My Girl and Me...

My girl and me...what would I do without my girl? Elsie is my little shadow...she gives us something to laugh at daily. At least once a day I text my mom and email Jon some crazy thing she said!

Elsie is in a rush to grow up...she is not simply 3...she is 3 1/2...almost 4! Where has the time gone!? Some days we have frustrating moments...days where I am certain I am failing as a mother...I lose my patients. (I hope that is normal!) Other days we have perfect days...laughter, creative minds, lots of patients. I love those kind of days the best! I need to remember to "go with the flow" a little more...to laugh and enjoy the moment a little better...to cherish these fun days of having a creative three (and a half) year old...this is the best age. Sometimes I wish I could be three...to have that kind of freedom and spirit would be amazing and liberating!

Outside...

We take advantage of all the nice days we have had by spending most of the day outside...James whines by the door and tries his best to pry the door open until I finally bring him out. Elsie is old enough this year to simply announce, "I am goin' out!"
James loves to crawl up the steps and go inside and find something to bring outside...he then does his best to crawl back down the steps...he mostly just falls down. Someday he will get it!

A favorite is bubble blowing. I think it is really just my hope that it will become the kid's favorite thing...because it is a nice quite and gently thing to do. The kids wildly chase after the bubbles I blow...all while screaming like a couple of wild banshees! The new spill-proof bubble holder thing I bought for the kids sits un-used in the garage...what can I say...my kids are too wild and crazy for bubble blowing!

This is James favorite spot...he takes little sticks and plays in the dirt in the driveway...and does his best to eat little rocks. And he sits close enough to the garage so he can quickly sneak in the moment he sees the door open. James loves to just stand in the garage and look around at all the guy stuff...he is such a boy!

We are borrowing this little slide from Grandma B. for the summer...James loves the slide on the swingset...and he tries to climb up the ladder and go down the big one by himself. So we thought a little slide might be a better option for him for now! He can now climb up the little slide and slide down all by himself...Elsie is thrilled that her brother can now take turns and slide down with her!

This boy simply never sits still...

Elsie was being goofy one night...we were playing outside after dinner one evening...we stayed out past bed time...and the "I am so tired I now think everything is funny" had kicked in. Elsie had me laughing so hard, too...she says the silliest things. She really does sound like a teen-ager most of the time...the new sayings today was, "What's up shakin' bakin' babe?"

She appears to be holding scissors and a ruler...not sure what is up with that! Scissors have been a favorite of Elsie's again...I find little shredded pieces of paper everywhere again...so annoying at times...

My girl...

This girls really need to slow down growing just a little bit. She is now in size 5 clothes and a whoppin' size 10 1/2 shoe! When did my baby grow up so much?! Elsie is now tall enough to reach the mailbox and get the mail out by herself...so that is now her daily job. She feels so proud of herself to walk to the mailbox all alone and get the mail. Such a big girl...

Corn-on-the- Cob...

A few weeks ago we had first corn on the cob of the season! I love summer food...it is not un-usual for us to eat just corn on the cob and watermelon for lunch in the summer...so yummy!
James wanted nothing to do with the little kernels of corn...he wanted the whole cob just like everyone else! This boy really thinks he is way older than just 11 months! He did pretty good with the cob...but he did prefer to chew on the end rather than the side...quite typical!

Play...

A few weeks ago the kids took the little play tipi out to play with...they then had to come running inside for blankets and pillows...and big containers of water...not sure what they were playing but they sure were having fun!
Love this picture of Elsie...she was spitting water out at the little aunties...as they ran away screaming she would laugh until she could hardly catch her breath!

Looks so cozy! I love looking out in the yard and seeing the kids playing...nothing is better that the sound of children's laughter...makes my heart happy!

James loves playing with the aunties, too! They enjoy playing house and pretending he is their baby...he even lets them dress him up as a girl baby sometimes!

A happy little guy...he gets so excited when he gets to be included in the kids play!

Elsie and her dolly...Elsie loves to play house with her dolls...she would play dolls and make believe all day if she could...love her mind!

Something about summer makes the mind a little more creative, ordinary things a little more fun, the eyes shine a little brighter...love outside summer play!

Railings...

Ever since we moved into our house putting new railings on the deck has been on our "to do" list...and this year we finally got around to putting some up! I am so happy with them...love the way they look!
We have the railings up...and the deck floor painted...lookin' pretty spiffy! We still need to put a gate up in front of the stairs...then it will done! My plan is that once it is done I can close the gate and let the kids play outside on the deck and I can still be inside getting a few things done...like making dinner with no kids whining to go outside and play!

The next big project on our "to do" list is a fence...give us a couple years and might get around to it...don't want to rush into things, ya know!

Turtles...

A few weeks ago Papa Wayne called to tell us the kids had found a turtle...so we did the only logical thing to do...we grabbed the camera and headed over in our pajama's to check that turtle out!
Elsie has quite a response about turtles..." Those darn things pee so often. My aunties always find disgustin' things like that...and they really like them! Gross!" Elsie always has an opinion about everything!I don't think a single summer passes when I was little and we did not find several turtles, frogs, baby bunnies and baby birds to try to keep as pets! We actually kept a small box of bunny "formula" in the pantry because we would find so many bunnies every year...fun memories...even if I did mostly watch my older sister do most of the caring for the animals!

James is going to be quite a nature lover! He enjoyed carefuly touching the turtle...Elsie on the other hand would not get too close...she knows all to well how much turtles love to pee!

*I kinda dread the day James expects to bring wild animals in the house to care for them like a pet...My hope is he will be contented to leave all things wild at Grammie and Papa Wayne's house!

