Sibley Park

Somehow this post got lost in the shuffle, sorry about that!!

Last year we checked out the lights at Sibley Park in Mankato, we decided to head over again this year and, once again, we had a great time!

The park is covered in lights and has all sorts of fun displays for everybody to look at.

Last year when we went it was too cold to get out of the car, but this year was perfect and we spent the entire evening outside walking around an enjoying the lights.

I couldn't believe how many lights there were!  Some were just hanging in the trees, others were decorated in different shapes and looked like cartoon characters and other fun things.

Mama made Ellen this cozy stroller sleeping bag, she snuggled right up and took a nap, silly girl!  Good thing it was pretty short so she could enjoy some more lights.

At the center of the park is a beautiful tree.  It was fun getting to take our picture by it.

It was also fun to hang out in the tunnels with the dancing lights!

Mama wanted to take a picture of all of us with the lights on in the tunnel, but every time she got her camera ready they would shut off, then when she would put her camera away they would turn back on.

We all had a great time!

I can't wait to go back again next year,
Linden

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth

Hey Guys!  Ellen here!

Christmas was a really busy time, and it was a ton of fun!  All through Christmas I saw all of the yummy treats that Mama was making so I made up my mind that I was going to get some teeth!

In the last 2 weeks I have gotten not one, but two teeth!  I might not have gotten enough teeth in time for Christmas cookies, but they are pretty cute.

My New Year's Resolution this year is to get all my teeth in, this teething thing stinks!

Keep Warm!
Ellen

A Christmas Full of Firsts

Christmas is always an exciting time of year, but this year was especially exciting because it was Ellen's first Christmas!  There were lots of other firsts this year too...

I got to sing in my first Christmas program at church, I was so excited.  We practiced for weeks!!

I got to be an angel along with a bunch of other kids in my Sunday School class.  My good friend Kenna was an angel too!

Lot of people came to see me, Grandma Nancy and Grandma Carolyn, Papa Tim, Auntie Heidi, Auntie Wendy, Auntie Missy and cousin Tyler!  And Mama and Daddy too...

I also got to make my first Gingerbread House.  Mama and I worked together on it, she put the frosting on and I used it as glue to hold on the decorations! 

I got my first Christmas present from Ellen.

Daddy and I had a lot of fun setting it up and running the marbles down the different paths.

I also got to give my first present to Ellen.  Mama found this fun wrapping paper, so not only did I get to wrap the presents, but I also got to color them! 

Ellen sure liked everything I got her.  I can't wait to take a bath together and play with the fun new toys.

Ellen's first Christmas was full of fun.  At first she didn't understand how to unwrap presents, she thought you had to eat them...

but then I showed her how to pull the paper off...

and then she decided to eat that...

Ellen got a new baby doll from Papa Bob for Christmas, we named her Josie.

I can't wait for Josie to go on all sorts of adventures with baby Katie.  I think they are going to be great friends!

Have a great Night!
Linden

Santa!!

It's that time of year again, time for cookies and Christmas songs and SANTA!!!

Every year we go to Macy's in Minneapolis to check out their Christmas display.  This was Ellen's first time and I knew she was going to love it.  

Ellen loved looking around at all of the lights and seeing Santa's elves make our presents and get ready for Christmas.

My favorite part was watching the elves bake cookies and make all sorts of Christmas treats.

But of course, the main highlight was getting to see Santa!!!!!  Ellen did such a great job, she didn't cry even a little.  I, of course, am a pro, and I love Santa! 

I made sure to tell him all of the things on my list, and even brought him a letter that I wrote all by myself.

Afterwards I got to share a cookie with Mama and Daddy, and guess what it was decorated like?  Santa, of course!!

I also liked the silly elves that were walking around in Santa's workshop.  The little elves in the workshop weren't real (I watched them very closely and then asked Mama, she agreed).  But this elf was the REAL DEAL!!  I learned that it is pretty tricky to get your picture taken with an elf, they are pretty silly!

On the way home I kept talking about her, I wish we could be friends, but Mama said she lives a long way away and has to stay with Santa so she can help make toys for all of the little kids.  Maybe someday we can go on Vacation and visit her, and Santa too.

