tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36786344542867732812012-02-02T19:01:37.111-06:00The Life, Madness, and Chaos: The Ellington'sThe Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.comBlogger3151100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-49693136587082176482011-12-12T20:16:00.001-06:002011-12-12T20:16:39.059-06:00

We went to see Puss in Boots and ran into the Chipmunks. 'Hang loose, guys'!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-24497896346727483992011-10-29T14:46:00.001-05:002011-10-29T14:46:20.732-05:00

This is actually quite genius. Ethan rigged his lollipop up when I refused to stand and hold it for him.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-41261767072658561852011-10-27T19:10:00.001-05:002011-10-27T19:10:48.708-05:00

My new love/obsession: Urban Decay

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-23340543257104309952011-10-25T15:39:00.001-05:002011-10-25T15:39:21.356-05:00

I had the day off yesterday. Ethan and I went to Windy Acres Farm to pick pumpkins. We had a blast playing and getting lost in the corn maze.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-15122854238767515452011-10-02T17:18:00.001-05:002011-10-02T17:18:46.585-05:00

Ethan had his friend Braxton over to play. First time and he had such a good time. It was fun to listen and see.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-69202822672670042162011-09-24T17:22:00.004-05:002011-09-24T17:24:25.178-05:00

I know, I know, but I am having a hard time with Ethan turning 5. I cannot believe how fast 5 years goes and how much he's changed, even though 5 years is not even that long!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-78625623004624028632011-09-24T11:23:00.000-05:002011-09-24T11:24:25.966-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-77380431347882203242011-09-05T19:36:00.003-05:002011-09-05T19:40:42.119-05:00

Ethan and I drove out to Mom and John's this weekend to surprise Grandma for her birthday. I think she was surprised. We coordinated with Grandpa who had monster trucks, and candy waiting for Ethan. Not to mention water balloons which they got right to. We all went to dinner, but not before Ethan read Grandma one of his favorite books. Sunday, we went to breakfast and the zoo. Of course, no

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-87991924318475746892011-08-27T15:09:00.001-05:002011-08-27T15:09:39.585-05:00

Day Out With Thomas 2011

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-27066413520660505462011-07-03T15:12:00.001-05:002011-07-03T15:12:56.945-05:00

Conner's 5th birthday... Ethan had a blast playing with the kids!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-73320063472746870002011-07-03T15:11:00.001-05:002011-07-03T15:11:52.304-05:00

Weekend project... Just pulled out the bushes and installed some paver bricks to extend our patio! I love it and have spent more time out here in the last two days than total living here!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-84370121333867971902011-06-05T19:58:00.001-05:002011-06-05T19:58:40.863-05:00

I know this is hard to see, but Ethan is obsessed with tape. We find pieces everywhere, on the banister, dressers, clothes. He taped this pretend doctors mask to the funnel.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-40580206759588459642011-06-05T08:56:00.001-05:002011-06-05T08:56:51.003-05:00

Today's project. How many sets of tracks does one child need? We have Polar Express, lego trains, several Thomas tracks including wooden, Dinosaur Train, Chuggington, and several GeoTrax.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-60536524361355148372011-05-07T08:47:00.005-05:002011-05-07T10:40:06.596-05:00

Ethan had a blast hunting for eggs at Grandma's. He really didn't care too much about what was inside the eggs, just finding them. And then making his train. Grandma and Grandpa really came through on the supplies. Dad made the train shape. Ethan spent most of the afternoon chugging and "cuppling" up to things trying to pull them.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-49647250606297685882011-05-07T08:41:00.003-05:002011-05-07T08:45:15.909-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-26523118759528404992011-04-13T16:29:00.005-05:002011-04-13T16:38:03.650-05:00

Ethan dressed himself today. He picked out his own outfit and got dressed. Take note of the coordinating layer? It's not a turtle neck, it's actually a polo shirt, backwards... innovative. He's a genius. LOL. Apparently, we were late for the East Egg Festival which you must get dressed in a costume for. Obviously, you hide your own eggs, pretend you don't know where they are, and then find them

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-23439855874421374322011-04-13T12:09:00.003-05:002011-04-13T16:09:18.909-05:00

We're all sick today, and the weather's not so great. We gotta keep it low-key, so we're decorating Easter Eggs!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-82143457121953003132011-04-10T15:08:00.004-05:002011-04-13T12:15:08.626-05:00

Since the trip to see Santa went so well, I thought we'd try the Easter Bunny. Not as great as I had hoped, but successful nonetheless. Initially, Ethan told me "I am not happy about this". But we chatted while waiting in line about how awesome the Easter Bunny is. By the time we got to the Bunny himself, Ethan was trepidatious. After a couple of high-five's, Ethan climbed up next to him,

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-25386321894843595472011-03-27T19:13:00.001-05:002011-03-27T19:13:24.006-05:00

Monkey Joe's! Great place for a Dare Devil...

