FIRE!

That is Ella's room on the 2nd floor!

This is what is left of the shed.

Well, we had an eventful Saturday night. Lance, Catherine & Lauren came over to grill out and hang out at our house. After dinner, Catherine gave Ella a bath and then I went upstairs to put her in bed. While we were upstairs getting Ella ready for bed and chatting, we hear Cole crying and Lauren screaming for us to get downstairs quick! I see her holding Cole under one arm and we come running downstairs to find half the Germantown Fire Department in my front yard. I didn't know what on Earth was going on. It turns out that our shed was on fire in the backyard!!! Catherine & I were right by it in Ella's room and were clueless! Our neighbors were grilling out...ON THE GRASS W/ DRY LEAVES... and it started a fire. Our shed backs up to the fence we share with them, which has gasoline in it...you can figure out what happened from there. The flames were as tall as our house! How scary to think I was about to put my baby girl in bed! Cole was a little scared because he couldn't find Daddy. (Daddy stayed in the backyard with the firemen.) They wouldn't let us in the house, so we had to stand on the sidewalk (barefooted) for about 45 minutes. The neighbors said that I provided the entertainment for the night. :-) We were so thankful that the fire didn't reach either house and that everyone from both houses were safe. This could have been so much worse. I thanked God for a loonngg time that night!

Tee ball starts!

Cole's 1st t-ball practice

I think this is short stop?

Got to have the Spiderman water bottle

Ella has a good time no matter where she is

Well, it's the moment I've been waiting on since I heard the words, "It's a Boy!" I couldn't wait for tee ball! I grew up at the ball park with my dad coaching little league for Lance's teams. It was always so much fun hanging out there. Cole has only had one tee ball practice, but already seems to love it! We found some old cushions from the patio furniture and turned them into bases in the backyard. He loves hitting off the tee and running the bases. Ella even has a plastic bat and takes her turn too. Cole actually wasn't too terrible for his first try. He hit the ball off the tee the first try and even stopped a ball at shortstop. Can you tell I'm already a proud baseball mommy? I even volunteered to be team parent!?!?

RANDOMS

This is the result when I say "Smile for Mommy!"

Robert, Natalie, Ella, Cole, Emma & Ava at the Northwest Passage Exhibit on St. Patty's Day!

My adorable babies :-)

HAPPY 7 YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO US!

Picture from the Church Directory

Just wanted to share a few random pictures. I know I'm a bit biased, but I swear my babies just get cuter every time I take their picture. I couldn't believe how well the picture from church was so good of them! It's rare that Ella cooperates for a "formal" picture...she sure didn't for the family portrait!

Jason & I celebrated our 7 year anniversary on March 2nd. Lance & Catherine came over to keep the kids while we went on a date to P.F. Chang's. It was nice to have a quiet meal with no sippy cups & kids' meals. :-)

The beginning of March also marked a year since I decided to start exercising regularly. It all started with Stroller Strides, but I realized after a few months running wasn't my thing and Cole was not at all happy with riding in a stroller on the days he wasn't in preschool! We joined the Germantown Athletic Club and I've found several classes that I love taking. Cole loves their pool and I know Ella will too this summer. I still can't say that exercising is something I LOVE, but I am learning to enjoy exercising more and more. I actually get mad at myself if I can't make it to the gym at least twice a week!

Blizzard 2009

Ella was absolutely terrified of the snowman.

They both fell flat on their faces!

Not sure what this expression is

Putting the arms on the snowman

Cole was not a fan of the snowball fight w/ daddy

Can we please go inside?

I wasn't really wanting any snow because I am SO ready for spring. However, it was absolutely beautiful and Cole had a blast in it. Ella wouldn't touch it and eventually just went to sit on the step in the garage. Cole was dying to build a snowman, but daddy ended up doing most of it by himself! When we took Ella to the snowman, she FREAKED out. She was so scared of it. The snow has been fun and pretty, but I'm glad we don't have it all the time. I've been cleaning the mess up all afternoon!