Ellisonfour

Notes from the Playground by Peyton Lee

2009-05-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

(Peyton has been keeping a journal of her thoughts each day. She tells Mama what to write. Her is an excerpt)

18 April
Dada shared his goldfish. Mama took us to the store with popcorn. How kind of her. Cinderella wants to say bye to you.

21 April
I didn't do anything. I rode bikes at school. At Disneyland we saw Handy Manny and he had trouvles and we had to look for him. We were looking for Pat and he had trovles too.

23 April
I had pan -a- cakes. We had Teddy Bear pickanick. To Grampy: You can come with me some other time but you can have a big boy seat. Kaitlin was hugging me but sometimes I don't want to be hugged.

2 May
I wanna watch a mobie but Dada said no.

5 May
Ummm . . . I don't know. I dont member who I played with. I played with Beverly.

Peyton Meets Princesses

2009-04-13T16:48:00.001-07:00

We were so fortunate to be able to take the kids to Disneyland this past weekend. Joe was graduating from the VW training school, and it just so happens to be about 20 minutes from the Magic Kingdom! We happily cheered for Dada as he was recognized as a CERTIFIED VW mechanic! (He already has an interview in Santa Rosa next week!) We left the ceremony and headed out to meet the mouse. The best part of the day was when Peyton got to meet the Disney princesses. We stood in line for two hours, but it was all worth it when she saw the first princess. Here are a few shots. You'd have to know Peyton pretty well, but that look on her face is actually overwhelmed joy!

Build A Buddy

2009-03-15T19:09:00.001-07:00

We were so fortunate to be able to go the Build-A-Bear workshop this weekend to celebrate our neighbor Nikki's 3rd birthday. Everyone had a wonderful time and we came home with two new friends! Bunny and Dinosaur. Peyton had a great time finding just the right accessories for Bunny and Reggie had fun -- crawling around the floor! Ah, well, what can you do.

Reggie and Dinosaur

Peyton and Bunny

Our Toe-Taping Man

2009-03-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

Every now and then -- you just gotta dance.

Twins?

2009-03-01T18:25:00.000-08:00

Can you spot the difference? When it comes time for breakfast, lunch or dinner, we can't.

The Flu

2009-02-21T19:53:00.000-08:00

Well, we experienced our first bout with the flu. Reggie came home from preschool on Thursday and promptly became sick. Peyton has never thrown up, so his being sick was really new to us. He was a poor pathetic man for about 24 hours or so. He is still not quite himself, but is starting to get better. He lost about 6 lbs, which is quite noticable when you only weigh 32lbs to begin with. We are endeavoring to fatten the man back up, but he is fairly resistant to the idea right now.

A Modest Representation

2009-02-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

For everyone to see

And a Dada far away

Here's a little something

Mr. Reggie made at school today.

He played and he laughed, colored and drew

But he painted this picture just for you

A heart for his Daddy whom he loves soo much

He painted with his own fingers, and never a brush.

So as you gaze at this picture he's showing to you

Know it is just a symbol for how much he loves you!

Reggie Man Enters Halls of Learning

2009-02-03T16:15:00.000-08:00

Today, February 3rd, 2009, Reggie Ellison started preschool. He grabbed his little Cars backpack, slung it over his shoulder and joined his sister at the Presbyterian Day School in Napa. He's well-known and much beloved at school already. He has spent lots of time there watching his sister go off to her class, but today he went to his own little classroom. He is the youngest member of the 2/3 year old class and had an excellent time playing with his new friends. The only trouble spot of the day was line up time. He had no clue what a line was, and why he should spend any time standing in it. Hopefully, he'll become more adept at the "line standing" thing as time goes on. Our big man --- so grown up!

