In anticipating Halloween this year, John and I debated whether or not to have Ellie participate in the pumpkin carving experience. This was mainly a question because it was so cold outside that the only option was to do it in doors. I was mainly scared of the mess a one and a half year old could make in my kitchen with a bunch of pumpkin seeds and slime. I shouldn't have worried. My little texture sensitive girl wouldn't touch the slime and only really participated by putting the seeds back into the pumpkin that I had cleaned off to toast. These were really yummy by the way.
Check out our scary masterpiece. Gotta love the pumpkin carving kits.
This is my attempt to get a picture of Ellie in her Halloween outfit. Turns out that she doesn't like to sit still for pictures anymore.
Our costumes. What a cute Clark! Yes, those are old sunglasses with the lens popped out.
The three of us. Sadly we were not a themed family this year. Ellie was a Care Bear.
Yeah, it is my kid that is ruining the photo. We went to Halloween party at a friend's house. They sure hosted a great party. Ellie loved it (except maybe this moment). One of the best parts was that they did a Halloween hunt. It was such a hit with Ellie! Thank you Matt and Julie!!
We gotta get a piano!
I was so impressed with everyone's costumes!
Here's our little trick or treater. She LOVED it!!! Seriously, we were freezing our tail ends off, but Ellie and Madeleine were laughing and running to the next house. I think she mostly just liked knocking on everybody's doors and running around with her friend. So cute!
Since Halloween Clark's glasses have become a great toy.
Everything that Ellie does, her stuffed animals now do. So here is her "ba-bear" with the glasses.
This isn't that great of a shot, but I think it is hilarious that she likes to wear the glasses around her middle. I think she decided that her tummy is where the glasses fit her best. Happy be-lated Halloween!!!
Well, now that she is almost 2, the dress seems to fit. We put her in it and took a few pictures. The dress comes down to about her ankles when she is standing up.
These are the "beeg boots." She loves them. I can't believe she actually manages to walk in them.
And of course my slippers. The "sippers" are Ellie's footwear of choice. Unfortunately for her, I wear them almost always. But if I do leave them behind and come back to get them, they have inevitably wandered off.
A couple more favorites that aren't pictured are my heels (boot variety or regular), John's slippers, John's tennis shoes, and of course the shoes of any little kiddo that visits our house.
This treasure is the hat I wear while jogging to and from the gym. Apparently for Ellie sweat is no deterrent in the hat wearing fun.
Ellie LOVED the Christmas tree. She was actually pretty good about it too. We never really had to move any ornaments. Although, there were a lot of reminders to not touch it. The way she says "Christmas Tree" is identical to how she says "scripture story." She says, "Dow dowee."
Here are a few shots of her unwrapping the goods:
The stocking was pretty fun. Ellie likes cars.
The yellow squishy ball lasted less than 12 hours before she bit a hole in it.
We had a great Christmas seeing friends and family. Best wishes for the new year!
That's right. She was braver last year. John says that he has never felt her grab onto him so tight as when he tried to set her on Santa's lap. Go figure she does like seeing pictures of Santa just not get too close. Whatever. 
Sadly, since John took this picture the teddy bear has gone missing at church. It has been a great loss.
Check out our scary masterpiece. Gotta love the pumpkin carving kits. 
This is my attempt to get a picture of Ellie in her Halloween outfit. Turns out that she doesn't like to sit still for pictures anymore.
Our costumes. What a cute Clark! Yes, those are old sunglasses with the lens popped out. 
The three of us. Sadly we were not a themed family this year. Ellie was a Care Bear. 
Yeah, it is my kid that is ruining the photo. We went to Halloween party at a friend's house. They sure hosted a great party. Ellie loved it (except maybe this moment). One of the best parts was that they did a Halloween hunt. It was such a hit with Ellie! Thank you Matt and Julie!!
We gotta get a piano!
I was so impressed with everyone's costumes! 
Here's our little trick or treater. She LOVED it!!! Seriously, we were freezing our tail ends off, but Ellie and Madeleine were laughing and running to the next house. I think she mostly just liked knocking on everybody's doors and running around with her friend. So cute! 
Since Halloween Clark's glasses have become a great toy. 
Everything that Ellie does, her stuffed animals now do. So here is her "ba-bear" with the glasses. 
This isn't that great of a shot, but I think it is hilarious that she likes to wear the glasses around her middle. I think she decided that her tummy is where the glasses fit her best. Happy be-lated Halloween!!!
So sad this one turned out blurry!
Bright red hair!
