Father's Day Weekend

This weekend is Father's Day and to honor all of you wonderful Dad's out there, check out this awesome video from Tangle.

Summer Time Baseball

If you know me at all you know that the only baseball that really interests me is Blake's little league. So when my sweet husband suggested we all go to a Redhawks baseball game tonight I had to smile and say, "of course we would love to". So, here I am, blogging from the first row, seat 13. The score is 1 to 0 and we are in the 2nd inning!

Needless to say, us girls brought our own car. I do love the family time though!!

Journey to Motherhood- Part 2

Meet "Gooch"

He's a 4 year old French Bulldog that I bought off of Craigslist yesterday. He's the new addition to the Ellis family. He's really been great since we've had him! He is pretty lazy and is hard to excite. He's exactly the kind of dog I wanted.

After touring the house for a few seconds, he decided that he'd had enough....

This is pretty much what Gooch is like. He loves to follow you around, but if you are in the same place for more then a minute he HAS to rest. He's just so dang cute!

Last night after my shower I came downstairs and found him like this...

We've been joking that we need to make sure he's still breathing, but just listen to this video and see why that's just not necessary. (it's very dark, but just turn up your volume and listen)!!

Now dont think this is my baby "replacement" because it's not. I have always loved dogs and we all missed Bogie after he left. I just happed to come across the Craigslist posting for Gooch on Saturday and after seeing him I just "had" to have him.

The kids think he's hilarious and adorable! I have to agree!!

Definition of "ME"

I don't usually buy into the whole "what's your sign?" thing. Today Clint sent me an email about something Chris Angel did at one of his shows. Not sure what it was about, but along with the email was all the "signs" and the characterizations of those "signs". I laughed when I read mine, and if you know me AT ALL...you'll know why.


VIRGO - The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22)Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal.. Beautiful. Easy to talk to.. Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy.. Often shy. Pessimistic.

My Journey to Motherhood- Part 1

I've never really used this blog as it is truly intended for... to share my thoughts and feelings in an online "journal" of sorts. Until now that is.

It's been 3 months and 16 days since little Bruce left our family. I still have his crib set up in his room, and most of his clothes (the ones he outgrew while with us) are in a tub marked "Bruce's Clothes". I'm happy that I am at the point where I can enter that room without exiting in tears. I'm proud of myself for that. It has been the little milestones that I conquer that have helped me move forward with our lives.
At first, it was just being able to get through a meal without him there.... or talk with the kids about his leaving and why. I still can't bring myself to clean the window where he used to sit and stare outside. It's marked with slobbery, dirty hand prints... but to me, it's a reminder of the little blessing that used to sit there and "watch for Grace" (our little 3yr old neighbor that he loved) and hit the window when Clint would be outside mowing...or Blake would play peek-a-boo with him through the bushes. Those sweet hand prints are still there... and I'm not sure when I will be cleaning them.
His room isn't the same as when he left. I think that helps. We now iron our clothes in there and the baby bed is full of random blankets, pillows, and a few rolls of Christmas wrapping paper (?).
I still haven't moved his sippy cups from our cabinet, or his little spoons and forks from the drawer. Most of the toys that he loved so much I sent with him for comfort in his new place. That has helped me too.

I still catch myself talking about him a lot. Stuff that he liked or didn't like. Just "Mommy" talk really.
Clint doesn't say much about him anymore. Not because he doesn't miss him. Clint just deals differently then me. He's an "Ellis"! :) Plus I do enough "feeling" for the both of us!!

With my 30th birthday quickly approaching, it's hard not to think about becoming a Mommy. Don't get me wrong, I love Laynie and Blake... but I'm sure you can all understand...nothing compares to being someones Mommy!
I feel like lately God is laying the groundwork. To what? I'm not sure! I have mended some rough relationships, made peace with the loss of Bruce and Cherry... and really am just ready to move forward with our lives. I don't know what that may bring, only God does..and I will leave it up to him.

