Recycle

Ever since moving to California the Evan's family have become recyclers! We have a recycling center right by our house and one day I decided to check it out. It seemed pretty easy to use and I thought that it would be something fun for the kids and I to do. We saved up our cans for a few weeks (skyler drinks Dr.Pepper like it is water) and headed out. Carter LOVED it! There is a big machine and you put the cans in one at a time. Carter and Ellie squeal with excitment every time the machine "eats" the can and Carter can't wait to put the next one in. When we are done we press the button and a receipt prints out. We walk next door and turn in the reciept for $$$. We usually get a few bucks and go waste it on donuts and icee's. I have never been a "green" person but "free" donuts is starting to make me change my mind.

5 years of family pictures

Every year I have made an effort to have professional family pictures taken in august (the month we got married) so I can watch how our family grows. Even though I only have 5 years worth, it is still so fun to look back and see how much life has changed!

 

2008: Our wedding day. I have 0 professional pictures from that day because I was never given rights to them (long and very sad/heart breaking story) I love this one because it's candid and perfectly shows how happy we were on our wedding day. 

 

2009: In August I was 6 months pregnant with Carter and SO ready to meet him

 

2010: We actually waited till November to take our pictures because I wanted to combine them with Carter's first birthday pictures. I still LOVE this picture. 

  

2011: Ellie at 6 days old, we were ALL exhausted! 

 

 2012: Content with being a family of 4 (for now) and enjoying having 2 completely mobile babies who entertain each other!

best friends

 

There is nothing cuter than a little boy and his daddy!

Ellie is ONE (a month late)

In August my little Ellie Claire turned ONE. I feel like she is still a little baby but her attitude reminds me that she is not, haha! She add so much personality to our little family and we LOVE having her! She is our little comedian and keeps us laughing all the time. She is the perfect addition to our family and this last year has FLOWN by with her here. On Ellie's first birthday her stats are

Height: 30 1/2 inches (90%)
Weight: 19 lbs. 12 oz. (20%)

Has 4 teeth with 2 on the way!
Claps whenever anybody else does.
Waves at everyone she walks by and yells "HIIIII" everyone in the store (or wherever we are) is always laughing and telling her hi back. Her brother has noticed the attention she gets from it and sometimes they will do it together. Glad we provide shoppers with some good entertainment!
She has blonde hair and GREEN eyes.
She is absolutely beautiful!
She is the boss.
Ellie FINALLY walks all the time but on her birthday she was still crawling and only walking sometimes.
She LOVES to eat. she seriously eats ALL day.
When she wants something she does not stop until she gets it.
She loves to give kisses and blowing kisses.
She loves belly buttons and thinks they are hilarious. 
She is also known as chatty cathy cause she never stops jabbering.
Loves to dance and can find a good dance move for any rhythm she hears.
Loves to make messes!
Loves to make her brother mad. She sits right in front of the TV if he is watching it. If he pushes her away she just walks over and turns it off. She thinks it hilarious. Carter does not.
Drinks whole milk and eats everything that we eat.
Says: mama, dada, hi, ball, yum yum, no no no, baba, baaa(bath), and yea.
Smiles and laughs all day long.
Loves to help mama do the laundry.
Ellie loves to copy her brother. She wants to eat whatever he is eating, play whatever he is playing with and even tries to mimic his words.
Plays peek-a-boo ALL.THE.TIME. never gets old....for her atleast! 
She LOVES her big brother and gives him kisses all the time.
We call her dede and that's the only name she answers to. (It's what Carter has called her since she was born) 

WE LOVE YOU ELLIE GIRL!