The Hajel Family

Pictures of the Hajel girls!

2011-05-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

Daddy had to wrap her in the terrible towel on the day she was born!

Jackie and I couldn't resist using props with Charlee at home! Yes- she's in a basket!
This is my biggest helper--she loves to wash dishes and bottles!

We love the bouncy seat!

She sleeps a lot, so I have to take pictures when her eyes are open.

The big sisters!

We love warm weather when we can play outside!

Our newest addition!

2011-05-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

Charlee Ilene Hajel was born on April 23, 2011 at 3:10 a.m. She was 7 lbs., 11 oz. and was 20 inches long. Charlee was named after my grandfather, Charles Alvin Henicle. Her middle name is the same as Fay's (Doug's mom) middle name. Her hair is very light blonde right now (This is my only chance for a child to look like me!!) and she has very petite features. Her big sisters love her! Lily looks at her every single day and says, "She's sooo cute" or "Hey little sweetie". Doug was able to be at home with us for two weeks, so that was very nice! He went back to work on Monday, but we made it through the week. I am very thankful for my mom's help! Everyone is happy and healthy!

A new year...more fun times!

2011-02-24T07:14:00.000-08:00

Well...it's been quite some time since I have blogged! Life has been...hmm...what is the best word to describe how it's been lately? Crazy? Hectic? Chaotic? Any of those words could be used to describe our life on any given day. Since last August, I have been working two jobs; Agora and Thirty-One. I am very blessed to have two jobs, but I have to say it's a bit much at times! When I look at the positive side of it, I am actually glad that the last seven months have been crazy. Why? I have been able to manage (on most days), working both jobs, taking care of the girls, keeping the house somewhat tidy, providing food (notice I didn't say meals!), and on most days am good company for Doug. You are probably asking...so what is the good thing about this? Well, if there comes a day when I am not working both jobs (prayers, prayers), I will feel like I'm on a vacation! I know what it's like to keep many things going at once and know that I can handle it! People think it's funny when I say that when I have the baby in April, I will feel like I'm on a vacation. Three children under the age of 4...on vacation? I know, hardly, right? I'm telling you...I am looking forward to that time more than anything. I will be able to take a breather from the computer, from emails, from teaching, and really focus on what's most important to me-- my family, and I can't wait!!

We're Ready for Fall!

2010-09-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

Fall officially begins on September 22nd and the Hajel family is ready! Ella started Preschool at Trinity two weeks ago and loves it! She has done wonderfully and is always excited about going. She carries her little bucket that she decorated and is very proud of it. Lily would love to join her, but instead is spending quality time with Dee while Ella is there. It's hard to believe that Lily will be 2 years old in November. I can't say that time has flown by with her (she's a handful), but since she is the "baby", it's weird to say she will be 2. I have been back to teaching since the beginning of August and the month of September has kept me incredibly busy with that. The past two months have included a lot of travel with Agora, so that has been really different. Thirty-One is going very well and I am loving it. I am in the process of promoting to Director and hopefully that will be official October 1st. Doug has been very busy with Polo and has some really busy weeks of traveling ahead of him. Everyone is happy and healthy and that is what is important!

Deep Creek Lake Fun!

2010-09-16T13:46:00.000-07:00

The Hajel Gang!

What a handsome looking boat crew!

Mimi and Ella (behind the shades)

Kelly and Fay relaxing!

Every family needs a goofball- here he is!

Don't they look like they are having the best time ever?

Loving the sun, boat, and family!

Who is this cool cat on the boat?

Steelers Training Camp

2010-09-01T14:03:00.001-07:00

On the spur of the moment, we decided to go to Steelers Training Camp in August. I took a lot of pictures, but I just posted the highlights. We had a great day with Chip, Kelly, and the Steelers!

Don't you just love Troy? Such a nice guy!

So many people were yelling for Hines that I didn't even realize Ben was beside him!

These two look famous... who are they?

The Hershberger Wedding

2010-08-02T04:49:00.001-07:00

The happy couple- Scott and Anita

I love this guy!
Cutie cute!

Sisterly love! Love 'em!

The Duffey girls

The whole gang!

A blast at Bethany!

2010-08-02T04:22:00.000-07:00

It's so hot, but I'll pose anyway! My little girl on the beach

Here I come, ready or not!

What a look!

Buddies!

This girl is a wildcat! So cute!

The three of us had a fun day together!

Girls just wanna have fun! Ella was a little more cautious this year with the fountain

However, Lily couldn't get enough of the water!

This was Lily's year at the fountain!

Ella would ride the merry-go-round all day long if she could! Dee and Lily riding the merry-go-round

Aunt Susie and Lily being artists at The Blue Crab

Gigi and Lily were watching the crew out on the dock

The Hajel famil minus one!

My New and Exciting Journey!

2010-06-13T13:44:00.001-07:00

It has been such a long time since I've blogged, so it is great to be back in the swing of things again! We have been extremely busy lately with no time to spare! As many of you know, I am now a consultant for Thirty-One Gifts. Thirty-One sells so many neat products...from bags to baskets to stationary. There are such great gifts for everyone on your list. The bonus is that everything can be personalized! Not that I needed something else to add to my plate at the moment, but I saw the products on their website and fell in love. After talking to a Director within the company, I knew this was what I wanted to do. It is keeping me on my toes in addition to Agora and my family, but so far, things are off to a great start! I have had four parties so far and have seven more in June. I have parties booked through September! The more I am with the company, the more goals I have for myself within the company. I am super excited about this new journey and can't wait to see all that lies ahead. If you have time, check out my website: www.mythirtyone.com/hajel

My Silly Ones!

2010-06-13T13:29:00.000-07:00

Ella wants to be a ballerina, if you couldn't tell!

Look at her smile! Love it!
Love those big, brown eyes!

I just can't figure out who she looks like!

Monica visits!

2010-06-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

I was very excited when Monica (my friend that works at Agora) came to visit from Philadelphia for the weekend. We talk every single day on the computer and phone, but we never have time to just hang out and talk without having to hit a "send chat" button on the computer! While she was here we ate out, did some bargain shopping, and just talked a lot about everything! Monica is such a great friend to me and I am so glad we met through Agora! Can't wait to see her in 3 days in Harrisburg!

Mimi and Pappy visit!

2010-06-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

Ella and Mimi--but Ella is a little camera-shy!

