August 2011

I seriously don't know where our summer has gone. As I'm writing this we're already into October and it just seems like a few weeks ago we got back from the states. We've had a really nice summer though. Sam think's it's been a cold summer, but when I look back at pictures I realize Elly's played in the pool alot and we've had a lot of nice days outdoors.

Elly has absolutely LOVED having the kids next door home from school all summer long. If she hears them in their backyard she goes outside to talk to them and I've often left the front door open so they could play back and forth between our houses. Elly is always on the lookout for them. Every time we pass their windows I have to remind Elly that we don't look in other people's houses. If I don't watch her she'll have her face plastered on their window trying to see where they are. They are really great neighbors and we're thankful they're going to be here another couple of years.

Elly is such a great little helper. Sometimes jobs take a lot longer due to that "help", but it just makes her day if she feels like she's helping. Often when I'm in the kitchen working, she'll pull a chair up to the counter so she can be part of what I'm doing. She loves to say "Elly and Mama are busy". So often, when she wants me to spend my day on the floor playing with her I have to tell her "Mama's busy", so when she can be part of that "busy-ness" she just loves it.

Any time Sam is working in the yard she's his right hand man. She thinks doing grown-up chores is just the best. It would be awesome to find a way to capture that enthusiasm she has for work. Here she was "helping" Sam mow the back yard. I don't know how he ever did it without her :)

Another beautiful day for Elly to spend in the pool.





Such concentration



Elly loves to "help" me make her muffins. She knows just what the process is and keeps me straight. Her favorite part is tasting the batter before I put the pan in the oven...she's my girl for sure :)




Elly always wants to be the one to put the bag back in the trash can. If she sees us doing it she yells "I do it!".




She's even helping get herself dressed these days. One day I was upstairs working in our rooms and she came into our room looking like this...
She has quite the fashion sense, don't you think?







One day at the PX I bought her some sidewalk chalks not thinking she would really be that interested. Was I ever wrong! She loves coloring with her chalks. It could have something to do with the fact that a lot of times the kids next door join her to draw on the concrete. Our sidewalk is often covered in pretty pictures. I love it!




For several years I've wanted to make my own Green Tomato Relish because anytime Mom sends it through the mail it arrives in bad shape. Somehow during the trip the seal gets broken and by the time it gets to me it smells like it's going bad. What a waste when I've had to throw that wonderful relish in the trash.

The problem has been finding green tomatoes. I've never seen them for sale over here, so this year I finally decided to buy my own tomato plants just for the green tomatoes. Thankfully, I got enough to make two batches of the relish. I LOVE this stuff!


Elly discovered my Nintendo DS one day and took a liking to it. It entertains her quite well for some time so it's a great little trick to have in my back pocket for those times I need to keep her busy. This particular day she brought a blanket into the kitchen so she could still be near me, but play with the DS. She's such a funny little girl!
And ANOTHER beautiful day in the pool.





One evening we were having a friend over for a cook out and Elly had her dolls outside with her. Sam told me to come look and here Elly had her shirt up and was "nursing" her baby. It was the cutest thing although I think it took our company by surprise :) It's such a natural thing to her since she was nursed. That's just what mamas do to take care of their babies. I think it's really sweet.






And we'll end on another fashion statement from Elly. A girl's gotta have her some stylin' sun glasses :)



Until next time...