Like Mother....Like Daughter

First of all....Happy New Year Everyone!!!! Here's a cute story.....On Sunday, I went to pick Ivy up from the nursery. Her teacher, Elisabeth, said,"I hope I'm not in trouble but Ivy kept taking my hand and leading me over to the box of donuts (that are for the nursery workers), she kept asking for a donut (even though she had breakfast at home before church)so...I took her and we hid in the corner while she ate the donut, then we give the children 2 crackers during nursery but she kept asking for more so...while the other children had 2 crackers, I gave Ivy 4." I took Ivy and walked away shaking my head....I have no idea where she gets that behavior from! Hee Hee! Happy New Year!

Ivy Turns 2!!

Christmas Eve, Ivy turned two. My mom and dad flew in from Iowa. It was a fun day. Matt and I woke her up by singing "Happy Birthday", then we went down stairs for breakfast and she saw her red vintage looking tricycle from Grandpa and Grandma Elliott. She loved it so much that she sat there and had breakfast on it. She thought she was hot stuff. I thought I was getting the flu so Hollie took her shopping and she had a nap at her house. Then when I got back from the airport we celebrated her birthday and opened presents. Next year she proubly wouldn't let me wait until dinner time to open presents! Daddy and I told her it has been the best two years of our lives!!! With her birthday and Christmas there were way too many presents for our townhouse!!!! I need to remember that for next year!

The Best Ice Cream Ever! (....a.k.a. Fat Mommy)

OK....Matt brought home the best ice cream ever from work. It is called "Graeter's". It is irresistable premium ice cream. We had the cookie dough and it was the best I have ever had. I need to find out where to get it....Now why is Ivy eating an ice cream bar you ask? The answer is that she wanted some of my Graeter's ice cream and Fat Mommy didn't want to share so I gave her a Healthy Choice Fudge Bar....I am just trying to promote healthy eating in my child.She stood in front of the mirror and watched herself eat it....I know...I know...but the Holidays are alomost over!

Ivy doing dishes

Today I was trying to get things done in the kitchen and Ivy was getting impatient so I let her do some dishes. Tonight I let her wash some more. She was doing great. I turned around to tell her good job and she was getting herself a drink from the faucet. Doesn't this remind you of the Thanksgiving picture? I really do feed my child!!!
Today was a fun day going shopping with Aunt Hollie. We love you Aunt Hollie!
By the way....Fat Mommy is still going strong! I am truly enjoying Holiday Goodies.....My pants are a different story...they are begging for more room. I ran into a lady that works at the gym at Baja Fresh of all places. I was tempted to hide but felt good when she recognized me. That means she didn't forget that I am a member! She said,"See you next week." I thought.....if your lucky! Hey, It's the Holidays!

Sarah and Ivy

We love Sarah! Sarah is Ivy's babysitter and today was her last day before Christmas vacation. Since Ivy's birthday is Christmas Eve, Sarah brought her birthday and Christmas presents. (Which was so nice of her and she didn't have to do). Ivy opened up her Birthday presents with Sarah. She got a Disney camera and a "My Little Pony". Sarah said that she was taking pictures like crazy!
Words cannot express how much we love Sarah and are so thankful for her. It is great to be able to leave your child with someone that you trust and who loves your daughter.
Sarah, we will miss you and see you after break! Have fun at home in Canada!
P.S. I didn't quite get around to brushing Ivy's hair today. Oops!

Ivy Elisabeth Elliott

Ivy....almost two. In the midst of a week full of discipline, reminders, trouble, training and sometimes frustration... I thought it was important to tell you what a joy you are to my life. Because you were born around Christmas, I almost wanted to give you the middle name Joy. Your dad stopped me because he thought 2 middle names were enough. But joy fits you. I think back to this week when we had some trying days of disipline and I wondered if you even liked me. Then as I put you to bed you reached up and squeezed me so tight I thought my head was going to fall off and you puckered up your lips to kiss me. As tears came to my eyes I knew that you were showing me how much you love me. Even though I wait for the day of hearing a trace of those words coming out of your mouth, this week that hug and kiss...those "lovies" were enough for me. I love you so much and besides my salvation and my relationship with your dad, you have been the greatest blessing in my life. I couldn't have picked a better daughter and only you could bring me to say,"Thank you Lord that I did not have a baby of my own." because then I wouldn't have you and my life would not be complete. You are a gift. I'm forever grateful for everyday we spent together. I can't wait for tomorrow's rainy day so we can spend the whole day inside, snuggling, kissing and having fun. I love you,Mommy

