Quick Pics of Costa Rica...

Wanted to get some pics up while we're here; more will come when we get back :)

Our crib in Costa Rica...

Three more days till we will be here......

We leave tomorrow morning at 7 A.M. for our flight to ATL to drop the kids off.This could be insane, but we are actually flying to Birmingham and driving to ATL cause we have a friend who works for Southwest and she got us good tickets. We fly out Saturday morning for C.R.. We are so excited and I think I've accomplished almost everything on my list. Wow! What a task it is to get 4 people ready for a trip especially one on an airplane. Please, pray everything goes smoothly. We really don't want to have a crazy can you believe this happened experience on this trip. More in a week with pictures from C.R..




Many people have seen this little guy from their bedroom...

We will probably spend some time here

The pool at our villa and a great view

Taking a break.....

I don't have much to write about today. I have no pictures it is kind of a sad bloggy day! Anna is much better and of course I got her bug. It was a miserable 24 hours. We are all feeling better now and I'm just taking a break from the busyness of this week.
Ellie and I normally take a break about this time of the morning. Anna is down for her morning nap and Ellie is watching Wonder Pets (super cute show!). It seems like the morning time is a sprint to get everything done before Anna's nap. We have to eat breakfast, get dressed, brush teeth, start laundry, put away breakfast, etc...all in about 1 1/2 hours. Somewhere in there I get ready and this morning was a good one cause I got ready before the kids got up!
Anyways, we leave for Costa Rica on Thursday. We are dropping the kids off in GA at my parents house and then we fly out on Saturday morning for Costa Rica. I have my list made of things to do this week and I'm maybe half way there. We are so excited and I can almost feel the warm sun and sand on my feet. Mike is fulfilling his last duty this morning after staff meeting for winning the trip. He has to jump in the pond in front of our church and completely submerge himself. I'm glad I am not him cause it is super cold outside today. However, everyone who entered the game for a chance to win the trip also has to get in the pond today as well.
Ellie and Anna are doing awesome. Anna turns one on February 1st. I still have to plan that party. She has changed so much in the past month or so. She's standing alone and wants to take steps. However, she is so fast at crawling that she prefers to get around that way. She has said mama, baby, and ball. She is super happy except when I leave the room and loves to play with Ellie.
Ellie is talking so much and it is really nice to be able to communicate so well. I tell Mike that there are so many days that I don't think her hands or mouth have stopped moving all day. She is into pulling stuff out of drawers, cabinets, etc...She is so sweet and loves to cuddle with us. She has been into books a lot lately and likes for us to read to her as much as we can. She has a children's Bible, but she prefers the adult Bible. We read random verses in all different books cause she turns the pages so quickly. She loves to play games and dance. Her current favorites are Hokey Pokey, London Bridges, and Wheels on the Bus.
Well, I should get back to the list. I hope you all have a blessed day.

Poor Anna....

Well, it has been quite a day so far. We got up and got ready to go to the gym. Anna did not eat much breakfast and was kind of fussy. I thought she might just be teething or something.... She was still fussy when I dropped her off in childcare, but she normally stops crying once I leave. I do my workout and go get dressed in my jeans etc.... I pick up Anna and she is still not very happy. I pick her up and she throws up everywhere. It went all over her and me(so much for clean clothes). I have never seen a baby throw-up that much. It was so gross and all over me, Anna, and the kids club floor. I felt so bad for the workers. I'm trying to get Ellie to leave and get to the car quickly, but of course she is wanting to look the swimming pool, etc.. Anna was asleep within the first 5 minutes in the car. I think she has a virus. I'm just hoping it does not make it rounds through the rest of us! She seems better after a long nap. We'll see what the rest of the day holds and to think I was so motivated to get lots of things done today! Oh, well there is always tomorrow.....

Ski Trip 2007

If you've got a few minutes, sit back, and enjoy our high school student's ski trip that we just went on; very fun video!

Christmas 07!

Anna's first Christmas

Thanks for all of our presents! Grandparents are great!

All the children at our staff Christmas party got these cute jackets.

Sweet Sisters

Anna kind of liked Santa Clause. Ellie not so much!

Our first attempt at a Christmas picture!
We finally put these pictures on our computer. It was a wonderful Christmas and so different from any other. We were in Dallas the whole time with visits before and after with family. However, we are so glad we were not traveling through the airport around this time of year with two little ones. We really enjoyed spending time together and worshiping at Watermark on Christmas Eve. Have a great Monday!

