Christmas 2009

I think we had the best Christmas so far as a family. Ellie got tons of stuff from Santa, and me and Josh were able to get things we really wanted too. I think the best part was the Ellie really enjoyed it this year. She loved to open the gifts. In fact, if you were not watching close enough, she would open the first gift she saw!! I can't wait until next year. The child will be really into then. We still didn't get her picture made with Santa, but she did see him at her daycare party. Mrs. Sarah said she loved him and didn't want down from his lap. I guess that's a good thing. Here are a few pictures of our long weekend of partying.

Ellie and I sporting some of our Christmas clothes

Ellie got a new hat from MawMaw and PawPaw Walls

So happy on Christmas morning to see all her gifts!!

Was so happy about her new kitchen she didn't want to open the rest of her gifts!

She loved her stocking stuffers the best!

Ellie and her new vacuum. It actually picks up!!

Ellie trying to get into the gifts at Grandmaw Fosters

Great Grandmaw Foster with Ellie and Colt

The three Etheredge Grandkids

Ellie loves her Princess Coupe! Thanks Grandby and Papa!

Ellie with Santa (I just wonder what she is thinking?)


Ellie getting ready to leave. She picked up her baby, put her in her carrier, got the diaper bag, and said "Bye bye mommy. Love you"

Happy Birthday Daddy and Me

Last week was my 28th birthday and we celebrated by going out to eat. I chose Mikatos! I love that place!! It was wonderful. Ellie remembered the fire from last time, so we had to excuse ourselves from the table when he pulled up. It's amazing how she remembers things.



Tomorrow will be dad's 60th birthday!! WOW! We got him good this year because we let his 50th birthday pass without doing anything special. So we did a surprise party. I think we got him. We rented out a cabin over on Lake Guntersville and invited all our family and friends, his work buddies and golf buddies. We had a great turn out and I think everyone enjoyed themselves. My only job for the party was to get a cake. I went to Walmart and when I picked it up, it had a crack down the middle!! I told them to fix it and she tried but it rebroke. So she gave it to me for half price. I was happier with the price change because it wasn't as good as what I have seen them do. Well, here are a few pictures of the party.

Ellie caught playing!!

Christmas Party

This past Friday was Ellie's daycare Christmas party. I left my camera with the girls to take some pictures and they did a good job. Ellie got to meet Santa for the first time. I hate it that I was not there, but you have to do what you have to do sometimes. They said she did good and didn't cry. Maybe it was because the other kids really enjoyed him too. Or maybe it was the fact that it was Sarah's dad dressed up and they all knew his voice. Anyways, I am happy that she liked him. Here are a few pictures for you. (More pictures to come soon with other Christmas parties. Our computer is not recognizing our camera but my school one is, so having to do everything there.)

Nite-nite mommy daddy

Tonight Josh and I got tucked in bed by Ellie. She just decided that it was time for us to go to sleep. She took all her Brobee dolls to Josh and told him... no pushed his head down... and told him nite nite. Gave him a kiss and walked off. Then she came to me and did the same thing. I asked for a pillow (since I was in the floor) and she brought me one. She pushed my head up telling me "up mommy up." I got up, she put the pillow down, told me to lay down, then put her hands on my face and asked me if I wanted a blanket. I told her yes, and she brought me one. Then told me nite nite. She is so funny!

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Speaking of night time, Ellie has finally gotten out of me rocking her to sleep. I have been wanting this day to come. Usually when I get most of the stuff done around the house is after she goes to sleep. So, having her to just want to go straight to the bed is great!! It's great, but I already miss rocking her!! I didn't think I would feel that bad, but I do. At least she still likes to sit with me and watch cartoons. I guess I can handle that.

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Tomorrow is Ellie's Christmas party at daycare. I feel horrible that I didn't get the kids anything!! I just haven't had the time, and plus what do you get 2yrs old and under? Maybe I won't be the only one to have done that! I hope that Ellie likes Santa Claus. This will be the first time ever that she has seen him up close and personal! We didn't make it last year, and so far haven't this year (I know we are horrible parents)!! I am going to take my camera and leave it there for Sarah and Jessie to make some pictures. I hope they turn out good. I really would love to have some great pictures. Maybe she will have a great time. Wish I could be there too.

