Christmas! (Part II)

Our trip down to my Dad's was successful!  We had a lot of fun, but we are tired now.  I was glad to be back on Saturday so we could have a day (today) to catch up on sleep, laundry, relaxing, etc. 

We got down to Battle Creek around 4:30p on Wednesday, and we waited for my sister and her family to arrive (along with my brother).  We exchanged presents that night because Olivia and Izabella saw the gifts waiting in a magical pile in the corner and could not wait until New Years Eve morning to see what they got.

Nick, Bill, Ted and I watching the Little Ones open presents

Nick receiving Dramimine as a gift. (He's enter the Navy Seals in March)...get it?

Izabella with a gift.  Notice the tree in the tv...do not be fooled it is not a reflection. :) You can thank Kenny G and his Christmas scenes DVD for that....haha

Liv with a new coat.

New Years Eve was full of football, food (thanks Tami!!!!) and picture taking.  My sister Samantha works at the Sears Portrait Studio in Grand Rapids, so she has connections to the one in Battle Creek.  She had a great idea to get a family picture, since everyone was going to be together with my Dad.  There were 13 people in the photo: 10 adults and 3 kids.  It was kind of stressful (and hot) but the picture looks great and I am so grateful we did it.  Sam, Nick and I also got one together, just the three of us; and then my Dad hopped in and we got one with him too.  Oh, and I can't forget about Eloise.  Of course she had one by herself, she is staring into a mirror which makes her looking at the camera because of the angle.  It is hard to describe, but when I recieve them in the mail (in a couple weeks) I will scan them and post them here.  GOOD JOB and a big THANKS to my sis for the photos!!!

Chugga with her Aunt Samantha

At night on NYE we went to the casino that was just built about 3 miles from my Dad's.  We were only there for about an hour and a half, because we wanted to ring in the new year at home.  My Dad taught my sister and I to play Craps (the dice game) and Ted and Bill (my sis's one and only) watched over our shoulders.  We didn't win any money, but we didn't lose any either. :)

When we were home again, we hung out for a while (ate more food...does it ever end??) and shot off some fireworks right at midnight.  They were beautiful, and definitely illegal, but fun all the same.  Eloise was, of course, not up for the light display, but she celebrated the New Year in spirit.

New Year's Day we basically just watched football....

Tami's daughter Catheryn with Bella, Eloise, and Liv

On our way home the next day we stopped at my Grandpa's to have breakfast.  Eloise loves to smile at her Grandpa Grape (a nickname Olivia gave to their Great Grandpa), and my Mom was there too.  She was stopped by even though she is super busy packing up her house and moving on up to Elk Rapids. 

Ted and I stopped at a Babies R Us on the way home to return some bottles that Eloise will never use and we exchanged them for a JUMPER!!!  She loves it. I am going to take some pictures over this next week.  We don't think she grasps that she is controling her movements, because all of the sudden she will have a suprised look on her face when she bounces or turns in a different direction.  It is the most adorable thing ever (or close to it).

We hope everyone had a great New Year and we are looking forward to sharing how Eloise is changing and how she changes us over 2010.  (Watch out snowshoers, campers, beachgoers, hikers, and festival-goers because here come the Polleys!!)

Center of Attention!

Today was a BIG day for the Little Cheese. We went out beyond Boyne Falls and got her first set of professional photos taken (it's about time!).  We even got a couple family portraits, which Ted really loved posing for.  :-P

Based on a recommendation from a a coworker in Boyne City, we went out to Center of Attention Photography.  I cannot begin to tell you about how excited I am to see the results.  She has them on her website in about 10 days.  They will be secured with a password, but for those of you who are dying to have a pic of Eloise Iden on your mantle, I will share the password so you can pick your favorite. 

Let me tell you....it will be hard.  We had her in about 5 different outfits (including a couple DARLING dresses) and she is sitting in baskets and in chairs and lying on fluffy rugs.  She was a little model.  :) 

She was so, so good too!  She lasted way longer than I thougt she was going to.  About 258 pics in 60 minutes.  (In one outfit, over to the backdrop, SNAP, SNAP, SNAP (x10), okay.  Out of that outfit, into the next outfit, and this headband, SNAP, SNAP, SNAP...over and over again.  Whew!)  She was a trooper.  Although, Eloise was getting a little testy when it came time for the family portrait.  I think next time we will try to do those first.

So about 10 days folks! 

In the meantime....

