buddies...

found these two in my bed after breakfast.  sigh.

Breakfast line up...

This is how we start our day...Love my view!

Happy New Year 2014

Christmas eve/ Christmas morning 2013

Christmas jammies, right before bed!

Tree Christmas morning...notice all the ornaments are high,  Lucy had something to do with that

Santa did good this year...

Merry Christmas 2013

Wishing you all the best this Christmas season! love, the Ellis Family

nine...

Happy Birthday baby boy (he just loves it when I call him my baby)!  We are so proud of the little man you are becoming.  You are a joy to have in our home and you are a very special young man.  I love that you are obsessed with anything Star Wars, especially lego.  I love that you love to read and learn new things.  You are such a sweet boy to the girls in this family and I love how you take your role as big brother very seriously.  You are determined and confident.  You will do amazing things!

It's a first...

Jackson finished reading his very first book and it is no surprise that his book of choice is Harry Potter!  To celebrate this happy occasion, Jackson got stay up late with mom and dad and watch the movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone".  We had popcorn, candy and mom and dad had a play by play courtesy of Jackson.  It was awesome!  Good job baby!

halloween 2013...

Jackson : ARF trooper
Oliver: Ninja
Ava: Susan, Queen of Narnia
Gwen: princess
Lucy: ballerina

Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving...

We just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and share five of the "things" we are most grateful for.

moments...

I couldn't help but try and capture this moment.  They have been doing a lot of this lately.  Warms my heart I tell ya!

we caught a...

mouse.  I have a hard time with these little critters.  The kids find it hilarious that I can't help but scream or jump every time I am near one that starts to move.  I am no a fan to say the least, but the kids sure loved him!  They fed him some cheese and watched him for quite awhile before he was let go, phew!  Oh and they named him lewis after our christmas elf, to cute!

Monster Trucks 2013...

another year under their belt.  the boys look forward to this day all summer.  junk food, car racing, car crashes, monster trucks, and staying out late.  what is not to love? man I love these boys!

transfer beach...

It was a beautiful day spent up island at transfer beach.  We got wet, ate some lunch and relaxed, a lot! It was a perfect day.

game day

r

Monday mornings, after our usual routine, things get quiet around these parts.  Lucy takes her nap and all the rest watch Jackson play video games for an hour (starwars video games to be exact).  He just gets this hour once a week (I know mean mom) and the other kids haven't thought to ask for their own time on the computer for video games, they seem satisfied to just watch Jackson do his thing and I get caught up on recovering the house from the weekend during this time (did I mention that the house is quiet?!).  We all win!  Sometimes distraction is a beautiful thing.

mother's day

I honestly feel so incredibly humbled and and blessed that these little cuties all call me mom.  It feels a bit odd sometimes thinking that I am a mother.  It has been something that I have wanted to desperately for as long as I can remember and now they are here and have been entrusted to me for their care.   And yet it feels so normal for me to have all these rascals running about telling me their stories, sharing with me their dreams.  It amazes me to watch them grow and learn while along side of them I am doing so much of the same, learning and growing.  They have become such a big part of who I am and for that I am thankful.  I am far from a perfect mom, but I will never stop trying. I feel like my heart will burst because of the insane amount of love I feel for each one of them. Seriously, I am one lucky momma.   

when little boys get a hold of the camera...

these boys are crazy...nuff said.

Happy Birthday Brown Eyes

Birthday boy...man he is cute!

Uncle Jacob and "Dad" getting some birthday love

Lucy asserting her own voice among the crowd!

Fabulous cake from Auntie Emily

Dad opening the kids homemade gifts with a lot of little hands to help

An example of his haul...priceless really (this one is from Ava, she is a card making machine)!

Ending the night reading to the kids (our nightly routine). We are reading the "Little Britches" series and LOVE it!

We celebrated this guy today.  He turned 34.   He is kind of a big deal around here.

Advantages of having a big brother...

Younger kids waiting there turn to "take off" with Jackson around the kitchen

The kids have been doing a lot of this lately and I just had to capture it.  Jackson giving piggy back rides for each of the kids.  There is a lot of squealing, running, giggling, spinning, jumping and a lot of noise and I LOVE it!

Merry Christmas Eve!

Our annual "Christmas ammies in front front of the Christmas tree photo"...can you just feel the excitement!

Happy Holidays

Wishing you and yours the best this holiday season... with love from the Ellis Family.