What's Up

I knew I needed to do a post, but I usually do a post with pictures and I haven't taken any pictures in a while. I have been busy painting the guest room upstairs that will eventually be Ellie's room. Andy and Autumn and Lissy came home last weekend to help get stuff ready for Christmas. Jackson gave Lissy a guilt trip until she decided to sleep over at our house on Friday night. Andy and Zane helped my dad put up the lights outside and then we also helped to bring down some of the decorations from the attic. The Lissy took our Christmas card picture of the kids. Ellie was very uncooperative, but Jackson was such a good boy. We did finally get some and then Lissy and I had fun designing our own Christmas cards. She is very creative! I've also been working on getting stuff ready for Ellie's birthday/Thanksgiving. I was having a hard time trying to figure out how to incorporate a little girl's birthday into the colors of Thanksgiving. It is all starting to come together. This weekend involves working on decorations for Thursday, putting together Ellie's jeep, and finishing decorating outside. Andrew is MIA as it is deer season. Jackson has gone with him twice. Jackson actually cried last Saturday when he discovered that Andrew had gone without him. Last night, they were both in the basement (Andrew sleeps down there during hunting season because he has all of his stuff down there). I went down around 10pm and Jackson was still awake and I asked him if he wanted to go sleep in his bed and he said, "No. Hunters sleep in their basements." So they were off by 5 this morning.

Ellie has been expanding her vocabulary. She now has several sentences she says. She repeatedly asks, "Where's Jackson Mommy?" or "Where's Daddy Mommy?" She also says, "Where are you?" and her favorite lately, "I do it." She is quite the independent little squirt. She will also reply that she is going to be two if you ask her how old she is going to be. And she thinks she can count. We count the stairs at Jackson's school and she has "1,2,3,4" now but then says random words that sometimes sound like numbers. She loves to hang out with Jackson and they are becoming better buddies everyday. Of course they still fight a lot, but they do find things they like to do together. Jackson will say, "Let's go play downstairs Ellie," and off they go. They have rediscovered the playroom since the weather has gotten cold. It was a disaster, but Jackson got in trouble a few times this week so he had to clean it up as part of his punishment. I love that it is downstairs and the mess can be closed off. She has also learned from Jackson a little of what to do when she gets in trouble- up the schmooze factor. Sometimes she gets mad, but sometimes she gives you her puppy dog eyes and goes in for the hug to try to keep from getting in trouble. She is also great at giving kisses now, but only when she wants too. And she loves to color, but mostly with pens. This has gotten her into a little trouble. We still have an ottoman that has been with the cleaners for over a week while they try to get it all out. She is such a character and we have loved watching her grow over the last two years.

Here are some pics of her room. I wasn't going to post any pictures until the comforter was done, but since I don't have any other pics, I took some of the room.

Here are the letters I got on Etsy...

And the cool dresser I found at an antique store in St. Louis and repainted...