Lily is lounging with Pappy!

Mother's Day Celebration!

2010-06-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day 2010!

Okay, maybe this is why we were in our own room!
Mother and Son!

We love Sis and Duff! We love Gigi and Pappy!

Things get a little crazy when we're all together!

She looks like she is blowing out candles!

Love this pic of Jack and I!

The Duffey chicks!

I saw this sign as we were leaving. I just thought it was funny because it looks like there is fancy party inside, but it was just us in our own room because they were afraid of our crazy family causing chaos!

The basement is finished!

2010-05-04T14:12:00.001-07:00

It seems like our basement has been a four year project! Doug tore out the floor on the day we moved in, four years ago. It has been the "hole" for so long and now you can't get us out of it! We love our new space. It's great to have a place where more toys can go, where we have a lot more seating, and where Doug can get ready in the wee hours of the morning without waking us all up! The project was slightly stressful at times and we never thought it would be complete, but here it is and we love it!

Pics of the basement!

2010-05-04T14:07:00.001-07:00

Doug's new loves: the t.v and recliner!

We love the new couch! So much room!
The play area with the great toy storage!

This is Doug's new bathroom!

Silly Girls!

2010-05-04T14:05:00.001-07:00

It's so very difficult to get a picture of them together!

When I tell Ella to smile, this is what I get!

Easter fun!

2010-04-17T03:55:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Lily at the WCC Easter egg hunt on Saturday.

Easter at Mimi and Pappy's house and Lily is wondering what in the world this is doing in Mimi's yard!

Snow White is looking for eggs at Mimi and Pappy's house

Ella likes swinging her little sis. Lily loves the swing Pappy put up for her!

Snow White is relaxing at Mimi and Pappy's house!

Fun times at the zoo!

2010-04-14T18:55:00.001-07:00

Dee and Pop took us to the Washington Zoo for a fun-filled day about two weeks ago. Doug couldn't go with us because he had to work. It was such a beautiful day and the zoo was packed. It was so packed that when we got there around 11, the parking lot was full. Dad had to drive around and find a space on the street. We are thankful for him! The girls liked the zoo and it definitely tired them out. Lily didn't really like being in the stroller because she couldn't see the animals very well, so Pop ended up carrying her a lot. Ella wanted to walk almost the entire time, so we basically pushed an empty stroller! What a great day!

Ella and Dee posing in front of the elephants.

Lily is trying so hard to get a good view of the elephants!

The girls loved the elephants!

Lily has that, "I'm just not so sure about you right now, Pop!" look on her face.

Good times at the zoo!

My attempt at a group shot

Lily is lounging on the wall

Still hanging in there...

Do you think she's tired?

Dee and Pop are still all smiles after the long day!

Caps vs. Pens Game!

2010-03-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

We went to the Pens/Caps game last Wednesday in DC with Genny and Brian. It was so much fun. The game was so intense (ended in a shootout) and kept us on the edge of our seats. Brian and Genny are Caps fans, so it made for an interesting time. Such a shame that our Pens lost, but we were still having a good time. We then spent the night in DC and hung out there the next day. Great times with our best pals!

We made a statement with our Pens gear.

I still love them even though they are wearing red.
Still friends even after the Pens loss!

Random Fun Pics!

2010-03-30T18:40:00.000-07:00

I love this girl!!

Don't you just want to pick her up and squeeze her?
Just drivin' along in the Jeep!

Our first walk in the beautiful weather!

What a great party!

2010-03-30T18:36:00.001-07:00

Ella's 3rd birthday party was a success! She had so much fun and I think her friends did too! Her party had a princess theme and Ella was sporting her "Belle" dress. My favorite part was the craft (Thanks, Mon!!). The girls decorated crowns and wands and the boys decorated visors. Everyone was so involved and their creations were fabulous.

It's hard to believe that Ella is 3 years old. Doug and I have been parents for 3 years?? Wow! I have this feeling that age 3 is going to be a lot of fun. She has such a fun personality and the things she says are hilarious. We love her so much and are so fortunate to have a 3 year old like her!

Ella's 3rd Birthday Party!

2010-03-30T18:13:00.001-07:00

The birthday girl is ready for the festivities to begin! This little princess isn't so sure about her crown.

Ella is really concentrating on her crown and wand. Gigi and Pappy were enjoying watching everyone!

Aunt Jackie's helping out a little princess.

Good times around the craft table!

Everyone was so involved!

The two little tots hanging out. Time for some gifts!

The birthday girl is now 3!

Having fun with some food!

Princesses and Princes love to eat!"Happy Birthday to You...Happy Birthday to You"

It was Mike's birthday too, so we made him pose with the little princess!

Update on the health of the Hajel girls

2010-03-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

Well, the good news is that Ella is most definitely on the upswing of her cold and ear infection. She is doing much better and has her energy back. Lily, on the other hand, isn't on the upswing quite yet. The past two days she has been very fussy and lethargic. Two nights ago she was up for a large part of the night just crying. I feel so bad for her because her nose is still running like a faucet. So, I decided to take her to the doctor's office today because I just had this "mother's instinct" that something more was up than a cold. I'm so glad we went because she has a double ear infection and is now on antibiotics. Say a little prayer for Lily in hopes that she is back to herself real soon!

Rub-a-dub-dub!

2010-03-02T18:19:00.001-08:00

Fun in the bathtub!

Umm....can we say, goofball?

Snug as a bug in a rug!
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the most tired girl of all?

Time for a good-night story

We need some sunshine over here!

2010-02-27T19:06:00.000-08:00

This last week hasn't been such a cheery one. Ella started out with cold symptoms and a fever last weekend, then it all progressed to a full-blown runny nose and cough. A lot of snuggling on the couch, juice, beary, blanket, and hugs. Of course, in the meantime, we were doing our best to try to keep the girls apart and make sure Lily wasn't sneaking drinks from Ella's cups. Didn't work! Lily ended up with a 103 degree temp. and started the fun cold symptoms. The nights are so tough, hearing her cough and not being able to help her. We have gone through millions of tissues and washed and re-washed sheets, pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, pacifiers. On Thursday, Ella woke up from her nap at Dee's house screaming that her ear hurt. We took her to the doctor right away and we found she had an ear infection.