Ellie's First Snow!!

Today was Ellie's first snow!! She absolutely loved it!! At first she didn't want to go outside, but after she played in it, I couldn't get her to go inside. The snow made perfect snowballs, so Josh showed Ellie how to do it. She loved throwing them. She thought it was the funniest thing! My pictures speak louder than words, so here are a few of the many pictures I took.

Testing the waters

I think she likes it!

Oh yeah she likes it!

Oh no, I got it on my gloves!

It's fun to chase daddy!

Watching daddy throw snowballs

Ellie throwing her first snowball!!

Conversations with Ellie

Here is the conversation I had with my Elliegator this morning.

I go in to wake her up at 6:45am.

Me: "Ellie wake up baby girl. Time to go to school."

Ellie: "No no mommy... I want to sleep" (rolls away from me and pulls up the covers)

Me: "How about you wake up and get dressed then you can sleep in mommy's arms"

Ellie: "No"

I then pick her up whining, get her dress and go into the living room to rock. She is snuggled with me for a while, then leaned back and smiled and said "Hey mommy!"


Tonight at the basketball games, she pointed to the court and said "Mommy ball." I think that is funny because when she sees football that is "Daddy ball."


When we got home tonight from the games, she wanted her passy. I told her she had to take a bath and play in the bubbles first. I then asked her if she wanted to do that , and her response was "Yes." So I went and got her bath ready and when I was done, she decided she didn't want to take a bath. She started to call for "daddy" as we made our way to the bath tub. By the way, she did enjoy the bath and fell right to sleep.

Halloween 2009

Before Ellie can pick out what to wear for Halloween, Josh and I wanted her to be a Gator Cheerleader. When we went to Gainesville back in September, I found this outfit and knew Ellie had to wear it! I was so excited. She loves to wear it too. She is not to fond of the pom pom, but I am sure that will change before to long. Here are a few pictures that we got before we left for trick or treating!

Yeah, I don't remember why she is mad at me here.

Ellie and her Vocabulary

I my be biased but Ellie has a vocabulary of a three year old. She can say whatever she wants to say. However, she is only going to say it when she wants to. Just some examples:

This morning as me and Josh were getting ready to go out Ellie left our room and I couldn't find her. I looked in the living room and there she was playing with her blocks. Here is our conversation:
Me: Ellie where are you?
Ellie: Yes, mommy?
Me: What are you doing?
Ellie: Playing with blocks.
Me: Why don't you come back into our room and play with them. Mommy needs to keep an eye on you.
Ellie: Yes yes (and she gets up and runs to our room)


This afternoon, I had the hardest time trying to get her to take a nap. She was so sleepy but would not go to sleep. After laying down with her for about 45 minutes, I lost my nerve and put her in her room. She of course screamed and cried, but eventually I thought she had given it up. Then Ellie started to call for me and say "snack". Which it was lunch time, so now I felt bad, but she really needed a nap. She stop talking, but I could hear her moving around on her bed. Josh peeked in and she was playing peek a boo with her blanket. So, he went on in to get her and we ate lunch. After lunch, she wanted to watch "Donald Duck" on my phone. We watched it and then I told her she had to lay down for a nap. We went to my room and I told her that when she woke up from a nap she could watch Brobee (Yo Gabba Gabba). She cried because she wanted to watch it then, but I kept telling her she had to sleep first. Then she snuggled up to me (still crying) and within a minute, she fell asleep. The funny part is when she woke up and we went into the living room she started saying Brobee. I said, " Yes Ellie. Mommy did promise you Brobee when you woke up." She said "YES!" So she had to watch Brobee.


Last night in the bath, I was getting Ellie to say all her families' names. She was doing a great job!! This morning, Josh got her to say it again and got it on his phone. So we have evidence that she can say them!!! All of them!!

