iheartfaces...... this week it's "we ♥tooshies" :)

I picked this one out because it's just always made me laugh! You can see his backbone, but his little belly is hanging out the side! Hop on over to iheartfaces to see more tooshie shots. :)

~ellen

Thankful for a husband/father who works hard and is a great provider for his family.

 Thankful for beautiful weather in November.

We took our chance, loaded up the bikes and went biking. The kids were delighted!

Antoine cried big tears when he realized his bike wasn't going to work with a broken training wheel. But all was well when he got to ride with Steve. :)

my boys :)

Saw some milkweed along the way. I love how the pods look when they pop open and the seeds go floating away.

I'm still trying to convince Kalei that her shoes are cool. For a buck, brand new, you know they're cool!

And I'll leave you with one more... ;)

~ellen

Thankful for HOPE...

I bought mom some flowers for her birthday. They were white and a very pretty pink

 and I could hardly look at them enough.(if that makes sense?) For some reason, they made me think of hope. I can't explain it. I wanted to try and capture it, so I shot around awhile from different angles and lenses. And I got a few that I liked. :)

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:24

~ellen

I better blog about my birthday while we're still in the same month! It turned out to be a wonderful day, even though Steve was gone. Two of my best-est friends took me out for breakfast at a restaurant I'd never been to. Big and old, quiet and dimly lit. I ooh-ed and aah-ed and declared I'd be back with Steve. :)

 

High ceilings and beautiful chandeliers...

 

great coffee...and good friends...
 

Elizabeth....we were in diapers together. And in a lot of other stuff together. I'm sure there were many times our parents despaired over us.... She is now a wonderful mother herself!

Anna...who would probably murder me if she knew I posted her picture. :) She used to giggle like no other. Still does sometimes, actually! Now her little girl sounds just like her... :)

 

This girl should have been there, she's one of us :) What words can possibly describe or sum up our years of growing up together and then going our separate ways? I can't find the words. I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes, missing her... wishing she wasn't a thousand miles away...

We declared the empty chair was hers. :)

The three of us...

Steve and the boys were gone for the weekend and the girls were in school. Liz and Anna both had babysitters and we took our good old time. Sat and talked and talked, then went to Wal-mart, (since we're all three moms and had no kids with us, of course we took advantage of that and...did some grocery shopping!) Then we went to the library and checked out stacks of books. Finally got home from 'breakfast' at two-thirty. There was a gift bag on the table from another one of my dear sisters with a delightful coffee mug - which I've used consistently ever since- and deeee-licious chocolates, and a heartwarming note. Flowers from another sister and fresh bread from another. Phone calls/messages from three others. Yes, I have lots of sisters. :)

That evening at home, I made chocolate fondue for me and my girls and Lisa came over and we watched a little girl movie. It was a full day, and I felt 'loved and celebrated'. :)

~ellen

More fall pictures....what can I say? Fall renders me gasping and speechless...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you're enjoying the season!

~ellen

The ever beautiful Swallow Falls State Park. I was there again on Sunday. It was miserable and cold and wet. By the time we were done with lunch, I had almost lost my inspiration to take off with my camera. I wanted a book and a blanket and fuzzy socks. But Steve said I should take my 'stuff' and go. If it was to rainy, I could stop somewhere for coffee and dessert. (since this terrible mom hardly ever makes dessert, even for Sunday lunch) So I went. When I got there and stepped out into the mist and smelled that wonderful, wet, earthy, pine-y smell- I forgot about coffee and dessert. I wanted to roll in the pine needles instead. The rain meant there was a lot less people... :) I love to go off by myself......

 

 

 

Can't you tell I'm in love with all the different trails? I think I walked further than I ever did before. I really didn't remember the smaller falls, anyway.

The sun peeked out a few times.

 

 

 

 

 Top of the big falls.....

 

This is one of the spots I don't remember- on top of one of the falls.

 

 

By the time I left, it was much later than I realized. I dashed home and made the required Sunday evening popcorn. And warm brownies...... and watched The Waltons with Steve and the kids. Great way to top off a great day!

~ellen