Fat Mommy 4

OK........Thanksgiving is over and I decided it was time to head back to the gym. It was one of the circuit training days...my least favorite. It went from bad to worse and I couldn't use the private room I usually use so I had to lift weights etc. in the main gym. I started to do my squats when I look over and see a dad from my school working out. I wanted to die but unfortunately it gets worse..... we worked out avoiding eye contact (yet knowing that each other was there) until it was time for me to do my stomach crunches and he ended up doing push ups right next to me! Finally we mumbled something about getting back to excersisng after Thanksgiving and I let out a nervous laugh.
Luckily, the Lord decided to show me some love and I had put some make up on my face before I left. Usually I go with no make up and I don't quite get around to brushing my hair.
How did I celebrate working out? I met my sister for a chesseburger and onion rings! I NEED HELP! I blame it on Ivy because I was sending a package to Mike Penberthy in Italy for his birthday and while we were in line, Ivy starts crying and yelling " I bite! I bite" (meaning she is hungry and wants a bite to eat...how cute is she!!!!) So, I just had to meet Hollie at the Habit because it was close by and I fell into am moment of weakness and ordered the burger and onion rings instead of the salad with dressing on the side. You don't have to scold me....Hollie already did. Boo Hoo....tomorrow is another day. Kelli

Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. We had the Pagach's , the Chesser's and Hollie over. We ate sooooo much! (Fat Mommy is struggling). It was fun to go around the table and say what we awere thankful for. There were alot of happy and thankful tears. There are so many things to be thankful to God for. I walked in on Ivy after dinner and she had pulled up a chair in the kitchen and was eating more turkey!

Fat Mommy 3

Ok......I know that I need to write. I have still been working out but I am finding some good excuses to indulge in some good treats. I asked Matt if I could go to the gym tonight instead of tomorrow so that I could Thanksgiving shop tomorrow. He said yes. I was going through my workout plan and as I was working out I started to realize that my tacos, chips and milk duds for lunch were not the best idea. I started to feel sick but I perservered. needless to say I am done eating for the night. Ivy's chicken alfredo about put me over the edge just looking at it.
Ivy spent the night at my sister, Hollie's house last night. She said that Ivy woke up at 5:30 am and jumped in Hollie's bed. Hollie said they snuggled for an hour and a half and Ivy kept insisting that Hollie's arm be around her. I'm sure Hollie didn't mind. I love times like that.
Church was so good today. We love our Sunday School Pastor Tom Patton. He is going through Ecclestiastes and it has been wonderful. I think you can download his sermons on the Grace church site that I have at the bottom. He is the Cornerstone pastor. We love him!
Speaking of web sites. If you haven't looked at my friend, Ashley Kostjuk's blog lately, you need to to that. God is stretching their family in ways that I can't imagine. Reese is such a beautiful baby and I can't wait to hold her.
Take care and I will let you know how things are going soon! Kelli

Reese Kostjuk

Matt, Ivy and I went to the hospital to see little Reese. She has been off her Ecmo machine since this morning. They will proubly do her first surgery this afternoon. Please pray for them and check their blog ( you can click "the Kostjuk family" at the bottom of my page.) She is beautiful!

Elliott's Lately

Growing Pains Girl.....

I was at the mall today with Ivy and Hollie and I ran into Tracey Gold who used to be on the TV show Growing Pains. I had one of her sons in my preschool class about 3 years ago. She is pregnant right now with her 4th boy. She was pregnant when her son Bailey was in my class. She had that son at the mall with her. He was the HUGEST 3 year old I have ever seen in my life! He was taller than most 5 year olds. He made Ivy look like a peanut. I thought it was funny that for such a "Little Lady" she sure grows big boys!...........just thought you wanted to hear about my "celebrity" sighting for the day.............OK, it's a slow day. Kelli

Fat Mommy..... The Saga Continues

Well.....today was my first day at the gym without my "personal trainer Donna". It was hard because my muscles were sore from yesterday. A couple of times I wanted to scream but I refrained. I liked the majority of the work out because I had a room to myself until..... I was doing my crunches and then I realized that I was doing them with my fat rear facing the window where all these guys were on machines......of course I was that stupid!
I talked to Wendy today in Italy and I told her this story and she said I had to put it on here. Yesterday after I had had my first workout. I went back to work and an older lady said to me, "Kelli, Have you been losing weight?" I said, "Actually, I have been struggling a little bit. You should have seen me 3 years ago, I was at a great weight then." She so kindly said," Yes, but that is before you had your baby." ( I thought about letting her off the hook but then I thought, I just got my booty kicked in a work out and I feel like telling the truth.) I said," Well, My daughter is adopted but I did gain weight from having her because I was so happy." Her face got red and she didn't know what to say. I think she mumbled an "OK. Bye". I felt a little bad for doing that to her but I actually just laughed it off. THAT IS WHY MY ENTRY STARTS WITH FAT MOMMY. Fat Mommy but shrinking everyday! :) Kelli

