Birthday bonus!!!

So we found out today that my ultrasound will be next Monday the 7th, which happens to also be my 27th birthday!! :^) What better gift could I get than to find out if I am having a boy or girl? So I just wanted to share the fun news, I am so excited to start shopping for baby things. Happy new year everyone!!!!

Merry Christmas 2007

So this is our morning in a nut shell, the girls had a wonderful time playing with all of their new things and were so thankful for everything. Grace just kept saying this was her best Christmas ever!!! (she really liked the automatic toothbrush, who would have thought) Thank you to all who sent fun gifts and cards. We missed the family this year and are anxious for next year when we have another addition to the family and get to be in Boise with everyone. Love you all and I hope you had a merry Christmas!!!!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

Christmas came early.......

Ok so we finally got rid of our nasty, filthy, disgusting, "we don't invite people over because we're too embarrassed", carpet! YEAH!!!! It feels so good on my feet, I can actually go bare foot on it without cringing, (I am a bit of a foot nut....quiet Sarah) so that says alot! Grace and I just laid down on it and rolled around, we have changed all the rules in the house and the girls are loving that. :) No eating, drinking, shoes, breathing, walking too hard or too fast...okay not really but close. Now WE are responsible for every stain and mark so it's a big deal if something gets spilled. Our landlady is wonderful and it will make buying a house so much harder after all the perks of renting. So far plenty of things have needed fixing, she has hired someone to do lawn up keep, she has painted the house, done pressure washing on it twice. It's great to not be paying a dime, just making a call. :) We really want our own house but with our situation right now and knowing that is not going to happen in the near future we have been blessed with what we found.

Before
After
The top is old and the brown is new...the old looks yellow. :(-
The bedrooms did not get done but there is alot of extra so we may try and do a couple of them.

Saturday night we went to this Christmas party that Justin's co-worker invited us too. (I think he was feeling bad that we have no family here.) Anyway, it so reminded me of My Big Fat Greek Wedding...this family was huge and so much fun!! They have been doing this Christmas caroling party for about 45 years and it has just grown and grown. They serve lots of great food and then everyone sits around the living room and sing all sorts of Christmas songs. They have books printed out and the kids get to play bells for part of it, we had such a good time. We felt right at home, the family was so friendly and it was very neat to see all the generations that were there to take part. Justin and I were saying that we would love to have family traditions like this, we were wondering how things would be if we all lived in the Spokane area and could get together with all the cousins every year up there, this is probably what it would be like.

I also took some new belly pictures, it's been about a month since the last ones. Getting bigger, and soon enough we will know what we're having....yeah!!! He/she moves like crazy and I love it!!!! This is the one part about being pregnant that I love!!

18 1/2 weeks.

Creamy chicken and wild rice soup

INGREDIENTS

1 onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
about 2 T olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, cut up
1 (4.5 ounce) package quick cooking long grain and wild rice with seasoning packet (Uncle Bens is what I use)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
6 T cup butter
2 cups milk (I use skim)

DIRECTIONS
1. In olive oil cook the onion, celery, and carrots (I also added garlic) until the onions are transparent, then add the chicken broth, water, and chicken pieces. Cook over medium until boiling and stir in rice, NOT the seasoning. Cover and remove from heat.

2.In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and flour. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in contents of seasoning packet until mixture is bubbly. Reduce heat to low, then stir in flour mixture by tablespoons, to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.

3.Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.


I used to work at a deli and we served this soup and it was always one of my favorites, I have had a hard time finding a recipe that tasted the same. I think this one might be even better. The recipe calls for more butter, flour and heavy cream but it's really not needed to be really creamy and good. I use skim milk and cut the butter and flour about in half, lots of calories saved and still tastes like it "should" be bad for you. :^) Enjoy!!!!!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

The Lights of Christmas.......

Ok so this was a great, great, great place that I wish we had family around us to share it with. It's called The Lights of Christmas and it's at a place called Warm Beach resorts which is a Christian camp/retreat facility. During December they put up thousands of lights displays and put on this amazing attraction that people come to from miles. It's actually overlooking the coast so it's beautiful in the daytime too. We rented a room in the lodge and had such a fun night. The weather was even quite warm and it didn't rain until we were in bed, then it was great because we could hear it on the roof all night. :) They have pony rides, train rides, horse and carriage rides, Santa, shops, restaurants, performers, shows, it's a never ending list of things to do. We had a quaint little room with a queen and two little single beds, it was perfect. This morning they served a big buffet breakfast and we headed for the outlets for some shopping and home for naps. :) Everyone was very tired after a long couple days and night and of course then this morning we are up at 5 am because we are all in a room together. (early for breakfast though ;)) So everyone got a good two hour nap. :)

I hate that pictures (especially with my little capacity camera) will not do it justice but here are a few pictures that turned out okay. This will be a new tradition for us and we encourage all who want to, come and visit and go with. :)

Girls' beds.