We are headed downstate tomorrow to see my side of the family and to have our Christmas with them.  We also get to celebrate New Year's.  I know I will have a ton of pics after that adventure.  :)

OH!  And I almost forgot to say that yesterday my Mom visited us after her first day at her new JOB!!  It is in Elk Rapids, so the visits won't be few or far inbetween.  Ted and I are excited to travel to Elk Rapids as well.  It is a cute little town on Lake Michigan and I have heard about their art festival called Art Rapids, which Ted and I are super pumped for!!

Oh, and one more thing, you want to know the best part about this whole photo thing???  We are getting more family pics downstate with my sister and her family, my brother, my dad, Tami and her girls.  So, even if these do not turn out so well (which I highly doubt), we have another opportunity in about 3 days.

Poor Eloise.  I think she will be able to dress herself when we are done with all of this!  :-P

Oh What Fun!

Santa came!  And, boy did he deliver!  Eloise woke us up around 8am on Christmas morning, and then we all ventured into the living room.  Stockings came first, and for Eloise, what was in her stocking ended up being her favorite toy: Max! He is a hit!

She also got some sippy cups and some spoons in her stocking. 

Then, Eloise moved on to her presents under the tree.  She got lots of blocks (also a favorite), a book, a Classic Pooh Ornament, some outfits (of course), and some Automoblox cars (which she is a little young for, but Daddy and I thought they were so so cool).

Santa also got Momma and Daddy some great gifts too!  Ted got lots of books...he's super into reading right now (as am I), The Swell Season (the couple from the movie Once have a real band, and this is their CD), and the latest PASTE magazine.  I got a 4GB flash drive to store photos on, a book, some ultra comfy socks, a new snow hat, a water bottle, and an amazing vase from this art gallery that's on the way to Traverse.  Ted remembered that I said I liked it about a month or two ago, and got it for me!  He is the best!

Take a look:

and here are my super cute socks and hat!

Which...you can't really see my new haircut under the hat...so here you go!

TA-DA!  (I really like it)

anyway...

Ted and I got lots of little treats like hot chocolate and candy and cherry-chocolate bars in our stockings as well.  Santa is so good! Eloise had tons of fun Christmas morning, and that was just the beginning. 

We went over to Boyne City and joined up with all of the rest of the family, and had lots of fun exchanging gifts and eating a yummy turkey dinner.  Ted got a nice 4 person Kelty tent (so we are camping this summer!) and I got a cute pair of vintage wool mittens from our sibling gift exchange.  Oh, and Mom Polleys made a beautiful (I cannot say this enough!!!!!) quilt for us.  I will have to post a picture of it, once we get all organized and unpacked at home again.

We hope you had a very merry Christmas as well!

Love, The Polleys'

(Christmas Eve 2009)

So Much to Say!

WOW!!

It has been two weeks since I have posted.  Shame on me.  But, my lack of posting proves how busy I am these days...being a working gal and all!  :)

But, seriously.  A LOT has happened. I have so many pictures and so much news. Most of it has to do with Eloise, well probably all of it actually. :)  She is our little smiley bear cub that we can never get enough of, and as each day gets closer and closer to Christmas it seems as if she gets happier and happier.  (It's like she already understands!) 

So, first, let me just update you with some cute pics taken around the house over the past couple of weeks.

oh yea and she can sit up now!

The pictures really tell it all!  :)

We put up our Christmas tree the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.  This year Ted picked it out by himself while I stayed home with Eloise. (She was asleep and we only had that specific night available to have time to put the tree up and decorate it.)  Ted and I decorated the tree with white and colored lights and opened up all of our prized ornaments while listening to Frank and Bing sing Christmas songs. 

We really wanted to wake up Cheesy so she could see it, but we thought better of it. 

Plus, she woke up at around 11pm on her own and so we showed it to her then.  Let's just say that she LOVES it!

The putting up of the tree was on Dec. 2nd and the next major event happened Dec. 6th.  Not only was it Cheesy's Six Month Birthday, but it was also the day of her Baptism.  I could have a whole seperate post on how long it took Ted and I to pray/think/discuss whether to get her baptized or dedicated, but I won't.  In the end, we agreed that we thought scripture and God were pointing to infant baptism, and if Eloise decides when she is older that she wants to get rebaptized to proclaim her decision of her faith, then that is okay with us.  Ted had a good point that we aren't going to be able to bring any new information to the table, no matter how much we study on it, so we made (what we thought) was the best decision.  So, here is Eloise on her big day!:

Her dress is over 100 years old.  Ted's great Grandma, great Aunt, Aunt, Sister (Anne), neice (Bailey) have all worn it.  (Ted wore it too.)  And, now Eloise has worn it. :)

She had no problem with Chip holding her either.  She actually gave him her classic stare that says, "Wait a minute who are you?  ...Oh okay, you look nice.  I like you." all at once.