It's awful to see your little ones sick. You want to take the cold right out of them and put it in your own body. Having a cold isn't fun for anyone of any age, but I would much rather have to deal with it than to watch them be so miserable and helpless. The good news is that we feel the worst is behind us and it can only get better from here. We figure by next weekend, we will be in the clear! Is it Spring yet?

Happy Valentines Day!

2010-02-14T15:59:00.000-08:00

Just some cute pics!

2010-02-07T10:22:00.000-08:00

Don't you love Lily's reading glasses?

Wait a minute...there's something on t.v!
I love the natural smile--not so posed!

Quality time in the kitchen!

2010-02-07T10:00:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, Ella received a kit to make Rice Krispie gingerbread houses. Today we decided to be creative and make them! It was a fun adventure but I ended up with a slightly sick stomach because of all the sugar! Thought you may enjoy seeing our finished product!

Can you guess which one Ella made? We made a snowflake in the middle!

So proud of Daddy!

2010-02-06T15:48:00.001-08:00

On Thursday, the girls and I traveled to Leesburg, VA to the Polo store to see Doug receive a Legacy award from the Ralph Lauren company. Doug has been with the company for 18 years. His boss traveled to the store to present him with the award. His boss, also named Doug, said a lot of very nice things about Doug. We are very proud of him and were happy to be there. Doug is incredibly dedicated to this company and definitely gives his job 100%, so he definitely deserved this recognition!

Doug's boss presented him with his award.

The staff at the Leesburg store and the Hajel fam!

Spaghetti night at the Hajel house!

2010-02-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

Tonight was spaghetti night at our house. It's one of Lily's very favorite dishes and you will see why. I couldn't resist taking pictures because it's hilarious. Although it's very messy and a huge job to clean-up, she has so much fun. I thought you may enjoy seeing how much fun dinner can be at our house.

This is going to be great fun!!

This is too much fun! These girls are hilarious!

Ella decided to get in the action and play a game of peek-a-boo.

There she is! Big sister, Ella!

Where's that cute, little Lily?

Peek-a-boo! It's messy pants!

Hey Mom-How can you resist this cutie?

Finished product = a clean Lily!

Birthday party fun!

2010-02-01T10:17:00.000-08:00

Alexa's 4th birthday party was on Sunday. The party was at the Little Gym and the girls had a lot of fun! Ella wasn't sure what to think of it at first and was pretty shy, but once she was warmed up, she loved walking the balance beam, hanging from the bars, and jumping on the big bouncy thing! Lily, on the other hand, just went out there and tried to climb everything she could! It was a fun afternoon.

The birthday girl and Lily!

This was an action shot!
This bouncing stuff is pretty cool!

I'd rather eat my cupcake than pose for the camera!

Umm...is this my birthday?

Someone is excited about their cupcake!

How about these looks?

2010-02-01T10:13:00.001-08:00

For some reason, this is the look she gives me when she sees a camera!

I think someone is being camera shy!

An update on the basement!

2010-01-24T18:31:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give an update on the progress of our basement because the end is finally in sight! As you all know, the gutting of the basement started the day we moved in our house, almost four years ago. We moved in and immediately removed the carpet, only to discover tile underneath, so Doug ripped it all out. To make a long story short, Doug and my dad gutted the entire basement over time. They tore out the bathroom as well because it wasn't in good shape or very presentable. With a lot of helping hands...many thanks to Chad...we are finally reaching the finish line. The plumbers come tomorrow to complete the bathroom and the carpet is being laid on Wednesday. This past weekend Doug and I purchased furniture and that was very exciting. For those of you who don't know, we will have an entertaining area with t.v, a toy area, and an office area for me. I can't forget the awesome bathroom which Doug has already claimed. I will definitely post pictures when it is complete!

Our little teacher!

2010-01-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

Ella said she looked like a "school teacher" with these glasses on. So naturally, we played school and I was Miss Ella's student. Is she following in Mommy's footsteps?

Miss Ella is reading a book to her class.
This has become Lily's trademark look. It's hilarious!

See what I mean? All the time!

Our Fun Day Together!

2010-01-24T18:08:00.001-08:00

I had off work on Martin Luther King Day, so we were able to play, play, play all day long. Ella wanted her and Lily to wear their matching dresses, so of course I had to take pictures. Between playing make-up, jewelry party, princess, reading, etc., we had Logan and Genny over to play. It was a fun day!

These girls love to read!

The Hajel Girls!
The Three Stooges!

Ella and Lily's best boyfriend, Logan. He's also our Godson!

GO STEELERS!

2010-01-02T17:19:00.000-08:00

Well...the big day is approaching and our family decided to bring out the Steeler's spirit tonight. The Steeler's have a big game tomorrow and we will know the fate of the Steelers when the day is done. Ella decided she wanted her jersey on tonight and wanted to wave her Terrible Towel. Then she wanted Daddy to do the same. Then followed Lily and you will see how the scene played out!

I think these two are slightly excited about the Steelers playing tomorrow!

Okay now, things are getting a little crazy! Ben just took down Hines! Steelers fan and very proud of it!

The proud Papa and his biggest fan!

Nothing like Ben and Hines watching a little tv in the Hajel household!

Bob and Bonnie photography!

2010-01-02T16:51:00.000-08:00

Bob and Bonnie came to our house to visit and took some pictures while they were here. I thought these two were cute. The pictures capture some "down-time" of the Hajel girls and that doesn't happen often!

Someone was a little tired!

Just relaxin' and watching some t.v!

Ella- All grown up!

2010-01-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

Mom took this picture of Ella and I had to add it on here. I think it is so cute and she looks so grown up. Still don't see one ounce of Mommy in her!!

We love Gigi and Pappy!

2010-01-02T16:03:00.000-08:00

Gigi and Pappy invited us to their house for sauerkraut on New Years day. We had a delicious dinner and it was very nice to spend time with them. I still can't believe that Gigi doesn't like to cook because she is great at it!

What a wonderful Grandma!

We were watching football and Ella went and got her little rocking chair. Needless to say, Lily and Ella had a battle going on between them as to who could sit on it. I think Pappy found it quite humorous!

Lily and Mommy share a moment together.

Blessed!

2010-01-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. It was extra special because Ella was so very excited about Santa coming to our house. The number one gift on her list was a make-up table, so that's all she talked about for months leading up until Christmas. Luckily, Santa made a stop by Dee's house and dropped off her make-up table there, so she got it on Christmas Eve.

