Family Update

I'm a bit overdue for a family update so I thought I would just post some recent snapshots and write some captions for each one to update you... if you're interested ... or you can just look at the photos!

At Ellie's school, the class will read a book and the teacher designs a week or two's curriculum around the featured piece. This week it was the book Miss Spider's Tea Party. Lessons revolved around a variety of related topics all geared towards ultimately hosting a class tea party at the end of the unit. One day they made invitations and walked to the post office where they mailed them to their homes. Another day they learned how to set the table and learned the names of all of the utensils (see placemat above). On Friday we attended the class tea party and the kids added black licorice and red hots to cupcakes (which they had made the day before) to have spider-themed dessert. Here's Ellie making hers.

When we arrived at the library, the class was sitting on stairs while the teacher read the book to them one more time. Ellie frequently would belt out in the middle of the story, "Hi, Mommy and Daddy!" or, "Look! It's my mommy and daddy!" Sweet, but slightly embarrassing as the other kids managed to sit still and stay silent in spite of their parents also being in the room.

Ellie is wearing a dress to 'dress up' for the tea party. While getting ready for school we were watching Disney's "Cinderella" (a frequent request after the two week unit on princes/princesses). After the Fairy Godmother transforms Cinderella's shredded, homemade dress into a lovely gown, Ellie turned to me, pointing to her yellow dress said, "I want a blue dress like Cinderella."

Wow. She really is becoming so much more aware of what's taking place around her.

After the tea party (which was held in the library), we went back to the classroom to retrieve backpacks and do the final circle time songs. After each song Ellie loudly announced (to the laughter of the assembled parents and grandparents, which I think only served to encourage her), "I want to go home and eat lunch!" That's her cubby below.

This week we decided her hair was long enough to pull up into a pony tail. Don't you think she looks SO grown up? I love the look on her. Enough to postpone cutting her hair for a while longer.

We have the pleasure of hosting missionary guests each weekend for the center's Sunday night Global Cafe`. Here's Ellie with young Caleb Hallahan (almost three). She's really gotten excited recently about having friends over to play, which in turn excites us. Playing generally consists of hide and seek, chasing (or being chased) around the house, or hitting an unlucky little person (in love, of course) with balloons. It's a start!

Last weekend Ellie was totally thrilled to have Gigi, Gjyshe, and Aunt Hannah visit. She was very cranky when they were preparing to leave. As the door closed, she said, "Come back Saturday!" We wish, Els! Now she's asking for Nonna and PaPa to visit. I told her they will come next month, in about four weeks. She said, "No weeks! Monday!" Now if the doorbell rings she says, "Is it Nonna?"


Did you know it was monsoon season here in Kentucky? I shot this out our bedroom window this afternoon. I think we were supposed to get an additional 2-3 inches of rain this weekend.

Finally, (last Ellie story), tonight Nathan and I went out on a date. One of our cabinet members came over to sit with her while we were gone, much to Ellie's excitement. As we left she said, "Bye! See you after nap!" When we returned tonight her sitter told us that in the middle of supper, Ellie stopped to pray and in between many incoherant mumbles said, "Help Mommy and Daddy not to talk in the movie, Amen!"

Isn't that hilarious?