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-65128521727348856512011-02-24T19:56:00.001-06:002011-02-24T19:56:46.633-06:00

Just got this from my Mom! This is so true - both metaphorically and literally! I LOVE shoes!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-60855203822429489152011-02-20T20:51:00.001-06:002011-02-20T20:51:41.379-06:00

This is what we do when cooped up on snow or rain days!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-84279290310528812702011-01-30T20:25:00.002-06:002011-01-30T20:56:56.554-06:00

Making cupcakes

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-28905034940954944462011-01-18T18:23:00.003-06:002011-01-18T18:36:28.410-06:00

Recently, Ethan has developed a fascination with the Boomerang channel from Cartoon Network - it houses the classics, like Thundarr the Barbarian, Smurfs, Yogi Bear, Quick Draw McGraw, Hong Kong Phooey, Dino Boy, Tom and Jerry, Scooby Doo, and now the Powerpuff Girls. I understand a 4 year-old getting into Tom and Jerry and Scooby Doo, but not really getting the Powerpuff thing. This cartoon

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-71156757248462103582011-01-18T17:18:00.006-06:002011-01-18T18:07:53.296-06:00

This year we drove out to Ohio. Rhonda and the kids live in a small town outside of Cincinnati. It's very quaint and very Christmas-y with the snow. Initially, the drive was treacherous thru Indiana, but we persevered. It was so worth it because Santa via Grandma Nancy got Ethan the Polar Express train and it has not gone untouched since. This was also the first time in, I-don't-know-how-long,

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-79400373615174268662010-11-28T10:43:00.003-06:002010-11-28T11:01:10.129-06:00

something.... y'all know I don't decorate for Christmas, nor do I enjoy it. But, I gotta say, it sure does help when I have someone getting the decorations for me (Thanks Mom's). Ethan has been talking about "putting Christmas up" for a week and a half now... it is inevitable. We knew the day would come when we would have to "get in the Christmas spirit" and put decorations up. Ethan loves it.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-69339039323383651022010-11-27T15:10:00.003-06:002010-11-27T15:14:28.458-06:00

Hello Santa! This year Ethan was too excited to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what he wanted most for Christmas. I have no idea what they chatted about - but Ethan was all grin's. He saw Santa, chatted him up while smiling from ear-to-ear, took his picture, got his candy, and said to Santa "we have to leave now, don't forget". I have no idea...

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-18180391798127344402010-11-27T15:03:00.005-06:002010-11-27T15:09:29.252-06:00

Larry preparing for dinner....... Ethan preparing for dinnerDad's holiday bubbly......Ethan's holiday bubbles

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-9427388921143467442010-11-17T19:51:00.003-06:002010-11-17T19:58:08.375-06:00

Last weekend our awesome day care provider's daughter got married. Ethan got to be the ring bearer, our table was awkward and the angles weren't that great, so the pictures didn't turn out well, but we thought he was cute nonetheless.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-35239769473632561262010-11-06T11:42:00.006-05:002010-11-06T12:03:43.788-05:00

This year we went to the church Trunk-or-Treat Friday night before Halloween. Ethan was not very interested in getting candy, but wanted more to give the candy to the "childrem"*. He would wait for the kids to say "trick-or-treat" then he would ask "okay, which do you want"? On Saturday, we did Monster's on Main Street with my girlfriend from work and other work friends. The kids had a blast,

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-35132331278377457352010-10-24T21:43:00.003-05:002010-10-24T21:58:36.078-05:00

This weekend we took the Metra to Union Station, and a cab to the Shedd Aquarium. Big time fun for everyone since it was my first time ever to the Aurora station, Mom Nancy's first time EVER on a train, and Ethan's first time commuting... I love Shedd.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-70587233139394833202010-10-09T17:36:00.005-05:002010-10-09T17:46:21.903-05:00