On Christmas Eve, we always go to my parent's house. We give out all our gifts that night. Aunt Susie and Uncle Glenn come up from Florida and my grandparents are there too. We go to the 7:30 service at church. This year, Ella carried the Angel to the manger with a little help from Aunt Jackie. She did so well! While she was walking down the aisle, she looked up at us on the balcony and waved. Very cute! It's always a late night and we didn't get home until around 11. When we got home, we got cookies and milk out for Santa.

On Christmas morning, the girls opened their gifts and Doug and I exchanged gifts. Ella and Lily got a new kitchen and laundry center, so they were excited about that. As with every year, Doug's gifts all contained the Steelers logo. I really liked everything Doug got for me--a lot of surprises!

After we opened our gifts at home, we headed to Meyersdale to spend Christmas with the Hajel family. We had a wonderful meal cooked by Fay and really enjoyed the time spent with Doug's parents and Chip, Kelly, and Halle. Ella and Lily continued to receive so many neat gifts there--like a little table and chairs and an easel!

Doug's birthday is on December 26th, so we celebrated in Meyersdale. Everyone always makes sure he gets separate birthday gifts wrapped in birthday paper, not Christmas paper! Of course, we all love to indulge in a little ice-cream cake on his big day!

I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and group of close friends. It is easy sometimes to take everything for granted---but I can't do that. I am so fortunate for a wonderful, loving husband, two beautiful healthy daughters, super parents, a great sister, caring in-laws, and the best grandparents anyone could ask for. We had a great 2009 and we are ready for a fabulous 2010!

Christmas at the Hajel house

2010-01-02T15:43:00.000-08:00

I really liked our tree this year. Everyone kept asking if it was fake! (It wasn't!)

This was the scene Christmas morning before the girls were up.

I had to take a picture to show the difference between the Ella pile and the Lily pile. I felt kind of bad...but she is only 1, so did she really know that Ella had a bigger stack?

Dress Up Fun!

2010-01-02T15:38:00.000-08:00

Ella is the girliest-girl I know at the moment. We play endless hours of fashion show, make-up, beauty shop, etc. She loves to be a princess. On this particular occasion, I gave in and decided to dress up as well.

Anyone know of a ball we can attend? We are so ready!

The three of us having fun!

Girl's day out in the snow!

2009-12-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

Doug has been really busy with work lately, so it's been the three girls on our own for a few days. I try to find something fun to do with them each day so we don't go crazy in the house! Last night, we went out to eat and then to the bookstore together. It was a lot of fun. Today, Ella was super excited to go out in the snow. Ella is extremely picky about clothes--that is why you see her in a dress almost everyday--but today she really surprised me. She was willing to put on gloves, a hat, a heavy coat, boots, the whole get-up! Lily didn't get much of a choice; she had her fleece teddy bear suit! We had a great time outside and we have pictures to prove it!

Snow day!

2009-12-05T11:36:00.000-08:00

Here they come!

I can't tell if she's just enjoying the moment or can't walk due to her heavy suit!
Ella absolutely loved the snow! She wanted to build a snowman!

Looks like a lost little teddy bear!

Looks like a blizzard!

Got a little snow on the lens!

We are having so much fun!

Fun times outside!

2009-12-05T11:27:00.001-08:00

Ella is such a little gem!

I love hats on this girl!
Just cruisin' around in the backyard! I think Lily's waving!

Mom and crazy girl, Lily!

Happy 1st Birthday, Lily!

2009-12-04T09:39:00.001-08:00

Lily, the birthday queen!

Lily received this car from Aunt Jackie. However, Ella seems to think it's her car, so when Lily approaches it, she hears, "Lily...NO! It's my car!" Poor Lily!

Lily's First Haircut

2009-11-19T12:56:00.001-08:00

Today was Lily's first haircut. Ella didn't get her hair cut until she was 2, so it seemed weird that Lily was getting it cut before she was 1. However, her hair is so stick straight and was always in her eyes. I was tired of putting it up in the crazy ponytail! She did really well...didn't cry, but was slightly squirmy by the end. I love the new cut!

The "before" pic! Notice how long and shaggy her hair is!

This is the "after" pic...with a few jewels added!

Fun in the Fall!

2009-11-06T18:20:00.000-08:00

Ella loves raking! We make a good team.

Seriously, does it get any better than this?

Ella loves to hide among the leaves.

Lily doesn't allow the leaves to come between her and her bottle.

"Ladybug Girl" and "Butterfly Girl" love playing outside together!

A Day in the Life!

2009-11-06T18:08:00.000-08:00

This week was a crazy one! I had the girls here with me four days this week. I must say- I was worried at first, considering I do work full-time, but now that the week is over, I have to admit, it wasn't too bad! The girls were very well-behaved, polite, and a lot of fun! I took some pictures to show our good times!

This girl is out of control! Ella had given her a makeover!

This was probably Ella's 4th lollipop of the day, but who's counting? So...this is the end result of a day of a stay-at-home-mom/full-time worker!

Little Hines!

2009-10-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

Today is a big day for the Steelers! They play the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. We are hoping after this game, the word "undefeated" won't be able to be used anymore! Today's the first day we put Lily in her Hines Ward jersey and she was happy. Ella used to wear her Big Ben jersey all the time, but now she is only into dresses. Daddy was proud of his little Hines!

She's all suited up for the big game!

This just cracks me up. She is like the "mini-me" Hines

Doug is so proud!

Daddy and Little Hines

The Baltimore Half Marathon

2009-10-14T18:15:00.001-07:00

On Saturday, October 10th, I ran in the Baltimore Half Marathon with my best gal pals from home (and Brian too!). When I signed up three months ago, I thought it was a great idea! As the day got closer, I became more and more nervous. I was training, but my longest run was six miles, so I was afraid I wouldn't make it!

We spent the night in Baltimore on Friday. We had a great time eating out. With this group, there are always a lot of laughs! We headed out Saturday morning to see Jen and Steph start their 5k. Their race was at 8:30 am and ours was at 9:45. They both did a great job! My goal at the start of the half marathon was to run the entire thing. I didn't care about my time at all. I just didn't know if it was possible though. My friends had a lot of faith in me and I love them for that. Emily said she wanted to run together and said we weren't walking. I was scared!