Only a few more days!
Linden

Heaven Has Another Angel

Heaven gained another angel, and he is sure going to be missed.  Grandpa Bob passed away on December 22nd after battling brain cancer for over two and a half years. 

Mama told me that Papa's head doesn't hurt any more, and now he gets to live with God, which is pretty cool.  I am sad that we don't get to go visit him, but Mama said some day we will get to see him again.  Mama was looking through pictures so we thought we would post some oldies

This one is of Ellen, so I guess it isn't too old, but considering she is only 6 months old, it is kind of old.

This was from my 2nd birthday.  Papa Bob was a great Papa and loved us all very much.

This was the last picture Mama got of Papa Bob, even as his health was failing he always had a smile for us all.  He loved getting to see us and it makes Mama happy to know that even at the end Papa still was able to enjoy us being there.

Papa was a great grandpa,

a loving husband,

a wonderful father,

and a caring and devoted bus driver.

We are so lucky to have Grandma Nancy to take such great care of Papa.  She always knew what he needed, and made sure to keep him happy and comfortable all the way to the end.  Grandma Nancy held our family together through the chaos and was able to keep Papa home all the way to the end.  She is such a blessing to our family and will never know how much we appreciate her and her love.

We will miss Papa every day,
Linden and Ellen

Oh Christmas Tree

Hey Guys!  Ellen Here!

Did you know that it was my first Christmas?!?  Linden did a great job telling me about all of the fun things to look forward to...there are lights, and trees, and cookies and of course Santa!!

Over the past few weeks we have been decorating the house and getting everything all ready for Christmas.  We are pretty lucky and get to have a couple trees.  We decorated the downstairs one first, that is the one with all of the fun ornaments.  Mama said that I did a great job supervising the decorating.

Once all of the ornaments were one the tree all of the girls got to do the important job of putting the star on top!

After the downstairs tree was decorated we went out and got a real tree to decorate upstairs.  Linden was really lucky and got to climb on the ladder to help put ornaments on.  She was VERY careful with them.

After all the lights and ornaments were up she and Daddy put the angel on top.

 I love our upstairs tree, it is so sparkly and fun to look at when I am sitting in my jumper.

Each day Linden and I got more and more excited for Christmas!!

Now that Christmas is over it is time to take it all down and look forward to our next adventure!

With love,
Ellen

Do You Want to Build A Snowman?

 

We have had some fantastic weekends to play outside!  After we got a bunch of snow, the only logical thing to do was go out and play!!  Ellen is too little to have a snowball fight, go sledding, or build a snowman, so we did it while she was napping. 

Mama said she will make a scarf when she has some time, isn't he cute!!

Have a great night!
Linden

Ski Bunny

 

A couple weeks ago Mama heard it was going to snow so she came up with a great idea, she picked me up from daycare early and we went skiing!!  It was a lot of fun, Ellen got to hang out with Gretchen, and I got a special Mama and Daddy day.

 

 

There was a lot of snow that day so driving to Buck Hill was a little crazy, but when we got there we had a blast.  The first thing we had to do was get our skis from the rental shop.  The guy gave us some hard boots that make you walk silly. 

Mama taught me how to put my skis on, first you stand on your tippy toes and then you push down hard!

Then it was time for a picture!

We started on the little hill, but there was too much fresh snow and we just couldn't go fast enough...

so we went up the bigger hill!  If you want to go fast you make your skis look like french fries, and if you want to stop you make them like a pizza!  I liked french fries better.

 

I'm pretty much amazing so I figured out how to stop on my first try (or maybe it took a few, either way...)  and then I got to go on the REALLY big hill!  While going up the carpet Mama and I decided to take our picutre

 

Skiing was pretty great, but it was even better because Auntie Wendy met us there with Cousin Tyler and their friend Eddie!  Eddie is the same age as me and he was learning to ski for the first time too!

After lunch we went up the chair lift so we took a picture with Daddy in it too.  It was a lot of fun going on the big chairs!

Skiing was fantastic, I can't wait to go again!
Linden