A Fun Summer Day

Today was Gracie's first day out of summer school. We had a good time getting back into our old routine. She didn't sleep in, but stayed in her pj's for a while and thought it was great. She also enjoyed a Popsicle outside with her sister.

Yum!

Ella is a little uncertain about Popsicles. This one broke off in her mouth and she didn't know if she should spit it out or eat it.

Our two girls. They are so sweet!

After Brent got home from work, we headed to Columbia. He has been doing spinal decompression treatments on his back and this was one of his appointment days. After his treatment, we headed to the mall. Ella rode the carousel for the first time. She was a little nervous, but as long as I kept holding on tight she seemed okay.

I think she's biting her fingernails off out of nervousness!

Oops! Gracie blinked, but this was the only picture we got of Gracie this time. She still chooses an animal that won't move. She likes to stay stationary.

The mall has an area for kids to play. Ella is technically too little, but she played anyway. She was chicken to go down the little slide on her bottom, so she would maneuver around to her tummy each time.

This slide looks awfully big to a one year old!

Oops! This time Ella didn't get turned around in time and she took off sliding on her hiney! She clapped for herself like it was a big accomplishment.

Gracie loves to sit on top of the big balls and leap to the next section of toys. It's kind of frightening to watch her leap! She took a moment to pose for me.

Pose # 2 - She never runs out of poses!

Pose #3 - The classic head tilt. This is Gracie's favorite pose.

Gracie helped Ella get on top of a ball so she could "feel big."

Did I Mention We Like Garage Sales???

I guess Gracie is going to be my garage sale companion. She loves to go and is a pro at spotting a neon sign advertising a garage sale. This tiger striped outfit was one of our finds today. It's a gymnastics outfit that someone sadly outgrew. The little girl who it belonged to informed us that she wanted to sleep in it some nights, but her mom wouldn't let her.

Gracie has a pretty good tiger cat pose. I forgot to mention, the mask is something Uncle Dana gave her a long time ago and the cat ears were from a Halloween a few years ago.

Always one to be part of the action, Ella had to wear the mask for a while. She also enjoys roaring like a lion these days. "Ella...what does a lion say?" RAAAAAAR!!!!

Slip "N Slide .... Round 2

Gracie really is enjoying the new slip 'n slide, which is why we had to get it out 2 days in a row!

While I was rushing around to get Ella outside to play in the water, we had an accident. I told Ella to come with me, and she came running at me at a dead run. Needless to say, she tripped on a rug and got her first goose egg as her head smashed into our couch's arm on some brass detailing. Ouch! The picture doesn't do it justice. It swelled up nicely, but not as bad as Gracie's first goose egg. I really thought her head was going to explode as it kept growing!

Brent placed the slip 'n slide on our hill this time. It's a small slide, so it's not like we got to use the entire hill, but it was enough for our crew. As you can see, Brent slid quite well.

The ducks in the pool area were for Ella's benefit. Gracie just like crashing into them. Whee!

Teddy Bear Picnic

Gracie's summer school class hosted a teddy bear picnic. They were allowed to invite a guest and bring a teddy bear. Gracie brought her pink teddy bear blankie she has slept with since birth and I got to be her guest. Yeah! It was a very hot day to be sitting out in the sun for a picnic, but lunch was only 30 minutes long so we all survived. It was cute to see Gracie interact with her teacher and classmates. This was the last summer school day because Monday we go on a field trip to Ottumwa to the water park and then school is over. Gracie told my mom she really likes school, but she likes being home also. She said, "Nana, it's just better when families are together." Awww!

The Slip 'N Slide

Weeks ago when summer school was just beginning, Brent and Gracie explained to me that they gave prizes away every day at school. Brent was in charge of drawing 4 kid's names each day and the first person got to choose first out of 4 prizes, then the second person and so on. Every kid enrolled will win by the end of summer school. Well, we waited and waited for Gracie's name to be chosen, and it finally happened this week. Brent and Gracie came home with a slip 'n slide which had been exactly what Brent hoped she would get the chance to win. With absolutely no rigging on his part, Gracie ended up with this wonderful prize. We had to wait a couple days for the weather to clear up, but we finally used it today.
Gracie and Ella both enjoyed sticking their hands in the water that sprays up from the perimeter of the little pool area while Brent was getting it set up.

Brent was the first one to give the slip 'n slide a whirl. He had to show Gracie the proper technique!

On Gracie's first try she didn't quite make it all the way down the slide. The boogie boards that came with it didn't really work the best, so we quickly put them aside.

Ella was quite uncertain about this contraption, but she was fairly happy to stand and watch our antics. She would periodically walk through the spray to cool down. She was also a fabulous cheerleader and clapped and smiled everytime one of us came sliding through.

Brent trying the head first technique which Gracie didn't want to attempt. I was fine with that since I saw a boy knock half his teeth out doing that when I was in college.

What a fun time we had on the slip 'n slide. The neighbors were probably all watching us in great amusement!

Brent tried just pushing Gracie down to the end so that she could splash in the pool. It was pretty effective.

Look at those thighs! How cute!

Good one, Gracie! Nice slide into the pool.

Finally, I tried to get Ella to just walk down the slide and splash in the pool. It was fairly non-effective. She did it once and then went back to her cheerleading duties.

Fun for $2.00

I found this little tape player with a microphone at a yard sale last week. Ella was instantly fond of it, so I bought it. Gracie was at school at the time, but I knew she would enjoy it as well. As you can see, Ella enjoys it very much. She watched Gracie singing and talking in the microphone, and she quickly learned that she could jabber in it as well.

Before long Ella realized that if she put the microphone in her mouth and grunted, it created some funny sounds. Good thing I thoroughly disinfected the toy before she got to play with it!

This isn't a great picture, but it captured how amused Ella was when she was making funny noises into the microphone. She would make a noise then cover her mouth and laugh. That's her trademark laugh. She loves to cover her mouth with her hand, and we all think it is so cute.

Happy Father's Day

Brent with his pretty girls before church today.

Ella doesn't look too amused in this picture.

Gracie loves to pose for pictures with her Daddy!!!

Ella and Brent were having a conversation about her sunglasses.

This is another one of those goofy shots! Ella doesn't really know how to smile for the camera on command.

Again, little Miss Posey with the teddy bear.

We drove to Moberly for lunch after church to eat with my parents and Nana Kaser.

Here's Grandpa posing with his two granddaughters. It looks like Ella is laughing at Grandpa...almost like she already understands how silly he is.

Another cute shot of Grandpa and his girls.

After lunch we went to my parent's house for a while. Gracie wanted to start the 1000 piece puzzle we gave my dad as part of his gift. I don't think they got very far.