Meeting Gracie...

A few weeks ago we took a little family

day trip to the

Mall of America!

The purpose of the trip to get summer

clothes for all 3 kids...

they had grown so much since last summer

that they had nothing!

~

The other reason for our trip was to

visit the

America Girl store!

Elsie has always drooled over the

AG magazines that come in the mail.

One day she picked out her

'dream doll'

a Bitty Baby with light skin and red hair...

and she decided to save

her money till she had enough to buy it!

She saved her birthday money,

she did little chores around the house to earn money,

she even helped Grandma B.

with some chores to earn money.

She kept her money in a glass jar and

counted it quite often!

Soon she saved up more than enough...

and all we heard was

"when can we go!?"

 For at least the entire week before we

went to the MOA,

Elsie packed and re-packed a little

diaper bag for her baby.

Jon said she just as excited to bring her

dolly home,

as we were to bring Angelina home from the

hospital!

 When we got to the store,

Elsie marched right over to the

Bitty Baby section and

grabbed the correct doll!

She was SO excited!

And Daddy spoiled her a little more

and even bought her a special little outfit

for her dolly!

She named her dolly

Gracie Elizabeth.

And for the next couple hours after buying her doll,

we shopped at the mall

and she wore her baby in her little sling.

No doubt in my mind that

this little lady will be one awesome mama someday!

 After she shopped till we about dropped,

we headed for home again.

Well, I'm sure

Elsie, Angelina and I would've shopped more

{I am terribly spoiled by girls who love to shop!}

but, James and Daddy were done!

 Jon was very patient with his

girls...

He knows Girls just need to shop...

with 2 daughters,

he better get used to it!

I'm sure he cringed though when he saw

just many shopping bags we had

stashed in the stroller!

 I think

Jon an I do this same

self-portrait every time we go somewhere...

 I get bored.

I'm not a good passenger.

I prefer to drive.

So does Jon.

He wins every. single. time!

 James isn't exactly what you would call

a good passenger either!

He is pretty much the complete opposite of good!

The girls do great in the car though.

Angelina is amazing.

She pretty much sleeps,

whether she is tired or not,

she just dozes.

We have a 4+ car trip planned

later this week though,

so maybe I shouldn't get quiet so sure of myself!

 Elsie just played with

Little Gracie the whole way home.

She has had the doll now for over a month...

and she never leaves the house

without it..

she sleeps with the doll every night...

I love it.

I will be sad when she gets too old for dolls!

A fun

Family day...