Misc Photos from July

On school days, Sadie and I drop Ellie off at school and on the way home stop by for a quick leg-stretcher loop around the lake. She loves the lake.

Here she is pointing and giggling and talking furiously. It took me a while to realize that she knew exactly what she was saying: "Duck! Duck! Duck!"
I didn't even know she knew that word!

Here we are visiting Daddy in the campus organic garden. During the summer Wes and his students helped out in the early mornings before heading out to do their field work.

Sadie loves the beans. Mmmmmm yummy!

But basil, not so much. Here she's pushing it away. Ick! No thanks Mommy!

A couple more swim class pics. Ellie with her two swim buddies.

Fearless!

Another field trip!

This was my favorite field trip so far. We went to a local state park and let the kids loose in the lake. It was perfect for them! The water was waist high in the kids' swimming area so they didn't have to compete for who could swim without floaties.

The field trip happened while Ellie was in the middle of taking swim classes
so she was eager to test out her new-found talent.

Is this an otter or is it Ellie???

Ellie and a friend tested each other to see who was bravest going under water.

The children had a chance to take canoe rides

Lunch time!

Children's fountain

We love the children's interactive fountain downtown!

Ellie jumps right in.

Sadie is a little unnerved by the random waterspouts. But as long as she is safe in someone's arms, she loves to get in on the action.

Ellie spends a lot of time trying to stop the water spouts... with no luck.

I just love this photo of Ellie. Why don't grown ups throw on their suits and
run through fountains more often?

Train ride

Oh boy oh boy oh boy... we get to ride a TRAIN!!

We have the place to ourselves!


All aboard


Sadie checking out the train


Isn't this fun!?


Ellie spots a tunnel up ahead
(she's still wearing her bindi from Mia's party the day before)


What's a tunnel?


There was no one else around so the conductor let us ride the train again...


...and again...


and again!

Swim class

Ellie took a swim class this summer with a couple of her friends.

Alex and Ellie: before they were swimmers.


Ready everyone?


Paying good attention.


Sadie is ready to learn too!


Mr. Roger's neighborhood?

Misc Photos from July

Ellie with playgroup friends Nicholas and Jack


Magic never sleeps


Hanging out, eating O's.


We went to more birthday parties. Hey, there's a baby in that balloon!


Is there anything better than birthday cake? I can't think of anything....


... except CORN! Sadie's favorite food.


We had a dinner with a group of Wes' students, one of whom brought along her guitar. Ellie fell in LOVE with the guitar. She wants to be a singer when she grows up.


Playing in the fort, Mommy will never be able to find us here.


Ellie loves her dress-up shoes.

Vineyard Trip contd.

On our last night there Ellie caught a crab

extracting the crab from the net (I love Ellie's face here)

hello crab

Sadie playing with her toothbrush