Friday Five

Friday already? Gosh this week went by so fast!

I have a confession to make.....I still have yet to get any of my Fall/Halloween decor out, except for the pumpkins we grew and picked up at the patch on our stoop.  I'm actually really bummed about it because Ellie is twelve kinds of obsessed with pumpkins (and candy corn).  Hopefully I can get my act together and get some things up...I am probably going to skip most of my Halloween decor because it's taken me this long to get anything out that I don't even want to think about how long its going to take me to put it all away....please don't judge me (or if you do send me some candy corn!)

Anywhoo....let's get onto this weeks five!

::ONE::

Starting with a Miley Cyrus reference....

She came in like a wrecking ball (and knowing Ellie her tongue is probably hanging out... ;) )

We met up with my girlfriend from college at our local Wiggle Works and our babes had a total blast.  Ellie loved the "wrecking ball" and kept going over to it.  Another favorite were the balloons, they had a bunch of them in a netted off area and fans blowing from all four corners so the balloons would continue to move and float around.  Once our girls got over the wind factor we couldn't get them out! haha

This may not be the best picture of my girl (sorry babe) but they had this hamster wheel that girlfriend was just flat our dangerous on.  It's mechanical so it was spinning around on it's own, she got stuck on a crossbar and couldn't figure out how to get off - had I not come to her rescue she might have gone upside down! Lucky for her I'm a helicopter parent and will barely let her 2 feet away from myself so there really is no worry about any of that...

::TWO::

The babe had her Monthday this week and I can't believe how close we are to being 2.5, just one more month to go.  I know lots of mom's get all emotional about these milestones and their babe's growing and getting older but I just love how she is growing and maturing and learning new things all the time.  I love how she is gaining independence and tries to do things "all by myself"! Though I'm not gonna lie - sometimes it drives me nuts!!

Girlfriend is just the sweetest little girl.  She is talking non-stop most of it I can make out but there are still some things that I just have NO IDEA what she is saying (or meaning) like "Bye Boop" absolutely no clue.  She has started to say "yes" instead of "ness" and I kind of love it.  She insists on saying night night to Pal at least 4 times every night (that is in addition to the one that I prompt her with). Currently Ellie loves to eat pancakes, but they are just the frozen mini ones...she won't touch my homemade ones and I think I might cry! She also loves top ramen noodles and still is a fan of broccoli, additionally she has gotten herself on an apple kick again and found a love for candy corn and will seriously wail if I say no! She is singing songs and loves to "painting" and has learned how to bite her nails...among other new things.

first major props to Thomas for this top notch photo!

Speaking of learning new things...holding a pencil the "right way".  One of the kids I nanny is a few months younger than Ellie and already has mastered the right finger grip on her crayons...which then made me slightly embarrassed because as a former teacher (granted it was PE) I should be focusing on this type of stuff a little more....so we worked on it yesterday...she still prefers the fist grip but I'm sure with lots of coaching, reminding and manually repositioning she'll come around.

::THREE::

Also worth noting is this completely adorable get up that Ellie got from Nanny, who got it from Zulily and I love it so much.  Which is actually kind of funny because I really do not gravitate to this clothing style at all but the babes is rocking it so hard today that I might be converting.  I tend to be a jeans and top kind of gal and so that is how I dress Ellie.  She has a few skirts and dresses but I don't usually put her in them.  Seeing her play around in this top with cute flowing waist (almost skirt like) and the super fun detail on the pants is making me think she needs more of this in her life!!  Not to mention she is loving the fun aspect of this outfit and I have a soft spot for any and all animal print...Have you ever shopped Zulily?  I think I might start getting a few more things there (I have gotten lots of moccs from there because they're like $14.99)

::FOUR::

On the blog this week I shared about our crazy busy weekend and how it was the first one in about a month where we actually were home (kind of).  And I also shared about our super long first day in Disneyland (about 21 hours long).  Be on the lookout for Days 2, 3, and 4 coming up in the next couple of weeks!

::FIVE::

I drive around 5 kiddos twice a week and am in major need of a new car since we are in the Waiting Pool for adding to our family and will need a car that seats at least 7.  I had the opportunity to drive a minivan around a few weeks ago (it was a loaner car since my 6 seater was in the shop) and it's safe to say that that particular minivan is officially OUT of the running.  The problem with it was that the back seat was so small that I could only fit two car seats in it, then the middle row was for two car seats.  I'm planning on doing a review on it, but am in search of something that will fit my lifestyle a little better.  I know I probably sound like a broken record but if I could get something that isn't a minivan that would be preferred.  Here are a few options that I'm considering this, this and this.  But I would love to know what y'all have and love and why.  I am mostly going to be driving around 3 to 4 kids and the other two I have are in boosters and able to maneuver and buckle themselves up.

♥ Ashley

linking up here