Ivy Rae is Four!

Today (December 28) our Ivy Rae turned FOUR!  

Ivy's 4 Year Old Interview...

What is your favorite memory from being three? eating blueberries in Michigan  

Who is your best buddy? Greta

Who is your best friend (besides your siblings)? Ivy (at church) and Sofia 

What do you like to do outside? Play Ring-Around the Rosie and Freeze Tag 

What exciting new thing did you learn this year? to sing “Go Tell It On The Mountain” 

What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? goulash 

Who is your favorite person in the whole world? Sofia 

What is your favorite color? pink 

What is your favorite TV show to watch? Work It Out Wombats

What sport do you like best? basketball  

What do you want to do when you grow up? a librarian like you

What would you buy if you had $1000? balloons 

What do you like to do best with your friends? run around 

What is something special about you? that I am sweet 

What is something you hope you get to do when you are four? go to Disneyworld 

What time do you wake up in the morning and go to bed at night? I wake up at 11:30 and go to bed at 6:30

What is the healthiest thing you like to eat? yogurt covered raisins

What is your favorite snack?  Goldfish crackers and marshmallows 

What do you like to do with Mommy? go on walks

What do you like to do with Daddy? bake 

What do you like to do with Hudson? play with his LEGOs

What do you like to do with Greta? play dancing and LEGOs

What is your favorite ice cream flavor? candy cane

What is your favorite fruit? watermelon

What is your favorite vegetable? peppers

What is your favorite thing to wear? Anna and Elsa pajamas (I’m wearing them right now)

What is your favorite thing to play? ballet with Greta

What is your favorite stuffed animal? Rose

What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? waffles 

What is your favorite candy? suckers 

What is your favorite thing to drink? hot chocolate  

What is your favorite animal? dogs

What is your favorite book? Build Dogs Build

What is your favorite game? Mario Kart 

What is your favorite restaurant? Culver’s

What is your favorite day of the week? Wednesday 

What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

What is your favorite sports team? Iowa State 

What is your favorite time of the day? watching time on the iPad 

Black Friday

We hit Hills Tree Farm at 10:15am (opened at 10) and the place was packed and it was chilly!  We made our decision on the tree quickly.  Hudson waited in line while I paid for the tree and got the kids hot chocolate.  

Proud of our tree selection!  

They got us in and out of there in 50 minutes!  Impressive!  

The Wurpts family was in town and came over for lunch and then we headed to Disney on Ice.  The girls dressed up in Frozen dresses and looked adorable.  

The kids crew enjoyed the show!  

Thankful for time with friends and the blessing of making memories together.  

These girls are growing up yet are still so little.

Buddies and beauties 

Encanto characters on the ice.

Greta's hair is certainly getting longer and closer to making an Elsa braid.  

Hudson and I completed this puzzle in just a few sittings.  

 

Thanksgiving 2023

After celebrating Thanksgiving last year in lovely Colorado with my family it was nice to stay close to home for the holiday.  It proved to be a fun filled, jam packed of activities and time with people we love, kind of weekend.  But let's start off with Thursday, Thanksgiving Day....

I saw this idea of a turkey charcuterie board last year and somehow remembered it.  The kids and I enjoyed putting the turkey bird together.  

Gobble!  Gobble!  

Ivy was all smiles about her lunch selections, yet not sure how much of it she ate.  

Sue is always a wonderful host, serving the guests and making sure everyone is comfortable.  

Hudson and Clara get along well and certainly have some similarities in personalities.  

Apple Turkey Time

Mrs. Irene started this activity years ago when Roy was a kid and I have kept it going.  It's such a fun project and the kids love it!  I enjoy carrying on traditions and making special memories with the kids.  

The Apple Turkey making crew for 2023!  

My parents made a quick trip and came for the day.  It was pretty special to spend the day with both of our parents.  

It was Thanksgiving #101 for GG Ells.  

 

Merry Christmas 2023

Michigan was our summer family vacation location. We loved our time on the Great Lakes, hiking, eating wild blueberries, spotting lighthouses, picking cherries, exploring Mackinac Island and soaking up the beauty of the Upper Peninsula. 

Emily chooses not to keep track of the hours she spends in the van driving the kids to and from activities and doing errands. 

Reading aloud together is one of our favorite family pastimes. Roy and Hudson finished the Harry Potter series this fall. Greta and Emily made their way through the Chronicles of Narnia and Ivy prefers silly animal stories.   

Roy jumped into some farm-sharing this year. We are thankful for the flexibility his job at Corteva provides, which also allows him to officiate basketball games.  

Year 17 of marriage for Roy and Emily was recognized on August 11th.  

Celebrating birthdays provided us with many sweet memories in 2023. We marked the numbers 12 (Hudson), 43 (Emily), 

9 (Greta), 42 (Roy) and 4 (Ivy) this year. Roy’s Grandpa Ells turned 100 in June, which was an exciting milestone!  

Hudson’s greatest passions are LEGOs, swimming, technology and farming. He has become quite the chef (and none of us are complaining about it). Playing the violin is something new he is learning. 

Relational Greta loves spending time with friends. She is not often found far from an audio book and her LEGO creations.  She tried out basketball, softball and dance and played in her first piano recital.  

Ivy will turn four on December 28th. She keeps up with the big kids and is precious in every way. She attends preschool three mornings a week and loves it. Ivy prefers spending time outdoors and is always asking to go to the park.  

Schooling at home is the focus of our days. Hudson is in 7th grade and Greta is in 3rd grade. They have different passions and strengths, which keeps their teacher on her toes.   

Tulips, tumbling, Tuesdays (at the Homeschool Assistance Program) and tacos are a few of our favorite things that begin with T.  

Making memories often include time in the kitchen, exploring outdoors, reading books, playing games and fixing puzzles. 

Arkansas was the destination for the FIRST LEGO League National Qualifier event that Hudson’s team, the Coding GOATs, participated in in May. It proved to be a rewarding and growing experience.  

Summer highlights were day camp with cousins, pool days, ice cream outings, picnics, evening walks and the Iowa State Fair.

 

We Love November

The month of November is always one of my favorites.  The weather starts to get cooler, but you can still get in plenty of outside time.  Thanksgiving is a sweet time to spend with family and enjoy good food before the hubbub of Christmas arrives.  Thankful for the sweet memories made with my crew this month.  

Park time with a friend while Hudson is at swim practice.

Tuesdays often involve a library stop for Ivy and Mama while the bigs are at HSAP.  

Our baby is almost 4!  

Greta had an overnight at Nana and Papa's house so we put Ivy to bed on time and played Catan with Hudson.  

Joy Singers fall performance.  

Birthday breakfast at The Machine Shed for Auntie Lynn.  

Ivy and Greta attended a birthday party for a sweet friend from church.  

Ivy x2 

Morning buddies

Practicing being a Mama

"Mama, I'm working in my office!" 

Friday night basketball games have started up for Roy again, which means that I take the kids to Culvers.  

Thanksgiving week included an afternoon with friends.  

I took them to the popsicle place, which I promised to treat them to this summer, but was just late in delivering.  

Putting together advent cards for church.  

Greta upgraded her Christmas tree this year.  New tree, topper, skirt and garland.  Ivy got her old tree.  

Running errands with Mama.  

Checking out the Christmas display at the mall.  

Greta showing off one of her favorite birthday gifts.  

Basketball practice with Izzy

Living her best life included lunch in the gazebo at Nana and Papa's house.  

Ivy has learned how to write her name.  

Best buddies!  

Greta won the coloring contest in her age division at the YMCA.  

A Friday afternoon lunch date with my favorite guy.