Camp Chautauqua

we call this picture of Gracie "living the dream" she came across the bag of chips that got left outside over night around 9 in the morning and decided to help herself. I usually would not allow her to have chips at that time much less hold the bag of them, but the image of the size comparison was too much for me to pass up.

We had our first official camping trip this weekend! We went to Camp Chautauqua Friday through Sunday. Honestly we couldn't have had a better time. I am so relieved! Camping with little kids is a lot of work, and I give mad props to the people who can suck it up and do it in a tent. Not for me.

We couldn't have had better accommodations. There is a ton to do at the campground, pool, playground, petting zoo, fishing, the roads were paved so Ellie could ride her bike EVERYWHERE! We couldn't have had better weather, and we had really great company too! We went with John and Barb Moore and their kids, and couldn't ask for better people to camp with. They are very much like us in a lot of ways and our kids get along amazingly. And on Saturday Dawnie, Paulie, and Kelsey came to visit us for the day! So fun!

Ellie gushes a mile a minute about the trip, and she has said that she loved sleeping there, and staying up late and having camp fires and s'mores (pronounced snores). I recommend a phone call to Ellie for anyone in need of a smile, its hysterical!

Not that the weekend was without a hitch, but Warren and I were happy with the planning that we did, and with 2 minor exceptions (ummm...baby wipes?? how could I have forgotten baby wipes?!!) we had everything we needed. The girls took naps both Saturday and Sunday and the air conditioner in the camper proved to be a necessity this weekend (added benefit is that it drowned out a lot of noise from the outside) as it was actually kind of HOT. NOT COMPLAINING!

Ellie spent time playing with Bridget and Bridget's cousin Mackenzie, and just played the whole day and night. She even got to stay up much much later than usual too! But even as much fun as she had, I asked her Sunday, who her best friend was, and she answered, "Daddy". Man o Man does she know how to get her sappy father or what?? I am just kidding, she has repeated the sentiment since then, and it still gets both of us.

Ellie was sad to leave, and Grace was MISERABLE the whole way home, and thus I know we all had a good time!

Summer Colds

I hate summer colds. I know, Ellie, I am not supposed to say hate, but I very strongly, completely, totally, honestly and truly, more than most other things DISLIKE summer colds. (Ellie really likes books by Judith Viorst right now). The Herdic women and some other members of our extended family had this really yucky cold last week and part of the week before too. Poor Gracie is still getting over it! Nasty sore throat, runny noses, sneezing, and a nasty cough. The Mom's out there will relate that when kids especially little ones like ours are, sleep like crap when they have colds. Which in turn means that Mom a.) sleeps like crap for the first night or 2 of each child's cold and b.) is for sure to get it herself because she has slept with each of the sick kids. All I can say is FUN FUN FUN! The one good thing to come of these colds was the picture of the little sicko's on the couch comisserating and sharing a nice wet kiss.

Grampa's Birthday

Grampa Herdic's birthday is the 18TH of August, so Grammy had the family there on Sunday the 17TH for a nice get-together. We have a track record of it always raining whenever we spend time there, but this time we beat the odds! It was a beautiful day, and we spent most of it outside playing, including another successful game of back yard baseball. Grammy rules at back yard baseball! Our nephew, Brayden starts thinking of the rules and teams for baseball before they even get out to Rushford, its a riot!

Rita made another wonderful meal for us all, and topped it off with a creamsicle cake, which Ellie helped Grampa blow out the candles on. MMMMmmmmm! Does it get any better? Good Family, Good Fun and Great Food! (I really wish the pic of Grammy and the kids came out better, you know, like, Gracie wasn't screaming?)

Erie County Fair

Warren took the day off of work on Friday August 15th and we went to the fair. The buildings opened at 10, and the midway around 11 so we went as early as possible to get everything possible in. What you have to understand about our family is that we live a very scheduled life, and that is by choice. I am known as the Nap Nazi in my family, and truthfully, I am OK with that. Warren and I decided to throw the schedule out the window the day of the fair, and just let the girls and their moods rule our day.

The girls LOVED the animals, and especially Gracie who has this thing for ducks and geese. I don't know what that is about, but it's amusing to me, especially when she makes animal noises back at the animals. Ellie's favorite this year were probably still the bunnies, although one time she was asked she said it was the turkey, so who knows.

The only rides poor Gracie could go on were the Ferris wheel and the carousel, so that was kind of tough for her, she spent a lot of time watching her big sister on the rides from the wagon. But she did LOVE the carousel, and cried when it was over the last time we went on.

Ellie is such a big girl. She will go on ANYTHING! I was so impressed with her, she was not afraid of anything, and most of the rides she had to go on alone! Check out the picture of her on the jumping apparatus (I don't know what it's called, she is harnessed in and attached to giant rubber band like things). She went on without a second of hesitation, and she did awesome! She even managed to get some flips in the air like the other kids!

