Family Reunion

We traveled to Florida this past weekend where we met up with Mark's family for a mini family reunion. It was so wonderful to spend time with everyone and enjoy the Florida sun and water!

Here are a few pics from our trip:

Ella Bella!

Everyone who knows me well knows that I've been dying to get Ella in pigtails since the day she was born. And it was SO worth the wait! Isn't she just the cutest munchkin ever!?

I think Ella will be the LAST kid her age to have a full set of teeth!!! She has been teething like crazy this month, and all the drooling, chewing on things and sucking on her fingers has given her quite a rash around her mouth! But she still manages to make that cute! :) At least I think so, and that's all that matters, right!?

If there was any doubt in our minds, this past month has proved to Mark and me that we definietly have a toddler on our hands! Ella is not a baby anymore... she walks, runs, talks, sings and does some other things that we're not so happy about too. No one ever told me the terrible two's really start atound 16 months. We certainly have a headstrong child on our hands (I wonder where she gets that from!?). She knows what she wants and she will throw a fit until she gets it! I feel like we spend half of everyday in TIME OUT! She's lucky she's cute!!!

San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon

This past weekend Mark and Ella held down the fort in Denver while I traveled to San Diego for the Rock n Roll Marathon on Sunday, May 31st.


I am so excited to report that I CRUSHED my goal of under 5 hours and finished with a 4:34, beating my best time by 36 minutes! Thanks to everyone for all the calls, emails, texts, and messages on facebook! I couldn't be happier!


Marci & Lisa- thanks for having me and letting me crash with you guys. And an extra special thanks for shuttling me all over San Diego and making sure I got to the expo, race, etc.

Lisa- congrats on your KILLER Boston qualifying time of 3:38!

Dana- Thanks so much for making the drive from OC to see me finish! It was so special to have you there!

Ella and Uncle Ick

Mark's brother Eric came for a quick visit on his way through Denver on a work trip. We were so happy to get to spend some time with him. Mark and Eric went golfing and then came home early for dinner after getting rained out.

Here are a couple pics of the boys with Ella. Ella can't pronounce Eric... it comes out "Ick", too cute.

Trip to Phoenix

Mark was in Phoenix for a business trip this past weekend and Ella and I were lucky enough to be able to join him. My sister Patti and her husband Chris live in Phoenix and we had a wonderful time visiting with them while Mark was working.

We had a great time with Patti at the Phoenix Children's Museum

But mostly we just enjoyed hanging around the house for quality time with Ella's Godparents and their dogs. :)

Ella is Silly!

I thought people might enjoy some silly pictures of Miss Ella-Bella. :)

Wagon Ride with Dada

I was able to find a used Radio Flyer red wagon in pretty good condition... yay for Craigslist. So Dada and Ellla took it for a ride to the park. Ella LOVES riding in the wagon and playing on the swings!

Outdoor Fun

The weather has been wonderful this week and we just want to be outside all the time. So I asked Mark to get Ella a "big girl" toy for outdoors as my Mother's Day gift. Dad didn't disappoint!! Ella loves her new sand and water table!

More words and other milestones

Ella has been saying and doing so much more... I have to write it all down before I forget.

Ella is starting to understand that people (and animals) have names. This week at Gymboree class, Ella said the names of two boys in her class, Owen and Nash, while pointing at the boys! So cute! Also- she has been saying "Kya" for a few weeks when pointing to our little dog, but this morning she said "Henry" for the first time when referring to our other dog. Too cute! And also today she said "Patti" while talking to her Aunt Patti on Skype.

Ella also has her two top front teeth coming in- FINALLY. She has been really slow with getting teeth. She got her 1st two (bottom front) about a week before her 1st birthday and nothing else since then, so we were really happy to see two more pop through.

She is getting better and better at walking each day- she's not quite a runner yet, thank goodness, but she is definietly on the move. Ella can get up to standing all on her own with out the help of pulling up on something, and she can also bend over and pick up toys and carry them around.

We also had our 1st "incident" in public this week. I had a dentist appointment and couldn't find a babysitter, so Ella had to go with me. I knew it was going to be "interesting" so I took her to Target before hand to pick out a new toy (see what I'm teaching her already!). She picked out a little Elmo stuffed animal (surprise, surprise) and I let her open it when we got to the dentists office. We wheeled her stroller right next to the hygenists chair and all was going well. That is... until the hygenist started cleaning my teeth. It was awful!! Ella threw a total fit- she didn't want anyone touching HER Mom. Any time the hygenist would go near me, she'd SCREAM bloody murder. We finally just had to let her cry and I held her hand while the hygenist cleaned my teeth. She eventually calmed down a little bit, but she still sniffled through the whole thing. Poor baby, she thought they were hurting me.

I should have anticipated this beacuse earlier this week, Ella got mad at Mark when he was hugging me. Oh well- we survived and I scheduled my next appointment for a time when I know I can get a sitter.

What a Beautiful Day!

Ella and I went on a walk/jog through the neighborhood today and stopped at a little barn and stable to see the horses. This horse came all the way over the fence to see Ella. She was so excited and kept saying "Neigh, neigh!". I wish I would have had my camera so I could get a beter picture, but the cell phone pic is going to have to suffice.