Girls weekend

Wow - a girls weekend!  What is that?  I can't tell you the last time I went away for the weekend with a bunch of girls!!  Our Life Group leader's graciously opened their lake house to us for the weekend, so 11 of us girls packed up and headed out on a Friday evening for Lake Hartwell.  We spent the weekend talking, laughing, lounging, eating...just a good ol' fashion girls weekend.  I did 4 things that I can't remember the last time I had done 1)  Stayed up way too late (like after midnight!!) 2) giggled so hard, I cried  3) slept in until 8:30 AM two days in a row!  4)  went tubing (do I think I am still in my 20's?!). 

So, I really wanted to tube, I must admit.  I had pretty much talked myself out of it though.  Jessica and Tobie went first and they looked like they were having so much fun.  The laughs and screams that were coming from the raft were hysterical.   And even though it looked like a lot of fun, I was like...no, I am too old for this.  Amy and Lisa went next, and of course, looked like they had a blast.  Tara didn't hesitate about going, so I thought, well, why not?!  So, I did and boy I was glad I did.  It was so much fun!  I was amazed at how well the tubes are made these days compared to the old one's.  We never fell out; although there were a couple of times I thought we would.

 All dressed up ready to go out to eat...without kids!!  We went to a nice seafood restaurant on the lake.  The funny thing was after being on the dock all day and on the boat all afternoon, we all still felt like we were swaying back and forth during dinner. 

It was a fantastic weekend - already looking forward to doing it again :)

Talking

It's amazing how much the kids are talking "about" these days.  Ella can still surprise me with the questions she asks or the things she talks about.  She has turned into quite the negotiator - or at least she tries.  She conviced MC about a month ago to watch something other than "Go Go Go" and as part of the deal, MC could sleep with Ella's pillow pet.  The other day as we were driving home, the same conversation sounded like it was about to take place.  Ella in her calm voice laid out the negotiation. But this time, MC didn't fall for it.  "No", MC replied, "I have my own pillow pet."  Ella tried again, but this time, offering her Tinker Bell pillow instead.  MC very quickly said, "I have my own Tinker Bell pillow, too."  Quiet funny.  The other night as we were reading, we realized that she no longer was saying "Hot hair balloon" she actually said it correctly.  Bitter, sweet.

Mary Catherine is continuing to blossom. There are times when she doesn't have much to say and other times, she is unstoppable. Here are some of my favorite words/expressions that she is saying now.

Yea-u (this is yellow blanket)
Pink Moe (this is her pink blanket)
i-cycle (bycicle)
Give me to it (Give it to me)
I can't feel good (I don't feel good) or I can't like it (I don't like it)
Wes-wee (Wesley)
(I don't even know how to type it, but it is her word for Car.  She sounds really country and it almost sounds like she is saying "cow")
Finger-tails (Fingernails)

Wesley - well, all I can say is WOW!  The boy has a vocabulary.  For 19 months old, I think it is a bit crazy with how many words he knows.  He is even putting some words together now too.  The other night, when he got out of the bathtub, he turned and looked at the water and said "Bye bye wa-wuh".  Some of my favorite words he is saying...

Mommy (of course...but it is also the inflection in his voice)
Mon-key
bubbles
El-la
h-see (for sah-see, which is the pacifier...remember, Ella called it a sah-see,  of course that is what we still call it.  Wesley has changed it a little)
Mo-a peas (more please)
milK  (I capatlize the K b/c of how he stresses the K sound when he says it)
baa-ket (blanket)
gapes (grapes)
wuuh-you (love you)
Night-night guls (night night girls)
sis-er (Sister.  Bless his heart, he tries so hard to say Mary Catherine - but it is just too much to say) :)
ha-woh (hello)

LOVE THEM!!!