30th Birthday!

Well, I turned 30 this week!! Alex threw me a Surprise Party last Saturday!!! I had no idea what he was up to. He told me to get ready to go to the park with Ella and him for some family time. Little did I know that while Ella and I were getting ready for our "Date with Daddy" he was already at the park setting up. He picked me up and off we went. I was extremely surprised!!! It was great to have my mom in town too!

Then we had some friends over for Ice Cream and Game Night! What a great Birthday Weekend!!!

Thank you Alex!!!!

Game Night with Lacey, Troy, Amber, Albert (our dog), and Vince!

MILWAUKEE!!!!!

Each fall we like to go to one of my favorite places, Milwaukee, to visit my sister Dana and her family. We celebrate Tyler's Birthday and mine. This year though, Alex had to work, so Ella and I made the trip ourselves. On Friday we were able to go to their school and see Dana's new job: the Librarian. The perfect job for her! I was able to teach Tyler's class when they came in. It was great to see the boys classrooms. That evening we had Family Night!!! On Saturday Ella went on her 1st bike ride. Will decided he didn't want to ride his bike down the hill so he sent his bike on ahead and followed it. We went to Tyler's violin lesson until Ella got a little loud and we had to "sneak out". That was difficult with a stroller, Ella, and Will. After church on Sunday we drove home! So much excitement packed in a short weekend! Happy Birthday Tyler!!!!!!!! We Love You!

Ella's First Cardinals Game!!!!!!!

As many of you know, Alex is a HUGE St. Louis Cardinals Fan!!! (As if the bright red room didn't give it away!) I don't know if "HUGE" is the correct term. Perhaps these words: Extreme, Radical, Excessive, or Fanatical would be better. He named our dog after Albert Pujols! I can't even begin to describe him after the Cardinals won the World Series last year! There is a video of him at the moment they won, but it would be better if we didn't show it! Instead we will show pictures of Ella's First Cardinals Game earlier this summer!

Daddy and Ella ready to go to St. Louis!

Arriving at Busch Stadium!

The 2006 World Champions!!

FredBird, Ella, and Alex

(Doesn't Ella look thrilled to be there?)

A friend of Alex's gave us these Box Seat Tickets. What a treat! Ella did very good during the 1st and 2nd inning and the 7th -9th inning. The 3rd-6th innings consisted of Ella and I walking around the stadium quite a few times. Overall, she did very good, but maybe we will wait until 2009 until we take her again!