Memorial Day Weekend

We had a busy, fun Memorial Day weekend. Friday night, Rob and I got Chipotle burritos for dinner and at them at the playground while Ella played. After she went to bed, we enjoyed sitting outside together around our new fire pit.

Saturday, a warm, humid day, we walked to some more area yard sales and visited the playground, again (Ella is smart enough to know which streets lead to the playground and points that out as we pass them). We let her play with the garden hose to cool off while we got a couple of things done outside. Later in the evening, our new neighbors came over for dessert and drinks. I made my friend, Vivian's, delicious Derby Pie. I forgot that my oven bakes quickly, so next time I'll take it out a little sooner, but otherwise it was so delicious--warm pecans, sugar, and chocolate chips--what can be better than that?

Ella taking Rob shopping with her purse and cart

warm Derby Pie

On Sunday, we went to Mass in the morning, to Panera for breakfast, and then did some more things in and around the house. Rob and Ella put up a flag for the holiday. Later, Rob's best friend from elementary school, Ben, came to visit. Rob grilled homemade stuffed (mozzarella and roasted red peppers) turkey burgers for us. In the evening, we headed to Harrisburg.

ready for church with her purse full of goodies
and new sandals from Pappy and Baba

Ella helping Rob with the flag installation

We spent Memorial Day with my parents. Gram came over, too. We relaxed, ate a yummy meal on the deck, and played with Ella, who enjoyed the backyard and her sandbox. Rob and I also broke down and decided to buy a DVD player for our car. Ella has never been a good car rider (she is not one of those kids who falls asleeps, looks out the window, or talks)--she acts like it is torture to ride in her carseat. It is always a stressful time when we drive with her, so we decided to try letting her watch a movie to see if that would be better. On the way home that evening, Ella sat for the 2 hour drive without one fuss, whimper, cry, or scream. In fact, she even laughed and smiled--pretty much a first for her in the car, and, in turn, my fingertips were not white when we got home. I felt a little guilty about getting a DVD player (as we always said, "Why don't parents just talk, sing, interact with their kids in the car?"), but when we experienced our first calm car ride with Ella in nearly 2 years, I don't feel too bad about our purchase. Hopefully, we'll be able to go more places during "non-nap times" without a struggle, as we (or I) often planned trips around her naps so Ella would fall asleep.

popping bubble wrap on Baba and Pappy's deck
(love free "toys")

playing in sandbox

"Look at me, Mommy!"
(That actually is one of her favorite phrases now)

showing Rob how to hide her feet in the sand

showing Baba and Gram her piggy toes


pouring sand into Gram's hand
(wearing new Elmo underwear)

Pappy and Ella's tradition of filling the bird feeder

Ella and Pappy relaxing in the hammock

zoning out (or trying not to fall out)

By the end of the day, Ella was so messy...a mixture of a runny nose, sand, apple juice, Baba's chokit, and an assortment of other messy things. She ended up right in the bathtub! From these pictures you can see why:

check out her mouth and legs

drinking water and sitting with Pinkie after a fun day