Monkeying Around
It is official... this little noodle head needs to start eating bananas for dinner because she has turned into a monkey!
She has been practicing a lot at school and it sure tells.
But you know what... you just can't get the full effect from a series of snapshots! The only way you can truly appreciate the way that Ellie "owns" the monkey bars is to see it in action. And to forewarn you, she was not injured in the making of this video... what you don't see/ hear is at the end, she is laughing her fool head off! Enjoy!

The Yin and the Yang
We are into the last few days of June and as we look back we can see just how opposite the past two weekends have been for starters...
It all started off with a package from Grandma. Ellie was excited about both her Adidas jogging suit and her Fancy Nancy dress-up dress and shoes. So she wore them together!
Then the sick-bug hit... It was Friday evening at the Towson Block Party during dinner and the fever hit. By the time we got home and were going to bed then the upset tummy hit (all over the bed and me) so there was plenty of sleeping to be done on Saturday.
Sunday she was well enough to have a mani and pedi.
See, she was really enjoying some outside time.
Showing off some of her own handiwork.
Ellie and her manicurist pose for a photo.
There were also Nick Jr computer games to be played!
During the week she was feeling much better, unfortunately, I wasn't... Ellie was nice enough to share her bug with me! :-(
Stopping to smell the daises... this was the first one this year!
And oh how Ellie's garden has grown!! That is her pumpkin that has taken off across the yard and in front are her green beans.
Those are her tomatoes and squash.
Look at how they tower over her!!
Our first harvest of the summer!
Ellie's First Camping Trip
Ellie and I were invited to join some friends on a camping trip this past weekend. We didn't go too far, the camp site was about a half hour away from home up by the MD/ PA line (or as some of the southerners insist on calling it... the Mason/ Dixon Line). The campgrounds were great. There was a playground, a pool, and even mini-golf. And as many of you know, I am not the most "outdoorsy" kind of a gal but this was my kind of camping... in a camper with our own beds and AC! We had a fantastic time!!!
Ellie and the girls playing with their coloring books and crayons on Friday evening.
Saturday morning Ellie and I are up early waiting for everyone to wake up.
Lexi, Ellie, and Sarah at the swings
Lexi pushing Ellie on the "E-sized" swing at the playground.
Hanging out on the tunnel... She never did go through the tunnel, just over the tunnel!
Ellie and the girls down at the stream splashing and tossing stones.
Uh, oh! Here come the 3 Musketeers!
She had her tongue going in full force on Saturday!
More splashing and playing... Woo-hoo!
Taking in all of the fun of the morning!
Sarah just hanging out in the water... Why not??
The little ladies posing on the big rock in the deep part. The water was about to their waist before they hopped up on the rock.
More splashing and look, there is that tongue again! Ellie had quite a time splish-splashing in the stream even though she was a little afraid of the minnows.
Lets go fly a kite...
Up in the atmosphere!
We had to take advantage of the breeze while it was there!
Just hanging out pool side. The water was pretty chilly because of all of the rain that we've been having so when the sun went behind the clouds we had to hop out and warm up!
Lexi mugging for the camera.
Look... Ellie has wings and she can fly!!
Ellie and I are just chillin'!
Getting the campfire started after dinner on Saturday. Guess what was for dessert?
S'MORES!!!
Ellie and Sarah enjoying dessert. Ellie likes raw s'mores better than the warm gooey ones. When I say raw, I mean a graham cracker, a piece of chocolate, and marshmallows right out of the bag!
Watching Dora before bed on Saturday night.
Playing on the chute slide before we head home after a fun weekend!

Sunny Days and Lots of FUN!!
This past week has been huge for Ellie! It was like this week it clicked and everything she has been working on came together! She can get on the swing at the park all by herself, she can button her buttons and zip her zipper. She put her face in the water at swim lessons, she can go across the monkey bars at school all by herself, actually she showed me when I picked her up one day, she went across them 4 times and I was amazed! To top things off, Papoo measured her yesterday and she has grown an inch since March and is just a hair under 40 inches!! Way to grow, kiddo!!
Friday...