Blackberry Farms started their October Pumpkin Days this weekend. What a weekend. The weather was awesome and so unusual for this time of year... scoriching over 80 degrees. We had so much fun riding "Little Red Train", the carousel, and hay rides with "Terrence, the Tractor" pulling a wagon. We painted pumpkins and had lunch as well.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-52481610555840061402010-09-30T19:43:00.004-05:002010-09-30T19:51:25.771-05:00

Ethan's birthday was on Tuesday, Mom was here all week to celebrate. In true Nana fashion, Mom spoiled him with treats and toys all week. Nana made a strawberry shortcake giant cupcake for Ethan, she helped him color and draw, and created a pumpkin of many faces. They has such a great time together. I am so disappointed to discover I have not one picture of Mom and me! Wah!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-83589023410025285292010-09-30T19:34:00.002-05:002010-09-30T19:43:04.850-05:00

4 years old! Can you believe it? We celebrated Ethan's birthday at a local restaurant that has a train half way around the wall. Ethan is obsessed with trains, in case you haven't noticed. The kids got to make their own pizza's while the adults got to pick from a mexican style buffet. It was a blast and he had a ball! Thanks for everyone who came, and participated, and thanks to family for their

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-23903719150819846742010-09-13T10:03:00.003-05:002010-09-13T10:18:25.946-05:00

Even though it was Dylan's birthday, Ethan had fun on his own. Such a cute idea, Stacie had a Carnival theme with games and hot dogs.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-25043265637432577892010-09-02T20:30:00.004-05:002010-09-02T20:36:17.182-05:00

Yea... yes, I am being a little sarcastic. I love doing what Ethan loves to do, but this is obsessive. I know, I know, I'm enabling... This year was awesome, the weather was perfect, which means larger crowds.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-79217068772505525042010-08-09T19:06:00.003-05:002010-08-09T19:12:43.831-05:00

Last night Ethan and I were watching his movie upstairs while Dad was watching a scary movie downstairs. I was in the bathroom and heard Ethan, "Mommy, I'm soooooo *yawn* tired". I came out to find - Sound asleep...

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-62390284114142348862010-08-03T19:19:00.003-05:002010-08-03T19:23:45.705-05:00

This year is the first time since I started working full time that I have taken 11 consecutive days off. The nice thing is - Larry took the same week off. We had a great time going to the Gramley's trailer, Mom and John's in Peoria, and hanging out around town. Except for the fact that Ethan got the flu on the second day of vacation and Larry caught it the third. Bummer. All-in-all, I was

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-47903314442441825522010-07-14T21:15:00.001-05:002010-07-14T21:15:45.728-05:00

Thomas, my Sandbox, and my bike... Not in that order every day.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-82863998615371063962010-06-27T20:30:00.008-05:002010-06-27T20:53:16.284-05:00

Saturday was such an awesome day. I took Ethan to the Metra train station to watch trains, and thought we should just take a ride. So, we did. We took a short little ride to Naperville from Aurora. He was so excited and had such a blast. We ended up in Naperville with no plan. I have no experience with the train system. Since it was Saturday, the schedule wasn't as frequent. We arrived at the

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-19839854392243832032010-06-21T14:04:00.006-05:002010-06-27T21:03:51.047-05:00

On my day off, I took Ethan to this cute little diner that has a train running throughout and delivers the food in it's cargo cars. He, of course, loved it!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-11956224697005175892010-06-20T10:31:00.001-05:002010-06-20T10:31:49.551-05:00

Courtesy Chef Ronald McDonald

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-35865448387954232282010-06-06T15:36:00.001-05:002010-06-06T15:36:18.626-05:00

I have no idea why we didn't take more pics, or of anyone else... Jackson and Ethan.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-66265810993150031572010-05-08T09:49:00.002-05:002010-05-08T09:59:38.218-05:00

Why did God make mothers? 1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is. 2. Mostly to clean the house. 3. To help us out of there when we were getting born. How did God make mothers? 1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us. 2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring. 3. God made my mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts. What ingredients are

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-9213405584149574702010-05-07T19:37:00.004-05:002010-05-07T19:41:06.707-05:00

