Ella Asleep on the Floor

Since I enrolled Logan at the YMCA this past fall for swim lessons and toddler gym, we have had access to their swimming pool for the first time in several years.  As a result, I have started taking the kids there for "open swim" on any random evening when Ron has to work late and when we don't have anything on the calendar.  We have a great time splashing and playing around in the toddler pool and the big kid pool for a good hour and a half before coming home for bed time.  It is a fun way to pass the evening when Ron is not home.  Tonight was such a night and after returning home and putting the kids to bed, I decided to hop in the shower since I am not the biggest fan of going to bed smelling like chlorine. While I was in the shower, Ron returned home, got ready for bed, and then shut our bedroom door before going to bed.  During this time, Ella decided to get out of bed and come and find me, but apparently wasn't able to get past our closed door which I am not sure why as the door was unlocked and she can easily open a closed door.  Since I was in the shower with the fan on and Ron was fast asleep, no one was able to hear her pleas to open the door and let her in.  As a result, she must have laid down on the floor, carefully laid her blanket on top of her, and fell fast asleep.  After I got out of the shower and got ready for bed, I went to check on all of the sleeping kids before I went to bed.  Much to my surprise, I almost stepped on Ella after opening our bedroom door and walking out into the hallway in the dark!  I was so shocked to find her there as she has never done anything like this before.  In fact, none of our kids have ever done this before.  Ron and I are such routine-driven parents when it comes to the bedtime routine that we have never had kids who fall asleep in random places throughout the house.  It just doesn't happen.  As a result, this was totally surprising to me, but also totally hilarious!  Ella looked so dang cute bundled up in her little, pink blanket asleep on the floor.  I couldn't resist taking a few pictures before scooping her up and carefully putting her back in her crib.  Oh, how I just love this baby girl of mine!

Ella sleeping peacefully outside our door.

I tried to get a picture of her sleeping face, but it didn't turn out that great since her hair was covering most of it. :-)

Lia's District Reflection Night

Since Lia advanced to the district level of the Reflections contest in November, we were invited to attend a ceremony in the Pioneer Park Pavillion tonight.  We got dressed up and headed down without Ron since he had a work obligation, but were excited to learn on the drive there that he was able to get out early and could meet us there.  We were able to go on a "gallery walk" around the building admiring all of the paintings, photographs, and stories before sitting down for the program portion of the evening.  One at a time, the different schools presented their district winners and announced any students moving on to the state level.  Although Lia did not move on to the next level, I am proud of her for her excitement to enter this contest and for working so hard to complete her story and illustrations in the final hours before the submission deadline way back in October!

During the gallery walk, we found Lia's entry at the table with all of the other students' stories.  Here she is holding up her story with sweet Ella at her side.

Lia walking up onto the stage after her name was announced for her school.

Lia walking to the middle of the stage after receiving her certificate.

Lia standing in line with the other students being recognized from her school.

My cute girl smiling at me.

Lia holding up her certificate and ribbon in front of the "story table" after the program was over.

Lia's First Basketball Game of the Season

Lia finished off her first basketball season last March definitely wanting to return to the sport again this year.  She had a great coach last year (a mother of a girl who was in Lia's preK class) and really enjoyed learning the sport and bonding with her teammates.  Lia then went on to play softball with this same coach and several of the same girls.  There was just one little problem with Lia's former basketball team.  One of the girls was a bit of a basketball phenom for her age and dominated the ball for the majority of the games.  As a result, Lia barely ever got to touch the ball at most games last year.  So, we decided to not put Lia on the same team again this year even though it meant not playing with the same girls she had played with in two different sports back to back January through June 2016 and not being coached by the same mom.  Ron and I felt like it was the right decision even though it required Lia to make some sacrifices.
Lia is now on a small team this year with just five other girls.  Two of them are her good friends Sienna and Mollie and Mollie's dad is the coach.  Lia has really started to progress in the sport this year since she is not just trying to figure out the basic rules of the game.  She is getting more confident and aggressive and is going to have way more game time this season since there are so few girls on her team.  I think that we made the right decision to move here.
Today was her first game and ironically Lia's team played against her old coach and old teammates.  It sure felt strange to sit at the other end of the gym from so many parents who we rooted and cheered with last year!  But the girls fought a good fight til the bitter end even though they didn't win.  Here are some pictures of the game.

Lia trying to get the ball.

Lia guarding her girl.

Running down the court with her teammates.

Lia got to play point guard this game and was able to bring the ball down court several times.

Lia looking for a teammate to pass the ball to.

Lia throwing the ball.

Getting ready to catch the ball from Mollie.

Lia chasing after the ball.

Snow at Home!

After returning home from a winter wonderland last night, we woke up to snow in our own yard this morning.  I was so surprised when I got out of bed and looked out the window and saw snow everywhere!  For a moment, I actually thought that we might get the first day back to school after winter break cancelled, but it doesn't look like that is now going to happen.  Oh well.  The kids and I did however manage to get our snow clothes on one more time this week and head out for a morning romp in the snow before church.  Although we have been playing in over a foot of snow this past week at Priest Lake, it was still fun to run around in our own backyard throwing snowballs at each other and building miniature snowmen.  I don't think that this white stuff will ever lose its excitement when it comes to town...

Lia armed with several snowballs ready to go.

One of the miniature snowmen that Ella helped me make complete with a carrot nose and chocolate chip eyes and buttons.

The cutest boy ever getting ready to throw his giant snowball.

Sisterly love!

Sweet Ella framed in by the two little snowmen we made together.

Logan insisted on dragging our inner tube off the snow and into the play set.  I think that his original plan was to ride it down the slide, but that didn't work out so well since it's too wide to even fit through the opening to the top of the slide.  Oh well.  He still had fun sitting on it from atop his perch.

Lia tackling poor Ella.

A close-up of Ella being smothered by her older sister.