Well...I ran the whole time, so I accomplished my goal! Emily and I ran together and finished together. She encouraged me and blatently told me I was not allowed to walk (or stop at the porti-pot either!). She was great and I really appreciated her encouragement. I also kept telling myself that having a child was worse than the pain I was feeling during the race and I survived that...twice! Overall, everyone did so well! I am so proud of Jackie...she really impressed us all. I don't know if she'll be doing another one anytime soon, but we'll see! Ange did really well too...she was the speedy one! I knew Tracy would be just fine because she had been training a lot. She was doubting herself, but she did great!

I have to say I am glad that I did the half marathon and I would even do another one with more training! We are looking into the Pittsburgh one in May. Only time will tell!

Run fun!

2009-10-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

A glimpse of Baltimore before the big run

Emily was acting as my drill sergeant before the race and I was scared!
I was a big talker before the race. Here I was saying how I was going to "kick Angie's butt". Needless to say, that didn't happen!!

We all hit the streets early to see Steph and Jen start their 5k race.

This is a pre-race picture in our hotel room.

It's hard to see...but Angie is supporting me while walking because my legs hurt so bad after the race!

Love these girls! Tracy, Em, Jackie, Ange, and Me

All smiles because we're done! (Jen has joined us!)

Fall Fun!

2009-10-14T17:36:00.000-07:00

Hey, can I come out and play too?

Lily was inside with Daddy, but it was obvious she wanted to come out and play!
When we go outside, all Ella wants to do is rake and play in leaves!

We finally let her out! This little munchkin doesn't know what to do in this big pile!

We almost lost her!

Our Stanley Cup Experience!

2009-10-10T18:48:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night, we had the rare opportunity to see the actual Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh. My cousin's father-in-law works for the Penguins, so he had the cup for 24 hours. For those of you who don't know, all the players get the cup for 24 hours after winning it, so it was pretty neat that Amy's dad got it too! They decided to have a party and were very kind to invite us. So, we drove to Pittsburgh on Thursday and attended the party. You had to have an invitation to get in and police were guarding the door. There was a long line for pictures with the cup. You could touch the cup, but you couldn't pick it up or touch the top because it was broken. Too bad we didn't have the girls because it would've been a great Christmas card opportunity! Okay, so I'm kidding a little bit! We had a great time and although the trip was long and the stay was short, it was totally worth this once in a lifetime experience!

Up close and personal with the Stanley Cup!

2009-10-10T18:21:00.000-07:00

This is "the ring" that all the players received for winning the championship. Yes, it was huge and heavy. This is Amy's dad's ring and they said it was appraised at $30,000.

Ta-da! Here is the Stanley Cup!

This was an exciting moment and a once in a lifetime experience!
If Doug had to choose between me and the Stanley Cup...he would choose me of course! Don't laugh!

The Hajel boys and the Cup

Who cares about germs? We didn't hesitate to kiss the Cup!

I think Chip and Kelly were a little more hesitant about kissing the cup. Look at Chip's face!

Don't we look just adorable with the Stanley Cup?

Scott's wife, Amy, and I. Thanks for inviting us, Amy!

My cousin, Scott, and I

This is a replica of the championship banner that was hung at Mellon Arena

The "Keeper of the Cup" and I. Yes, his job is to travel with the Stanley Cup all year long. He says he travels about 325 days of the year with it. He gets to party with everyone that has the cup and make sure no one does anything that will harm it.

Let's Go Steelers!

2009-10-04T11:29:00.001-07:00

It's a family affair! Doug's parents were visiting and we were all in our attire, so we had to capture it! Lily isn't so sure about the idea! We're hoping for a win tonight!

Lily's wearing her pink Steelers attire!

Missing Daddy: Day 3

2009-09-30T18:54:00.000-07:00

Two more days until you get home Daddy!

This face spells trouble!
Things are so calm at our house while Daddy is away...NOT!!

Missing Daddy: Day 2

2009-09-30T07:59:00.001-07:00

No worries, Dad...I am totally running the show!

We are slightly goofy together!
Since you've been gone, Lily has learned to ride her little car with Ella pushing!

Dad, Don't worry, it's all under control!

Viva Las Vegas!

2009-09-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Daddy is in Las Vegas this week for work. He said he didn't want to go...but 90 degree weather, casinos, great food, a full week of sleep?? We know he misses us and would rather be here (we think), but we hope he has a good week. We are missing him like crazy and he has only been gone for one day! I have decided to take pictures of us each day he is gone so he can look at our blog while he is away. WE MISS YOU, DADDY!! Love, Mandy, Ella, & Lily

Missing Daddy: Day 1

2009-09-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

Daddy...I was calling for you this morning, but my goofy mommy came to the door instead!Daddy...don't worry, I am giving mommy a run for her money while you are gone!

I know these aren't so flattering of me, but I think they are funny!

We really, really, really wish you were here!

This is my best attempt at the three of us! Your girls miss you, Daddy!

Our trips to Reynold's Farm!

2009-09-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

This year we decided to take the girls to the pumpkin patch. There is a really great one in Waynesboro at Reynold's Farm. Mom and I took the girls during the week and then Doug and I took the girls on Saturday. We went with a group of people on Saturday but unfortunately it started to rain while we were there so we didn't even get to pick out pumpkins! We took some cute pictures though! Happy Fall!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!

2009-09-27T06:38:00.000-07:00

This is Lily's first ride on a tricycle!

Ella wasn't so sure about this slide! You can tell Daddy liked it!

This little girl is always having so much fun!

If you look closely, Ella's little face is peeking through the window!

Ella loved doing the hay maze! She was good at it!

Lily was having a blast in the wagon!

This picture is actually one from Cindy's party. I thought it turned out well!

The Greatest 30th Birthday!

2009-09-16T18:42:00.000-07:00

On August 29, I actually turned 30! Since we've been married, I have always told Doug, "I'm just a little girl" because I was always under 30. I always told him that when I turned 30, I would act like a grown-up. Well, guess what? Unfortunately, it's time! I had such a great birthday weekend. By the end of the weekend, I was tired from too much birthday! On Friday night, Doug made me dinner and had ice-cream cake for me. On Saturday, my friends had a surprise birthday lunch for me at the Country Club and then our whole family went to House of Kobe for dinner. It was so much fun. I have the greatest friends and family ever! To top it off, Doug surprised me big time with a diamond ring! I was shocked, but so excited! Too bad I can't turn 30 every year!

Mommy's 30th Birthday!

