March Happenings

Spencer gets his hair cut, and then changes into a big kid completely:

Playing with Dad:

Sucking his fist:

Warm enough to walk and pick up sisters from school:

Trying to wake up and eat so we can go get sisters from school.  Scheduling your naps around four other children is a pain, apparently.

Giggling at mom instead of eating, because he wasn't really hungry, but he has to eat, because it's time to go get sisters.  Sigh.

Visiting with Grandma Paula:

Ellie's leprechaun traps:

December Happenings

December went so quickly this year, and kept us very busy... like everyone else, I'm sure.

Ellie made me this early Christmas gift: a very precious Christmas Nativity

Grant became obsessed with this doll of Ellie's: "Grace." Eventually he threw it and ended up breaking it's face, which was tragic for both him and Ellie.  They cried, and cried.

Ellie had a piano recital which she played beautifully at... we love her teacher, Miss. Camille... and Ellie enjoys learning piano and making up songs of her own to play.  She recently started a new book where she gets to pick songs she's interested in learning, and she is very excited.

Spencer is an early riser, just like Ellie.  Every morning at 6:00 sharp he insists it is time to get going.  He and I get up, read scriptures, drink milk, and sometimes we get to sit on the heater vent.

We had great snow for Christmas.  Truly a white Christmas.  The kids wanted to play, but just so you know... it is cold in Iowa and I had no intention of going out.  Luckily, between Libbi and Emily my children are well stocked in good snow gear, so out they went while I watched from inside.  Eventually Grant got snow in his gloves and the snow-time was ended, but they had fun time while they were at it.

Spencer loves to get "wa wa" on his own.  He spills it all over the floor, all over the table, and all over himself.  So, it is quite the wet mess.  He has recently turned into quite the little trouble-maker.  He opens doors much better than my other children, loves to get into the older children's "special things," and especially likes to climb up and get my phone and iPad.  

Ellie's Fall Program

Ellie's Fall Singing Program this year was very cute.  It is hard to get good pictures, but she did a very good square dance.  She made me giggle because she reminds me so much of myself.  She kept pulling her partner along with a sigh as though he needed all the help he could get to be in the right place at the right time.  It was very fun to come hear her sing and see her perform.

The Circus

Instead of having a birthday party this year, Ellie chose to go to the Circus.  It was quite the experience.  The kids liked the Trapeze Artist the best, and enjoyed their million dollar cotton candy.  

Ellie's Birthday Morning

Ellie had a great birthday year with all her grandparents in town for her baptism.  Her siblings were very excited to give her gifts.  They gave her big hugs and loved her lots.  We love our eight year old!  She is a busy reader, loves to make up stories, draw artwork, and do science experiments.  She is good at saving money, she likes to plan things for our entire family (FHE, activities, meals, anything that could possibly be planned!) and is always ready to share and make her brothers and sister happy.  She has been reading her scriptures, writing in her journal, and doing extra work at school for fun.  She has good friends at school this year that she plays fairies with at recess.  She tells me all about the weather and about how air works when she gets home.  She gets to go to ELP this year which means lots of extra projects that get her thinking about all sorts of things that I can barely keep up with.  She does math problems with Justin in the car, and plans on being an author one day.  She also has had her temper calm down this year, and is much happier to deal patiently with crazy siblings... unless she is reading a book, and then she doesn't hear them at all.  She continues to take piano and is passing me up pretty quickly... I won't be able to help her soon!  She likes rhyming, riddles, and jokes, and has inherited her Grandpa Wood/Grandpa Mark/Daddy's humor for saying strange word plays.  She is a treasure and we love her soooooo much!

Ellie's Baptism

Ellie turned 8 this September!  Which meant it was also her year to get baptized.  Ellie wanted to be baptized on her official birthday, luckily it fell on a Friday so we could make it happen.

Invitations (Ellie loves trees right now, so they became our unofficial theme):

Waiting for the big moment:

Guests:

Spencer's favorite friend from Church: Evangelina:

The Bulman Family:

The Steurers (one of Ellie's primary teachers), The Carlsons:

Meg stealing strawberries, one of her favorite things to do!

The Sheffields:

The Mergenthalers:

Ellie's teacher from last year, Mrs. Gorsh.  Ellie really wanted to invite her and was so happy that she could come.  Afterward Ellie invited Mrs. Gorsh to Church on Sunday.  She is quite a little missionary, and much braver than me.

Anna Sheffield:  Anna sang a song at Ellie's baptism that Ellie had written the words to herself.  She wrote them late one night while trying to fall asleep.  She came upstairs to tell me, and first I gave her the angry "get back to bed" speech.  Once she read me the words, I remembered what a special girl she is.

"That God"

by Ellie Wood

I know a God that you might know.

I really hope you do.

And if I tell you about Him,

I think you'll love him too.

That God who is my Father.

That God who had a Son.

That God who loves me just as much as He loves everyone.

I love that God, of course.

I know he loves me too.

He sent the Holy Ghost to help us know what we should do.

Shauntel Anderson wrote music for Ellie's song that her daughter Camille (Ellie's piano teacher) played.