Slip & Slide...

Before Grace left for Bible School, Poppy said, "when you get home we'll get out the Slip & Slide" they had bought one end of the season for the lake house and found it the last time they were down there. Grace was so excited I'm surprised she didn't bail on Bible School. When she got home she quickly ate her dinner so she could get her bathing suit on and go outside! She wanted Matt or I to get our bathing suit on too, so I got mine on, and we all headed outside.

Grace had no clue what to do, we tried to ex lain it to her but that wasn't working... she would run on it and then once she was almost to the end then she would try and slide. So I had to "take one for the team" and slide - the first few times went okay, but the last one & OUCH! My hip bone is already starting to turn purple and my elbow... ouch! I think I'll pay for this tomorrow:-) It wasn't until after I was benched that Poppy said, "the package says you have to be 5 or older, but under the age of 12" - like I said, now he tells me!

Grace loved it though so that's what is important:-)

Let's go the the BEACH!!!!

Okay so what do you do when you ask your four year old, "what do you want to do tomorrow honey?" and she says, "lets go to the BEACH!!!!" - I mean we live in Indiana... the beach? Seriously? Let me just call and have the jet fueled up:-) Well, it appears the jet is taken and who wants to let a four year old down?

So we headed to the beach at the lake (Lake Santee).... we picked Jess & Ella up at 9:30 a.m. - managed to get all three girls AND their car seats in the back of my car. A HUGE accomplishment - 1) made it nicer being able to ride & chat, 2) we could check off the "car pool" list -- soooo GREEN!!! Once we made it to the lake & unloaded all of our stuff, the girls immediately started digging in the sand. Eva was even pretty good hanging out on the towel (she's not a huge fan of the sand) so I was impressed. The girls played in the sand, played down by the water, their were several swing sets w/ slides, a merry-go-round, they played w/ the beach ball -- you name it they were doing it!

Oh and they got to feed the ducks... you would have thought Grace won the lottery -- she came running up to me and said "MOM, the duck ate my pretzel!!!" Both Grace & Ella chased the ducks, I guess they owed it to them to feed them after they terrorized them:-) The girls even made a few friends while they were there.

When we were getting ready to leave there was a VERY large boy (honestly I'm guessing 1000 lbs. - no joke, and he was young too it was sad) you wanted to look, but knew you shouldn't. Grace and I haven't talked about why people are different b/c it's not something she's ever really noticed before. But while I was walking Eva up to the car Grace was w/ Jess & Ella when he walked by - apparently Grace and I NEED to have this talk soon! B/c Grace yelled to Jess, "Jess - did you see that BIG BOY??!!" Jess told her - SSHHHH!!!! Don't say anything (honestly hoping he didn't squish her) when Grace repeated it, only a decimal lower... I think she wanted to point me out and say "that's her mom, we just met her today". It must have made an impression on Grace b/c right after giving Matt the shells she found for him she told him about the "BIG BOY".

Oh I almost forgot (reading Jess's blog helped me remember!!!).... when we got to Jess's, Jess & I were unpacking. Apparently Ella asked Grace for gum -- or maybe Grace offered it (she probably knew if she could unload hers she could get "new gum"). Grace is bragging that she shared w/ Ella and gave her some GUM! Then makes the comment that she got "new gum", then she makes some comment that sounded like... she gave Ella her old gum... before Jess & I could processes what she said, Ella says "YEAH! Her shared w/ me!" And is sporting a huge piece of old blue gum! Jess & I laughed & laughed & laughed b/c Grace had chewed that gum ALL DAY - she'd had it in her mouth the entire time we were gone including when she was eating pretzels! But Ella was so excited to have Grace's used gum - smiling proudly to show it off. As Jess said, "What great friends, wonder how long they will be swapping used gum."

Checking out the castle...

A morning at Ella's...

This morning we (Matt & I) had to go to Lee's Supply to pick out our plumbing fixtures. Matt's mom was going to watch the girls but when we had to move the apt. she had plans, so Jess GRACIOUSLY agreed to watch both girls (she's CRAZY I know!).

So we got there to drop them off about 8:30 a.m. - we stopped and picked up Linnie's donut holes b/c EVERYONE loves donut holes!!! Grace took her bike & her bathing suit. While we were gone, Jess was like "SUPER MOM" they went on a bike ride - Ella & Grace riding... w/ Eva in the stroller... they played in the sprinkler, played inside... you name it. When we got there to pick the girls up, Grace didn't want to leave - she said "I promise I'll take a nap here mom!". But we made her go home:-(

Grace had to get her nap in b/c gymnastics is normally on Wed. from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., so she would miss her lesson, but Erin her teacher said she could come to the earlier class (the one Ella is in) at 5:00 - 5:45 p.m. So we did gymnastics, followed by a quick wardrobe change in the restroom, snacks in the car and made it to Bible school at 6:00 p.m. - what a busy evening for a four year old!!!

A reason to smile...

After heading home from Jess's we had lunch, got our swim suits on (yes - all three of us!) & headed out back to have some fun playing in the sprinkler!!! Eva wasn't too crazy about it - but seriously had I thought she would be.... NO! I mean there was "grass" involved... we still don't like grass on our toes. BUT we had tons of fun chasing Grace, yes that means I hold Eva & run after Grace. At the rate this vacation is going I should weigh less by the end of the week, even though being at home we seem to have soooo many good snacks:-)

Below are pics of Gracie playing in the sprinkler:

Going GREEN - painting at Ella's...

This morning we went to Jess & Ella's to paint canvas bags!!! Woo-hoo - what fun! Okay, why you ask? Well my New Year's resolution was to be GREENER... I've sucked Jess into this too, I mean we really should consider how we leave the planet, the girls will have to live here, and their children too! Or hopefully their children:-)

So Jess & I have faithfully been using our canvas bags at the grocery store - every once in a while I forget & other than its probably just as bad to drive all the way home to get them - spewing gas fumes into the air, I would go home and get them. I have been doing better - like 9 times out of 10 I remember. But I thought Grace NEVER forgets (unless you don't want her too!) but if she had a bag of her own she would TOTALLY remember!

So off to Jess's we went where the girls painted their own bags:-) It was funny b/c what ever Grace had Ella would then decide she wanted it. I honestly think if Grace said, "I want to smear poo all over mine, Ella would have said - NO its my poo I'm smearing it!" They were too funny! Eva on the other hand was happy playing and just wanted to be part of what the girls were doing. She did get to paint a little, until she decided she wanted to put the paint in her mouth - then I had to cut her off (even though it was non-toxic). So then I helped her finished, Jess thought her bag was the best... go figure!

All in all it was a GREAT morning!

Below are pics of Grace painting & her finished bag:

Vacation Bible School....

Tonight Grace started Vacation Bible School @ St. Joe. Its this entire week from 6-8 p.m. every evening. She's been so excited about going, but when we got there (the gym) & she didn't know anyone you could tell she was a little nervous. Then in walked Jillian Antel - Carla (Boring) Antel's daughter, Grace does gymnastics w/ Jillian. When Grace saw Jillian there she got a HUGE smile and ran off to join the group. When we picked her up she had so much fun - it was so sweet!!!!