A White Christmas

Another highlight of this Christmas season was getting to spend 5 days with my family in Crested Butte, Colorado. My parents rented a beautiful home just a block off the main street with all the shops & restaurants. They made sure we could all make it & succeeded in hosting a wonderful vacation for us.

Following mine & Charlotte's stomach bug, Robby woke up at 3:30 in the morning the day we were leaving for Colorado & felt very sick. I was on the phone with the airline seeing if we could push back our trip. Turns out it would only cost us our first born child to make any changes ; ) Really though it was $875 per ticket so I told Rob we either fly or cancel the trip entirely. He was such a trooper & said we had to go & that he would be fine. He felt awful the whole day which included a flight over 4 hours long to Denver then a 2 hour layover, 1 hour delay then a 1 hour flight on a dinky plane through LOTS of turbulence. God answered our prayers as Robby made it to Crested Butte & Charlotte mostly behaved herself. Robby told my mom that all he could think about was how excited she was to have her family in one place & how sad she would be if we called and said we weren't coming.

Many times during the week Rob said that the awful day of traveling was so worth it. We had an amazing time just relaxing as a family. Us girls spent most of our time hanging out at the house or walking through the shops. The guys skied at least a portion of each day. I was definitely wishing I could ski but with my little growing belly, we felt that it would not be the safest idea. I think the staircase in our house was more dangerous than a ski slope. My dad & I both fell...I have a nasty bruise to prove it. We did most of our eating at the house, ate out a couple times, played games, read books, took naps & enjoyed being entertained by the one & only Charlotte Grace.

This has been a neat year to witness for the first time real seasons. Virginia was gorgeous in November followed by the snow in Crested Butte, wow! Robby & I spent our honeymoon in Pagosa Springs, Colorado & did not see 1 snowflake fall from the sky the entire time. We landed in Houston on Christmas Eve & it was snowing : ) So, this trip, it snowed over 2 feet the first 24 hours we were there. I can't even describe how beautiful it was. I wanted to just lay in it. Charlotte on the other hand is definitely a Florida girl! We have multiple pictures of her with a screaming face when we opened the door to go outside. She got a little more used to it after we forced her to stay outside & watch us play for awhile. I would guess she will like it more next time we go & she is a little older.

I think this might be the only picture we have of Charlotte smiling in the snow ; )

Me & Charlotte getting pulled on the sled up & down our street

Me & the little but bigger than me brothers, Kyle & Scott : )

Robby on his first day of skiing

I love this one.....

She thought picking her nose was about the most hilarious thing she had ever done.

Here is where the little snow bunny spent most of her time during the day, peering through the window at the piles of snow. She also wanted to eat her meals facing the window.

My mom surprised us with matching pajama pants. They are adorable & oh so comfy & warm : ) Thanks big mama!

Two pretty girls in their pj's

Me & Robby at the base of Mount Crested Butte

The entire Ellis Clan left to right: Uncle Joe, Scott, Mallory, Zak, Aunt Debbie, Aunt Cindy, Uncle Mike, Charlotte, Richard, me, Kyle, Robby & Susan. It is not very often we are in the same place but are reminded of how much we enjoy each other when the opportunity arises!

And last but certainly not least, a picture of the growing belly nearing 16 weeks while in Colorado. There is definitely no denying now that I am pregnant, not that I ever denied it ; ) One very special moment this week was feeling sweet baby Valentine #2 moving around for the first time. So incredible & something I could never get tired of. Soon we will know if Charlotte with have a brother or sister!

The week went by so fast & before we knew it, we were on a plane back to sunny Florida. Just for the record, it was only warm here for Christmas day then it turned cold as well. In fact, there was actually some frost on the ground this morning!

We are hoping to make the trek to Crested Butte again in a couple years with the whole family. I love spending time with them anywhere but there is something special about being away in the winter with snow covered roofs.