We're going to Costa Rica!!!

Here's the video of when I found out I won the trip...Read the post below to get all the details.

YOU MUST READ THIS!!!

Mike did it again with his streak of being lucky. I know all of our seminary/college friends have always wondered how did the Shelton's win that item or get those tickets? He has gotten more free plane vouchers than we can count and many great basketball tickets for face value, macbook pro,iphone etc... However, many of you always say that Mike volunteers for things that many would not try. Well, you are about to drop your jaws when you hear the latest event in our lives. I am so thankful that I have a husband who takes risks and there are only a handful of times where I regret his adventure, risk-taking spirit!
I will try and set this story up for you. However, to hear Mike tell it in person is hilarious. Yesterday, the Watermark staff went on their yearly retreat to some lake in Texas and stayed in different lake houses. The retreat was more of a fellowship, play games, get to know each other time. Everyone went on the retreat including administrative assistants etc... There were probably 70-80 people there I think? Our pastor, Todd loves games and competition. We've heard of these games and of course Mike would be up for it. The game this time was for a great prize. However, to even qualify to play the game you had to jump in the pool at night and swim across it. It was pretty cold last night and surprisingly only 20 people or so even wanted to do it. These 20 people were now qualified to play the game. The next round moved to a dice game called Farkle (Thanks, Gurney's for introducing this game to us)! It is something where you roll the dice and try to get to 5,000. Mike said he did pretty good and advanced to the next round where only 6 people got to play. He got down pretty far in farkle and thought he wasn't going to be able to come back. He rolled a great round I guess and won the Farkle! The final round to win the grand prize was to play the dvd game 1 vs. 100 just like the tv show. Mike as the 1 and the other 80 people were against him. It is a trivia game which Mike is not so good at and was probably a little nervous at this point. He could pick one other staff person to be on his team and help him. He was going to pick David Penuel. The MS director at our church cause he is really good at trivia. David told Mike he really wanted him to win and that he should really pick someone else (Thanks David!). Mike chose a guy named John who is our assistant pastor. John is really intelligent and has 5 children so he has to have learned lots of info. John can now help Mike answer any question. Praise God! The first couple of questions were not to bad and if the people on staff miss the question they are eliminated and the same with Mike and John. There is one question that comes up about "Rip Van Winkel" which Mike is really unsure about and so is John. I forgot to mention I am his other helper on the phone. I thought I was going to throw up I was so nervous. I had stayed the night with a friend so I wouldn't have to stay alone. Angie was so helpful in helping me stay calm and her husband works with Mike so she knew all about these games. I have no clue either about the question. I hear Mike tell John I think it is "C". John says "I don't know" . Mike says I think we should go with our gut. He could have used a lifeline at this point just like millionare, but he decided to just go for it. The answer was right and the staff went from like 60 people left to 11 people left. This move was critical cause it eliminated so many people. Anyways, it gets down to 4 people. 2 from the staff, Mike and John. The last question comes up and if Mike gets it right he wins the prize along with John. The last question is about the movie "Fight Club" which of course Mike knew about. He gets it right and so does one of the staff guys left. Now, there is one staff guy and Mike and John so the game is over. They all three won! We are excited to tell you that we are all going on a trip to COSTA RICA!
Our airfare, lodging, and child-care is all included!!!! We are so excited. I would like to tell you a little bit about the place we are staying. Someone in our church owns a private villa at a Four Season resort in Costa Rica. It will overlook the ocean and there is a private plunge pool etc... Here is the crazy thing besides it all being crazy. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie spent New Year's at this resort last year. You can imagine how nice it is. We are in shock and are so thankful to be able to work at a church like Watermark. They know how to have fun and we always feel so blessed by how they do creative things like this to bless people. I am thankful for Mike being willing to jump in the pool etc.. We are going on this trip at the end of January and we will most likely drop the girls off at my parents house. We haven't been on a "fun" trip without them and are so looking forward to this trip! I now have to try and focus for the next three weeks!

Baby Photo Contest...

Hey...I've seen all your cute babies and think you all should enter them in the "Regis and Kelly" baby contest. The only reason I am doing it is because you have a chance to win 125K and other prizes. You never know maybe your baby could be the winner. Go to their website to find out all the details. It only took me about 5 minutes!