I love ice cream! I found these little gems the other day. They may have been around for a while, but I just stumbled over them. These are perfect - in lieu of the entire pint or quart, these are single servings - 3.6 oz. Perfect! I can still eat the entire container but not feel so badly!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-84089529917008636992010-05-02T17:06:00.001-05:002010-05-02T17:06:26.667-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-58745718461063775982010-04-07T19:47:00.002-05:002010-04-07T19:51:26.882-05:00

This is a delightful little addition - It's quite pricey, but I highly recommend it. We got a new remote to go with the new HD receiver, to go with the new Blue Ray player, to go with the new flat screen. I love this thing! Larry loves this thing. More importantly, I love that we don't have 15 remotes sitting out all of the time getting lost, replacing batteries, and using 3 just to watch 1 movie

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-23050865545655667822010-04-03T20:39:00.003-05:002010-04-03T20:49:23.006-05:00

Grandma Johnson has a traditional Easter Egg Hunt for the kids each year. Of course, it is her prerogative to spoil them, and she does. It is really fun for Ethan because he loves the "challenge" and loves, loves the reward.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-87890525242529855032010-03-29T16:24:00.001-05:002010-03-29T16:24:55.658-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-79910433550450894262010-03-29T16:23:00.001-05:002010-03-29T16:23:46.036-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-70163399762000069872010-03-29T16:22:00.001-05:002010-03-29T16:22:09.275-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-52348428892988575692010-03-28T17:36:00.003-05:002010-03-28T17:40:48.114-05:00

If you are like us - we only have cell phones, no home phone. With the ever changing technology and 'bigger, better, faster' pace we live in, we have different phones. We found this awesome Sharper Image item at Best Buy today.Even though it's a travel caddy, it is ideal for home - all phones in a central location and only one jack!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-48466923454556876642010-02-22T13:02:00.001-06:002010-02-22T13:04:07.650-06:00

All has settled, but here is my husband - one cool cat, just doing his police thing:http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/84766572.html

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-6312062747079420472010-02-17T20:08:00.000-06:002010-02-17T19:55:15.679-06:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-9838835852681635122010-02-04T20:56:00.002-06:002010-02-04T21:05:13.143-06:00

How did I not ever hear about this?CHOCOLATE GAMESContent:- 33 chocolates with suspects, murder weapons and rooms on the wrapper- Paper game board- Note pad and 4 chips and 2 dicesContent:- 32 chocolates, with a street, station or chance on the wrapper- Paper game board- Spinner

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-40454726380934820542010-01-31T14:44:00.008-06:002010-01-31T14:56:21.220-06:00

A high school friend of mine has been reading and studying this book, and I happen to find it interesting as well. I took the basic test and was actually surprised but also not: http://www.colorcode.com/ - what color are you?Congratulations, you are a RED.red: 55.81%blue: ??? %yellow: ??? %white: ??? %Reds (Motive: Power)reds are motivated by Power. They seek productivity and need to look good to

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-11595063153948244702010-01-24T11:37:00.003-06:002010-01-24T11:42:32.063-06:00

So, I just realized that I posted nothing from Christmas. I have no idea what happened. More importantly - I have no idea where my pics are uploaded to. I have searched this drive, the free agent, and the laptop, but cannot locate the pictures. A few are posted to facebook, but those I cannot even locate. I think I've lost my mind.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-28997498114194044582010-01-24T11:32:00.004-06:002010-01-24T11:44:35.066-06:00

Last weekend Ethan and I went to meet his new Sunbeam class. He was skeptical at first, but was intrigued with the activities. Of course, the is the smartest in the class (wink). The teachers had these cut-out kits for the snowmen - all the same - Ethan received no help and constructed this on his own. I traced his hand for him, but he told me exactly how and to make sure not to get his hand

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-58826573228013782542009-12-27T10:38:00.002-06:002009-12-27T10:41:21.605-06:00

We were suppose to get only an inch... uh, I'm no measure-ologist, but this looks like more than an inch, and that was yesterday early afternoon. It hasn't stopped since.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-40792653334773717472009-12-11T21:53:00.000-06:002009-12-11T21:40:50.931-06:00

I am horrible. Here is the check I owe my little brother for birthday stuff FROM October... Sitting in a dish on my foyer table... AT HOME!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-12031738717264360222009-12-08T10:10:00.001-06:002009-12-11T21:50:36.822-06:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-62625454737306988762009-12-02T18:41:00.000-06:002009-12-02T18:29:13.945-06:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-28825638692209930922009-11-27T13:47:00.002-06:002009-11-27T13:50:54.815-06:00

