Goodnight Trees. Goodnight Shade. Goodnight Moon.

Standing in our yard last week, camera stretched to the sky near time of sunset.

Last week, a talented, kind group of guys came and gently took our old gals away. It was out of our hands. Both trees in our front yard were badly damaged/dying. In just under three hours, we went from this

...to this:

From beginning to end, we watched from our neighbor's front yard. Ella was fascinated. Panda was as well.

He made it look soooo easy.

She took to calling them 'the tree boys'. As they left, there were rounds of kisses blown and horns blown in her honor.

It has been an adjustment on the eyes. But we have a whole winter to scribble on graph paper in plotting out what is next. That will be fun. Ella will help.

Last night I peeked out our front door and saw these two. A week ago this photo opp would have been impossible. At least there's that!

Have a great week!

H, L & EML 

The many faces of Ella.

Thursday night we bundled up and strolled around downtown for the last Art (gallery) Walk of the summer season. (Bittersweet, for sure...and nippy!) Ella's daddy and his band added to the fun by performing outside one of the galleries.



Yes. That chilly.



We checked out some art and stopped to listen to our friend Rachel perform.

Our girl was her happiest dancing around while her daddy and friends performed. The sidewalk was her endless dance floor, and the nearby art gallery provided lots of intrigue with the huge glass windows.

Not an illusion, she is quite the jumper during her dance routines.

Autumn is in the air today. Ella asked to put her 'pj's with shoes in them' for naptime. Don't we wish we could all do that? She had the right idea, because she has been sound asleep for over two hours now. The fact that we hosted a neighborhood gathering (Kids N' Cocktails, perhaps the best thing since sliced bread) complete with a Bouncy House may also be contributing to her utter exhaustion.

Life is good. A new season is upon us and although I'm not entirely thrilled about what comes after Autumn, we hope to enjoy every second of the present.

~ H, L & EML

It Started Here.

Long before we began our talks of adoption, filled out the first piece of paperwork that brought us to Ella, there was Friday the 13th of September, 2002.

It was a fabulous day filled with family and friends and music. It was a party. There was a lot of dancing.

Ella took her time looking at this photo today. She asked about my dress and commented on my 'pretties' (i.e. jewelry). I think she's trying to figure out why she isn't in the wedding photos.

Last year, we celebrated our anniversary as a three-some. Tonight Ella's grandma and grandpa are going to pinch hit so that we can enjoy a nice dinner as a two-some...and spend most of the time talking about her.

H, L & EML

Girls Only.

Call us crazy, brave, wonderful or a little bit of all. Early this summer, Roz's mama and I decided we would do an over-night road trip with our girls. No boys. Our schedules aligned for a late summer adventure.

We packed in the car and headed east...a whopping 60 minute drive. Who knew we could take in an drive-thru African safari so close to home? It was crazy, surreal and yet I found myself giggling like a three-year old while trying to dodge the wildlife peeking through our car windows. Ella L-O-V-E-D the experience. Roz H-A-T-E-D the experience. I fed curious animals carrots through my slightly open window (Still squealing. Me. Not the animals.) Katie sat between the car seats in the back in an effort to relax Roz who I'm pretty sure wanted me to slam the gas pedal to escape.

We peeled Roz's eyes open eventually, stopped for lunch and headed to our hotel room at an incredibly large, loud and rather overwhelming indoor water park. When the girls figured out we were having a major slumber party with snacks, beds for jumping and then swimming their heads almost spun off.

We've decided that the girls would have been just as happy at a hotel with a small, indoor swimming pool ... an excellent idea for February when we can't tolerate another cold, wintry day. Thankfully, the water park had the perfect fit for our girls. Too bad we figured this out our last morning there!

What wonderful memories for our sweet little ladies and for the old girls, too!

Have a good week, Ella-Land!

H, L & EML

A piece of art.

Remember reading about the visit to the Art Barn while on vacation? Here is her creation!!

Not bad, huh? AND it is food and dishwasher safe. Beautiful and practical :)