Catching Up

So it has been a while since I've posted anything to our blog. I admit I'm a slacker.

Much has happened in the past few weeks. To name a few, Abby fell out of a shopping cart, she got her first tooth, Ella started pre-school, and we've been to Utah twice.

I earn my living by writing so I'm not too keen on getting on here and composing some great entry for all my readers to lavishly eat up. I write all day... why write more?

But I wanted to share these pictures with you to show just how adorable our little family is. I love being a mom.

Growing Up

They're growing up! Ella woke up this morning, and her voice had changed. No, I'm not talking about 14 year old boy, squeaking and screeching changed, but her cute baby voice has disappeared. I can't explain it, but it has more of a tenor in it now.

Abbigail's voice isn't changing, but she is trying to crawl. She is doing her best to push her little legs underneath her and push up on her arms. And I think Jared and I unraveled a mystery. Lately we've been finding little scratches on Abby. Nothing extreme, no blood... but we couldn't figure out where they came from. Mystery solved. I was checking up on her today while she was supposed to be napping. I peeked in the room, and there snuggled up with her is Pokey the cat. Abbigail was having the time of her life pulling his fur and kicking him around. Jared took a picture so I'll make sure we post it later.

"Daddy, I'm Hot..."

On a warm, if not hot summers evening, as I was getting myself and the girls ready for bed, Ella insisted on dressing herself. Because she's a big girl now. All the windows were open, fans on, everyone else was trying to stay cool. She looked like a little hobo dressed in eight layers of pajamas and baking like a toasted cheeser.

No, I did not eat that...

I have just submitted this video to America's Funniest Home Videos. Chances are the content is a bit to risky for a family show on Sunday evening. But hey, if you don't play you'll never win. Enjoy the video.

Mommy-time Vs. Daddy-time

Jared and I are blessed to have work schedules that allow us not to rely on daycare. Jared works from 7am - 1:30pm, and I work from 1:45pm - until the news ends. I love spending the day with my girls, and they are lucky to have so much time with their dad... not alot of kids have that.

So... when the girls are with me, their clothes are clean, their hair is done and Ella is given healthy food. The downside... I give time-outs, and make Ella keep her clothes on and her hair done. When Jared and I make the swap... all that is out the window. Who knows what they eat, and judging by the pictures you can see any form of cleanliness is out the window. The up-side... daddy is the "fun parent," and the girls get to relax a bit (mommy's up-tight.)

The Magic Number

So Kat and I have a bet going... the first to reach their goal weight wins $400! I've got more to lose than she does. I'm not a complete idiot, I'm not going to disclose my wife's goals to the entire blogosphere. But I will say that at the beginning of the bet I tipped the scales at 200lbs with a goal of 165lbs. My primary means of dropping the pounds is to start playing soccer again and taking the girls for long walks in the afternoons. I played my first game of indoor soccer in a long time on Tuesday. To be perfectly honest not much has changed. It's just now in super slow motion. My goal going into the game was simple, don't puke. Kat has a funny story along those same lines, you should ask her sometime. I played better than I thought I would and hope to continue improving. I'm currently at 192lbs 116% of my goal weight, down five percent from the beginning. Wish me luck. I'll keep you posted.

Litter Box Fiasco

So... a few days ago Ella was gleefully playing in my closet with my shoes. She loves to walk around in high-heels... she calls them wedding shoes. Anyway, I was folding laundry in the other room enjoying listening to her squeals as Abby quietly slept in her swing. When I finished with the laundry I went looking for my little Ella. I was calling her name, but she wouldn't answer. Finally... after a few moments... she said with a sheepish voice, "I'm in here." I tried to open the bathroom door, but she was standing in front of it shouting no, trying to stop me from coming in. Well, you see the mess. Apparently she thought the litter-box would be a fun place to play. Poop and kitty-litter were everywhere! I wanted to be angry, but the mess was so shocking I didn't know how to respond. Without a word Ella marched herself to her room and stayed there for the next 15 minutes. Jared was good enough to clean up the mess...