2009-09-16T18:36:00.001-07:00

What a nice ice-cream cake that Doug made...or DQ...not sure which one!

I couldn't even manage two candles in one breath! Good thing there weren't thirty!

We love cake and can't wait to dig in!

Random Fun Pictures

2009-09-16T18:26:00.000-07:00

We had our twin outfits on, so we needed some pics!

I love taking silly pics of us!

Does this picture give you any indication of what kind of day she has had?

I love this little girl!

Daddy's Pics!

2009-09-16T18:17:00.000-07:00

I thought this pic was super cute and I love the fact she is standing like Dee stands!

Little Lilybug is caught in the act of tearing toilet paper apart!

The girls love standing at the top of the stairs and looking down!

I couldn't resist putting this picture on here because Doug always makes fun of me for taking pictures of myself and I finally caught him doing it!

Our trip to Dutch Wonderland!

2009-09-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Dutch Wonderland in August because we heard how great it was for kids! The ride there was a little long (2 hours), and the day was a little hot (90's), but we had a fantastic day. Ella loved the rides and Lily did really well in the stroller. It's a perfect park for children Ella's age because she could ride everything. They also have a very cool waterpark, so that was nice after a long day in the sun. Ella and I even went down a huge waterslide together. After spending about six hours at the park, it was time to go home and get some rest!

Dutch Wonderland Fun!

2009-09-16T17:58:00.001-07:00

This was the first ride of the day. Ella and Daddy flying high in the sky!

Lily was a little trooper the whole day!

The panda ride was her absolute favorite. She talked about it all day!

She was hot stuff in this purple monster!

Ella and Daddy having some slide fun!

Ella was all business when she was driving!

Ella went on this ride four times in a row! She is on the far right.

I couldn't resist taking this picture because I had the same one taken when I was little!

Finally! The room is complete!

2009-08-11T18:08:00.000-07:00

Ella and Lily are finally in the same room! Ella is in her new bed and Lily is in the crib. Most of you heard the bed story, but if you haven't, here is the long story made short. We ordered a "big girl bed" from a furniture store down the street. They told us it would take approximately ten weeks to come in. We thought that was a long time to wait, but we liked the bed and decided to buy it. It's a trundle bed, so we thought it would be neat for when she gets older and has friends over. Well, little did we know that the furniture store would declare bankruptcy in week nine or ten of our wait. A new furniture store bought it over and agreed that we would get our furniture. (Good thing since we already paid for it!!) However, they had to re-order it! In the end, it took thirteen weeks to get the bed and we had to pick it up and put it together. I won't tell you how many calls I made to the store in the last few weeks. In the end, it has worked out because Ella loves it.

For those of you who haven't been to our house recently, I included some pictures of the girl's room and playroom. I wasn't excited about the idea of them sharing a room at first, but it really has worked out well. We don't have to have a dresser in the room because their closet is huge, and we don't have to have toys in the room because their playroom is attached to their bedroom. We put up some new pictures, moved some other things, and it looks really cute. The playroom has been absolutely wonderful for them. It's a good size for all their toys and I can't imagine what we would do without it. Our house would look like a daycare center!

The girls have so much fun together...even though Lily is only eight months. When Ella starts laughing, Lily does the same! As you can see from the picture of the two of them, they are crazy together. They laugh and Lily makes this new grunting sound of hers. It's hilarious!

Ella and Lily's New Room!

2009-08-11T17:52:00.000-07:00

This picture says it all! These girls love their new room! This look! What does it say to you?

Here it is! The "Big girl bed"! This is looking across the room from Ella's bed.
This is the view from the playroom out to their bedroom.

This is Ella's favorite room...and you can see why!

Little Buddies!

2009-08-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

Logan and Ella are best buds! It's so funny to watch them interact with each other. I got some cute shots of them today while they were playing outside. Ella likes to say, "Wogan (she can't pronounce the L) wants to do this...Wogan wants to do that...". He just smiles and goes along with it!

"Hey Wogan...can you give me a lift?"

Don't mind us...we're just eating some snacks!

Happy 23rd Birthday, Jackie!

2009-08-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

Jackie turned 23 on August 7th. Jacks loves sushi, so we took the whole family to Sakura to celebrate. Our grandparents had never been to a Japanese restaurant before, so it was quite an adventure! Just ask Gigi about her "chicken tempura". We had sooo much sushi! Mom always says we are ordering too much, but we always eat it all! We had a great time and Ella and Lily were very well behaved! I told Doug we needed to start eating out more often! After dinner, we went back to our house for cake and ice-cream. It was a fun night with family!

Jackie's Birthday Celebration!

2009-08-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

What a pretty birthday cake!

Ella is helping Aunt Jackie blow out her 23 candles!
Little Sis and Big Sis!

Dee and her girls!

Douglas and I!

Gigi, Jackie, and Lily at Sakura!

Jackie and Pappy!

Dad, Sis, Duff, and Lily enjoying the backyard!

Yes, I even dressed them alike! WOAH! Super close, but so cute!

Ella cooks!

2009-08-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

The other night I wanted to make pizza for dinner and Ella offered to help. She helped spread the sauce, pour on the cheese (okay, maybe eat more than she put on the pizza), and even put on her oven mitt to place it in the oven. She was so excited! Everything was going well until I got the pizza out of the oven. Ella wanted to see the pizza, so I showed it to her. She had her oven mitt on, but touched the pan with her other hand that was bare. Needless to say, the pizza wasn't tasted until Ella went to bed because she spent the rest of the night crying. Boo Boo Bunny was her best friend until she went to bed and even all night in her bed! She has since calmed down, but this was a tragic moment for her! By the way...the pizza was good, even though it was cold!

My Little Cook!

2009-08-08T17:47:00.000-07:00

She is so proud of our masterpiece!

This was our assistant. She shouted out the orders!
I think she wants to start doing the daily cooking!

What a great afternoon!

2009-07-30T19:06:00.001-07:00

Today we went to Casen and Lincoln Kelly's house for an afternoon on the water slide! Dawn invited us over and we had so much fun! When someone asks you over to go play on their "water slide", you assume it will be a typical slip-n-slide kind of thing! This was definitely not a slip-n-slide!! This was an awesome amusement park type of slide! I couldn't believe that Ella just climbed right up and went down on her own. She loved it. She had so much fun with Lincoln and Casen. It's funny because they don't talk a lot to each other, but they play well together! I think Lincoln enjoyed playing with Lily! She hung out on the sidelines while everyone else played in the water. We met the Kelly's through the "Mom's Club" and Casen and Ella are in the same age group. I am so glad we met them because we have a lot in common and they are such a nice family. The boys are so adorable...cutest blondes! They gave Ella lots of hugs when we left. Ella was a little shy with the hugs...maybe Daddy warned her about getting close to boys??