Our Branson Vacation! (lots of pics)

We got back yesterday from our stay in Branson. We went with our friends The Due's and just had a blast! The kids really enjoyed it and have already asked to go back soon. Every one's favorite was the Shanghai Circus show on Friday night. They were amazing!! The weather was beautiful there the entire time. Sometimes it was even a bit cool. Our hotel had a new water "park" area that the kids really loved. Overall the trip was a great success and we hope to take them back again soon! Shows to see next time: "Dixie Stampede" and "Noah".

The group at dinner on Thursday night. Eating out started to get a little "old" by the end of the trip, so a sandwich today at lunch was really nice! Weird, I know!

Laynie, Lydia, Grace & Blake in one of the hot tubs at the hotel.

I just had to take a pic of the kids in the same bed. Laynie put up a "pillow wall" so that she didn't have to smell Blake's breath in the middle of the night. We didn't ask questions!! Overall they slept fine together..no major meltdowns!!

This is the only picture I got to take at the Shanghai Circus. There were no cameras or video cameras allowed during the show. Poor little Grace was sure tired by the end. The show started at 8pm and was 2 hours long!! She did great though!!

Friday afternoon we visited the "Talking Rocks Caverns". There was a small wait so we walked along the nature trail until the tour started. It was so beautiful out..like 78 or so! This pic is of Jeff, Kerri, Myself and Clint.

The kids walking along the trail. Always about 45 steps ahead!

The kids on the pancake stacked rocks.

Inside the cavern was just beautiful. These are the "draperies".

Jeff, Kerri & Grace making their way down the very narrow staircase!! Grace was a little scared at times, but she did great here too!!

Kerri & I in the cavern.

The "fam" in the caverns.

Very pretty formations!!

The kids and I.

Saturday was Silver Dollar City day. The kids were all about the rides. Especially anything that would spin round and round. I couldn't stomach those rides, but I did get on the "kiddie coaster" with Blake. Here we are in the front row. Kerri and Grace are behind us.

The kids got to try out their "cow milking" talents on Bessie. Blake and Lydia tried a few tugs...
Then Grace got in there to repair poor Bessie's teet.

Jeff and Clint rode this crazy swing ride!! It went up something like 75 feet in the air at 50 mph. I didn't ride it because it was right after lunch...but I wished we would've gone back. Silver Dollar City is in the hills...so there is a LOT of walking up and down pretty big hills. It was a great workout!! The kids really had fun, but they still said the Shanghai Circus was their favorite! On Sunday after we packed up and loaded the car, we made one more stop. The kids wanted to go to the Wax Museum.

Here is the Geenie and me....

and Blake joining Dorothy and the gang on the yellow brick rode. What a jokster!!

Clint battled it out with Jackie Chan and Luke Wilson....

Then I beamed them all up!
Here's Laynie hanging out with Indiana Jones!

And Blake fit right in with the Marx brothers!!

After the Wax Museum we headed home. The trip was about 5 hours and we were all really tired!! Blake decided to curl up and take a nap!!

Blake's 9th Birthday

Blake and Grace...she says he's her BFF. HOW CUTE!!!

Cutting into his cookie/ice cream birthday dessert!

Tearing into his gifts!

This year we kept Blake's birthday a little low key since he had a baseball game that night and we are headed to Silver Dollar City tomorrow through the weekend! He is super excited about that!

We went with our precious neighbors to Hideaway Pizza.

We leave for Branson tomorrow morning. The kids can't wait! I think this is the first time we have gone anywhere (other then to San Antonio a few times) with the kids on a vacation. I wish we could take them to Disney World or on a cruise, but maybe next year. We are staying at the Welk Resort in Branson. They just built a neat indoor water park and the kids liked that idea!

We also have tickets to see the Acrobats of China in the Shanghai Circus...

We are going to check out the popular Talking Rocks Cavern in Branson too....

We are all excited to take this trip!! Can't wait to post some fun pics when we get back.

:)