Down by the "river"

My best friend asked me to take some Easter pictures of her youngest since her camera broke. I was more than happy to oblige. I took her to the Indian Creek Greenway for the pictures. I had to bring along my kids and my niece Brenna, but they were really well behaved. Since they were there, I took pictures of them too. Ella wouldn't let me take pictures of her alone, but I got some great ones of her and Brenna. This is such a lovely setting, I love taking pictures there! After pictures and a short time at the playground we all went to Sams Club for lunch and a little shopping. We had a great morning!

Playdate take 2

Today we had another playdate (and we have one scheduled for tomorrow too!) Originally we were supposed to go to a friends house, but instead they came here! We had a great time spinning in the hammock, playing dress up, singing in the karaoke machine and dancing. We had lunch together then our friends had to go home. Ella had a great time with her friend J, we love visiting with them! After we cleaned up, it was naptime. Wes went right down and Ella went quietly after watching an episode of Dragon Ball. Now I get to take a little nap too, I have been so so tired today! This evening we get to go to a b-day party for a friend of Ella's. Such a fun day!
Shannon

Playdate

Ella has been BEGGING for a "playdate" the last week or two. So today we had one. A friend of mine is helping me to quilt a quilt on her embroidery machine. She has two sons, each about 6ish months older than mine. They play really well together. So while we sewed, they played in their awesome sunroom filled with toys and their sunny backyard. It was great and I had a ton of fun. We didn't finish the quilt, so we will probably be going back again next week.

Boxes

Boxes are awesome. They have so many great uses. Once when I was a kid, my mom got a new fridge. Now fridge boxes are just about the best boxes you can get, and my dad helped us make a submarine out of it. It had a parascope, dials and switches, a hatch on top and it was spray painted silver. We had it for a long time until it rained (we were in AZ at the time so it was a good while) We loved that Submarine. Years later, while living in Ohio, mom got a new upright freezer. That was a BIG box. We made a spaceship out of it and kept it in our basement for a long time until dad built us a "real" spaceship in the corn crib and we abandoned our box. Anyway, boxes are just COOL. Even little ones I suppose. Yesterday I got a shipment from the photolab with a medium sized box. Today, Ella, Wesley and I transformed it with our imagination into a boat, a magic carpet, a hiding place for hide and seek, and after it was torn apart during a particularly turbulent carpet ride, a set of space wings. The box is now in the trash, but we had a fun morning!

Dance

Today Ella took me outside to show me her "Rad dance moves" (her words, not mine!) She told me she was going to practice and become a ballerina, and I needed to take her to a ballerina class with a ballerina teacher. She also looked super cute with her hair, outfit and one "dancing shoe"!

Relaxin'

"Mommy...?

Can I have a Potato Gun?" Asks Ella

Me: Where did you see a Potato Gun?
Ella: On Aliens in the Attic
Me: Oh.
Ella: Well can I have a Potato gun?
Me: When you are bigger, Potato Guns are dangerous
Ella: Why are they dangerous?
Me: Because when they shoot a potato out, it goes really fast and could hurt a person.
Ella: No they go slow, in my dream I had a potato gun, and it went slow.
Me: must be a nice dream.
Ella: When we get a potato gun, you get some potatoes and press the handle and a potato squirts out!!!!
Me: That is indeed how a potato gun works, you can't have one now, but you can have one when you are older ok?
Ella: Ok, can I have some breakfast?

Saturday

Today was Laura's last day with us. Her flight left HSV at 11:30 this morning. The kids are going to miss their grandma!


I didn't get to go see her off at the airport because I was at an event to try and sell my photography. It was a shopping bazaar fundraiser to benefit my MOPS group. I didn't sell any sessions while I was there, but I still have a chance that people will call me later to book. My booth was next to the "Rockin kidz salon" it is a children's hair salon in south HSV. They were doing color and styles for all the kids who came to the Bazaar. I had them put in blue hightlights at the end of the day. I LOVE they way they look. Now I just need to get them permanent! They also raffled baskets off, and I bought some tickets. I can't believe it but I actually won! I won the "pamper me" basket with a free pedicure, hair cut, lunch, and lots of bath stuff. Also chocolate, a coach purse and more stuff. I was so excited because I never win stuff. My friend Megan, from Sewing by M.E. was also a vendor at the bazaar. She made an embroidered shirt and skirt with Ella's name on it and after they Bazaar she gave it to me. It is soooo cute! I was also next to a bow maker, so I had her make a matching bow for the outfit. It was a great day!

Yahtzee!

Today is Laura's last day with us. I asked Ella what fun thing she would like to do with her Grandma on her very last day with us. Ella had no doubt what she would like to do. She wanted to play YAHTZEE! So we all played with her. She loves this game so much. It was fun, and Ella was so happy that she got to do just what she wanted with her Grandma.

Date Night

Tonight my honey took me on a date while Laura babysat the kids. (Thanks Laura!) We were supposed to go to P.F. Changs for my birthday dinner, but due to uberlong wait times, we ended up else ware. Jon promised to take me to PFChanges some other time, and now with Laura's offer to watch the kids it was the perfect time! I made a reservation for 5:30 and we were seated right away. We had decided to get the "Dinner for two" option which comes with a soup for each of us, an appetizer to share, an entre for each of us and a mini dessert. We happened to be there during Happy hour, when they had some things discounted. Since we couldn't agree on an app, we decided to get two extra. So we each had egg drop soup, we split their lettuce wraps, crab won-tons, and spring rolls. I had the Mongolian beef and Jon had some shrimp. I finished with the lemon meringue and Jon the s'mores. It was DELICIOUS. We have never been to this restaurant before, but we were pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I think we will definitely be coming back.