So much fun!

2009-07-30T18:39:00.000-07:00

Casen was showing us how it's done!

Ready, Set, Go!
She was a natural at climbing!This picture cracks me up! She is having so much fun!

Casen is a pro at this!

"If I could join in that fun, I would!"

"Mom...Can I have my towel?"

Posing for the camera!

Ella is loving this!

Lincoln loved the water, but wasn't too excited about the slide!

Thank goodness for playgrounds!

2009-07-05T19:07:00.001-07:00

If you love playgrounds, Bethany is the place for you! In Sea Colony (where the house is), there is a really nice playground and Ella loved it! They also just added another swingset by the pool and Ella loved the new swing. If you go downtown, there is a mega playground which is very cool! Whenever you asked Ella what she wanted to do, she would reply, "go to playground". One morning we were there at 7 am! The best part about the playground was watching Ella have so much fun. They had a rock climbing wall and I would climb it and Ella would say, "Mommy, be careful on that rock climbing wall". How cute! When we put Lily in the swing, we found we had another girl that loved the playground! She was all smiles and laughed a lot, especially when Gigi was pushing her!

Playground Fun!

2009-07-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

Ella would've stayed at the playground all day if we would've agreed!

This face is priceless!

It looks like she is saying, "Woah! This is fun!"

This was Jackie's idea...Mom was our photographer!

This may be our best landing!

My balloon burst!

2009-07-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

I was so excited to go eat at Armand's because they have the coolest fountains for children right outside the restaurant. Earlier that day, the fountains were working great and were shooting really high. However, when we got there, the fountains were little, dinky sprouts of water shooting from three of the 8-10 holes! I was so upset because Ella had been very excited and I didn't want to disappoint her.

The good news was that Ella loved it anyway! Even though the water was barely making it out of the ground, she still ran around and was very excited. Of course when she got wet, she had to change out of her dress. She ended up being the only child running around with a diaper. She didn't seem to mind though. She still had a great time.

I am always nervous about going out to eat with both of the girls, but I have to admit that both Lily and Ella were awesome each time we ate out this week. Lily just sat and played with her toys and smiled at everyone. Ella was entertained with crayons and markers and eating bits of food from different plates.

Fun at the fountain!

2009-07-02T06:06:00.000-07:00

Eating at Armand's is one of our favorite things to do!

What a doll! Notice the price tag on her hat?

This isn't exactly the fountain we were hoping for!

This fountain is cool!

This is so fun! I hope I don't get too wet or I will want to change clothes...

Imagine that! Ella had to take her dress off! She wasn't shy about it!

She didn't care that the fountain wasn't properly working!

This gives you a good picture of exactly how "high" the fountain was rising.

Daddy is checking in on Ella. She needed a rest after all that activity!

Dee enjoys a "still" moment with Lily. This doesn't happen often!

Lily is now Pop's buddy!

Quality Family Time!

2009-07-02T05:54:00.001-07:00

We love eating at Mango's! Very kid-friendly!

We hit the Bethany boardwalk for some music!

Gigi and Pappy are the best!

What a great looking bunch!

Ella is Pappy's buddy! She loves spending time with him.

Fun at Bethany!

2009-07-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

Lily looks a little like Crocodile Dundee!

The girls loved going to the pool. Lily was a fan of her new float!
Lily sat in the sand, picked up the sand, but never tried to eat the sand!

Lily was a beach bunny!

Ella loved the beach! She even walked on the sand and wanted to go down to the water!

Lily tried to keep up, but just couldn't go any longer!

Agora Graduation 2009

2009-07-01T18:38:00.001-07:00

I spent two days in Harrisburg for Agora meetings last week. The best part was that I had a chance to spend time with my BFF's from Agora, and I was also able to attend the Agora graduation ceremony.

The people that I work with are awesome. I couldn't be a luckier person--I have a wonderful job and I work with people that I love. Everyone is so nice and caring and even though I don't like being away from my girls and Doug, I feel very at home when I am with my co-workers. We laugh so much and have the best time.

The graduation ceremony was at the Whittaker Center in Harrisburg. It was so neat! We had 130 students graduate from Agora this year and about 65 of them came to the ceremony. There was a student who drove 8 hours to come to the ceremony! I loved meeting my students who graduated. I saw so many happy faces, heard so many neat stories, and had the chance to witness success in the making.

A lot of people don't understand what cyber school is all about. It's about all students having the chance to succeed regardless of their health issues, circumstances at home, and bad breaks they have experienced in their lives. I didn't understand what it was all about at the beginning of the year, but now I can say that I definitely see why cyber school is a truly wonderful option for some students. Agora must be doing a great job for students--we are the biggest cyber school in the nation!

I love Agora!

2009-07-01T18:24:00.001-07:00

The greatest part of the ceremony was meeting some of my students!

It was exciting to see the Agora graduates!

Monica and I seriously need to live in the same town!

Barb, Jackie, and Katie enjoying the big night!

Brandi, Glen, and Jackie out on the town!

Finally! I have updated the blog!

2009-06-25T19:16:00.001-07:00

I have to apologize for my lack of blogging lately. I absolutely love to blog, but I have to have time to really sit down and focus without distractions to do it! Don't you know that doesn't happen a lot? Actually, I lost our memory card reader a few weeks ago, so I wasn't able to download pictures from our camera. Not to mention that our memory card was in it, so I wasn't even able to take pictures. Well, I ended up buying another card and reader so I could start taking pictures and blogging again. Guess what? A week later, Doug found the card and reader. Isn't that always the way it goes?

I was reminded by one of my friends at Agora (hint, hint...Nicole) that I never update the blog. Well, I will do my best this summer to take lots of pictures and update at least weekly! We love the summer, so I will do my best to document the memories!

Summer Fun!

2009-06-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Ella at their favorite coffee shop, Port City Java.

Don't we just look so cool in our shades?
Lily is all smiles around Dee!

Lily is having fun with Gigi at the Club!

