Series: Conversations with a 3-year old

Me, sitting next to her at the table after breakfast: "Yay - it's only Saturday and not Sunday!!"

Her, in a rather nice voice: "Mama, could you please be quiet?  I'm trying to concentrate.  Please."

The Dells

This past weekend we took a trip to WI Dells with my family; 6 adults + 3 kids in a 3-bedroom suite for two nights.  A little getaway, but lots of fun.

Hours of swimming and playing with cousins.  These two are only a year apart and have been tending to stick together in recent weeks:

So awesome to see them just chatting with each other, each of them in turn running up to the other and grabbing a hand, excitedly wanting to bring her over to something new and fun.

This is definitely one of my favorite pics from the weekend.  Ada was a little crabby and her cousin was attempting to cheer her up with a "joke".

Bedtime snacks and stories together, snuggled in jammies after baths.

On the drive home we stopped at this awesome park.

 Golden leaves, tree bending down into the water.

 

Cool but sunny.

 

Perfect spot for a snack next to the water.

 

 And a playground with a climbing wall just the perfect size for little legs.

Up the wall, across the bridge, down the steps.  Over and over.

A few tears when it was time to go.

Beautiful fall colors the whole drive home.

I even fit in time for some sewing projects, and a few quilt shop stops.

She...

Is growing up WAY too fast.

Spent several evenings in the pool this summer - but not enough.

Spent the night in the tent - and stayed by herself in the dark for a couple hours all by herself.  Halfway through the night she decided she wanted to sleep by Papa, which meant Papa ending up "sleeping" not on his mat, but directly on the floor.

Got her first set of Legos, and LOVED them.  I think they are definitely her most favorite toy ever.  We spent at least a month playing Legos as soon as we got home each night.

Is so enthusiastic about the garden.  She loves peas and tomatoes; loves carrying produce from the garden to the house in her special basket.

Loves to paint.  She wears her "painting dress" and is pretty darn good at rolling.

Loves hoods.  And she's so darn cute in them.

 Is so full of energy.  On this day I had taken her outside and just said, "Run!" and she did, laughing; so full of joy.

Loves working on "projects".  Is starting to try to write letters - specifically M for Mama and P for Papa.

 

Loves the beach.  I've been panicking the last couple of weeks, thinking about all the things we DIDN'T do this summer.  Once we heard the cold weather was coming I knew we could not waste the last night of "summer" - so we left work a bit early and took her to the beach.  She had such a great time, asking me to help her build sandcastles over and over, and then walking with Papa along the beach, being so much braver about going in the lake and getting wet.  She went in up to her knees, splashed, bounced, walked out and then in again, went under for the first time when she fell - but didn't panic.  And then we went out for ice cream.

Is such a talker.  We love hearing her tell us about her days; and overhearing the conversations she has with her dolls and animals as she plays.  Lately she has been loving to dress everyone up, do her dolls' hair, and make Andrew lunch.  More than once he has received two plates of watermelon and two pieces of cucumber, all carefully laid out, and only brought to him after he's been buckled in and has his bib on.

Loves to sing.  Especially "Bob and Larry" songs.  Almost every morning and almost every night there's a request for Bob and Larry (VeggieTales) in the car.

Is SO wonderful, and I am so thankful for her every day.

The Busy Days of Summer

First up, a cute summer nightgown, details over at bur oak life.

I spent last week documenting our days for my Week In The Life project. You can read more about this project on Ali Edwards' blog.  Hoping to get my album together in the coming days and will be posting more here.  Anyone else participating?

We've also had some fun family outings recently, and I have some sewing projects I've been meaning to post.

How are you spending these last days of summer?

Quilt Guild Shop Hop

Blogged at bur oak life.

MN Quilt Show

Blogged over at bur oak life.

Sweet Potatoes, Barley...and a New Blog

While I was making a sweet potato and barley salad tonight Ada decided she wanted to work with me in the "real kitchen".  She took a few seconds to watch what I was doing, went over to her play kitchen to get her supplies, then climbed up on her stool and got right to work.  So glad I stopped to take a picture; it's already a favorite.

In other news - I have a new blog!  I'll be using the new blog for more public content (gardening, sewing, etc.) and keeping the family / kid posting here.  I already have a few posts up at my new site, so if you're looking for something to read, head over to check it out.