Embrace the Camera~ Pizza for Dinner

Once a week Elsie and I make homemade gluten and dairy free pizza for dinner...I mix up the dough in the morning...and in the evening Elsie gets to help spread the sauce on...

...and add lots and lots of pepperoni! Elsie is just like her daddy...the more pepperoni the better!

Sometimes it can take half an hour to get the pizza perfectly perfect to put in the oven...not that Elsie is particular or anything!

I get the sprinkle the dairy free cheese on top...we use very little cheese...just enough for a hint of a taste...

We always have to wear an apron when we cook...Elsie wears a big red checked apron...and I get to wear a snowman apron...no matter what the season! It is on my list to make some cute ruffle aprons...in some cute shabby chic fabric...we'll see if it ever happens!

Sometimes when Elsie has a creative streak when cooking...she stuck a red grape in the center of the pizza. She assured me it would make the whole pizza taste "amazin' "...after the pizza was done she thought the grape looked " disgustin' "...so we threw the grape away and just enjoyed the pizza!

James was keeping pretty busy while Elsie and I worked on the pizza...he found a bag of potato chips and was happier than happy can be...he normally doesn't get chips...unless I am trying to get him to sit still while I get something done...he never gets the whole bag though!

Sometimes I have to ask myself why I allow my children to have so much freedom! Grapes on pizza, little tiny pieces of chips all over the floor...at least I know my children are not stifled and have a great creative mind...

Shopping...

Last week we made several trips to town...we all were headed out of town for the weekend for my nephews baptism...so we all needed to get clothes and odds and ends to go with. When there are several kids and adults that all need something it ends up taking several trips! I tried shopping alone with my children...but trying on clothes with James does not go over so good! So one afternoon my children and I met my mom and all the kids in town...what a time we had!
This picture could easily be entitled "How to Destroy a Fitting Room"! James is wild...and put him with auntie Emma and Elsie and he gets even more wild...if that is possible!

Colter had no choice but to tag along...shopping for party dresses is not exactly his thing! But he did an amazing job...thanks to the tv in fitting room! He did luck out and only had to shop with us for about an hour...then Laura got off work and came and picked him up so they could go to Gander Mountain!

In the end 6 people came home with new clothes...which means we spent a lot of time in the fitting room! It is always a fun thing to wait for the fitting room door to open and see someone in some lovely new clothes...

James is not much of a shopper...he does best at target when he can sit on the seat of the big cart! He favorite place though is on my hip! I was able to try on 2 dresses before I gave up and just bought one...James finds it fun to escape from under the fitting room door...so sometimes online shopping is a bit easier!

I had already bought Elsie a new little sundress a few weeks ago...but she still begged to try on some clothes with her aunties! Maybe she did get a few new tops...at $2 each how could you go wrong!? These three girls are going have some fun and wild shopping trips as they grow up! They had so much fun posing and giggling...

My little shopper girl...it is not an unusual thing to hear Elsie upset in the back seat on our way home from town...because she is never ready to go home...she always wants to do just a little more shopping!

Lilacs...

I love Lilacs...our lilacs were in full bloom last week...sadly this week they are almost all gone. Elsie and I picked several bunches of lilacs and had them in vases throughout the house. I love the sent of fresh lilacs in our house! Elsie even had a little glass jar of lilacs in her little kitchen...she said she wanted our kitchen's to match! So sweet...
When we first bought our house I was so thrilled to learn there was a big lilac bush in the front yard...We had had a lilac bush at our old house...but Jon hated it and chopped it down without me knowing! Jon learned his lesson...and this lilac bush is here to stay! Just a few days ago Jon was talking about getting a few more lilac bushes to line the front of the yard! I would be okay with that...

Flowers...

One of my favorite parts of summer is planting flowers...my least favorite part are little fingers that pick my lovely flowers...and remembering to water the flowers daily!
Nothing brightens up the yard like flowers...

My favorite place to plant flowers is in the little flower box on the garage....it makes the whole yard have a cottage-like feel. My dream is to have window boxes on several windows on the house...but Jon insists they would get in the way...so I for now I will be satisfied with the one of the garage. This weekend we have to get more flowers to finish filling all the flower pots...

Snack Time...

Now that summer is here the kids eat tons and tons of fresh fruit and veggies. I love grocery shopping in the summer...we do most of the shopping in the produce section...we load our cart with fresh grapes, peaches, watermelon, muskmelon, corn-on-the-cob, carrots, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, lettuce and spinach...you name it and it is probably in our cart!
A couple weeks ago the kids and I ventured up to the local farmer's market stand in town and bought our first watermelon of the season...the kids both watched in great anticipation as I sliced the melon up! They both sat at the little table and devoured several pieces each!

Yum...Elsie is more of the veggie lover...give this girl a carrot and she will happily turn down a cookie...but in the summer no one can possible turn down a nice juicy slice of watermelon!

James is both a fruit and veggie lover...his favorite lately has been grapes and watermelon...he eats both almost every day! And he thinks he is such a big boy to be sitting in the little chairs that he refused to eat the little pieces of watermelon...he wanted a big piece!

We had quite a sticky mess to clean up...but it was so good that it was worth it!

Elsie eats and stays perfectly clean...so I know there is hope for James! Just a little note...Elsie is into letting me fix her hair again! She loves 2 braids...and she looks so old and so darn cute in them!

I think by the time James was done with his watermelon he had just as much on the floor as in his belly! This picture make me want to establish a new rule...watermelon outside only...but I doubt that would work! So glad my kids enjoy all the fresh food that comes with summer!