last week and was off to a dance event.  Her son was meeting another family for soccer and her husband was going out the door to drop them both off - bags in hand.

We chatted for several minutes exchanging stories.  She spotted my State Farm access badge and I shared that is what brought us to Dallas.  She said, "this is probably a long shot but there's a State Farm family two doors down that we adore.  Do you know the Shaver family?"  And of course I said, 'yes I do!"

All these wonderful things that happen - by chance or by choice - continue to remind me that life is about connection.  Each day brings a new opportunity.  And I welcome those chances!

President's Day ... OFF

Today Ellie and I had the day off together.  Her school and daycare were both closed for Teacher Education Days.  We rose early and got our groceries done.  After a bit of breakfast at home we were back out for a bit of shopping.  Macy's was our prime target today.

There were lots of clearance racks, and we found ourselves in the dressing rooms more than once!

She's grown to appreciate shopping, especially when it involves her picking something out for herself.  She continues to remind me that, "Mommy, I have different taste than you!"  Which usually begins the conversation as she's holding up something with sequins, sparkles, animal print or feathers!  She's a character when it comes to fashion.

Today we found a couple of treasures AND the dress she will wear to the Daddy & Daughter Dance later this month!  She's been itching to get something, but nothing was quite right.  Today was the day we found a dress we both liked.   

And you'll see from the photo above that you're going to have to wait until the dance to see it.  Today's photo is all about our weather.  We had fun getting out and getting things done when the sun was shining and the temperature was warm.

We finished out shopping trip with lunch at Houlihan's - were we split two appetizers:  Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Spicy Shrimp over Cilantro Slaw.  She turned down a chance to look at the kids' menu - wanting to order with me.  And it worked out just fine!

A good day was had by all!

Happy Valentine's Day

We celebrated Valentine's Day on Saturday evening when we had friends, Grant and Lyndsey over for dinner.   We grilled marinated skirt steak, to go with asparagus and oven roasted potatoes.  They're easy, really.  No rush kind of people that don't require many choices or courses.  They brought wine and dessert .. and of course a special treat for Ellie!

A box of beautifully decorated and delicious cupcakes done by a local baker special for Valentine's Day.  She loves being special!

They are fun to get together with because they've been married about a year and a half.  Oh, the energy of youth - but the wisdom of age!  Wow, they are the age Bill and I were when we were married just a year - mid 30's.  And how the little things caused friction ... maybe now we understand what really matters, maybe now we focus on Ellie and living a good life, or maybe we're just too tired to disagree most days.  Whatever the case it made me grateful that, in our 13th year of marriage, we remember at the end of every day what really matters!

Happy Valentine's Day to all those we love!