So, one rainy night Larry hydroplaned into a barricade - luckily no one was hurt, but it caused about $1500 in damages to his car. We started having problems with our vacuum. It isn't that big of a deal, but I want to get this really awesome vacuum that is about $1,000 - well, just under. In the midst of the research and talking with the sales woman, the dryer went caput. Then, my

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-63725238372432699862009-11-27T13:39:00.000-06:002009-11-27T13:28:12.249-06:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-71600168605348862422009-11-27T13:14:00.000-06:002009-11-27T13:02:12.856-06:00

See that putty/seal... I may be the cause for default. Let's blame it on my OCD... I thought it was just crud, so I obsessively scraped it all out. Apparently, you're not suppose to because it causes a seal to prevent leaks... Oops.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-36421761793067694262009-11-27T13:10:00.000-06:002009-11-27T12:58:33.193-06:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-29961749940868759202009-11-27T13:08:00.000-06:002009-11-27T12:55:43.912-06:00

Just ONE of the many things that has crapped out on us this month. Luckily, I have a very handy man that can install a garbage disposal.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-37029152058831931182009-11-14T13:20:00.000-06:002009-11-14T13:08:25.981-06:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-64182580499842663892009-11-11T19:29:00.002-06:002009-11-11T20:21:45.895-06:00

Monday I received a text from a friend of mine telling me to check my email. There, I found this link to one of the City's papers: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/11/lincoln-park-homicide-shooting.html. A good friend of mine whom I worked with for several years had just died. He is memoralized today with a wake and funeral services tomorrow: http://www.mem.com/ContentDisplay.aspx?ID=

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-28049807838867962392009-11-04T19:23:00.003-06:002009-11-04T19:28:20.281-06:00

I wondered why Larry wouldn't give Ethan the pen...

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-88913586054617980692009-11-04T18:55:00.006-06:002009-11-04T19:22:26.274-06:00

This year I took Ethan to the Geneva Commons Halloween fest. Some of you may know how this works - if the shops have a sign in the window, the kids are welcome to come in and trick-or-treat. There are so many restrictions in the neighborhoods now, and our neighborhood is not very Halloween friendly that I thought this was a good idea. I was right. Ethan had a blast. Every time he got a piece of

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-16304693232281473382009-10-24T12:18:00.006-05:002009-10-24T12:39:57.624-05:00

A couple of weekends a go we went to visit Grandma and Grandpa. Of course, Ethan gets to do whatever he wants and always gets treats and prizes. Matt and his girlfriend Jodi were there. Matt is Larry's nephew and godson. Ethan and Matt finally met for the first time and they seemed to have bonded immediately.While were were there, Ethan got to ride Grandpa's tractor, which I think is the best

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-52313307044639489922009-10-24T12:14:00.002-05:002009-10-24T12:18:43.616-05:00

What a great photographer, Ethan is

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-63220882778902596962009-10-24T11:54:00.006-05:002009-10-24T12:14:14.055-05:00

Everyday Ethan likes to say - "It's my birthday, where's my cake?" - thinking I'll give in to the cake request. However, one thing has been constant, and that is the flow of presents and birthday celebrating. Uncle Piwo (Peevo) came over for a visit and brought this awesome carnival. In true fashion, the toy had a bazillion pieces, but Ethan was so happy.Grandma and Grandpa brought these

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-28891709881902165232009-09-30T18:45:00.000-05:002009-09-30T18:34:28.882-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-59620735319021926982009-09-21T10:51:00.002-05:002009-12-11T21:23:53.121-06:00

For the past 11 weeks, Larry has had the opportunity to be a supervisor at SLEA (Suburban Law Enforcement Academy) - aka police academy. This is a great experience and opportunity for any officer who has the chance to be sent or recommended by their agency. NIU had 4 recruits going through this class. While it's been tedious and tiresome, he has enjoyed every minute. Last Friday, the class

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-33241383963305952722009-09-21T10:31:00.006-05:002009-09-21T10:50:33.674-05:00

Today Ethan is three. It's so bitter-sweet, as you all have experienced. Where does the time go? I am so lucky to have such a beautiful and loving child. This year, Ethan has matured and grown physically and emotionally. He has learned the different ways to manipulate and get attention from Mom versus what works with Dad.Nana and Ye Ye sent Ethan a package full of Thomas stuff, a sleeping aero

