New Things

There have been some new things going on at our house.

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but I have been able to keep certain play areas and play places a secret...until now. My children just found out several months ago that Chik-fil-a has a play area. It wasn't that I didn't want them play there (it's probably the cleanest one of all fast food places), we just always sat on the other side of the restaurant where the play area wasn't visible. They were happy just getting their kids' meals, and I was happy not to fight to get them to leave, so why change it right? Well, they have since found me out. Leaving actually wasn't bad at all, which was a nice surprise. Now, one place I really didn't want to introduce them to was Chuck E. Cheese. I had heard it was always terribly crowded, horror stories about ball pits, and that it was dirty. Well, the kids were invited to a birthday party there. We took them and I was pleasantly surprised. It seemed clean, wasn't overly crowded (we were there at 10:00 a.m. so that probably helped), and the pizza wasn't bad either. Evan and Ella Grace LOVED it!

Evan and me trying to convince EG that Barney wasn't scary. Ha!

EG checking Barney out from a distance.

Another BIG new thing is Evan started back to school. He is now at his new school and loving it. He started last Wednesday. He has the sweetest teachers!

Mrs. Hodge and Evan. He was saying, "Cheeeeese." I annoy him by taking pictures I think.

He checked out every inch of his classroom at open house. Here he is nosing around his teachers cubicle! Ha!

I held up the "car rider" line to take this picture. He was walking down the sidewalk with Mrs. Hodge. I informed another teacher that I was sorry but I had to take this picture and that I was "THAT" mom. Ha!

Since Evan was having a big day, I took Ella Grace somewhere new. She went to the WonderPlace for the first time. We invited some friends along and she had a BLAST! It is the cutest little place that really encourages imaginative play, which is what EG is all about these days. I love to hear her say, "Just pretend."

Her favorite part was the play vet station. Soooo cute!




Ella Grace and her friend Emily playing in the sand. EG had a tight grip on that cat. I didn't thing we would be able to leave without it!

I love pictures of my kids from the back!

On another note, this was the first chance we have had all summer to have our entire families over to swim (right here at the end of summer). I just love this picture. Big and little kids are swimming it up. It's a pool full of boys! Ella Grace and my niece, Sarah, were the only girls swimming. That is until my darling husband threw me in! Then, we threw my sister in. Good times!

I don't want summer to end!