Our New Favorite Place

2009-01-29T20:50:00.000-08:00

We've found a new fun place to go: PB and J's! Play, Bounce and Jump in Napa. It is a fabulous warehouse and all that is inside are bounce houses! Lots of them! For just $6.00 you can play for an hour. Mondays are two for the price of one and on Tuesdays it cost just 10 cents an inch! Peyton and Reggie are BIG fans! Momma likes it too because when everyone has bounced and bounced, sleep descends swiftly! If it is dark, rainy or cold PB and J's is warm, bright and bouncy! We love it!

Homework for 3 year olds

2009-01-29T20:46:00.000-08:00

That's right. It is time for the real work to begin. Peyton has come home with her first homework assignment. I realize that looking for circles, squares, diamonds, and triangle might not seem like much to you, but she is only 3! What's next? Times tables? Seriously. Oh well, I suppose it is only just the beginning. I guess I better go hit the books!

Two Years -- Mr. Richard Everett James Ellison

2009-01-22T22:28:00.000-08:00

As of January 23, 2009 at 8:23 a.m., Reggie will be officially two years old. Unbelievable, I know. We celebrated a little early when Dada was home last week. Notice, my carefully created birthday cupcakes that looked just like a bowl of popcorn. The kids weren't impressed with how they looked, by the way, they were just interested in eating them!

Reunited -- Peyton and Bear Bear Together Again

2009-01-19T15:20:00.000-08:00

The day finally came and Bear Bear and Peyton were finally reunited. We found some pictures of what Bear Bear did without Peyton. Apparentely, had a fabulous time with Granny -- take a look:

But, at long last, Peyton was able to go to Granny's house and see her beloved Bear and bring him home. Together again. Here is a peek at Peyton's first moments back with her Bear Bear

Missing

2009-01-12T21:15:00.000-08:00

Peyton and Bear Bear have been together since day one. They are best friends and good buddies. Bear Bear, although wearing a bunny suit (we don't know why) dresses in pink, Peyton long ago informed us that he is a boy. He is a faithful bear who waits patiently for Peyton while she is at preschool, and does not mind Peyton trying to shove apple into his furry lips. He does have one bad habit.

He likes to hide. We've found him under strollers, in cabinets, at the bottom of drawers and one unfortunate day -- in the toilet (he recovered completely). Occasionally he spends time in the washer and they dryer and we have to wait patiently until he's through. But this Sunday, he disappeared. Bear Bear is gone.

Now, we do have three Back Up Bears or Fake Bear as we call them, but they don't come close to OB (original Bear). We are pretty sure that he just decided to spend some extra time at Granny's. No doubt, he is sitting right now, with his paws up on the couch, sipping some apple juice watching one of the special movies Granny has for her babies.

If you happen to be in the SF area and you see this:

Only, perhaps a little more worn down and a little less puffy -- could you please send him back to us? Although, we know Bear Bear is having a great time -- we sure would like to have him home with us again!

A Night at the Races

2009-01-09T20:58:00.000-08:00

Boys like cars --- boys of all ages. Grampy decided to challenge our man Reggie to a showdown on the track. They lined up the cars and vrooooom! They were off! Sometimes Reggie was the winner --- sometimes Grampy beat him off the tree-- but ALL the boys had a great time. Notice Reggie's dance of glee when he returns to race again --- and pay close attention to Grampy's devoted pit crew -- she just might look familiar.

The Reggie

2009-01-08T18:20:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to believe but the Reginator is about to be two years old! He is one funny guy -- always willing to do what it takes to make you smile. His favorite activity these days is calling everyone by the wrong name. He is likely to say, "Night night Dada!" when Mama puts him to bed. He then laughs hysterically. He will then take Peyton's doggy and say, "Meow, meow!"

Every day he learns a new way to take something apart, climb onto something, or annoy his big sister -- in short he has left his babyhood behind and has fully embraced his role as Little Brother. He enjoys life in the great outdoors -- especially if dirt, mud or leaves are involved. He just recently got his first pair of slippers -- and loves to show them off to anyone who is willing to look at his feet. He was given a basketball hoop for Christmas and is pretty good at making baskets with his ball, but he is even better at taking one of Peyton's dolls and chucking it through the hoop. But he does love his big sister and will stand at her side if I dare to give her a timeout, (looking rather disappointed in me, I might add).

