Growing Girls

Violet (5 months)

Violet (2 weeks)

Ella (5 1/2 years)

Ella (3 weeks)

Look how they've grown!

It's fun to see how quick the girls change. Ella is a beautiful joyous almost 6 yr old who simply CANNOT WAIT for school to start! Violet is chubby and happy and growing rapidly! I'm a happy mama!

The fam!

Sam, Ella, Max and OzzyMom, Andy (in blue), Me, Jake (in orange), Beth and Dad

All 14 of us!

All the cousins, including Violet (this really is the best picture we could get!)

My siblings and I haven't been together for almost 3 years. I guess it takes a solid health scare to bring everyone home. (I guess that's only me. I'm the only one who had to go anywhere.) Anyway, we enjoyed being together and watching our kids play. Violet instantly won over her aunts and uncles and Ella super enjoyed playing with her "boy cousins." We were only sad that Cory couldn't come with us, but that's the way it is with short notice trips.

Future Cowgirl

Feeding Cash oats
Ella, Violet, Me and Cash

Auntie Beth and Ella riding Cash

While in Alaska, my sister (who is a great Auntie) arranged for a horseback ride with a coworker. Ella was THRILLED and delighted. Deborah (Beth's coworker) even let Ella steer the horse all by herself. It was a good morning! We even got Violet up for a photo op. Afterwards, Ella showed her appreciation by taking off Cash's saddle, brushing him and feeding him oats. Yummy! Thank you Auntie Beth! :)

Grandpa's girls

We just went to Alaska to help my dad recover from surgery, and although he couldn't pick up the girls, he got to spend some valuable cuddle time with them. As soon as Violet was done eating I'd put her in his lap and let them cuddle, and inevitably, Ella would soon join them. Grandpa spent a lot of time watching movies that only a grandpa and a 5 3/4 year old girl could love!