Carnegie Mellon

We were off for another visit to another campus this week. We left on Wednesday and came back on Friday. I took my camera so I could document the trip but only took one picture because it was so busy.

Isn't she a Diva?

We should have known it would be rough when we had to shovel out our car from the 8 inches of snow we got the night before (which all went on top of the probably 4 inches we already had). It was supposed to take us 4 and 1/2 hours to get to Pittsburgh so I was thinking, "we can do this". It ended up taking us 7 hours to get there and we only lost control of the car twice. We are seriously crazy.

So, to the reason why we went. We were checking out Carnegie Mellon University. Chris had an information session with the Tepper Business School at 11:30a so we got up at 8a thinking, "we will get there early", only to find that Chris forgot his tie and belt. So, we ended up getting to campus with 5 minutes to spare and Chris had no idea what building he was supposed to go to (he made it in time, don't worry).

While Chris was informed about the school, I drove Ella around trying to get her to sleep. It was pretty hilly there and with all the snow my car just couldn't do it. There was one hill that it just wouldn't go up. I wanted to cry but I was brave. I backed the car down the hill and went another way and somehow in all that, Ella fell asleep.

The whole family went to lunch with some students from the school. There was a big group of prospective students visiting that day and I felt like we were being watched. It might have been in my head or it might have been because Chris was the only one with a wife let alone a child. Ella did great though. She showed her cute to the important people and we were so proud. What more could we ask for?

They next day we went to breakfast with a student at the school, his wife, and their 2 children. It was snowing again and it took us an hour and 1/2 to go 20 miles. We got lost and ended up on another hill. We conquered it this time but the car smelled like it was on fire. After that we found the road we were supposed to be on but for some reason kept circling under it and beside it. We could see it but we just couldn't get there. We thought of Elder Wirthlin getting lost in southern Utah and laughed.

We are all home now and more confused than ever about where we should go to school. Life is such an adventure!

I am an open book....

Thanks go out to Kirsten for this post. She tagged me and now I am supposed to write 10 "honest" things about myself that no one knows.

So here ya go:

1.) I don't like to be alone.

2.) I might be a "control freak". I just really like for things to go my way, because after all, my way is the best way (or at least I think so).

As a side note: being a "control freak" means I struggle with having a toddler who really likes to make her own choices.

3.) I can't stand stains on clothes. So...I struggle with having a toddler who stains her outfit within 5 minutes after putting it on. I am trying to get better about stains because some days I have to change Ella's clothes 3 times. She even cries now when she drops food on her clothes.

4.) I have a reoccurring nightmare that all my teeth are slowly falling out. This nightmare began after playing intermural softball and being struck to the mouth with the softball. My jaw was broken and I had to have 5 root canals. This is also when I found out I was pregnant with Ella (good news, but bad timing). It was a bad week so it is hunts me when I go to sleep.

5.) I seriously have no aptitude for sports (see above). In middle school the big joke in gym class was to see how many people could call my name and then throw the ball at my face. I was always the last person chosen to be on anyone's team. And in high school I would have been a straight A student if I didn't have to take gym (I got a C).

6.) I feel like I can only be happy if I do whatever makes someone else happy but I also like to do what makes me happy, so I drive myself crazy!

7.) I have the worst itchy back ever! I think I have excema or something.

8.) If I hear about a disease, I think I have it (see above). For this reason I need to give up my addiction to the TV show "House" because I keep thinking I need to go the doctor.

9.) I LOVE DIP!!!! Chip dip, veggie dip, cheese dip, they are all so wonderful. Recently, I introduced dip to Ella for the first time and she loves it too. She even ate it with a spoon and I thought, I would do that if I didn't know that it is wrong.

10.) I am taking guitar lessons. My fingers hurt and I can't play anything but E, F, and G. But those notes sound ohh so good!

Elizabeth Mitchell

I love Elizabeth Mitchell's folk music for children. Her songs are enjoyable for kids without being annoying for a parent to listen to. They are also fun to sing to your child.

So, you can imagine how excited I was to see that she has 2 new songs out and is letting us download one of them for free. The free song is called "The Little Bird Hops" and is really cute!

Check it out: http://www.youaremyflower.org/mp3/

Just as a quick note:

I got out the swimsuits today so I could wash them and was surprised to discover that Ella not only remembered her swimsuit but remembered what we were supposed to do with it. She cried (for what seemed like forever) while carrying around her swimsuit, hat and the sunscreen.

So, I took her swimming in the tub.

She made us laugh because she had to wear the hat and even pretended to put on the sunscreen. All she needed was Grandpa to take her to the pool!

Indy Children's Museum

We went to Indianapolis to visit my sister Jami's family for Martin Luther King Day. While we were there we had to go to the children's museum because they were having a free day. The place was seriously packed but it was free so it was great.

Dance Floor Pro

My family had a big Christmas get-together on Dec. 30th. While we were there Ella decided it was time to "bust a move" and the whole family joined in. I think it was the most fun she has ever had. Here are some pics:

Ella's gettin jiggy wit it!

Do you like my moves?

Elliot has mastered the deacon shuffle.

Dance Party!!!

Kayleigh and Ella, strike the pose!

Christmas Morning

I just wanted to put up some pictures of Ella opening the gifts from her family in Texas. We wish you could have been here to see her. She loves the gifts. Thanks for making her Christmas so fun!