Gymnastics

Momma bought me a leotard and shorts to wear to gymnastics class!  It is so great!

 When we first get to class, we do lots of stretches.  We pretend we are making a pizza and we REACH for ingredients and spread them around the pizza and put it in the oven!  It is funny. 

Here I am making a table.  Coach Kenny is helping.

Then I reach with one hand and eat a pretend piece of pizza off of my belly!

On the balance beam with Coach Leslie!  Lately we've been walking on our tiptoes, doing lunges, and doing forward rolls on the balance beam!  

It is very tricky!

Practicing a cartwheel with Coach Kenny!

I have been having a great time in gymnastics this summer!

I think wearing a leotard makes it much better.

Smoothies!

There is a new smoothie place near us.  They make the most amazing smoothies!  Everything is totally natural, so if they say there is grape juice in a smoothie, they actually juice the grapes and put it in your drink!  It is so yummy!

 Momma and I shared the smoothie.  It was hard to share such a yummy smoothie!!

Yum.  Almost gone.

Can we go again?

Chompers!

I had my first dentist appointment!  Momma and I went to the dentist the other day.  I saw Dr. Shaw and I think she is GREAT!  I have gone to the dentist with Momma a few times, so I had an idea as to what to expect.  Now since I am a big girl, I get to go too!

 First, they took my blood pressure and pulse...

 Then we did x-rays of my front teeth.  That was pretty neat!

 This is Dr. Shaw.  She is showing me how she uses a mask so there are less germs!

 And she gave me these glasses to wear since the light she uses is so bright!  COOL!

 Here I am on the chair!  

She showed me how it goes up and down and lays backwards.

First she counted my fingers.  

Then she counted my teeth.

Then she cleaned them with this special brush!

It was really cool.

The doctor and technicians all said I did a really good job, and that my teeth look perfect.

Momma was so proud of me!

I am a BIG GIRL!!

Samuel and Daddy

As I mentioned, Samuel loves playing sports and had Daddy out playing every night!  They had a great time together and Samuel wore Daddy out!

Everyone truly enjoyed the visit with Elisabeth, Hanna and Samuel.  

We really made the most of our time together and were sad to see them go.  

We sure wish Spain wasn't so far away!

More family fun!

 Here are more photos from Elisabeth, Hanna and Samuel's visit.

 Playing with my lacing toy with Samuel...

 Do you see the cute dress I am wearing?  Elisabeth brought it to me from Spain.  

I love it!

 Coloring with Hanna...

 Out to dinner!  We took them out for some Tex-Mex and they LOVED it.  

Then I climbed up on everyone and got their noses!

I got Aunt Elisabeth's nose!

We played Candyland several times...

Momma got me this new leotard for gymnastics class!  I decided I should wear it while we played with Legos and I practiced my straddle!

 Look at me!

We had a super time together, can't you tell??

Beads with Hanna

Cousins are great.  Not only do I have Samuel, but I also have Hanna!  Hanna is a big girl! She is 15!  Wow.  If she lived in the U.S., she could be driving a car soon!  I often talk about how when I get bigger I can drive a car.  Hanna is closer to car driving than I am, that is for sure! 

 I like to dress up in beads!  And guess what?  

Hanna does too!!!

 I helped Hanna choose the right beads for her outfit. 

A girl's gotta have the right accessories.

 Don't we look glamorous?

 It was pretty fun.  Then we took some pictures and I practiced my funny faces!

 

 How's this one?

 This is my "eeww, yucky" face.

I am so silly!  Whenever we were driving in the car, Hanna, Elisabeth, Samuel and I would make funny faces at each other. 

Seriously, we had so much fun!

Fun with Samuel

I sure had fun with my cousin Samuel.  He is 12 and is so much fun!  I started off saying his name like you might read it, then I started saying it like SAM-MULE, and now I say SAM-EEL.  It is tricky because sometimes people call him SAMUEL and sometimes they say SAM-WELL.  I just reminded everyone that I am Elyse Laura, E-L-Y-S-E!  I like to spell my name.

Anyway, here I am playing with Samuel!

 We played basketball!  I don't really make baskets, but I really enjoy throwing the ball and running around!

 My turn!

 I'm trying to play defense... it's hard when the other player is so much bigger!

 Yippee!

 As you may have guessed, Samuel loves sports. 

He had Daddy out playing basketball and football every night!

It got hot outside, so we went inside to play.  

I played with some stickers and Samuel drew pictures!

 We shared our masterpieces!

 And then we switched!  I like to draw.

 I sure love Samuel.

 

Can't you tell?

A hot day at the zoo

We took everyone to the zoo, but even first thing in the morning it was still REALLY hot.  Most of the animals were just laying around in whatever shade they could find.  Phew, those animals must have been really super hot!

I was very sad that I did not see the elephants or flamingos.  

They must have been indoors somewhere staying cool!

Family time at the pool!

Momma and I have been taking care of a friend's chickens while they are out of town.  They have a fabulous pool in the backyard, so we all went over for a swim!

 Me and my cousin Hanna!

Cousins!!

It is so exciting to me that I have cousins.

I asked Momma again and again to explain how these family relationships work.  

Hanna and Samuel have the same Grandma and Papa that I have!  

That is so neat!

 Here we all are at the pool!

 Daddy found this water-gun thing...

 

 Aunt Elisabeth and I got Samuel!

 And we found a torpedo thing!

 Ahhh, who has the torpedo, now?

 I've got it!  Hee hee hee!

 We had such a fun time!

 Hanna decided to get some sun and I saw that as a great opportunity to climb on her!

I've got you, Hanna!