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-64828713267953330742009-09-21T10:27:00.002-05:002009-09-21T10:30:57.004-05:00

Saturday night I got the chance to see Trace Adkins and Toby Keith with a friend of mine from work. It was such an awesome show. I screamed and yelled so much that I am stil semi-horse today. Both are such entertainers and put on such a high energy show. Thanks, Keri.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-90246271362716916782009-09-13T20:05:00.007-05:002009-09-13T20:27:10.763-05:00

Today was an awesome day. We got to help celedbrate our friend, Cavan's 4th birthday at Chuck E Cheese. Ethan had a few melt-downs, but pulled it together to eat pizza and have birthday cake, of course. Then was re-energized once the sugar kicked in and danced away in front of the blue screen. He gave Chuck E Cheese a five and hug. I think he is the only kid to do this because the character

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-10996326399068201092009-09-09T08:47:00.002-05:002009-09-09T08:48:44.509-05:00

We are home today because Ethan is sick, although feeling much better than yesterday. Larry had a late night last night having a night shoot with the academy. This morning Ethan has been yelling up the stairs "Dad, where are you? Where did Dad go now?" So, he grabbed my hand and we headed upstairs, on the way up, Trini was under foot - Ethan reassuring her, "is alright honey, Ethan here, we

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-69589767779002633082009-08-23T15:25:00.000-05:002009-08-23T15:16:48.822-05:00

Taken in the hotel last night.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-8366459854582382352009-08-16T17:43:00.005-05:002009-08-16T18:18:08.946-05:00

Day Out With Thomas tickets: $54.00Thomas merchandise: $84.00Throwing a Thomas-sized tantrum: Priceless We took Ethan out to the Illinois Railway Museum in Union Illinois for the Day Out With Thomas event. It was fun. As soon as we got there he heard the whistle and almost panicked when he didn't immediately see the trains. We got to ride a train in cars pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine himself

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-86279475702814067672009-08-07T20:20:00.003-05:002009-08-07T20:27:10.269-05:00

Last weekend was the NIU Dept picnic. Most of the officer's and families were able to make it and it was tons of fun. There was face painting, relay games, bags, water balloons and guns, CUPCAKES and of course... tree climbing...

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-4661977840863846012009-07-31T19:37:00.002-05:002009-07-31T19:40:24.408-05:00

Well, I'm feeling pretty creative... We had my cousin, Michael (who is very talented) take our family photos in Utah this year. He put them all on one DVD. Tyler sent the only copy to me. So, I went to Office Depot and bought a bunch of writable DVD's and copied all the pics. But, I added a little touch - I put that family's photo on the jewel case. I thought it was pretty clever.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-59820991183964156742009-07-29T14:16:00.005-05:002009-07-29T17:19:55.463-05:00

Yes, I know y'all are jealous. I am off for another week. My life is so hard (sarcasm). Just kidding. Ethan and I got to spend a few days with Grandma (Nancy) and Rhonda, Allie, and Chelsey. Larry drove us down to Elmwood on Sunday to spend Rhonda's ahem... 29th birthday with her, then Larry drove back... alone. Ethan and I stayed. Monday we went to the Peoria Zoo! This was so much fun because

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-28060094503023341052009-07-16T20:32:00.002-05:002009-07-16T20:39:07.744-05:00

Happy Anniversary. Larry and I celebrated 3 wonderful years on the 14th of July. We have never been a celebratory couple. We have never celebrated anything, barely birthdays or holidays, much less anniversaries. We have been together since 1996, so we sort of just took it for granted. The first year of wedded bliss, we completely forgot altogether. The second year was almost forgotten were it not

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-57057335440480325802009-07-16T19:29:00.000-05:002009-07-16T19:39:46.765-05:00

I'm driving home from work right now - yes, now - and I get a phone call from Larry... "Ethan just pulled a fast one". Now, we have treats stashed everywhere with the sweet tooth I have. Here's what happened:Ethan: Dad, can I have a cookie?Larry: Here you go buddy (1 iced animal cookie because we haven't had dinner yet)Ethan: Another cookie?Larry: No, you just had one. So, Ethan got off his

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-87565047570420707962009-07-12T16:06:00.006-05:002009-07-12T16:24:18.969-05:00