She actually did it...she said she was going too but didn't think she would. :)

A little blurry..sooo frustrating!!!


These were cool, it's like a weeping willow of lights.
Bruce the Spruce, the talking Christmas tree.

Mountains

This is an incredible nativity scene, I wish the camera could get it all.

They just want the candy cane sorry Santa. :)


breakfast

Also.. we have finally managed to make our gingerbread houses, the girls did them all by themselves so this is a first in our house. I was quite happy with that though, I like to eat the candy but that's about it.

And.....Grace had two exciting things happen last week, she lost her second tooth and had her first field trip with her class. They went to the Mount Baker Theatre and saw a group called the Alley Cats. She was very excited to ride the bus with just her class.

The tooth fairy will be broke soon.
Of course she had to draw a picture of her field trip.

She's getting so big!!!!

So that's it for now, this is a long one sorry about that. :)

Happy Birthday Isaac

My brother who passed away would have turned 32 today. I was given a CD with his pictures on it and I thought I would post a few. He was the only red head out of my Moms 10 kids, she comes from a long line of them and figured out of 10 she would have a few. :) His personality matched his hair, he was truly a one of a kind. Happy Birthday big brother.

These are always fun........

1. What is your husband's name? Justin Michael Ellersick
2. How long have you been married? 6 years 5months
3. How long did you date? 2 years
4. How old is he? 31....always older than me and that's all I need to remember :)
5. Who eats more? depends on what it is, sweets me, regular food, him
6. Who said I love you first? Me, in Mexico....awwww...how romantic
7. Who is taller? Justin
8. Who sings better? Him, he has a great voice but would NEVER admit it.
9. Who is smarter? He is definitely smarter, his Dad is "freaky" smart so he has an unfair advantage, I am better at directions though. ;)
10. Whose temper is worse? Justins, though it's not much of one.....;)
11. Who does the laundry? I do, doing it right now!
12. Who does the dishes? I do, he clears the dishes and does the dishwasher a lot but me for the most part.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Justin
14. Who pays the bills? Me
15. Who mows the lawn? Some guy, we rent so it's taken care of.
16. Who cooks dinner? I do mostly, Justin can make some mean Italian food though.
17. Who drives when you are together? Justin
18. Who is more stubborn? Me
19. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? whoever was wrong
20. Whose parents do you see the most? Now that we have moved his Mom the most, the rest it's a tie I think.
21. Who proposed? Justin, in Lake Tahoe on a dinner cruise.
22. Who is more sensitive? Me definitely
23. Who has more friends? He does, everybody like him.....he is a likable person. :)
24. Who has more siblings? Me, I have 9, he has 3
25. Who wears the pants in the family? We both wear pants, that's a gross thought if otherwise......really though it's pretty fair.
26. Where did you meet your husband? Mutual friends
27. What was the first thing you said to your husband? I have not idea, "hi nice to meet you"
28. Where was your first date? Stampede basketball game in Nampa
29. Where was your first kiss? In his Jeep dropping me off after about 4 dates
30. Where did you get engaged? Already said that, in Tahoe
31. Where were you married? Outside, it was a fabulous wedding.
32. Where was the honeymoon? Salt Lake for a small getaway, then a month later to Europe.
33. If you could have changed anything about it what would it have been? Definitely longer at each place, it was very rushed a lot of the time.....and I was jet lagged for the first 4 days....(really I was pregnant but we didn't know that)
Tag you're it: Everyone who reads this and feels like doing it, I always love to read peoples answers. :)

A day of Grace.....