And so, we tip our hat to you --- Mr. Richard Everett James Ellison!

Day One, 09

2009-01-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

How did you spend your first day of this brand new year? We decided it would be fun to pack piles of items and two toddlers into the car and introduce them to the snow. After about 3 hours we arrived in Nyack, and climbed out and into snow.

Apparently Peyton was greatly influenced by watching "Frosty the Snowman" because all she wanted to do was build a snowman. She worked very hard all day to create her snowman. (Alright, we waited until this other family left and claimed their snowman as hers, but she really did add a ton of snow to him).

Reggie was absolutely opposed to wearing his mittens despite the cold. He was the only one brave enough to climb into the saucer. He and I took a death-defy trip down the side of a hill. The most fun about sledding is you don't know what is at the bottom. It was exciting and he really loved it!

I was just super excited that they didn't just stand in the snow and cry, like many of the kids around us did. The hill was absolutely dotted with sobbing little people declaring, "I'm cold, Daddy!"

Thank you Grampy for driving us all the way there and back! And thanks Nana for helping Peyton make an excellent snowman!

Happy New Year

2008-12-31T20:49:00.000-08:00

Well, happy 2009 everyone. Joe, Peyton, Reggie and I are all expecting great things in '09. Well, actually both Peyton and Reggie are just hoping for some candy in '09, but I am sure they all send warm thoughts your way. We spent our New Year's visiting with our good neighbors, and then dinner with Nana, Grampy, GG, Gramps, Uncle Larry and Cousin Brittany.

Then Peyton, Reggie and I headed back home. And that's when I made him; Old Swampy. Nana got me a lovely book about cupcake making for Christmas. I decided the last day of 2008 would be a great time for a trial run of Reggie's birthday cupcakes. Soo taaa daaa: Old Swampy.

Now what we are going to do with 24 cupcakes --- I'm not sure. But I did it. Peyton and Reggie helped too --- they got to taste test the scales, eyes, and lovely green coating.

A Snack

2008-12-30T22:04:00.000-08:00

Peyton and Reggie were happily watching the tv --- something about Tinkerbell or Ariel --- or possibly WallE, when Mama made this:

And everyone forgot about the tv and had a lovely time.

Popcorn: Bringing families together

Mud Pie 101

2008-12-29T17:32:00.000-08:00

We were at long last able to get out of the house today. It was finally warmish enough and dry enough for a real outing. I grabbed the toddlers, and their tricycles, some snacks, tissues, emergency diaper, water, towel, extra clothes, jackets, hats, --- you know just a few odds and ends and headed out to the park. We live on a hill so the kids don't have a lot of space to ride. I unloaded the trikes and expected them to ride them wildly with glee. But this is what happened:

However, they were almost immediately drawn to the piles and clumps of mud scattered throughout the park. Guess who noticed them first?

Yeah, Reggie is a big fan of mud, dirt, sand, puddles (only if muddy) and as mentioned before candy canes. He immediately set to work on two experiments: 1) Will mud stick to a tree (which immediately led to a sub experiment -- will mud stick to my sister, and 2) How long can I squish this before Mama makes me stop. Peyton was happy to assist in his endeavors. Although her squishing of the mud included singing and some mention of Cinderella --- they were pretty much on the same page.

Christmas Chaos

2008-12-25T15:14:00.000-08:00

Reggie got a drum kit of his very own this Christmas. He is a big fan:

Peyton got a beautiful dollhouse. We have very few pictures of Peyton's face because she would NOT stop playing with her dollhouse!

All in all we've had a fabulous Christmas. There's nothing better than playing with the babies and watching them open their presents!

Dada is HOME!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-20T11:08:00.000-08:00

No words are necessary when a picture will do.