Thanks mom & dad for making our trip so special! You made us feel not so far away this Christmas : )

Christmas Day

How Christmas has come & gone so quickly, I do not know! We really enjoyed this month though as it was FULL of family time. We spent alot of time playing with & teaching Charlotte about her nativity set once it arrived. I know her little eyes will light up next year when we pull it out of the Christmas box.

I am excited to move forward the next few years with some traditions we want to have. One tradition for me is I seem to work nearly every Christmas ; ) It is just the way it worked out with the holiday schedule & moving to Orlando. I was off last year for the first time so basically, 4 out of 5 years have been spent helping mommies & babies. It is actually a sweet place to be as it helps me ponder the wonder of Mary welcoming her son Jesus. This year, I worked from 7am-11am then got to leave early. It worked out perfectly as far as Charlotte napping & having some time to make a chocolate pie before opening any gifts. Our neighbor Diah & then friend, who we pretty much consider family, Chris was with Rob most of the day also stayed for dinner then came back the next night for round two.

We also had some guests in our home who I did not even get a picture of, but I promise they were there! Our good friends Michael & Melanie Mccracken with their 4 month old son Tatum actually beat us here for the holidays. They arrived the 23rd & left today. Melanie's mom & dad were also in town & joined us for dinner & dessert.

Onto some pictures.....

In the middle of the whirlwind, we were home for one evening in which Robby put together the gifts that each set of Grandparents had purchased & sent our way. Robby commented after it was all done, "No wonder we had to leave cookies & milk for Santa! That made me hungry!" He worked very efficiently & we had some good laughs reading directions. The shopping cart is actually called the Princess Cozy Coupe Shopping Cart & on the side of the box had that name translated into about 8 languages... one of which we adopted & now call it "the winkel wagon." So, little Charlotte got a Winkel Wagon & a tricycle for Christmas among many other things. She needs about 1 inch more before she can pedal but it doesn't keep this girl away! My mom & dad found this tricycle & thought it was great. We agree & couldn't have enough Texas Tech represented in our home : ) She was funny....she would go open another gift then run back over & jump on the tricycle. We definitely need a helmet before heading to the sidewalk after watching her crash off onto the carpet! Robby offered his motorcycle helmet but that is not quite what I had in mind ; )

She also spent a good part of the afternoon trying to climb into the winkel wagon. She would do this then look at us like " what the heck?" "why can't I fit in here?" No wonder they call it the "cozy coupe! Robby's mom & dad picked out the shopping cart & it is beyond adorable. It is already full of play food provided by some uncles & will bring hours of entertainment for me & Charlotte both!

One of our favorite things we got Charlotte was a feather boa & a beaded necklace with matching bracelet. They were a hit & will be used frequently around here in place of my headbands & the dog leashes.

Charlotte loves to pretend talk on the phone. She has a cell phone style Elmo phone that she carries around in her purse. So, just like the rest of us, now she has a home phone too! She loves to put it up to her ear then look off into the distance & nod her head randomly. It looks funny & I am pretty sure she learned it from me ; ) She also does her talking which sounds like this...maybe..."bilblabilbilblibababil" I should try to get it on video.

We had a good time with the gifts & a better time with our friends sharing a meal together. When we are separated by many miles from our family, we are so grateful for special people to spend the holidays with.

Reflecting on the birth of our Savior should encompass this season and I feel like it did more so than in previous years. I am excited to continue making that our focus as we teach our little ones about Christ. We hope your Christmas was a joyous time of celebration as well!

big D, little a, double L, A, S

This is officially blog posting day. I plan to play catch up on all of our exciting adventures in the last 10 days : ) Previously I shared a bit about our anniversary in Dallas & how sick we were. We had a great time before the sickness set in visiting with friends & family. Unfortunately, I stopped taking pictures after I started throwing up so we are missing (in photos) the fun we had with my moms' side of the family.

