Letter of Intent

The recruiters have made home visits.

The coaches extended their offers for scholarships.

 Official visits to the campus are completed.

Verbal commitment made.

National Letter of Intent signed.

Team Daddy's Girls officially has the #1 ranked national recruit.


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It is beyond adorable to watch this relationship blossom and GROW! If Karl puts his shoes on, Elli bolts (at lightning speed) to his side and reaches her arms up. He is NOT allowed to leave the house without her. The 3 AM wake up calls sound like this "DADA, DADA, DADA". If she is hurt, his hugs do the trick.

I will have to say, I think she made the right decision. This is by far the youngest any Orthner girls have commited to Team Daddy's Girl, but it really does seem to be a great fit.

Orthnerism brought to life

In the van, about two months ago, Reese and I had a conversation along the lines of this:

Me: Reese, how do you want your hair this time?

Reese: PINK!

Me: laughing No I mean how LONG do you want your hair.

Reese: For one hundred million thousand days I want pink hair.

That wish never left her imagination.

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Fast forward to December

Why not let her get pink hair. The stylist said they have semi-permanent dye that lasts about 6 weeks. Her hair is already blonde so it is a 20 minute job. I say why not? It is just hair.

 Here is her first peep in the mirror. I would say she is pleased!

A little before and after line up

 Gosh, isn't she purty!

The Luckiest Kid in the World is turning 5

December 15, 2008

 December 15, 2009

December 15, 2010

December 15, 2011

December 15, 2012

Reese to Elli:

"You know that I am the luckiest kid in the whole wide world."

Me: Why is that Reese?"

"Becuase I have lost a tooth when I am four AND!!! my birthday and Christmas are ONLY ten days apart!"

That lucky little girl uped the ante THE day before she turned five and lost a second tooth.

There is so much to love about this spirited unique lovely little girl.

My favorite thing about her is that she is herself. She does not live in a world of social cues and boundaries. She has found many ways to express this uniqueness; hair, clothing, art, dancing and singing.

She has taken a liken to traditional boy clothes. My theory is she likes the looseness and ease of boy clothes. Then insert the positive attention she now draws from it and the style has stuck.

 I will take a female doning superman anyday. Because this joyous female finds a y shaped stick and makes it a hat rack...never once considering imitating a gun with it.

 When boredom strikes her in a doctors office, why not perfect her planking skills (stimutanouesly showing off her LONG legs)

 Check out this creative spelling...."Saint Nick"

 "heart"

 "snail"

 "suitcase"

 She LOVES art

 She loves mismatched socks

 This beautiful spirited joyous yet stubborn girl warms my heart daily. Man, I am crazy about her. Gah, she is special!

Sorry this post is so ADD in incomprehensive, but my middlest baby is turning five. I am still trying to wrap my mind around that. 

Mommy's Little (Intivative) Helper

In preparation for Reese's birthday party this weekend, I am doing some 'nooks and crannies' cleaning. You know; base boards, behind the trash can, cabinet doors, etc. I was doing this all while Elli was awake. No biggie really, one year olds LOVE to watch cleaning and always want to help out. So like always, I hand Elli a cleaning rag just like I was using. I even share the spray bottle since it just has vinegar and water.

The applesauce dried on the wall was being extra stubborn. So, I go wet my rag in the kitchen sink and continue my work. Apparently I had an admirer that needed her rag wet too. And in her kindness to not interupt momma hard at work, Elli decided there was an easy solution...

Elli  proudly walked over to the dog bowl, dipped in the water bowl and then continued her work scrubbing the wall!

Tree Skirt Tradition

Three years ago, I started a tradition that I have grown to love. I know as the years pass, I will love it more and more. 

I have taken our old quilted tree skirt (it has a snowy county scene on the other side) and added the kids' handprints with their initial and the year. This was our first step in decorating for Christmas this year. 

 Elli was very interested in the painting of her hand...

 ...but wasn't too fond of the stamping part.

 This is this years' result.

one point five

1.5 years
year and a half
18 months

no matter how you phrase it... I LOVE THIS AGE!!!

Elli is eighteen months old today, and she is not letting me down in all the joys of a toddling one year old. So much fun!

She got her biannual measurement today.

She was about two inches taller than her sisters were at this age. She actually was almost up to their 2 year old height. I mean just look at that belly hanging out of those PJs above.

Now that Elli gets around upright smoothly, I love to see what catches her attention.

One thing that is unique for a Orthner baby this age...she is already a Daddy's girl...BIG TIME. She chooses to snuggle with her daddy sometimes over Mommy. She will chase him into a room, even if he has been home all day. 

 This little one also LOVES her older sisters. She wanted to join them so badly during observation day at dance class.

 Could you not just eat her up?!?!?!

I love this little bundle of joy. She is perfectly awesome.