Ellie the Super Girl!

I had a few (okay, like 10) piles of laundry all sorted and ready to be washed this morning, among them Ellie found a pile of towels she thought was fun to play in. She found this one pink towel (don't worry, it's new and was being washed before use) and put it on her head like a super hero. She walked around with this towel on her head for more than 30 minutes. Dan and I thought it was so cute we just had to share a few pictures!!

Thanksgiving 2009

This year for Thanksgiving Dan's mom, dad, sister (Amy), brother-in-law (Jason) and our two nieces (Mica and Mia) came to Utah to celebrate with us. We had a great time, and the cousins loved being able to play together. It was a busy few days, but it was wonderful to be off from work and to have time to spend with everyone. We don't know when a Thanksgiving like this will happen again now that we are moving so far away, so we were very thankful that we could all be together this year.

Hanging out with her cousins, Mica and Mia
Watching a movie on the DVD player.
Auntie and Mia.
Ellie loved it when Mica would read to her.
Awe, cousin love!
Mia loved to kiss and hug Ellie.

All the kids with Auntie Amy.
Uncle Jay loves Ellie too!!
Snuggling with Nanny.

Poncho from Momo

Hi Everyone! My mom (Momo) knit Ellie a really cute poncho for the winter. Ells just loves wearing it, so I thought I would share a few pictures. Enjoy!

The skinny (and not so skinny)...

Hi Everyone! 

Here's the skinny: I just wanted to write an update to let you all know about our new life events. Things have been a little crazy around here the last month, and seemingly there is not an end in sight. For the last month, or so, Dan and I have been waiting to see if I would be offered a faculty position in the Communication Sciences and Disorders department at Penn State. As it turns out, I was offered the job, and the offer was very fair. Recently, as in on Thursday, we decided we would accept the offer and move back to Penn State. The position starts next fall semester (August 2010), so we will be moving back east this summer sometime - probably in July. In the meantime, the craziness continues as now we have to sell our house in Salt Lake City and figure out what we will do for housing in State College. The Salt Lake house is going on the market on Monday - of course it's the worst market and the worst time of year to try to sell, but here we are, we are just hoping and praying for the best. We would appreciate your prayers and positive thoughts too. We just hope that someone comes to see our house and loves it. The sooner the better!! Also, as you know, Dan, Ellie and I are expecting an addition to our family in early March. This will, no doubt, add to the insanity in our lives (in a great way, though!). If/when our house sells here in Utah, Dan, Ellie, Jack and I will be moving to Heber, UT to live in Dan's grandma's house while I finish out the academic year at the University of Utah. We are hoping to build our own house in State College, so the sooner the house here in Utah sells, the better for us because then we will be able to get the builders working on our new home. If we sell by March the house in State College will be built and ready for us to move into in July, so that's really what we are hoping will happen - only time will tell.

So there you have the skinny on our lives. Now for the not-so-skinny. Here is a picture of me at 22 weeks and 3 days pregnant. Little boy is moving and kicking consistently, and seems to be most active throughout the night time - problematic, I know!

I feel much more round this time. Maybe it's the second pregnancy thing, or maybe it's the boy thing - I don't think I'll ever know!

Reading and singing "Down By the Bay" with Dad. Ellie LOVES reading these days. It is so cool!

Playing with an empty container. The funniest things make the most interesting toys these days! I love watching her grow and see her interests change and develop!!

Halloween 2009

Hi Everyone,

On a lighter note, from the one Dan just posted about, here are some pictures of Ellie in her Halloween costume. She picked this costume out herself, and loves getting dressed in it every time we put it on her. She truly is becoming a monkey these days - imitating lots of words and climbing on toys and furniture. She is truly a joy to have around, and we feel so lucky to be her parents!!

Not a Fishing Report...

For all of the great times we had this summer, (vacation, weddings, camping, not fishing, etc.) we did have some sad times as well. Both my uncle and grandmother passed away this summer. My uncle lost a very hard fought battle with Parkinson's in early July and my grandma simply passed away from old age in September. Both of them had a huge influence on my life and we will miss them very much.

The good thing, if there is such a thing, is that we had a memorial service for them at my favorite place in the world (no not Disneyland), Strawberry Lake. Friends and family from all over the world came to pay their respects and lay them to rest with my grandfather. It was wonderful to talk to people that I hadn't seen in years and meet people whom I had heard so much about, but hadn't yet had the opportunity to meet.

They will both be missed very much, but the impact that they have had on my life will continue to influence the person that I am.

Our Penn State Nittany Lion!

Here are a few pictures of Ellie supporting her favorite football team, the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Pretending to run out of the tunnel like Joe Pa and the team.
Getting a little reading in before kick-off.
In her cheerleading outfit from Aunt Aileen and Uncle Dave.
Waving to the Penn State fans.
Mom supports the Lions too!