Sticky Love

2008-12-16T19:00:00.001-08:00

It is the season of candy canes. They are beautiful, and delicious. Many people use them as decorations on their Christmas trees --- include our Granny Ruthie.

This is Reggie who is a lover of all things sweet:

And here is where things get a little bit interesting and also a little bit sticky. Last week when we visited Granny, Reggie and the candy canes met. It was love at first site. Every time we took a candy cane away, he found another one. The wrapping was no deterent to him. He chewed right through to the delicious sweetness. And this is the result:

These two, must be kept apart at all costs --- otherwise it is a sticky situation and a really, really, really excited boy!

Jingle Bell Rock

2008-12-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

Well, keep in mind that Peyton completely froze when it came to sing with her class. You would never know it if you saw her at home. Her favorite activity these days is to sing and dance in front of a mirror. With a little help from a singing snowman, here she is:

Peyton Decorates Tree

2008-12-08T18:55:00.000-08:00

Boy Pees into Bowl!

2008-12-05T09:37:00.000-08:00

Much to our surprise and to our great pleasure, Reggie has decided to potty train himself. I was planning to wait until he was at least two, because I had been warned that boys were much more difficult to train. But one day Reggie took it upon himself to use the training potty. Now, he's used it ever since! Hallelujah! Less money will be spent on diapers! :) We are quite proud of our little man.

Santa!

2008-12-02T07:02:00.000-08:00

We are greatly anticipating Santa's arrival this year. Peyton is very quick to remind me that Santa will probably bring her a dollhouse, and maybe Cinderella. When I point out to her that she already has 8 million Cinderella dolls, she looks perplexed. Can you have too many Cinderella's? And would a Cinderella brought by Santa be a special one? Apparently I am unfamiliar with the ins and outs, and rules governing Cinderella and her relationship to Santa. In any regards, we are thrilled that is officially the "sparkly light" season.

Thanksgiving 08

2008-11-29T12:16:00.000-08:00

Well, we are all fat from the turkey now. We enjoyed two Thanksgiving dinners -- one with Granny and Grandpa, and the other with Nana and Grampy. We were very happy to see our Aunt, Uncles, and cousins. Peyton and Reggie behaved surprisingly well, especially considering all the candy that everyone was sneaking them. We are thankful that so many people want to spend the holidays with us.

Now, we are on Santa watch!

Good Eats

2008-11-13T21:16:00.000-08:00

It is no secrect that our Nana is a fabulous cook, but not everyone is aware of her amazing popcorn ability. I know, you are thinking, "Popcorn? How good could it be?" Trust me. I'm not sure what she does, but it is delicious. She's even showed me how, but somehow it only turns out right when she does it.

So we were thrilled to discover that after our bath time, Nana had made popcorn. Both Peyton and Reggie were overjoyed and dug right in!

But really, what makes it so great is eating it together. And Reggie loves to help everyone around him eat. It was a fabulous evening.

A Walk in the Woods

2008-11-11T13:14:00.000-08:00

We decided to celebrate Veteran's Day, by taking a little walk in the woods. Reggie, Peyton and I strapped on our hiking boots and hit the trail. Both kids are veteran hikers and love to explore the outside world.

Reggie is a big fan of sticks, dirt and digging. He loved that there was even some gooshey not-quite dried out mud. He loves exploring, but doesn't walk fast enough to satisfy his big sister. She is often calling, "C'mon buddy! Let's go!"

We had tons of fun though. Although it was hard work trying to convince Reggie NOT to eat the dirt or the stick. Peyton was even brave enough to climb up in a tree.

Baking Cookies

2008-11-05T20:56:00.000-08:00

We decided to do a little bit of baking to get ready for the holidays. I knew I could count on my little helpers.

Reggie and Peyton helped make some delicious gingerbread cookies. We even managed to cook some of them!