The trip to Dallas was planned around Robby's company Christmas Party that we so look forward to each year. It works out great to turn it into a long weekend so we can catch up with our friends & family. Here are some photos of our visiting:

A tradition within the last year of trips to Dallas: Lunch at Uncle Julio's, you guessed right, we are addicted to Mexican food : ) This trip, Andrew, Renata, Jocelyn & Levi joined us for the delicious meal. The Jensen family was short one person, sweet little Owen who we missed so very much but we enjoyed visiting with his mom & dad before they headed to Brazil that evening.

After lunch, Jocelyn & I loaded our two kiddos into her back seat & headed over to my friend Halie's house. Char & Levi were so funny checking each other out, humming random things & pointing at each other. Levi practiced saying "Charlotte" which was absolutely adorable. Charlotte cannot even say "Charlotte!" We let the kids run in the back yard with Halie's dogs....both kids LOVE dogs & are not intimidated in any way. Levi spent some time barking at one of the dogs : )

Here we are with our little ones....who aren't so little anymore

I do love flashbacks so, on the left is Jocelyn & me in April 2009 at 26-27 weeks pregnant with our first babies. We were only 1 week apart with our due dates & ended up 10 days apart with our oddly similar deliveries. On the right, I am almost 15 weeks & Jocelyn is almost 19 weeks with our second babies! She had found out the day before that they are expecting boy #2 which is super fun! It has been a blast to visit each other & let Charlotte & Levi get to know each other. We hope to keep it up after the new babies arrive!

Above is a photo of me & Rob before heading to dinner with all our friends at Cogent Company

And below, me & Halie. I just LOVE Halie. We worked together at Parkland, starting just a few months apart & later, tag teamed the Bereavement Committee before I moved. We were just becoming good friends when we left Dallas & the Lord has been so good in deepening our friendship over the past 2 1/2 years. She is a budding seamstress & quilter who has an eye for matching fabrics & always has some project going...we would totally get into trouble if we lived close ; ) She & her husband Eric came to visit just after Charlotte was born & we were not surprised to see Robby & Eric hit it off with all of their similar interests. We miss them terribly & of course wish we lived closer but as always, we enjoy our visiting!

The Cogent Co. Christmas Party was at Ozona's Bar & Grill where we enjoyed more hot salsa & fajitas after eating at Uncle Julio's. This picture is a tad humorous. In 2008, when Robby started working with these guys, the men pictured below comprised the entire company. Our Christmas Party was with the 8 of us & it was wonderful : ) This year we had about 40 people total & that was missing a few employees! God has provided so much work to be done by these talented men. We definitely mixed up & chatted with all sorts of people but what do you know, it clears out & we are down to the originals from 2008! Each of these individuals are incredible people that we are blessed to have in our lives.

Thursday night while we were at the party, Charlotte spent the afternoon & evening with Grammy, Grandpa & GG. This trio did lots of playing & reading while Charlotte did lots of entertaining for them in return. Fun was had by all! The next morning, Charlotte & GG got to pick some persimmons of the neighbors tree!

For lunch, Charlotte, GG & I went up to Jeannine's school to enjoy a pizza lunch with her 4th grade class. Apparently the kids have been dying to meet Charlotte after watching all of her videos on Jeannine's phone. We had a blast talking to the kids & watching them enjoy Charlotte's antics. She put down 2 full pieces of pizza (which she threw up later) but she enjoyed eating what the big kids were eating!

That evening, Robby's Aunt Anne & her 4 kiddos joined us for dinner at the Valentine's house. It was wonderful to catch up with them & let a few of them meet Charlotte for the first time.

Another flashback photo that we couldn't avoid. It was the eve of our wedding anniversary & we were actually hanging out with our flower girl & ring bearer! How often does that happen? Thomas & Caroline have definitely grown up as you will see in the photos below : )

Just after dinner was when the throwing up began & if you missed out on the rest of the story, feel free to catch up via the previous blog post.

Over all, it was another wonderful visit to Dallas. My only complaint is there is NEVER enough time & there are always so many people we love but can't see every visit. We will return I am sure!

Happy Anniversary!

