Clelveland Top 10

TOP TEN THINGS WE'LL MISS ABOUT OHIO

10. Handel's - So this post isn't all about ice cream, but here in the US, it's the best we've EVER had! We love this little joint. The ice cream is all homemade and only 5 minutes from my house...trouble. We are sure going to miss you Handel's!!!

{they even put little eyes on the FREE kiddie cone for super boy.}

9. The Indians' Games - Sports are SO MUCH FUN out here! We just attended a game last Friday where the last guy to bat {bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, 2 strikes, and down by one point} hit a homer with another player on 2nd base. It was perfect. Everyone in the crowd was hugging each other and sharing high fives. My kids had fun high-fiving our fellow Indian's fans all around us. I love the fanatical fans. They also have the BEST fireworks' show I have EVER seen.




8. The Wildlife - We see deer, squirrels, and a variety of birds on a daily basis. My kitchen window looks into a wooded area next to our house and I see birds like blue jays and cardinals. I watch the squirrels gathering acorns for the winter. Deer are constantly walking in our back yard and drinking from the pond near our house.



7. Playhouse Square - We have really loved the wonderful theater district in Cleveland. It's the largest outside of Broadway, you know! We have seen: Wicked, Les Miserables, Mama Mia, South Pacific, and STOMP there. The theaters are so lavishly built and decorated and the shows just amazing.


6. Amish Country - We LOVE visiting Holmes County. The Amish are so clean and kind and just plain fascinating. They have the best food and great stores.


{I picked up this Granny's Garden quilt top all hand-pieced by my Amish friends...now to quilt it}


5. The Metro Parks {The Emerald Necklace} - Oh, we have loved riding bikes and going for walks and hikes in the amazing parks right by our house. My kids enjoy the "really tall swings" and seeing the beautiful wildlife.


4. Springtime - All the daffodils and blossoms are AMAZING. I just love magnolia trees. They are my favorite! Spring really feels like a rebirth and a renewal of life.



3. The Fall Colors - Oh my goodness is this unreal and gorgeous! I have never experienced something quite like this. I LOVE Ohio falls. The colors sometimes take my breath away.



2. Our Yard - we have the BEST backyard. It stretches on forever. My kids have enjoyed it so very much. Riding dirt bikes and tractors, playing soccer and tag, and having good 'ole hot dog roasts are among a few of the things are yard has enabled us to do.





1. The People - I have met people here that I will never forget. I have best friend's that are like sisters to me {who I know I'll see again...just not every day...hate that}. I have friends who are parents of my children's classmates that I love dearly. I have many friends and examples that I have looked to from people that attend church with me. My friends come in all ages. I will miss you the very most. You are my Ohio. My kids have also learned to be the "new kid" and make friends easily. They have been blessed with wonderful friends in their lives just like Matt and I have. Not to mention that I love mid-westerners. The people out here are so friendly. Now let me go cry myself to sleep. Also, don't forget our little Cleveland souvenir, Sam.

We Made It!

We are finally here. It was surreal. There ceremony took place in Cleveland at the Church of the Covenant. As he came in, my eyes became misty as I realized our dream had finally come true. All his hard work had paid off. Then my eyes betrayed me again as they welled up with tears as the announcer read, "Dr. Matthew Ellingson." He has worked SO hard. I love you, babe. You are AMAZING.

Super boy fell asleep {2pm isn't the most family friendly time for a ceremony} in Papa's arms, then slept on the bench with poopy pants and all.

Matt's parents and biggest brother came to support us. It means the world to us. Thanks for coming.

We love our support group and cheering section.

Matt commissioned as a Captain in the Army after the graduation.

My mom and dad came to support us too. It means so much to us. We have a great family.

I used my fish-eye lens to capture the whole church. It was really an ornate church.

I love the Gothic rose window.

J & G tried daddy's special hat on for size.

Both J & G kept saying how prod of their daddy they were!

G's is Six

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I love this girl. She is such a fun-loving little person. She is always singing and dancing around and often dreaming up something fun to do. She uses large words like, dramatic, exasperated, ashamed {"Mom, I'm so ashamed that I always push the incorrect button on the phone!"}, inappropriate {"The boys on the bus are so inappropriate!"}, beverage {for her school drink}, the list goes on. Matt and I are always giggling to ourselves at what she comes up with. She also is super tough! Whenever she falls she quickly gets up and exclaims, "I meant to do that!" She's a real thinker too. For a while J was afraid of the basement because he was afraid "bad guys" would break in and steal him. G told him that she wasn't scared because if you take a look around our neighborhood, ours is the smallest house and she thinks the robbers would much rather go to the other larger houses than ours because they have better stuff to steal! Ha! G LOVES the stage. She told me that's the whole reason she is in dance is for the show. G loves to sew and create "crafts". Recently she made a purse, a wind chime, and diaper changing pad, and a scarf. She knows all about my sewing machine and knows to ask me first. G is also LOUD! She really doesn't know how to whisper. She is always excited about something and practically yells everything {in a happy way...just loud!} We love our little pretty. My favorite is most every morning the first words out of her mouth are, "Love you, Mom." She and I are buds. Love her.