Grace had this major love for art, she is a fanatic and I know most kids love to draw but this has turned into a slight obsession. She draws cards, letters, pictures, stories, maps, the solar system, all by herself. She refuses help with anything and now has started sounding out all words and adds dialogue to the pages. She made a map of the planets and named them all getting them all right just forgetting to add like 3 of them, she makes maps of the bones of the body, she makes cards for EVERYBODY and wants to constantly send them in the mail. I have finally put restrictions on the paper because she goes through it way too fast. Well today she brought me a picture and I wanted to share it because I was so impressed that one: she would think of drawing this, and two: that she could do it as well as she did. It says "Christ died on the cross for us"......WOW!!! How do you even tell your kids how much it means that they would do something like that??? She has a little friend Maddie at school who has been her best friend I think from the beginning but their friendship has been a challenge because they are both very strong minded little girls. Maddie is an only child and Grace is the oldest so right there it's a given that they will clash at some point. Well Maddie has informed Grace when she's asked that God is not real and they do not go to church. :( Grace has had lots of questions about people not believing and instead of being upset about her being around it (some parents I know would then choose to take their kids out of school when faced with these situations) we have decided to just start letting her pray about it. I really want her to rely on prayer when faced with these situations and find comfort in it. So every night she will pray that Maddie will feel comfortable to ask if she ever has any questions about Jesus, and that one day she and her family will believe. She always remembers the new baby, that we are safe and healthy. I just can't say enough about her grasp on things and how totally awed we are with this little child of ours. She was asking about her name the other day and I was trying to explain what it means.....she finally just said "so it's just a really good word huh?".....Gracie you have no idea.

In church we are starting a new Christmas series about Jesus and all the names He is given in the Bible. There is a devotional that they handed out last week that has a name and a verse for every day in December. It's all about learning what all those different names mean to us. Last week was The Bread of Life and how without actual bread in those days people would die. Well at the end of the service every one that wanted got a stamp on their hand that said Artos Zoes Bread of Life and that is so every time we reach for things this season (more gifts, food, to do lists, appointments, services, etc.) that do not sustain us we will see the name on our hands and remember what this season is all about and know that there is only one thing that can do that. Jesus!! So we are really trying this year to make it about that and not about craziness and gifts and "to do's".......the girls and I have already done tons of crafty things, we are baking together this year. They had a Christmas program last night, all of these things have just felt so good not to be having to do but wanting to do. My girls are wonderful and I am so proud of the young ladies they are becoming.

Slowly but surely......it will get done.

I have yet to finish my decorating because I'm bored with the same things over and over again. I see the cutest ideas and I want to be made of money this time of year so I can try some of them. I really want a wreath for my front door but I can't talk myself into spending the money on it! Why does my conscience win???? I just want some new decorations to brighten things up a bit. Someday I guess. I did go get a really cute 4 foot spiral tree for my front yard though and it's very cute. It has the multi colored lights on it and a star on top. :) We have the christmas tree up too finally after braving the freezing cold winds and snow to get it. The girls and I stayed in the car while poor Justin had to tie it to the top of the car, this coming the weekend after the roof top stringing lights. I had a thought of what would Christmas be like without my husband around???? :(


Thanks honey. :^)
My monkeys in the backseat got a little tired of waiting.

So here is the tree, the girls have started the tradition of painting a new wooden ornament every year and made some cute ones in Sunday School. I let them decorate the tree the first night with all the ornaments and candy canes, then after bed I rearranged them all. I don't have the heart to keep the bottom two feet the only thing decorated. SOMEDAY (I like to say that) we will have the money to get them their own little tree and they can go crazy without me touching it. :)

Notice all the candy canes on the lower half, I think we started with a dozen and they just keep disappearing. ;)
So hard to take good pictures inside when I can't get the whole effect.

Haylee hanging her little angel she made.

So far this year we have had a great snow fall that lasted about two days. We went to a fun lights parade and got to watch from the car after having pie and ice cream at a little cafe. The weather was about 25 degrees with the wind blowing about 40 mph.....tell me who will stand in that for a darn parade????? Not us that's for sure, we sat in the car with the heater on waving to them all.....he he....tis the season......;^)

Waiting for the parade to start.
This is about 7:00...

Now she's done, this is about 7:30..when she goes, she goes........long fun weekends will do that to you.

I now have to work on cards to get out and the rest of shopping.....anyone doing anything fun and festive this year. I would love to hear about it. In Boise we would always go to the Botanical Gardens and see the lights. :( I am sad that we will not be doing it this year, I think Mike and Bonnie have a pretty good collection of 3D glasses now too. They would get a new one every year. We will miss you guys this year, think of us as you warm up by those fires. :)