We met up with Joelle and Cathy after work and school to unwind after a hectic week... It was the perfect way to end the week!
Ellie and Joelle having fun rolling old cable spools (or college coffee tables, whatever you want to call them) around in the sand.
Ellie just looking way too cute!
I think they are driving the spool. Oh well, at least they are having fun!!
Saturday...
Saturday morning Ellie and I did the Out for Blood 5k run/ 1mile walk for the Red Cross down at Druid Hill Park in the city.
There were over 200 runners and walkers!
And here is Ellie... Just strutting her stuff! All in all the walk went ok! She lost interest part of the way through and was ready to go so we backtracked and probably ended up walking way more than we had too! But lucky Ellie, she rode on my shoulders for at least half of the walk and guess what... there were lots of hills!Elie and I at the end of the walk!
Yay! We did it! Now it is off to the zoo!
Here we are at the zoo, we got there a little early so Ellie played outside for a bit!
The rhinos.
The ostrich.
A duck looking for food in the mud.
Ellie at the Elephant Outlook.
Ellie and the elephants.
My little map reader. She was in charge of the map on this trip she showed me where to go and how to get there... and not in a bad way!!
We even got to see the baby elephant nursing. It was very cool!
Speaking of cool... Ellie got to see the penguins! This one looks just like Bird!And here he is swimming... The budding photographer took this shot!
Ellie as a penguin! After this picture was taken I had to play doctor... between the humidity, low cut socks, and all of the walking, Ellie got a blister! No worries though, I got her all fixed up and she was fine even if there was some dramatic limping thrown in every once in a while so she could beg for another shoulder ride!
Ellie and I are lions! She is the mommy and I am the baby!
Ellie checking out the fish in the Monkey House.
Speaking of monkeys... The chimpanzees were all outside and full of action! This guy brought a trash can over and was playing it like a drum.
While he was making music the others were running around, climbing, and swinging. Two of them ran off to the side to work on making a baby monkey while yet another decided to show off his alpha-maleness and body slam the window. That startled everyone but really freaked Ellie out! All of this activity went on for about 10 min and as quickly as it started up is settled down but it was really fun to watch!!!
Now Ellie was making music too!
Ellie showing me how to walk like a chimpanzee.
3 little monkeys (and 2 more on her shirt)!
Toucan (aka: The Blueberry Monster)
Ellie learning all about why they call him the Blueberry Monster... That is his favorite food. He will hold one in his beak and show it to everyone then toss it up in the air and swallow it!
Ellie and I riding on the tortoise.
A really pretty bird in the aviary. Just seconds after this photo was taken it pooped on the railing. Ellie was amazed and grossed out all at the same time!
Ellie in the bird's nest.
Ellie as a turtle!
Running through the tunnels.
Ellie riding the kid tractors at the farm area of the zoo.
Brushing the goats... I can't tell who is enjoying this more!
Ellie and I riding the pretend horses!
Trekking back up the big hill after a fun day at the zoo. We were there for about 4 hours and now it is time to go home!
Stopping to see the prairie dogs on the way out.
She's not lion... Ellie loved the zoo!
Sunday...
Playing in the, I mean around, the fountain at church.
Taking it all in!
After church Ellie and I went to Great Grapes Wine Festival at Oregon Ridge. Despite a few bumps in the road we made it and Lisa and Andrew were able to join up for an afternoon of fun and later Beth, Kiley and some other friends joined us!
Attempting the monkey bars... maybe not, these are pretty high up!!
Ellie and Andrew enjoying some tunes.
Ellie in the field enjoying the bluegrass music all by herself!!
Ellie and Andrew in the wagon.
Ellie, Andrew, Lisa, and I
Ellie and Kiley rolling around in the field and listening to some tunes!
Dancing to the music!
Ellie's garden is getting bigger by the day!
Her 'maters are getting HUGE!!
Enjoying some pool time on Sunday evening!
Just scoping out the scene!
Ellie playing with her party boat in the pool!
And below it is a clip of Ellie at the pool. She opens by saying "I'm not Ellie anymore, I'm Butt!" then she spits while she is upside down so it goes right into her nose...