extras extras: summer style.

my friend Jenny recently had the brilliant idea to do an "unblogged summer" post on her cute blog. basically she included bunches of fun and random summer stuff together that never made the cut.
so here i am, playing copycat ... because i am wayyy behind. and have wayyyy too many cute pictures that deserve to be seen.

playing:
we spent most of the summer playing playing playing. Alice has found her little personality and realized how much fun toys can be. Ellie has realized that Alice is actually quite fun to have around. we've also enjoyed lots of playdates and parkdates with friends. being little and carefree must be so fun, huh?

 

eating cupcakes on Ellie's birthday:
i took cute pictures of this, and never got a chance to post them- since i felt like i overwhelmed the blogosphere (and myself) with Ellie's birthday celebrations this year. still, the pictures were cute and fun and deserve to be seen. i love how much joy butter-cream frosting can bring to a three-year old's face.

 

3-year-old struggles:
Ellie turning 3 has definitely played its toll on me. we've got teenage emotions mixed with the neediness of a colicky baby- i honestly don't know what to do with her (or myself) most days. i have been humbled realizing that i have no clue what i am doing- and have so much to learn. having said that, she's my best little friend and i love her little feisty pants. just don't be surprised if you see me with a frazzled look in my eye, and my new kindle stocked with parenting help books.

six flags:
we're so stinkin' lucky to live close enough to such a fun place, and to have several friends who will go with us on a whim to ride rides, see animals, and get soaked. we have loved going to Six Flags this summer.

swimming:
of course we've done lots of random swimming escapades. from splash pads to community pools to grandma and grandpa's pool to Gammy and Pop's pool - it's not summer without tons and tons and tons of swimming.

 

 

painting:
Ellie discovered this summer that she loves to paint, thanks to a cute little watercolor birthday present from one of her friends. we have spent TONS of hours painting. and painting. and painting some more.

Ellie taking pictures:
this summer Ellie has become obsessed with taking pictures. it started with her own play-camera...and ever-so-quickly translated to using my camera(s). like mama, like daughter, i guess. it's cute and stressful- but it means i get to be in some pictures...or at least half of me does....and sometimes its just a little fuzzy. and sometimes it ends up being just a random half-naked picture of Alice. but sometimes, it actually turns out pretty dern cute! (yes, the last picture here was taken by Ellie!)

 

 family dinner time:
one fun thing we've been working really hard to do this summer is to sit down as a family to eat dinner. it was one of my favorite things about growing up- but i didn't realize how tricky it would be to make happen in my own house...especially since Ellie has always been so picky so i've usually just succumbed to chasing her around the house, sneaking bites of food in her mouth. sitting in one place in the name of "eating" was clearly not an option. but then wonderful Alice came into our lives- and she wants to eat anything and everything...and has thus rightfully earned the nickname "lil munch" (short for lil muncher). so thanks to lil munch, food is suddenly more interesting....you can see Ellie's thought process- "if Alice wants it, i want it too!" and thus Ellie is finally eating like a more normal human...and we can all dine together in familial chaos. it's truly one of my dreams come true (though i do have to mop much more frequently now).

 

southern Cal:
we took two separate trips to SouthernCal this summer- and i have several adorable pictures that never made it from both of our trips. pictures with family. pictures at the pool and beach. and pictures from Disneyland. but since i have sooooo many Disneyland pic's i thought i'd do an unblogged Disney post later. yes, that sounds nice.

southern cal; the beach:
being at the beach just makes for the cutest pictures, don't you think?

man, after posting all of this, i need a diet coke.
i'm pooped just reliving it all.
and with all of this done and recorded (along with my upcoming Disneyland post), i am happy to say i am ready for summer's hecticness to wind down, and for Joy School, Dance, Mom's Day Out, and ROUTINES to make their way back into my hum-drum life....
oh yes, and autumn too.
because it's my fave.
though i may have mentioned that once or twice here before.

goodbye summerness of 2011!
xoxo