We celebrated anniversary #6 yesterday in a different way than usual. Here is a little recap of what we have done for previous anniversaries:

• #1- Weekend getaway to Granbury, TX


• #2- Played hours upon hours of Mario Bros on Super Nintendo, Dinner at Luna de Noche


• #3- Lunch at Oceanaire Seafood Room & Christmas shopping at Galleria


• #4- Steak dinner at home with my family


• #5- Weekend getaway to Savannah, GA

So, all the excitement began for anniversary #6 on Friday evening. We ate dinner at Robby's parents house & I took Charlotte into the bedroom. She looked at me funny, stood up & then threw up ALL over herself, the bed & me. POOR baby.....it was awful to see, and experience : (

We ended up putting her pack n play in our bedroom for the night and were up at a once an hour minimum. We began wishing each other "Happy Anniversary" after midnight & saw each other about 8 times before the sun came up including each of us being covered in throw up more than once...this was a bit humorous.

My favorite moment was around 5am when we were all exhausted. I rolled over in bed to see Charlotte all snuggled up with Rob, sucking her thumb with her other arm stretched over her head. I said "Happy Anniversary" again but this time it made my eyes fill up with tears. It was like I was experiencing the real life anniversary, the not so fun times that we committed to stand by each other. Sadly enough, I ended up being sick for the entire day but spent it with with Robby & Charlotte & my mom's side of the family at my Grandma's house. I had many people caring for me so I sent Robby out on our anniversary date we had planned. He went to dinner & the Dallas Symphony with his parents & a few others. I laid around drinking 7up & went to bed by 8:45.

With a day where I was forced to relax, I spent a lot of time thinking about our wedding day & our years together as husband and wife. I married a man who loves God, loves his family & has stayed true to the covenant he made with me on December 18, 2004. Here are some pictures from that sweet day:

I love being called his wife. I love the exciting times & what comes from the difficult times. I love being a parent with him. I love serving each other. I love working through the issues that come our way. Mostly, I love the life the Lord has blessed us with & look forward to each year we have ahead.

Welcoming the Christmas Season

I have been quite the slow poke when it comes to blogging lately. I will blame it on all of the exciting things we have been doing lately combined with the lingering pregnancy nausea & over all sleepiness : ) All that to say, I have been thinking about this post & what I could include to knock it all out at once so.....here we go!

First, a Valentine Family Tradition, we decorate the tree on the Sunday evening following Thanksgiving. We set it all up, minus ornaments while Char was asleep in the afternoon & she was in awe when she came out! She loves the lights & points at them frequently saying "dat" which means "that." She came right out and smelled the tree which is funny because ours is artificial. She continued to sniff the tree for a few days after.

The evening was kicked off by a sugar cookie baking session complete with Charlotte's first opportunity to "help." She was so happy to stand on her chair & help pour in the ingredients.

Our entire tree is covered in ornaments our families passed onto us plus those we have added over our years together. We found it very funny that the first year we each had our childhood ornaments, the two pictured below matched! Mine says 1985 on it, not sure when Rob's is from but I just love that we have them!

Our ornament extravaganza is not complete without "snackies." Sausage Balls & Piggies, two favorites in this household for special days. Sometimes when we don't want to cook a real dinner we say, "Do you want snackies for dinner?" Anyway, so tasty. Charlotte needs to learn some snackie etiquette....she would suck all the bread off & leave the piggie on the plate haha! Don't they look delicious though?

Here is the little silly goose doing her new trick. She is such an entertainer when it is just us at home but is a little more shy out in public. I will have to do a post dedicated to the little lady soon to update you on all her doing & growing.

The newest additions to the decor for the holiday season are a banner & pillow covers. It took me forever to find fabric I liked but was happy with my final decision & finished product!

