remember when...

{you used to get all the sheets out of your mom's linen closet and set up all the chairs and stools and make a fort?}
well, friday night when matt got home from school...he was pooped!...i was pooped {G has another UTI, and both kids have colds}, and the kids were just excited to have daddy home. it's just going to be one of those "couple months" where we don't get to see dad very much. so matt came up with this idea that we build a fort and have a family movie night {like last week, only we didn't build a fort} and let the kids stay up till 9 pm rather than go to bed at their normal 7 pm bed time {i'm done being a mom at 7 pm!} i know, this staying up late thing goes against all logic of having them get more rest b/c they are sick, but for cryin' out loud, they missed their daddy, and we were all up for some out-of-the-ordinary-fun! for our movie, the kids wanted to watch "mommy and daddy's wedding video". they love to see our wedding day and the pics of matt and i growing up. they always ask where they were, and then before we can answer, they say, "oh yeah, we were in Heaven." and i add, "and you were so excited that mommy and daddy got married because that meant that you got to come to earth to our family." then jack says, "yeah, and our other brother and sister were there with us," hmm...does he know something i don't? {or maybe he's just wishful thinking!}

oh we had a good time snuggling on the floor. and the thought came to me...these are the memories that last. no amusement park or new expensive toy can top this. love is free, and i relish in it.

{and with a little self timer action on the camera...here is our moment captured}

a little patch of heaven

i LOVE my bed! it's a spring air with a pillow top...firm underneath + soft on top = perfection! we made our headboard out of an old door, and i found those zany pillows at TJ MAX {love that store!} at night i absolutely love climbing into a made bed {for this reason i make my bed almost every morning, even if i do nothing else}, into cool sheets, and under my goose down comforter! my body instantly relaxes and an audible sigh escapes my lips. then i grab my latest book on my nightstand and read until my eyelids become heavy. then comes morning where my kiddos come in {yes, i know i'm pathetic...my kids wake me up}, and say, every morning, "good morning mama". they used to come in and whine for chocolate milk or to turn on cartoons, but it was driving me cRaZy! so, matt had a talk to them and told them to come in and wake mommy up in a nice way...now i LOVE waking up. then usually they end up in my bed for about 15 minutes just snuggling and giggling with me. then, i make my bed with the kids in it, and they carefully climb out so they don't "mess it up". i think when i look back to having small children, mornings will forever be a warm memory to my soul!

"mommy-made oreos"

so for jack's preschool get-together i was assigned to bring a "fun dessert". i thought i'd ask jack what he wanted me to make...knowing full well this is what he'd pick. he loves "mommy-made oreos" {not the ones in the package he clarifies}. this has been jack's favorite "mommy-made" treat since i can remember. a little over a year ago i had a beautiful platter of these yummy cookies sitting in the middle of my counter, all ready to take to a BBQ, and when i came back into the kitchen after getting ready, i found evidence of the top ten missing cookies on jack and gracie's face and hands. i'm sure many of you have at least had a variety of these...aka {cake mix cookies}. we just add frosting. so go make some "mommy-made" oreos today!

*1 box chocolate cake mix {just the powder}
*1/2 C. oil
*2 eggs
*1 tsp. vanilla

Mix all together. Spoon cookie dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake @ 375 for 7-10 min. After completely cool, frost with:

Vanilla Butter Frosting:
*3 C Powdered Sugar
*1/3 C softened butter
*1 & 1/2 t vanilla
*2 T Milk

Mix pwd sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla and milk. Beat until smooth.

varieties:
*use mint extract instead of vanilla and add green food coloring for mint oreos
*use cream cheese instead of butter for cream cheese frosting
*use a tub of vanilla frosting from the store if you must {i'm such a frosting snob! i only like homemade!}

{for those of you who didn't read the comments, my friend heather said for the fall she likes to use spice cake mix for the cookie part, and adds pumpkin to the frosting: YUM!!!! thanks heather!}

the twists and turns of life

{I Matthew John Ellingson having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic. That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. That I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God.}

so, when we first got married matt and i wrote down and mapped out a 5 year plan. from planning schooling, to jobs, even down to when we wanted children. as for that 5 year plan, which planning and working towards a goal are great, the only thing sthat truly happened are that i became a kindergarten teacher, and matt is in dental school. i guess we should have done it in pencil so that we could erase and add changes as they came our way. also, to leave room for all the wonderful life's lessons learned and relationships gained along the way who help shape you into the true person you really become. even though jack came 3 years early, and my sweet husband joined the army...i would have it no other way.

well, as we embark on a new chapter in our lives, the military chapter, we go forth with excitement. if you asked me a year ago if this was even a possibility, let alone the army, i would have screamed NO! matt was always on board. with the military paying for all our school plus giving us a substantial monthly stipend...we figured that after all was said and done, and after paying off our student loan for the next 30 years, the military will save us over 1 million dollars. huh, it's a "no-brainer" if you ask us. plus, matt and i both like to consider ourselves patriots and are happy to serve our country in this way. matt will give 3 years back as a dentist for the US Army.

after many prayers, and 100s of questions, hearing the good the bad and the ugly...the army was a better fit for our family. if the opportunity arises, we hope to spend our 3 years in Europe. we'll see where life takes us at that point.

