I love my kids...

In an out of earth experience yesterday, I overheard Emrey actually playing with Eli and making him laugh! I say this, because these days, often I feel like all I do is mediate between the two of them and remind, remind, remind Emrey to "be gentle, not to take things, be sweet with your words, give Eli space"....the list goes on.

Well, I've been feverishly trying to get our guest room painted as we have grandma coming to visit and then Sarah and Uncle Keith in a few weeks. Trying to paint a room with two toddlers is pretty comical. I try to do it when Eli's sleeping, and Em is having "quiet time"...but I've resorted to doing it while their awake, so that I can just get it done!! Well, it was when I was finishing up the last finishing touches on the wall...that I hadn't heard from them in a while...and that always makes me nervous! Then, I heard it....Eli laughing (not the crying that I usually hear when they end up alone together). Yes, he was laughing! I slowly poked my head around the corner, not wanting to interrupt them...or have them see me and come running in...and there they were. It sounds trivial, but it was HUGE! Emrey was building a tower with blocks, and letting Eli knock it over (something he just LOVES to do these days). Every time he knocked it over he did his little gut laugh and she laughed as well, it was the cutest thing ever...to me at least. It made me so happy and encouraged to see them playing together. It gave me hope for the future, that some day, they will be buddies!

I am so blessed and so thankful for that little moment!
Today, I am especially grateful for my two sweet children.
What a gift they are!

We've moved!!!

It's crazy to think this all started only a month ago! We were in NH after celebrating my sister Sarah's wedding, which happened to also be the best New Years Eve party EVER! After the wedding, Ellis and I left the kids with my parents and sister and headed back to Houston to pack up our house! The King's very sweetly offered to come help and what a huge help they were! We couldn't have done it without them! When we got most everything packed up, I flew back up to New Hampshire and got to hang out a while more while Ellis and his dad drove our belongings and cars out to Denver! Early the morning of January 18th....we left New Hampshire on a new adventure....

Luckily...I was not alone! My mom was so sweet and was willing to help us (aka, get slobbered on, change diapers and share in our very long flight out here, to Denver). She was able to stay for a few days...long enough to see me very stressed with boxes to unpack and two little kids making it difficult to unpack.....and I'm sure was glad to leave when she did! She was a huge help, both physically and emotionally for me those first few days we were here and I'm so grateful for her!

It's hard to believe that it has almost been a month since we've been here! It's been a LONG month! It started with both kids being sick the first week we were here. As difficult as that was...one good that came out of it was that we did find a good doctor right away! For our first two weeks here it was quite warm, in the 50's/60's each day. We spent a lot of time walking to the park down the street and playing outside on our own swing set in the back.

About two weeks in, we got a HUGE snowstorm and it snowed straight for three days! We got about two feet! It was actually really fun. Emrey got to go sledding and I got to use those shoveling muscles (the one's you don't realize you have until after you've shoveled :)

We've been exploring on the weekends, when Ellis has time off. Our first weekend, we made it up to Evergreen ( a small town in the foothills) where we went ice skating on a beautiful lake and got some great pizza! We've also been able to visit with Aunt Alice and see her horses! Emrey is very excited to get to do some riding when it warms up a bit!

Emrey started a preschool right down the street two days a week and in typical Emrey fashion, she's jumped right in. She seems to have a good time when I pick her up?? She definitely misses her Houston friends though, and tells me almost daily that she misses her old house and wants to go visit her friends :( Overall though, she is doing really well and this transition has really bonded her and Eli. They love running around together and Eli is just about running these days! He started walking right before Christmas and is doing amazingly well!
Emrey with Aunt Alice and Copenhagen


Eli also just began showing an interest in reading! Up until this past week, he had little interest in reading, other than maybe to chew on the books! Just this past week, he's started bringing books to us and nudging us until we open the book and read to him! He has also started talking a bit more! Some of his new words are: "uh oh, light, daddy, car, and ball". When he's not using his new words, he's usually babbling in his little Eli language, which he expects we all understand, it's very cute. He has some new signs as well...please, thank you, all done...He's so very sweet is usually easy going...unless it's time for me to make dinner :)

He's still into climbing....15 months

And LOVES cars, or really, anything with wheels on it



Here are some photos of Emrey helping to make some cupcakes for her valentines day party at school! Emrey LOVES to help in the kitchen these days!







Lastly...Ellis and I are doing well...we had our first date night this past weekend (which was MUCH needed) Ellis did some research and signed us up for a cooking class, which was a lot like the one we did on our honeymoon. We made an amazing meal and enjoyed a relaxing dinner, sans children! We've already made some friends that are such a gift! They've been showing us around and giving us all the insider tips on the area! We definitely miss our Houston friends, but sense that God is really providing for us here! We are excited to get up into the mountains and try to do some skiing this weekend!