Crazy Sisters!

2009-06-25T18:57:00.000-07:00

Seriously, can I get a normal picture around here? Lily follows her sister's examples of wacky faces!
This girl is goofy!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-11T17:57:00.000-07:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day! I feel like the luckiest mom in the world because these three make me so happy. On Mother's Day, we walked for smoothies, played outside, had lunch with Gigi and Pappy, and had sushi for dinner and ice-cream for dessert! So much fun!

Jackie Graduates!

2009-05-11T17:51:00.000-07:00

We all traveled to West Chester University for Jackie's graduation. It was an exciting day, but it was also a very rainy day. Most of the graduates carried umbrellas and wore ponchos. It would pour and everyone would put up their umbrellas...then it would stop, and everyone would put them down. That continued about ten times throughout the day. However, it was really neat to be there and see Jackie recieve her diploma. She graduated with a degree in nursing and we are all so proud of her. What will she do next, you ask? She really wants to go to graduate school to become a midwife. We'll see! In the meantime, she is in Waynesboro and spending quality time with our family!

Jackie's Big Day!

2009-05-11T17:37:00.000-07:00

West Chester University graduation. Quite the rainy day if you can't tell!

Sisterly love! I am so incredibly fortunate to have such a fabulous sister.

Mom, Dad, and Jackie all deserve a pat on the back! After all, my parents did raise Jackie to be the wonderful person that she is now!

Gigi and Pappy are all smiles as Jackie reaches this milestone!

Sis and Duff are very proud of Jackie!

Lily's First Trip to Bethany Beach!

2009-05-11T17:26:00.001-07:00

We took a trip to Bethany Beach on a perfect weekend! Doug, Ella, Lily, and I left on Thursday and Mom and Dad joined us Friday night. The weather was in the 80's and if anything, it was too hot! We spent time walking, playing at the beach, eating out, visiting Aunt Susie and Uncle Glenn, and yes, even watching the Pens play! Lily loved touching the sand with her toes. Ella wasn't too excited about the sand at first, so it took awhile for her to actually put her feet down. She finally did it and then didn't want to leave. We played in the shallow water and both times we went down to the beach to play, she ended up in just a diaper. Mom and I enjoyed some Vera Bradley shopping on Saturday and on Sunday, Dad and Doug played golf. Bethany is one of my favorite places to visit and I can't wait to go back in June!

Fun times at Bethany!

2009-05-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

Ella is such an outdoor girl and loves being at Dee and Pop's beach house!

It was such a beautiful weekend---in the 80's and everything looked great at the house! Ella liked picking up leaves and throwing them in the water.

Ella is ready for our walk! Can't forget those sunglasses!

Ella and Mommy are twins! We love our painted toes and flip-flops!

Ella wasn't quite sure about this "sand" stuff at first!

I think Lily is enjoying her first trip to the beach!

Eating at Mango's is always a lot of fun!

Dee wants to know how she looks in Ella's glasses!

Pop thinks he's sooo cool!

Our trip to Pangborn Park

2009-04-16T18:43:00.000-07:00

Tonight the four of us walked to Pangborn Park. It isn't too far from our house and Mommy needed the exercise! There is a nice pond there with lots of ducks and a nice playground. The only problem is that the slides create a lot of static so there was a lot of shocking going on! Ella doesn't have any fear when it comes to going down the slides or climbing steps. Doug and I had to take turns chasing after Ella or monitoring Lily. Both the girls were in good moods and we had a great time!

Ella enjoyed looking at the ducks with Daddy.

Ella was giving Daddy high fives until there was too much static and they kept shocking each other!

I love this sliding stuff!

Aww....looks just like her mommy!

Lily loves being outside!

Fun at the Playground!

2009-04-15T20:11:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

Lily's First Vegetable

2009-04-15T19:21:00.001-07:00

Today I decided to try vegetables with Lily. I chose sweet potatoes because they are my favorite! Well, she loved them and ate the entire container! As you can tell, she was one happy girl. This was nice because we have had a rough week with her moods!

"Sweet potatoes are the best, mom!" Don't you just want to pinch her cheeks?

I am so full right now. Why are you taking pictures of me?

2009-04-14T09:50:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Doug's Five Minutes of Fame

2009-04-04T18:26:00.001-07:00

We heard through the grapevine that four Steelers players were going to be at the Valley Mall today; Jack Lambert, Mike Merriweather, James Harrison, and Ryan Clark. We couldn't miss a moment like this, so we headed out to the mall. It turns out that James Harrison cancelled at the last minute because he was supposedly very ill. There were a lot of people there to see him, so there were a lot of unhappy campers. Doug bought a ticket to see Ryan Clark. Remember him? Ravens/Steelers game he crushes McGahee and causes him to have a concussion? He is a defensive safety for the Steelers. Well, Doug, Ella, Lily and I all stood in line for two hours to see him. Yes- we had a two year old and a four month old stand in line for 2 hours to get an autograph. We are die hard fans!! In the end, it was all worth it. Ryan was a very nice guy; signed a picture for Doug, took a picture with Doug, and talked to Lily because she was wearing all black and gold with a Steelers bib. I promised Doug that this would go on the blog!

Doug has his "moment" with Ryan Clark

The Hajel Girls

2009-04-04T18:15:00.001-07:00

It's so difficult to get a picture of the two of them! I wanted everyone to see their matching PJ's!

Life-size Mickey is by Ella's side every second of the day. Yes, she even sleeps with him too!

Am I supposed to smile? She chews on anything she can get her little hands on!

"Hey Mom and Dad- Look how strong I am!"

Gigi turns 80!

2009-04-01T17:48:00.001-07:00

It's hard to believe that Gigi turned 80 years old this week. She definitely doesn't act like she's 80 and certainly doesn't look like it either. Gigi has been such a big part of my life and I love every minute I spend with her. I am so fortunate to have her as my grandmother and Pappy as my grandfather. They are such kind hearted people with so much love to give. We love spending time together at the beach, playing games, and just hanging out. I love the fact that Ella and Lily have such great-grandparents to grow up around. I love them so much!

Mom had dinner for all of us on Monday to celebrate Gigi's birthday. It was such a fabulous dinner! I even made dessert, and that's something I never do! I made a DVD (with a lot of help from Genny) with pictures of Gigi and Pappy and everyone in their life. It was a big surprise and they loved it!