Celebration Time

There is a lot to be celebrating this month. First off, my little girl is no longer considered a baby but is an official toddler! Well according to daycare anyway. According to Mommy, I am sure I will always refer to her as my baby! You moms know what I mean!!! Last week daycare surprised me and said that Ellia was going to skip the transitioning phase to the Toddler room and go full time right away. They said she is advanced for her age and interacts so well with the other kids that they feel she can handle it. Well mom couldn’t handle it. I was hit with a rush of emotion as I tried to listen to the new toddler caregiver explain the rules of the room. Tears soon rolled down my face as I got back into my car to head to work and I started to reflect on how much my little girl has grown. I will miss the other women terribly and thank God for their loving care they provided to Ellia. How soon things change, for the good, but how much they make you stop and really think about the time that is presented. Thank you Lord for the wonderful gifts you provide. Kevin joined me with in my “sap-ish” ways as he beamed with pride for his little miss. The new room offers Ellia much more activities and will help with her toddler development. They have a full schedule and we have already had days such as Flag Day, Farm Day, Bring in your favorite book day, pool day.. etc. They also have a guinea pig in the room named Ally that they call Ally Piggy. Ellia LOVES Ally Piggy. You ask her what Ally Piggy says and it usually should like a cat! With this new adjustment come new changes in emotions for Ellia.. well for all of us! She is worn out now when she gets home and seems crankier than usual just because her day is much different and I am sure it will pass… hopefully soon! Again for the sake of all of us!!! Ha ha. Her toddler “demands” are becoming a bit trying and time-outs are increasing! However her silly side and individuality happen to keep Kevin and I both smiling. Here are some pictures for you to see what I mean!


Last Monday (the 7th) we celebrated Uncle Korey’s Birthday!!!! Korey is 20! WHAT!!! When I met Kevin Korey was only 10. Crazy! We headed to the annual birthday dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack. The girls enjoyed running around and dancing to the music they play in the restaurant as well as the experiencing the fountains at Station Square.

This week we celebrated Mimi Ollis’ Birthday (the 15th) at Red Lobster! Lots of seafood in the last couple of weeks. Again Ellia enjoyed time with her cousins and also discovered just how good Ketchup really is! We got some great family shots in as well.

This weekend we will be celebrating with cousin Gracie for her 1st Birthday Party and don’t for get Father’s day!!!! That will be a continuation post. We are also anxiously awaiting the arrival of Baby Garrett Foulk and ya never know, he may just surprise his Dad for Father’s day!!!! Until then.. love you all and keep counting your blessings!!!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Kevin and I both took off Friday to have a nice 4 day weekend. I would like to say that everything we planned to accomplish this weekend happened however things always have a way of changing! I unfortunately broke part of a tooth on Thursday night and needed to go to the dentist Friday. Good thing Nana has ties. So Ellia and I headed to the dentist Friday and Kevin got to go golfing!!! Not a fair trade off at all! Ellia enjoyed hanging out with Nana in her office chair while I got to find out that I need a root canal!!! Ugh! We ended up going to lunch with Nana and the day didn’t end too badly. Here are some fun pics of ellia in Nana’s chair.

Saturday we helped move Aunt Kelly and Uncle Ron into their new house. A bunch of the Angelo / Curry clans helped out too. Ellia had fun seeing the family, helping us clean and playing with her cousin Magerie. Congratulations Kelly and Ron! May many wonderful memories grow out of God’s blessing on your new house!

Sunday we went to church and then that afternoon headed to the pool!!! Ellia was a little leery at first about the pool but we soon found we wouldn’t be able to keep her out of the water. She had fun in the baby pool walking around and playing and then enjoyed floating in her ladybug in the big pool. She loved having snacks during her breaks from the water and soon enough she fell asleep in her stroller after all the swimming she did!

Monday Ellia and I headed over to my old neck of the woods, Bethel Park , for the Memorial Day parade and ceremony. We met Papa and Mimi Ollis and ALL the Barkers (Jen , her family and her in-laws). It was a surreal moment as I watched the band that I marched in 10 YEARS AGO!!!! Wow!! This was the last parade for our band director and for my Majorette instructor! Ellia had fun hanging out with her cousins, eating apples and fishes, waving her flag and running around in the field. This also brought back many memories of my grandfather who was a captain in the Marines. He would march in the parade every year and was the oldest member of his retired marine core group. How he would have loved to see his family and great grandchildren carrying on in tradition. The ceremony that followed was a wonderful way to honor all those that keep our country safe and free. What a blessed day!

We then headed to Mimi and Papa’s for lunch and the kids had so much fun acting silly together.

The weekend gave us a taste of the pleasures of Summer and we look forward to many more fun filled days. Until next time, blessings to you all!