Fat Mommy

No, I am not calling my mom fat...I am talking about me. With everything that is going on with my friends these days I have written more about them than I have about me. (See Kostjuk's blog below...God is doing miracles!) But yesterday I took drastic meausres and if I don't laugh about it, my body hurts so bad that it will make me want to cry.
I need to lose weight, my husband(who has already lost 50 pounds) is losing more, and my parents need to lose weight.So.we entered into a weight loss contest. Who can lose the most weight until we all see each other at Christmas. My dad wants the losers to have to buy a steak dinner for the winners......doesn't that defeat the purpose????
So I am starting to count my weight watchers points again (it hasn't gone well)but everytime I talk to my parents, they are eating at a buffet so I still could pull off a victory!
I have been on my treadmill but I knew I needed more so I enlisted the help of my boss' wife Donna. Let's just say that Donna is a workout machine! I thought I nearly died yesterday (or at least I feel like it today). She was sweet enough to put together 4 circut routines for me to do plus the treadmill. We did all of the routines a couple of times ( with mirrors on the wall to look at yourself..I just kept thinking that I should be ashamed at the size of my bootom!) We made a list of what to do each day of the week. I walked down the stairs from her gym at her house and I could hardly make it down the stairs. I felt like an old lady.
I have lost a few ponds (can't tell you exactly how much because I can't give mom and dad a head's up.) But I think this will kick me in gear. Donna kept saying that she wanted me to shock my body....my body was so shocked I think I saw lightening!
I thought this would be good to let everyone know how I am doing along the way, or give me accountability, or just plain keep me laughing about it so I don't cry from pain. Today is the first day I do the routine at the gym so I will let you know.............I can't wait for everyone to look at me while I am doing crunches........NOT!
Being a mom of a toddler at an older age, I need all the help I can get to feel young and healthy. Pray for me! Kelli

Welcome a New Blogger to the Family!

Friends,

I was going to write a blog tonight about how my friend Wendy needs to do a blog while she is in Italy...then I checked my messages and she had already started one tonight! You can see her address in My Friend's Blogs section. If you don't know her, you have heard me talk about her enough. Congrats Girl!

I can't end my message without an Ivy story. She went to the mall with her babysitter today. I saw pictures of her trying on bright green heels that she saw in a store and wanted to try on and then she convinced Sarah (the babysitter) to take her on the carousol. The only problem is Sarah is pregnant and the ride was too fast for her.

"Gotcha Day" and Halloween

Ok, Now I am addicted. Since we get an extra hour of sleep tonight, I am just going to keep typing away about the family. Last week was Ivy's 1st "Gotcha Day". It stands for the "day we officially gotcha". (It was her 1st adoption birthday). We had donuts and presents. Aunt Hollie bought her some washable markers (that aren't so washable) . She is obsessed with her markers and pens and thinks she is hot stuff walking around with them. I can't believe it has been a year since we went to court with her. God is so good! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect daughter.

For Halloween Ivy had Kate Penberthy's old Halloween costume. She was Minnie Mouse. She looked so cute but she thought everytime candy went in her bag she could eat it right away. We went to the MacArthur's and the Hamilton's. She ate alot of carmel corn that night! Don Hamilton put new hard wood floors in their house and Ivy thought it was funny to throw water on the floor..........Don didn't think it was funny (although he was so polite)....mommy and daddy didn't think it was funny either and we took care of it....a couple of times. :) It was a fun night of being with friends.

Reese Kostjuk

This is a prayer request for my friends Todd and Ashley Kostjuk. They had a baby on Oct.30th and she has some major health problems. (you can click on their blog below). Little Reese is in need of a miracle. Please keep them in your prayers (they have prayer reqests on their blog) pray that they will have comfort in whatever God has planned for their family. We love you and continue to pray daily for you Todd and Ash!

Hello Everyone

Hey,

Everyone I know is starting a family blog so I thought I should join in. I am not that good on the computer so we will see how it goes. I feel like I tell stories about Ivy so many times that now I can just post them. Tonight she baked with me for the first time. We made apple crisp. We took some pictures and if I can figure out how to put one on here I will.