Memorial Day Weekend

Our Memorial Day Weekend started off on Friday. Sweet John slept until about 8:30am and Ella Kate slept until I finally woke her up at 9am so needless to say we decided to skip school and just enjoy the start to a long weekend. We played outside all morning in our pajamas. I don't think we actually got dressed until around noon. It was so nice to just relax. Dave came home a little early from work and we went on a family run from our house to the Illinois Monument and back and then got ready to meet friends for Mexican food. Ella Kate especially had fun playing with everyone afterwards. She ran and ran and both her and John were asleep as soon as the car started on the way home.
Saturday afternoon we had a fish fry and ate lunch with an old neighbor. Ella Kate loved showing Mr. Paul all of her toys and demonstrating her forward roll. After lunch we headed to the neighborhood pool for the opening pool party. We had such a great time. We saw lots of friends, neighbors, and even some of Ella Kate's classmates. Ella Kate and John swam there little hearts out. Saturday night we went to our neighbors house for dinner, smores, and sparklers. They were even playing the movie Tangled on a big projector screen outside in their backyard. They were sweet enough to invite Ella Kate to stay for the movie but she decided that she needed her Mommy and wanted to come on home with Dave and I as it was already around 9:30pm and sweet baby boy John needed his bed.

Sunday morning we went to Sunday School, lunch and a family fun trip to Costco. We met some friends at the pool to grill out for dinner and we all had a great time. I think Dave especially loves Ella Kate's age right now. She loves to swim and is pretty good at it. She also loves to be thrown in the water and we were joking calling him Camp Counselor Dave tonight. I think he was probably in the pool for at least a couple of hours just throwing kids. He was loving every minute of it. We are so thankful for such a great neighborhood. I looked around at one point tonight and all the Dads were having a big water gun fight in the pool - I think they were having as much fun as the kids.

Happy Memorial Day!!

John and Ella Kate on their way to the opening pool party.
I know this is not a great picture but it was so sweet I had to include it. This was taken at our neighbor, Ms. Joyce's house on Saturday night. The cake was to celebrate all of the "graduates." Yep, it ranged from 2 year preschool - 8th grade. Congrats!! The sweet girl holding Ella Kate is our neighbor and one of our babysitters, Georgia. She is so sweet to Ella Kate and John and such a big help to me. Ella Kate just adores her!
Two little angels all ready for Sunday School.

Ella Kate loves her little brother!

I had been looking for a new hat for John to protect him from the sun and I lucked out and found it at Costco. Ella Kate of course needed one too. They were cute sporting their new hats around the store.

Dave and I got to laughing in Costco because John was literally torturing poor Ella Kate. He of course does not know any better quite yet but he pulled her hair, dress, etc. I am afraid that he is going to be messing with her for many years to come. HaHa. I have quickly realized there is quite a big difference between little boys and girls.

The sweet little rascals at the pool for a fun family grill out night. Sweet baby John got to hang with the big kids for a little while.

Lawton, Mary Cobb, Ella Kate, John, Caroline, and Pres. Love all of these sweet little ones.

Papa and LeLe stopped by the pool to say hello. John had been in the pool for quite a while and was very happy to be rescued by Papa.

Little Swimmers.

Water Gun! John was very interested.

They were all so good waiting patiently on the side during adult swim time.

Camp Counselor Dave throwing Caroline high in the hair.

Daddy throwing Ella Kate up high! Dave is such a good dad! He loves his Ella Kate and John.

Ella Kate 2 Year Preschool Pics

Ella Kate had such a great year in 2 year preschool this year. We are so thankful for her sweet teachers and lots of new fun friends! Looking forward to next year! Can't believe she will be 3 next month.
Ella Kate's Class pic

Ella Kate's school pic. My, My, school pictures have come along way over the years. I do not remember any of my school pics looking like this :)

Ella Kate's teachers made a video of lots of pictures of the kids throughout the year. This includes both the M/W and T/Th 2 year old classes. So sweet!! Please excuse some of Ella Kate's hair do's and outfits. Dave dresses her and drops her off on M/W :) HaHa.

Last Day of Gymnastics and Sprinkler Fun with Neighbors

Last weekend we grilled out with some of our awesome neighbors the McGhee's and Parrish's and the kids had a blast playing in the sprinkler.

Mary Cobb and Lawton having fun!

Lawton had a hard time keeping his shorts up:)

Ella Kate and Tommy.

Big buddies.

We have had so much fun this year taking Gymnastics with our sweet friend Pres. Brittany and I have so much fun talking and catching up while they have class and I will miss our Tuesday morning gossip sessions. We will definitely have to sign them back up in the fall when school starts again. Below are pics of their last day of gymnastics.

When I asked them to smile Pres being a gentlemen just naturally put his arm around Ella Kate. He is so sweet.

Ohh how she loves the trampoline.

So talented :)

These two really have gotten stronger during gymnastics and most importantly they have had fun! Thanks Mrs. Vikki!!!

Sweet John waiting patiently while Ella Kate is in gymnastics.

There is nothing I love more than seersucker on little boys in the summer.

Mothers Day and Beach Trip

All is going well with the Elliott Family. We just got back from another fun beach trip and had a great Mothers Day. Ella Kate is growing in leaps and bounds and gearing up for her Pirates and Mermaid birthday party next month. Sweet John is doing great too. We are getting closer and closer to him crawling. He has figured out how to get up on his knees and I think we will have a crawler on our hands pretty soon. So thankful for these sweet babies.

Happy boy John posing in his chair in his room. The fish mounted on the wall is one that Dave caught when he was younger and John loves staring at this fish when I read him nighttime stories.

I love this little boy. He is wearing one of his Daddy's outfits when he was a little boy.

Our little man ;)

Junior and Senior at the beach a couple of weeks ago.

The cutest little bottom on the beach.

Ella Kate having fun spraying Daddy down with Silly String.

John loved the sand.

Ella Kate loved buring John's feet and legs in the sand.

Ella Kate and Daddy jumping waves in the ocean.

Daddy pulling Ella Kate in the boat.

Ella Kate practicing fishing.

She is a very serious fisherwoman.

Love.

Looking for crabs on the beach at night.

John with Aunt Laura and Uncle Jason.

LeLe with Ella Kate and John on Mothers Day.

Three Generations.

Now these two have some big news!!! Wahooooo They are having a baby!! We are so excited!!!! Ella Kate says they are going to have a girl! I think John is probaly hoping for another boy cousin to play with. Dave and I will be happy with a niece or a nephew! Can't wait for the new little addition to arrive in late Novemeber. Another year of exciting holidays.