John Ball Zoo

This past weekend we decided to go spur of the moment to John Ball Zoo. Ella is in love with anything to do with animals so we thought going to the zoo would make for a great afternoon! She LOVED it. She did lots of smiling and lots of pointing - it was so fun watching her experience the animals in person considering we look at books with animals in them every day:)

Ella's cute little faces as she looked at the animalsShe liked watching the lion walk back and forthHer favorite animal to see was the otter...she giggled and waved and just wanted to stand there and watch it. It was super cute...before we walked away the otter stood up right across from Ella and looked right at us...she started squealing with delight.

Although we can see ducks pretty much every day if we wanted to, Ella was still so thrilled to see ducks and couldn't get enough of watching them - go figure!It was a fun day at the zoo and I imagine that this was just the beginning of many visits to the zoo in the years to come.

Like Grandmother, Like Granddaughter

My mom found this picture of her when she was around 1 year and thought it resembled Ella...so in light of my last post, I thought I would post these for her:)

Like Mother, Like Daughter

When I was a little girl, my mom said that I always tried to climb into this basket and sit in it. This past weekend Ella kept going in the other room to climb into the basket too. Of course I had to take advantage of this photo opportunity. Me at 15 months - December 1982Ella at 13 months

Awesome Autumn Afternoon

Yesterday I wanted to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and Ella and I spent part of the afternoon at a park up the road. She had a ball! I just let her run all over and she loved roaming free...climbing on the jungle gym, digging her hands in the sand/dirt, and playing in the leaves. I am going to try and remember this day when it is snowing out and we are stuck inside:)

...To Grandmother's House We Go!

This past Saturday Ella got to enjoy some special Grandpa and Grandma time! We had an open house that afternoon so G&G Koning watched her while I was doing the finishing touches on the house (Brad was gone at a church retreat so I needed a little help:) and then we hung out at G&G Rotman's while the open house was going on. She absolutely adores her grandparents so she had a blast spending the day with them, especially since it was a gorgeous day and she could play outside with them!Picking up the leaves with Grandpa KoningPlaying with the "birdy" at G&G Koning's house - it is a wire bird they have in their landscaping and she thinks it is so fun to look at and touch whenever she is outside there:)
Outdoorsy girl at heartGetting a lawnmower ride from Grandpa Rotman

Ella loves to play with these decorative twine balls in my parents kitchen - she likes to take her time tearing them apart...and Grandma lets her. You know that I would never be allowed to do that when I was little, but when its her grandchild it's like - sure, go ahead! :)Grandpa's little peanut!

Kissing Cousins

Ella loves giving "smooches"...and apparently loves sharing them with her cousins:)Ella and Lil Ella and Kolter

Ella and Kennedy - cute little chicks:)

Happy Halloween!

This Halloween our darling Ella was a chicken:) We had a fun day "trick or treating" to her Grandmas and Grandpas and visiting her friends. I was a little nervous she wouldn't like wearing her costume but honestly I think she just thought she was wearing a coat with a hood so she didn't mind a bit and the best part was it kept her super warm on such a frigid day! She is such a cute little chicken - I could just eat her up! (no pun intended:)

We went to visit our Grandma Essenburg who was in the hospital recovering from having shoulder surgery with Betsy, Jake, and Caterpillar Lily:) Hope you feel better soon Grandma!
Great Grandpa Essenburg spoiled Ella by "treating" her to some vegetable chips/sticks instead of giving her Halloween candy - it was really sweet and of course Ella loved them!

Grandpa and Grandma Koning with Ella and Lily at their house
Ella laughing at Auntie Kylee who was modeling part of her "cloudy with a chance of rain" Halloween costume:)

Ella stopping by our neighbors to wish her buddy Grah a Happy Halloween! Gotta love the cute boy next door:)
Ella with Grandpa and Grandma Rotman at their house

At night we went to the Heukers for a Halloween party. Here are the 3 little wild animals that attended:) Ella, Layla (monkey) and Jonathan (giraffe)
Here are the 3 little kiddos appearing to pass out the Halloween candy to the trick-or-treaters. (After this picture Ella proceeded to try and eat 4 mini candy bars with the wrapper still on them - she is more of an indian giver apparently).
Can't miss a photo opportunity to show off my three prego friends - Julie, Lindsey & Mere

(Julie & Lindsey due in March, Mere due in February) Can't wait to meet the little honeys!