DIY: Easter Coloring Book/Pages

Ella may not be able to "color in the lines" yet but she does love scribbling all over the page (and table).      I use to just give her plain paper for doodling but found she had more fun when there was a pretty picture for her to add some color to.  Using Microsoft Word I even added a few pages customized just for her with her name. 

Most of the pictures I found online or I made in Microsoft Word with clipart.  She has been having so much fun coloring these.

So much so that I've made several different theme books.  Her favorite seems to be the Ella Rose coloring book full of different roses and flowers.  What little girl doesn't love flowers!

You can download and print some of the images on my flickr page here.

Christmas Vacation Recap

As 2013 comes to a close and we get ready to roll into 2014 we also have to say goodbye to the wonderful time we've had celebrating the holidays and relaxing at home together this Christmas break.  Brandon and I always take extra time off work this time of year so we can make memories as a family.  Plus Brandon is about to head into his busy season and we pretty much won't see him until May - so we try and squeeze a lot in.  I have to admit that I have been terrible at taking photos lately.  I am just enjoying my time with Ella so much that I don't want to get behind the camera too much and miss it.  Here is a glimpse at what I was able to capture these past two weeks.

Helping decorate.

New favorite activity: sledding.

Least favorite activity: Santa.

Another favorite: playing with our new nativity.  Thanks Grandmas.

Christmas Eve Eve family movie with teddy bear and a little hide n' seek.

 Christmas!

Always wanting to play outside and learning how to walk in the snow and new boots.

We had so much fun celebrating Christmas with both our families and friends.  Ella doesn't understand the concept of Christmas but she sure does love any time she gets to spend with her grandparents, aunts and uncles and the gifts weren't too bad either.  She also loved listening (and singing and dancing) to Christmas carols.  I cannot wait to watch her continue to grow and discover the wonder of Christmas.  I am already thinking about how to make Christmas special and magical in both the Santa, commercial aspect but more importantly how to not let that overshadow the celebration of Jesus's birth and the significance of His birth in our lives.  I know there are so many differing views in the Christian world on how to celebrate Christmas and we are comfortable allowing our children to believe in Santa and everything that comes along with that but I also want to be extremely intentional about implementing traditions and activities that also allow our children to celebrate Jesus's birth in ways that are just as special and magical - because it truly is a miraculous, magical event.  So as I take the next year to pray and think on this I'd love to hear how you celebrate.  What traditions and activities are part of your Christmas?

family fall days

Please forgive me.  I just can't help myself.   I am so obsessed with these photos of Ella in her little red wagon.  This is fall for me!  (This could also be the cutest Diet Coke ad.)

  

Ella's Elephant Themed First Birthday

We had a wonderful day celebrating our sweet, little Ella.  The rain may have kept us inside but it didn't dampen the fun.  I am so grateful and feel so blessed that so many family and friends came out to celebrate with us.  Here is a sneak at the party for those who couldn't be there.

Shout out to my AMAZING sister and mom for making the elephant cookies.  My mom has the best sugar cookie recipe and my sister has mad decorating skills.  I am obsessed with them.  

I also ate like 10 (not lying).

Since this was my first experience planning a kids party I kind of panicked about how to entertain the little ones who are still too young for games.  I came up with a coloring station and kiddie toy corner.  I used an editing program to de-color (that would be the official word) the elephant pics used to decorate the party to continue the theme.  It would be so cute to collect the masterpieces and put it in an album for Ella.  For the toy corner I just grabbed a blanket, basket and some simple (non-noisy) toys the kids could play with.  This was a hit and it was so entraining to watch them play together.  Best part was the moms were able to sit on the nearby couches and actually chat and enjoy the party a bit.  I would just like to note the dads were in the opposite corner watching football. 

And of course, it wouldn't be a birthday party without some cake smashing fun.  

My sister made the adorable birthday sign out of a kitchen cabinet.  She also made the sign that was placed at that front door in the first picture.  I will share more about that in another post but can we just note how she got all the creative and artistic talent in the family.  That's not true - my brother is an amazing photographer.  The adorable cake was made by Brandon's cousin, Jessalyn.  

I'm obsessed with it!

Unfortunately, there was no real "cake-smashing," instead it was more finger-lickin' fun.  We had to actually grab chunks of the cake in demonstration.

Cousin Louisa (who also just turned 1) helped teach us how it is done.  She got in there and just stuck her fist right in.  It was so cute to watch how differently they responded.

The cake-smash safety zone was made from several plastic table cloths from the dollar store taped to the wall and floor.  It was such an easy clean-up.  Especially since we just stuck the baby toddler in the sink for a fun bath.

We cleaned up just in time to say goodbye and thank you to our guests before heading home for dinner and bed.  We just barely made it through dinner.

AND 

because I love them so much, here are Ella's party invitations.

I made them on Microsoft Office.  They are so easy.  I will never buy invites or cards again.

at the lake

now I'm ready for bed.....