Everyday I am just impressed at how much she can talk. She will copy everything we say now. I told her "I promise" (about what I don't remember), and the rest of the day she was saying "promise". She just amazes me at how much she knows. It is great to get to play with her. I love her more and more every day! Oh how wonderful it is to be a mom!! Sometimes I have to remind myself of these precious moments (especially on days like today when she wouldn't take a nap.)

Elliegator and Outdoor fun

I know that it has been a while since my last post, but I have been pretty busy. And I am about to be even more busy with basketball starting up! I have got to give myself a break.

Anyways, Josh, me and Adam and Ashley went to Gainesville for the Tennessee/ Florida game. We had a blast!! We got to stay in Gainesville which was so much better! I can't believe we use to stay in Lake City. So, we did alot of shopping...I mean ALOT of shopping!!! I found Ellie the perfect outfit!! A UF Cheerleading outfit. I mean it feels and looks like the real thing! I was so happy that I didn't really pay attention to the price tag and just bought it. So, Ellie is going to be a UF cheerleader for Halloween. I even found her a pair of white Reebok shoes! She is going to look so cute. I am really hoping that Ashley will buy Carter a jersey and let him be a football player for Halloween. They would be so cute together!!!

Well, here are a few pictures of Ellie in her outfit. I think that she likes it. She wouldn't let me take it off of her!!

She was yelling "GOOOOOO"

Do you like her choice of accessories?

This past week has been the best weather!! I love it when it is in the 70's and you can wear jeans and a shirt and be just fine. I wish we had this weather all year long! Well me and Ellie decided to make the most of it one day after school. I grabbed a few of her toys (mainly because we are horrible and haven't bought her anything that goes outside!) and we took off. She loved playing with her golf set. Although the wind was blowing her ball around and leaves were blowing around. Every time a leaf would blow across the driveway, she would ask "Whats that?" I would have to reassure her every time that it was a leaf and she was fine. I think the noise of it must have scared her a little bit. I also took her four wheeler out and she is still trying to ride it, but she is a little too big. It was really cute though. Of course, when it was time to go inside, she would just start crying and telling me "NO, NO Mommy!" I couldn't resist. We had to stay a few more minutes. Here are some pictures of one of our days outside.

I think she must have been singing!

Happy Birthday Colt!

I have a new nephew today, Colton Foster. Born this morning at 8:45am weighing in at 8lbs 4 oz and 20.5 in long. Wow! Big boy! Everyone is doing good and I can't wait to see him. I didn't get to go today because I just don't have the days to take off, but I will be spending the weekend with them! I can't wait! Pictures to follow!

Florida Football and Playtime

Well here is our family picture in our UF jerseys. Soon Ellie will have a cheerleader outfit to sport, but unfortunately she didn't have it in time for the first football game!! Saturday was the day Josh couldn't wait for and it was the day I usually dread. I am now officially a football widow. Oh well, I love football too so it really isn't that bad. We decided that since we all have jerseys with #1 on it, we thought we would take a family picture. I thought it turned out great!! Ellie actually smiled!!

We went to the Kelly's house and watched football and let the kids play together. They had so much fun and was the best!! They played better this weekend then they have so far. They are getting older and loving the company. This morning Ashley and I took the kids outside to play on the swing set. Of course they loved it. Ellie loves to swing. We let them go down on the slide by themselves and they loved it. Ellie was all about it at first, but when she went down it too fast the first time, it scared her and mommy had to hold her the rest of the time. I was taking pictures and me nor Ashley thought she would go that fast since Carter didn't. But Ellie just took off and fell all the way off the slide. She never cried though. Tough Girl! Here are a few pictures to enjoy.

Pee Wee Football

Josh is coaching again!! He is helping coach the 9-10 yr old pee wee football team with some of his buddies. He is having a blast! I think it shows him how much he really enjoys doing it. So far they are doing great!! 2-0 is their record. This Saturday was a close game, but they pulled it off. It was a great game!! Here are some pictures to show you! Oh yeah, he hasn't thrown his hat down!!! (remember when he coached high school... that was all he did when he got mad!!)

Chad Bolton, Josh Wilbourn, Josh Etheredge, and Keith Jarrell

One of the boys making a great play!

Doing what he does best!!

Touchdown Indians!!!