Puddle Jumpers

2008-11-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

The first rainy day means it is time to dig out those rain boots. It was time to introduce Reggie to the wonderful art of serious puddle jumping. Peyton was quick to instruct. Soon we were running down the hill looking for puddles everywhere. I love winter.

The Big Parade

2008-10-25T14:58:00.000-07:00

Well, we wrestled the kids into their costumes --- sort of against their will -- using the promise of candy as bait. They looked adorable of course. Reggie as Dash from "The Incredibles" and Peyton as Cinderella. They joined most of Napa downtown, where we had a short parade. We walked about three blocks. Why do they schedule parades during prime nap time? Oh, well, Peyton turned to me and said, "This is the best ever Mama!"

Mad Skills

2008-10-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't want to brag too much but . . . Reggie has started jumping. That's right he isn't even two and he can catch some air. He started jumping the other day and is so thrilled with himself that he'll jump all day long. He takes a few leaps through the air and then stops to allow time for applause. I'm fairly impressed because it took Peyton a long time to get both of her feet off the ground. Here's our little athlete in action -- the really good, catch-some-air jumps are towards the end of the clip:

The Big Boy Bed

2008-10-14T20:40:00.000-07:00

Well, we are a crib-free family. As of this weekend, we took the front of the crib off and Reggie is a free man. So far, he has not strayed from his bed. And although both he and big sis, Peyton love to jump up and down on his bed, and hop up and hop off, he still thinks that he can't get out when he wakes up in the morning. He just sits on his little bed and cries or calls until someone comes to rescue him. Never mind that he spent the whole afternoon before climbing in and out of bed. He looks like a little man all snuggled under his blankets. No more babies around this house. Just the princess and the man child.

Joe's Accepted!!

2008-10-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

We are thrilled that Joe was accepted into the Volkswagen training program. He will go to school for three more months and become a certified Volkswagen technichan. This is an elite program, and we are so proud of him. After he finishes school, he will work for Volkswagen for at least two years. Unfortunately, the training is in Southern California, so our family will be separated for part of that time. Pray for the little ones who love their Daddy so much!!!

Sibling Revelry

2008-10-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Now that Reggie is not only walking and talking, but running, jumping and chasing Peyton has found him to be a worthy playmate. They spend hours playing together and manage to have quite a bit of fun despite the occasional toy tug of war. Nobody makes Reggie laugh like Peyton does and nobody can set her giggling quite like her baby brother. Despite his tendency to take whatever she has and run away, she has decided that bringing him home was a good idea. Peyton loves to grab one end of a blanket and run from room to room with her brother clinging on for dear life. They also love to go out back and play with their cars, planes, and sometimes even dolls -- but don't mention that one to Dada! Peyton loves to rock her dollies and put them to sleep. Reggie seems to prefer to smash his dollies or watch as he pushes them off high ledges. All in all, they are good buddies and enjoying spending time together.

There Goes the Neighborhood

2008-10-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Peyton and Reggie live right next door to two good friends: Katie and Nikki. In the evenings the peaceful neighborhood is disrupted by the sounds of a wild gang running lose. The toddler-terrors charge up and down the big hill laughing, shouting and singing as they go. No one is safe from their reign of glee and cheer! Beware the hour just after dinner and just before bedtime --- wild ones are running loose!

All Good Trips Must Come to an End -- and usually there's some fighting in the back seat right at the end!

2008-09-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

All hail the portable dvd player! After Mary Poppins and most of School House Rock, we've returned home to Dada. The kids had their first ever trip to the zoo. Reggie loved the elephants -- Peyton loved the ice cream. They really missed Daddy though and are quite happy to be back at home. The first night they stayed awake until 11 pm! Last night they crashed at 8 p.m. Their favorite part was playing with the water fountain at the mall -- pictures to follow! Road trips with toddlers are a little bit exhausting, but oh so good to see beloved friends!!

Just for Sonia --Ok Danielle's Invited too!