Ethan and I went to Utah to visit my family from July 2nd through the 7th. Larry was unable to join us since he had already accepted a position as a supervisor at the police academy. We had such a blast. The Asay family flew in from San Antonio, Texas. The Tyler Tolman's and Todd Tolman's drove in from Reno, Nevada. Mom and Dad also from Reno. The Tran's drove the furthest, all of the way from

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-2530357932088759332009-07-11T17:02:00.002-05:002009-07-11T17:04:48.673-05:00

Here's something great! I just found these, I know they've been around, but I haven't found them before. Window crayons. They are less messy than the standard window paint and much easier to use for Ethan. They clean-up in a cinch!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-60042022142513203452009-06-28T13:46:00.006-05:002009-06-28T14:32:50.254-05:00

Today was an exciting day. We met Ethan's friend from Gymboree, JD and his family (Tricia, Dan, and Addy Kane) at Adler Planetarium for the Walk Around with Elmo and One Sky, Big World show. We thought there would be a traffice problem since the Taste of Chicago started this weekend, so we left early for the 10:45 am show. And I am no in any of the pictures because Larry refuses to document

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-74887478186023616762009-06-26T19:09:00.001-05:002009-06-26T19:07:09.882-05:00

So, I'm guessing Larry got out of work early because I received this picture via text this afternoon while at work...

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-32315674949090331612009-06-21T18:52:00.004-05:002009-06-21T19:11:54.664-05:00

Last weekend Nancy and John came up to visit. We had a great time. Ethan showed off at Gymboree, we walked around Cabella's for a few hours, and Grandma and Grandpa spoiled us. Of course, Ethan got something "Thomas". He has been playing with this ever since - every day, all day. We pack it up for the babysitter's and we bring it home... every DAY!!!!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-15768638418879246102009-06-21T18:45:00.007-05:002009-06-21T18:51:48.769-05:00

Today, we enjoyed a nice family dinner at this great new restaurant in the area, Shinto Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar. We ALL love sushi. I could eat it every day. Luckily, Ethan has also developed a taste for it.MMMMM... that sushi is good, Mom!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-36688092133307757462009-06-21T18:41:00.003-05:002009-06-21T18:44:37.961-05:00

Ethan was excited to bring Daddy home something special... here's what he made in Nursery today:

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-27736324655203849362009-06-12T17:34:00.000-05:002009-06-12T17:35:12.099-05:00

And this one is from a different channel...http://mystateline.com/content/fulltext/?cid=74432

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-449575009597441542009-06-11T20:29:00.002-05:002009-06-11T20:59:03.024-05:00

Larry does a lot of training at his job as a participant/student and as an instructor and/or organizer. Although there are many officers out there that contribute a lot, this is our blog, so... it's all about Larry. In this instance, they were involved in 'Active Shooter Training' for several officers. I am so proud of the interview and of Larry. He did a great job. There was a lot of work and

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-12929355369956063492009-05-30T17:06:00.001-05:002009-05-30T17:54:28.721-05:00

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-9936524500843518642009-05-30T16:52:00.000-05:002009-05-30T16:55:26.480-05:00

I don't know why I didn't do this before, but as you can see, I have totally been into mobile blogging! This is so convenient, except when I'm trying to grocery shop and Larry is annoyed that I am not paying attention... oops. Oh well, that's the price of progress, hun!

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-12554070623183424792009-05-27T20:32:00.002-05:002009-05-28T14:24:23.980-05:00

Sienna Asay came into our world on May 22nd at 4:57 pm weighing in at 10 lbs 4oz and 21 in long. Can you believe it? Mom and baby are perfect. Congratulations Asay's.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-13060787555346919142009-05-25T21:22:00.001-05:002009-05-26T09:42:23.047-05:00

I just finished making the invitations for Andrea's Baby Shower. We'll be having it in July while we're all in Utah. Ethan of course, was helping by glueing the scraps of paper to other scraps of paper and bossing me around. Thankfully, Larry took Ethan with him on a 'ride'. I'm excited because I really haven't been very much of a participant in any of the other showers or pregnancies. And

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3678634454286773281.post-71228734254629172622009-05-25T12:14:00.001-05:002009-05-25T12:55:07.707-05:00

Ethan pulled out the drawers and tried using them as stairs... "luckily, no one was hurt, Ma" Ethan said.

The Ellington'shttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07843428533717798469noreply@blogger.com2