These pics are in my beautiful yard. I know dandelions are weeds, but they are pretty weeds. G and I love them because they are a "beautiful, vibrant, yellow." We picked some fresh blossoms for her hair. I love my yard. I love my girl more.


These pics are in my beautiful yard. I know dandelions are weeds, but they are pretty weeds. G and I love them because they are a "beautiful, vibrant, yellow." We picked some fresh blossoms for her hair. I love my yard. I love my girl more.

Graduation

That time has FINALLY come!! Since today is technically my graduation {Matt's is May 15}, I'm posting these fabulous pictures Jenny took in honor of my graduation day. Matt earned his DMD {Doctorate of Dental Medicine} from Case Western Reserve, and I earned my Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University {whew...that's a mouthful}. At moments it felt as if this day would never come. We have been married for 9 years this month, and all of that has been in school. We have both been there for each other through thick and thin, through boards and thesis. In the mean time we've been raising three kids!! I couldn't be more proud of Matt. He's going to make a great dentist {even if his doctoral gown makes him look like Prince Humperdink from The Princess Bride}. Here's to the next chapter in life...Education chapter - CLOSED!

Precious Abby

I have slowed down on the picture taking because with school and everything {which I'm done! Wahoo!!}, but I did take this little precious baby's pictures the other day. Her mommy is my husband's, brother's, wife's, sister...are you still following me? So, she's basically family. That head of hair reminds me of little G so much that holding her made me very baby hungry!

To All the Mothers

Few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us. – Sheri L. Dew
{Thanks Tracy for the great quote!}

I have many mothers/grandmothers in my life and love each of them. I truly feel the Lord has given me a legacy of wonderful women to follow in their footsteps. Moving away has also given me the opportunity to love and look to as an example many other mother figures in my life. My own mother is amazing. My husband's mother is wonderful. We grew up in the arms of great women. I agree with Abe Lincoln who said,

All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.

My little chickadees {and husband} made me feel so special today. I received some handmade gifts, beautiful flowers, sunshine, and a wonderful meal {flank steak, caesar salad, and texas sheet cake...all my favorite}. They are good to me.


J wants to make this recipe with me.
Mmmmm...10 cups of chocolate! He's a boy after my own heart!

G made sure I didn't check her backpack for the last couple of days. She is so proud of her writing and spelling and so am I!!

Sammy brought this to me after nursery today at church and said, "Momma, hand."

I miss you when we're not together, I'm growing up so fast.
See how big I've gotten since you saw me last?
As I grow, I'll change a lot, the years will fly right by.
You'll wonder how I grew so quick... when, and where, and why?
So look upon this hand print that's hanging on your wall,
And memories will come back of me when I was very small.

Holland, Michigan

Yes, you read that right! There is a Holland, Michigan that was settled by the Dutch. We had fun and look forward to visiting the real Holland, real soon (still totally pinching myself!) These shots are straight out of the camera...no photoshop. The colors are that vibrant. That unreal! They almost look neon, some of them. There was even a 250-year-old working windmill transported from the Netherlands. My two older children and hubs went up to the top (although he is super, my almost 2-year-old we knew couldn't hack the stairs and we forgot our back pack for him). Luckily I could be at the bottom to take a fun pic of them on top. I LOVE tulips. There are so many varieties (I don't even know all the names). I think they are the epitome of spring (along with daffodils). We had a great time.

We also enjoyed this fun road trip with our great friends, the Gildea's and the Andrews'. We feel so blessed to have these wonderful families as our good friends. (I hate that I'm leaving them!! I wish they could come to Germany with me!!) The kids all had so much fun even just staying at the hotel. Breakfast was yummy and FREE! Love that Residence Inn! Thanks for the fun, friends.

This salmon color is my fav...especially next to that blue sky.

Oh, there they are on the tippy-top!

Super boy kept on his glasses the whole time. He gets the sneezes when he goes into the sun and his baby blues are VERY sensitive! He wanted a picture in front of the flowers.

sweet G in front of the windmill

J {I know he looks like the uni-bomber...} spinning a little windmill