2008-09-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

This is a shout out to our good buddy Sonia! Wish you were here. I wouldv'e left a message on your page but I can't get there. Can you resend me an invite! Do I sound desperate!!! We miss you -- and can't finish all this cheesecake without you!

Ellison Road Trip

2008-09-24T09:53:00.000-07:00

Reggie, Peyton and I are getting ready to take a road trip to see our good friends. We will be leaving Dada behind for a day or two. Boy you sure have to pack a TON of stuff when taking the babies on the road. Well, I guess I should say the big kids on the road. Here's hoping the portable dvd player holds out!!! Look for us flying down the highway . . . or as Reggie often says, "zoom, vroom vroom!"

Everybody's Growing Up

2008-09-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

Reggie is just about to embark and the greatest excitment of his short life --- potty training. Peyton now goes to preschool three days a week. It seems like everybody's growing up. It wasn't that long ago that we were dying to get some sleep from the newborn Peyton and now she is a walking, talking grown-up lady of three. Time marches forward!

Dada Graduated!

2008-09-14T12:02:00.000-07:00

We had a big day in the Ellison household! On September 12th, Joe graduated from UTI. Everyone came to see him -- his parents and sister, my parents and of course, Peyton and Reggie. We were all proud to see Joe wear his cap and gown. Instead of playing "Pomp and Circumstance", they reved a hot rod up as loud as they could while the graduates walked out. It was wonderful to see Joe finish and be recognized for all his hard work. The best moment was right when they handed him his diploma, Peyton and Reggie ran up to him and he got to hold his babies AND his diploma for all the world to see! Dada is no slacker either, no sooner had we walked in the door from the big ceremony than he was off to meet with a local dealership about a job! Go Joe!! We love him and are really proud of all he has accomplished.

Peyton Lee is the Big Three!

2008-08-28T08:08:00.001-07:00

On August 23rd, as promised, Peyton turned 3! We can hardly believe it. She had her very first birthday party -- inviting her neighbor friends. We celebrated it Cinderella style -- which lipgloss, fingernail polish, and sparkles. The best part was the Peyton's Auntie Keri was in town and got to celebrate with us. She is the party helper extrordinare. Poor Reggie was overwhelmed with all the females running around -- but since he rather likes the ladies -- it seemed he managed. Dada has already promised Reggie that his birthday will be all man --- rootbeer and boxer shorts!
Peyton loved every minute of it -- the girls played, waded in our little pool and of course opened presents. Her cake was once again a Kitty Cat Cake carefully created by Mama. This year's cat was all chocolate. Peyton's Great Grandparents, Grandparents and friends all were there to celebrate.
The day after her birthday we headed out to Granny Ruthie's for more partying! Peyton had an excellent birthday there too. Auntie Tracey was there and brought a fabulous Cinderella dress, gloves, purse and of course a tiara. Peyton had lots of fun playing hide and go seek with her friends, and eating Granny's excellent meal. It may take a few days to recover from all the festivities. But I know, Peyton can't wait for her next birthday!

Preparations for the Big Day

2008-08-19T18:59:00.000-07:00

Peyton will be three on August 23. We are making preparations for the big day. She will be having her very first birthday party. It will of course have a princess theme. Her little friends are coming over for hot dogs, burgers, and cake of course. It is difficult to believe our little girl is already three! She can't wait for the cake! It wasn't so long ago that she was just this small!

Daddy Gradautes on September 12th

2008-08-06T15:22:00.000-07:00

Joe will be graduating from Universal Technical Institute on September 12th. We are so proud of all his hard work. It is hard to believe that he is almost finished! He's already teaching Reggie, Peyton and Mama all about how cars work. Reggie loves to be at his side in the garage. We are praying that Joe is accepted into the Volkswagen training program. Although it would be another four months of school -- it would be some exciting training for Joe and great job placement afterwards. Either way, we can't wait until he is working just one 9 - 5 job and is home in the evenings. We are very proud of him and can't wait to cheer for him as he walks across the platform!

