Elsie's First Recital

Elsie started gymnastics at Gainesville School of Gymnastics when she was two. It was the type of class where the instructor spends a few minutes during the first part of the class showing everyone what they should do, then the moms take over to help the little ones through all the activities (usually while the teacher went back downstairs to talk on the phone or just straighten up the rest of the gym. Honestly it kind of bothered me that nine times out of ten the teacher didn't stay with the class for the mere thirty minutes.) When she turned three she moved up to the class that moms didn't help with, which I thought would be really liberating (for her and me!) but Elsie just wasn't a fan. Three year olds are not exactly masters of patience when it comes to waiting for their turn on the equipment. Since her interest in gymnastics was starting to wane we let her try a dance class...

 and she LOVED it. 

This week she danced in the fall show- her very first time doing anything in public. I was so proud of her! 

My parents brought her flowers and she just absolutely beamed. It was the first time she's gotten flowers!

Faux camping

We really miss camping this time of year, but with a newborn it just isn't going to happen, so we re-create our favorite part of camping by setting up the play tent, building a big fire in the fire-pit, and roasting marshmallows in the back yard. Then we go sleep in our warm comfy beds. I asked Lillie to tell me a scary story. It was epic.

Pumpkin Tea Party Picnic

If this isn't just the most precious tea party picnic in the world I will eat my ugly Australian hat.