Hair cut....cuteness!

On Saturday Erik had a hair cut appointment and I told him - Elaina and I are coming with you.  His hair stylist has trimmed her hair in the past.  I have been considering cutting her hair for a while because it has just been getting so dried/frizzy at the ends.  All that hair on the ends has been growing out for about 3 years.  We've had her hair trimmed before but never cut it majorly....  We cut about 5-6 inches off.  I love it - it, of course, makes her look older.  We basically just cut it even with where her bangs has grown out.  Just a cute 4-year old bob.  She was very excited about it.  Two of the girls in her class have short dues so she was excited to have hair like theirs. 

Before...

During...adoreable

After (still wet)

And after....

after.....from the back

Mini vaca to the Wilderness

Erik and I were thinking about our summer and realized that we had not really taken Elaina anywhere fun this summer.  Not that she has not had a great summer and she certainly isn't deprived of anything but we were thinking back, and the one vacation we took was to Vegas and she did not go.  Sooooooo, we made a last minute trip to the Wilderness... of the Smokies, that is.  It's a super fun indoor/outdoor water park.  We took Thursday off and went up for 1 night.  We got to stay 2 days at the water park.  It was fun.  I would recommend this to anyone who has a youngster - very reasonable price.  Especially, during the time we went - after school started and during the middle of the week.  Not having too many people made the time a bit more enjoyable.  This was her first time at a water park and needless to say, it was a fun time for her.  I have always loved water parks/slides/etc... so this was fun sharing it with her.

Waiting on our bus to take us down to the indoor park......

It took her a few times to go down this slide by herself but once I got her to do it, we couldn't keep her off.  We love to see her face.  This is how she look every time she went down. 

Erik and Elaina in the wave pool

She thought it was so cool to be able to crawl around the 1 foot section of the wave pool...  Here is her and Erik doing this.

This is the other slide we could not get her off of.  This was the one she was tall enough to go down with us on.  She is about 3 inches too short to go on all of them with us but by next summer, she will be good to go. She would just giggle and say "woo-hoo" all the way down.  So fun!

This last series of shots was Erik standing under huge bucket that pours out water every few minutes....  The first was the start and by the last picture you can hardly see him for all the water...  You had to hold on to your glasses and your drawers or else you might lose them.

Camping....preview

Each summer, mom and Gale take all the grandkids camping for a long weekend.  The only stipulation is that you have to be 5 in order to go on this camping trip.  They do all sort of things from swim, fish, paddle boats, rock hopping in the creek, bike riding, hiking.... you name it.  The grandkids love it.  Well, since Elaina is now 4..... well, I'm sure you can surmise what I am about to say... She is going on this trip next summer.

About a week ago, I had to drive my niece Alexandra up on Saturday morning to meet with the rest of the gang because she couldn't go up early because of band camp.  I took Elaina so that she could hang out for a couple of hours and get a preview of what to expect next year.  Good news... I think she will love it. 

Here is almost everyone... Elaina wouldn't get in the shot.  Sadie was super sick this year so she couldn't go.  Kind of a bummer.  My mom makes them shirts each year to wear with their names on them.  I think it's for her sake so she doesn't forget their names.
Alexandra (in front), Back - Quentin, Celia, Hannah, and Blake

Sweet Celia

Catching critters in the creek

The girls....  See, I told you, Elaina is ready for this for sure.  And, there's another granddaughter, Ella, who turns 5 within a week of Elaina who will be there next year so they will have 8 grandkids in total next year!! 

Showing me her critter

The boys... Blake and Quentin

Sweet Hannah....

The crew.....

I think it is so cool that they do this each year and can't wait for Elaina to be a part of this fun with her Granny, Poppy Gale, and her cousins.

First Movie

We took Elaina yesterday to see her first movie at the movie theatre.  We saw Winnie The Pooh. It was a perfect movie because it was only a little over an hour long.  Erik and I NEVER really watch movies much less go to the theatre so this was kind of a big treat for all of us.

Elaina did well, she did take a bathroom break in the middle (I forgot to have her go before the movie started - oops!).  The movie was a perfect one, no scariness or overly loud scenes to frighten her (as she is easily frightened).  So, we will do it again, next time.....$2 movie :)  Even though we saw the matinee, still expensive - one of the reasons we never go.  Second reason is because we can never agree on what movie to watch.  We have different taste in movies.

Anywhosie.....as always, I brought along the camera for some photo ops.

Next to the Winnie The Pooh window decal with daddy

Now with mom...

All set.....  popcorn - check, drink - check, candy - check

And now one with mom....

Again, another time when Elaina had the camera in the back seat....  We did not know she took this until we were downloading pics from the camera.  I think it's a a cute pic of her (as a mother should) :)