The Master of Disaster

2008-08-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Let me properly introduce Reggie to the world -- we refer to him as the "Master of Disaster". His favorite thing in the world is to knock down, push over, crush, squash, destroy or otherwise undo things. His second favorite thing in the world is to figure out what his sister has, and take it. He then will run away laughing and immediately drop the item (he never wanted it; he just wanted to torment her). Don't get me wrong, he is the sweetest, cuddliest little boy you've ever met --- just hide the China before he comes over.

Lately, he's seemed to really enjoy putting things inside of things. We got him some empty boxes and you would've thought it was $1o,000.00 toy! He's so happy putting little things inside them and then taking them out and starting all over again. Just be careful to keep the remotes out of his reach or he'll include them in a box somewhere! We still can't find Grampy's clock radio. It was last seen near our Reggie.

He also loves music. He loves to sing and dance. He has some seriously inexplicable dance moves. I think someone is secretly teaching him to breakdance because some of his moves look professional. Whenever we go to Granny's, he hops up on her keyboard as fast as he can and hits those keys and sings along! He already knows what all the keys do -- even better than Granny herself!

Reggie is also following in Dada and Grampy and Uncle Spencer's footsteps -- he loves cars. Since he was tiny, he has loved playing with cars on the ground. He could make the vrooom sound right off the bat -- it might even have been his first "word". He loves to "help" Grampy and Dada in the garage and is often seen clutching a wrench.

Peyton and Reggie -- despite his torture of his sister are good buddies. Whenever one of them has a time-out, the other one will come along and try to sit with them or hold their hand. Whenever Reggie is fussy and crying Peyton will run over to see what is wrong. They are sweet together-- most of the time!

Granny's Piano

2008-08-04T13:24:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday, we head over to Granny and Grandpa's after church. Granny always fills Peyton and Reggie up with a yummy lunch AND lots of sweets too! We love to go over and play with them. Peyton and Reggie always spend lots of time playing Granny's piano. They love to sing and play together. Reggie already knows how to turn it on and off and how to turn the volume up really, really loud!

My Buddy Grampy

2008-08-02T10:28:00.000-07:00

We are really lucky in our house because we get to play with our Nana and Grampy everyday. Whenever Peyton says, "Grampy, let's play!" Grampy says, "Ok!" He makes the best kitty and doggie noises and loves to get down on the floor. He's really good at setting up the train and letting Reggie and Peyton play with that. I am really glad that Reggie and Peyton came along because apparently Grampy was just waiting to have some playmates.

Cinderella's Magic Spell

2008-08-01T14:07:00.001-07:00

We've recently fallen under the spell of Cinderella. Well, more specifically, Peyton has. We have the nightgown, the plastic heels, the dress, and of course the tiara. For Peyton's upcoming birthday (August 23rd) she's getting the beautiful blue ball gown that Cinderella was wearing when she met Prince Charming. I asked Peyton the other day who Cinderella was dancing with. I said, "Is it Prince Charming." Peyton replied, "Noo," as though I had made a ridiculous suggestion. "Then who is she dancing with?" I asked. "Her Daddy." Peyton said. How sweet! The magic spell of Cinderella is that beautiful little girls dance with their daddys -- which is just how Daddy likes it and hopes it will stay!

Peyton and Reggie at Play

2008-07-31T15:18:00.000-07:00

Finally, our two little ones are big enough to play together. It is wonderful to hear them in the other room --- until the arguing starts! The most important word Peyton has taught her little brother is "Mine!" which echoes throughout the house all day long. I can't say I blame the two of them. Reggie seems to be drawn to whatever Peyton is holding --- if only long enough to annoy her. What can you do with little brothers.

The Ellison are Blogging Out

2008-07-31T11:09:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the Ellison family website. Joe, Jenny, Peyton and Reggie all would like to give a big hello. Be sure to check us out from time to time as we add pics and stories!