A note on our Christmas tree....the first year we were in our house in Richardson we really wanted a real tree. We went to get it & saw how expensive they were. We settled on purchasing the cheapest one at Target for $25 with the plan to return after Christmas & buy a nice one on sale. Fast forward 5 years, here is our cute little $25 dollar tree all lit up. It has grown on us, not in height but in our hearts ; )

One of my favorite holiday stories from 2010. I had been looking for a nativity set for Charlotte to play with. She loves my Willow Tree one & wants to be on the couch constantly so she can touch it. I had my eye on a set I had seen online & looked at it nearly everyday for 2 weeks debating whether I should buy it or not. At the end of the 2 weeks, I received a phone call from my Grandma Shirley saying she had a brilliant idea. She wanted to buy a nativity set for Charlotte for Christmas. This idea had come to her mind the day before & she spent the afternoon searching for the perfect set but returned home empty handed. She started looking online & found the one she wanted. She even went to Toys R Us at 6am to get it! So during our call, she started describing the most adorable nativity set she had ever seen. What do you know....it was the same exact one I had been hoping to get! Something so small but so special that I know the Lord blessed me with.

Our prayer is that our home would reflect treasuring Christ through every season of the year. We are feeling the weight of responsibility to teach Charlotte the story of how Jesus came into the world as a baby with the purpose of dying for our sin so our relationship with God the Father would be restored. What a special time of year to focus on the birth of Jesus & what a special way to help her little heart & mind begin to grasp the love of Christ. Our prayer is that this nativity set would be touched by little hands for many years in our home as we share with our children the true reason we celebrate Christmas. Thank you Great Gran for helping us get started!

We definitely need to work on our character identification. Yesterday, Charlotte picked out baby Jesus & Joseph easily but when asked to bring Mary to mommy, she returned with a cow & a huge smile on her face. I love this little girl! Here she is in her Christmas dress that Robby's mom & dad gave us last year. She got grass stains on it from sitting & rolling in the wet grass : ) Such a girly girl right?

And finally, a picture of the growing belly. Last weekend I had the opportunity to step in for a sweet friend from work that had a bridesmaid cancel on her last minute. It was amazing that the dress only needed minor alterations! I think the style of the dress REALLY accentuated the growing bump. I don't look THAT pregnant all the time : ) The wedding was in Port Orange, Florida near Daytona Beach & we had a such good time at the ceremony & reception. We are just a few days away from our anniversary & are in reflection mode thinking about the week leading up to our special day so that makes a wedding super enjoyable!

We are fast approaching a couple trips to visit family & friends, company in our home over Christmas, Pierogi Day & New Years! We are close to frozen here in Orlando with highs in the 40s the past few days. Brrrr!!! Hope your next couple weeks are enjoyable & focused on the real reason we celebrate during this season.

a little peek at Baby V # 2

This week we got to enjoy a lovely performance via ultrasound by the sweet baby pictured below. He or she was quite the entertainer waving at us, putting their little thumb in their mouth & doing a few flips. It was absolutely amazing to see.

The baby measured right on target for 12 weeks at around 2 1/2 inches from head to bottom & the heartbeat was 155. Our doctor said if we believe old wives tales we may be having another girl. We have definitely found ourselves getting equally excited as we consider the possibility of a boy or a girl! We are scheduled to return January 10th to hopefully find out if we can continue with all things girl or if we need to bring some blue in to balance things out.

We have a couple names we like but have pretty much stopped talking about it until we find out what we are having....then we can really get serious : )

Enough talking, sorry, ONTO THE GOOD STUFF!




I did great emotionally during the ultrasound itself but when we got in the car & I was holding the strip of pictures looking at this precious little life growing inside me, I lost it. I was so overwhelmed with joy. I will try to describe it for you....after experiencing one pregnancy & knowing the love I had for Charlotte the day she was born & then seeing how MUCH that love has grown over the past 16 months, I am floored that I get to do it all over again. I can't believe how the Lord increases a parent's capacity to love with each addition to the family & I am SO looking forward to loving this baby & any more that we are given. It is a reminder that the love I have for my children pales in comparison to the love God has for us. Even then, I am thankful that He allows me to experience the joy found in loving a child.