{jack and gracie sitting by matt while he signs the paperwork}

{jack and gracie sneaking in a squeeze...jack wanted to wear his camo pj's like the "solider" and they were both very excited about the "soldier" coming to our house}

{matt taking the oath written above}

{matt and major Riggle}

drumroll please.....

k, so i just got back in from chicago ( i was at {cha}, the scrapbook mega trade show ), and i thought, i've got to draw some names!!! let me just tell you ladies, that i was so excited to hear what your ideas were. i even shared them with my team for ideas for the next release. we want to design what you want!!! so thank you so much. i have to say that most of you are DYING for some boy paper, 78.2% to be exact. (i took the percentage from your comments) so, hmmm, i thought to myself...let's see if i can get a TOTALLY RAD boy paper in the works! although, i have to say that i got some FABULOUS ideas from you all. i'm tucking them away in my back pocket. i always am working on several lines at once, so stay tuned for a new release in january!

so here are the 2 lucky ladies:

CONGRATS LADIES!!! just email me with your address, and i'll get that stuff sent out! laraellingson@gmail.com

thanks again everyone who posted and gave me tons of ideas that i hope to incorporate into many of my papers. keep scrapping!

i know for my az friends that scrapbook etc (on lindsay and university) bought CARMA, and for those who need to order online, go to: A Cherry on top
**it might take a week or two for them to get it in, so check then! i can't wait to see what you come up with!

a new line.....

****keep reading, there is a prize involved!********

twice a year, i get to design a line of paper for a scrapbook company called dream street papers. i like to name each line after someone important to me in my life. this time i chose the name CARMA - my mother-in-law's first name. she is a very important person to me, not only for the wonderful grandma she is to my children, but most importantly because she raised the most important person to me in my life, my sweet matt. i LOVE her for raising a wonderful man, and 5 other wonderful children that i not only call family, but also dear friends. if i could use one word to describe carma lee, it would be BRIGHT - thus the collection of bright colors in this line. all of my lines thus far have been created to fill a need. i wanted a cute zebra pattern, and couldn't find one...so here is what i came up with! this line was so fun to work with! hopefully you will see it in a store near you! if not, tell your store you WANT it!!!

also, now is the time for me to start my next line...but i'm a little stumped, so this is where the prize comes in. i want everyone to leave me a comment of what you would LOVE to see in your local scrapbook store that is not already there. at the end of july, i will put all the names of the people who comment on my blog into a bowl and pull out 2 winners. i will send you a goodie box full of dream street stuff! also, if you leave more than one comment, your name will go in the drawing for as many ideas as you leave! thanks, and i look forward to hearing what you are wishing to have! check back on july 21st for the winner!

i took these pictures of my neighbor's baby

our family picture on the beach

gracie and her sunglasses

swinging at the park

you have your papa's {john's} smile

my little poser

jack's temple talk

{i distressed this picture of the mesa, arizona temple to hang in my house}

jack was asked to give a talk in primary (sunday school for kids age 3-12) about temples, so as i was coaching him through the talk, i would whisper things in his ear, and he would say them. he was doing a great job with speaking clearly into the microphone, and was not shy at all. we brought in pictures of temples all around the world, and told the children all about the special things that we use temples for...
*learn about Heavenly Father's plan for us
*perform special ordinances for our ancestors
*get married for forever, for eternity
then, at the end of the talk i whispered for jack to repeat, "i know that temples are special places and someday i want to get married in one like my mom and dad." well, jack started by saying, "i know temples are special," but then he stopped. so i repeated the rest of the statement thinking that he just forgot the rest of the words. but jack just stood there. so i whispered it a third time a little louder, but this time he squished his lips together and shook his head. i prodded him to say it, but he turned around to me and said, "i'm not saying that!" by this point the audience started to chuckle because they could hear my "loud" whisper, so they knew what i had wanted him to say, and it was funny that he wouldn't say it. so i took the liberty to say in the microphone, "and someday jack wants to get married in the temple." then jack says, "no i don't, i don't ever want to get married." i couldn't help but laugh, and the audience thought this was quite funny. after we sat down, i asked jack why he didn't want to get married, and he said, "girls have cooties, and i don't want to marry one!"
i'll just have to tuck this story away for later when he is 16 and thinking that girls don't have cooties!