It was a very nice service, and we were glad that some of our family could make it.  She is now a part of God's family and it is Ted and I's responsibility to raise her to know God and his Son. 

Whew...not exactly a small task.  We can do it though, with the help of our family and church family and lots of prayer. 

So, this is a super long post, so I think I will post more tomorrow....or later today.  Not sure yet.  But in the next post you will see:  1.  Eloise meeting Santa for the very first time, 2. Eloise in a super cute holiday outfit for her very first Christmas party, and 3.  More photos of Eloise loving the Christmas tree.

Thanksgiving 2009

Thanksgiving this year was a blast!  Ted and I had so much fun with family and every year it gets a little more crazy as our neices are growing older...we LOVE it!  Especially now with Eloise thrown into the mix.  

Maddy; and (crazy) Uncle Dan

Mom Polleys made a fantastic dinner as usual, and there were three different desserts to choose from, thanks to Kelli and Ted.  Also, there was an AMAZING vegetable dish with lots of root vegetables and maple syrup.

Dad Polleys, Bailey, Aunt Julie; and Bailey dancing with Aunt Kelli

But, before dinner, Mom Polleys, Kelli and I all went to the Spa at Boyne Mountain.  It was so refereshing to be able to work out in a gym-type atmosphere and then lounge around in a hot tub afterward...with lots and lots of chatting.  :)

Ted and I, waiting for dinner

Maddy playing with Eloise and her hippo-friend.

The guys stayed home and watched football (But do I really need to tell you that?? It's kind of obvious in our family.) and Eloise hung out with them.  Will, Julie, Maddy and Bailey came over during that time, so it was great to be able to come home from the Spa and hang out with all of them.  Maddy and Bailey are getting so big and so, so cute.  (For the Gratitude Bowl, one of the things Maddy was thankful for was her ribs and bottom! So precious!)

Uncle Ted with Maddy and Eloise

Throughout the whole day there was dancing, laughing, talking, story telling, and a discussion of everyone's favorite Christmas memory growing up.  Mine pale in comparison to the Polleys' family Christmas, Dad Polleys always went above and beyond when it came to Santa Claus.  Oh, and there was lots of eating going on too, but once again that is an obvious occurence at Polleys Family get-togethers.  :)

Bailey reading Jan Brett.

Ted and I are so thankful for our family.  We do not know what we would do without it. 

And, now...it is on to CHRISTMAS!!

Dinner Time!

This week was the official kick off to my new job. I only worked Monday and Tuesday because of the Thanksgiving Holiday, but it was a great glimpse into what my job is going to entail. When I was talking about it to Ted I came up with three main 'duties' that I have.

1. Crowd control (this is my least favorite, but when you have 26 second graders in a classroom it is inevitable.)

2. Small Groups (This is my favorite!) I love working with children (obviously) and R. (the lead teacher) is going to give me a couple groups to work with. One will be during reading, with the on-level readers, to start a book club. The other will be different students each day depending on who needs help with writing, math, etc.

and (just for laughs)

3. Coordinating...mmm-hmm...pumping schedules. R. is the mother of a 6 and a half month old and I am the mother of a 5 and a half month old. (We were in the same baby classes at the hospital!!) And, we both nurse. So...yea. Let's just say there aren't that many private places in an elementary school.

Needless to say, I have been so busy these past couple weeks. With the library on the weekend and school during the week. Whew.

Luckily, Ted and I still made time for some quality dinners on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. (Tonight, we will be eating late because I work till 8.) And, the dinner on Monday night was especially delicious...so I wanted to take the time to share it.

We had Grilled Chicken and Spinach Quesadillas.

You will need:

1 2- to 2 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken, meat shredded
4 cups baby spinach (about 3 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack (6 ounces)
4 large flour tortillas
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup store-bought fresh salsa
1/4 cup sour cream

First, heat grill (or a grilling skillet) to medium. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, spinach, and cheese. Dividing evenly, place the mixture on one half of each tortilla. Fold the other half over to cover.
Then, grill the quesadillas until the cheese has melted and the tortillas are crisp, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve with the avocado, salsa, and sour cream.

Ta-da! So easy! And, so, so tasty. In the words of my husband, "Seriously, these are restaurant quality. This is awesome."

My avocado/salsa/sour cream placement preference is above. Ted's is below.

(Thanks Real Simple. You've done it again!)

And of course, Eloise was there to witness it all!