So, we stayed until 3:00 with no naps! Now, I am not saying that I am throwing the schedule out the window, or that the day went without a meltdown or 3 (each). But, I am glad that we didn't put time limits on things, because it really was worth it at the end of the day! Poor Gracie is still having a hard time with not taking her morning nap, she is usually asleep by 12:30 for her afternoon one anymore. She was falling asleep sitting up, in the wagon on the way out, then decided to use her sister as a pillow.

What's In Your...Pocket?

My sister finds the things I unload from my pockets at the end of the day very amusing. Between taking things away from Grace because she puts them in her mouth, holding on to things to throw away for Ellie and picking up after both of them, and rescuing items from Sadie, I constantly have very random things in my pockets. This picture is not exaggerated, this is truly what I took out of my pocket one night and ran to get the camera for your amusement.

There is a band-aid wrapper, a cupcake wrapper, 4 ponies, a novelty sea shell, a gum wrapper, a random bit of paper towel, and a part of a stick I took out of Sadie's mouth. What? Do I amuse you? Am I a clown?

An Interview With Ellie Marie Herdic

What is your favorite color? Blue

What is your favorite toy? My bike

What was the best place you went recently? George’s (hot dog stand) with Papa

Who is your best friend? Uncle Chris, Aunt Sarah, and Lola

What is the newest thing you learned how to do? Eat popcorn with daddy, sleep in my sleeping bag at Grammy and Grampa’s house, gymnastics (pronounced b-nastics). Ride my bike and swim.

Could you tell me about learning to swim? I kick my legs up and down, and I put my face in the water, and I totally, totally freaked out. I wear my special jacket so I don’t
sink down. I use my shovels like Aunt Sarah taught me to do.

What else do you like to play? I like to play with Leah (our next door neighbor). I learned to lay down on Daddy on the tire swing, and I love him super, super much.

Tell me something you are really good at? Singing at church
Would you like to tell me about that? I like singing on the microphone, that’s it. Maybe I will tell you more tonight

Who lives the farthest away from you? Daddy seems the farthest away right now

What is something special that Daddy does with you? Swims in the pool with me and brings me teenies (Tim Horton's Tim Bits). Tomorrow is it going to be teenie time? I ate the bite of a plumb at the store with Daddy, and we watch movies together.

Gracie is…Gracie Salbatrebis Herdic (Salvatrice is Grace's middle name after Warren's Grandmother)

Sadie is…a schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle mix) and a puppy, and she is little and she doesn’t know better

Ellie loves…teenies, tomorrow is it going to be teenie time and daddy is going to stay here? huh huh huh?

What kind of things do you do that make you a big girl? I wish I could get a clock. I can button my own buttons, put my shoes on, lay down in the tubbie and get my hair washed by myself.

What kind of things do you teach Gracie? Lie down in the tub, and kick in the tub, and to do training on the potty.

What is your favorite dinner to eat? Peanut butter sandwich

What is your favorite TV show? Hannah Montana

What is your favorite song? Alleluia

What kind of job are you going to have when you get big? Make cookies by myself
What kind of work are you going to do? Go to work with Daddy

Why do you want to go to school so badly? To do a hundred stuff there, blocks, and they have…I want to learn how to do everything.

What else would you like people to know?
You do so many things with me, you play with me and you do things with me, and take me outside and clean the camper and the pool and the house.

Is there anything else?
Oh yeah…we went to Bridget’s house and we swim in the pool, and what pool did they have? Oh a big pool. They have lots of toys and we played on their playground, Mr. John made it, I wish we could have one like that, Mrs. Barb said no playing on the old one, cuz its broken. We had dinner and it was D-D-elicious, I ate everything, and then we had an ice cream cone like I had with Papa at his new house in Florida. They have a bounce house and it is so high, Bridget bonked me, and Josh pushed me.

What did Daddy bring home that night? CAMPER! When you go camping, you go there and make a fire and eat marshmallows and you sleep in your sleeping bag and there are bugs there, and dragon flies there…


Yet another classic Ellie-ism: (as per Mom)I had a meeting with Bill, the director of the Boys and Girls Club regarding me running a summer reading program for them. I called Warren on my way home and he asked me how I made out. Later that afternoon, Ellie was getting ready for her nap, and said to me, “Mommy were you making out with Bill today? When I get big, can I make out with Bill too?” She is always good for at least one a day, and that was particularly good.

What do you say to this?

I don't even know where to begin with this one. It actually reminds me of a post my SIL, Tina had on her blog some time ago.

Mom: "Ellie why are you nakey?"

Ellie: "Cuz I want to"

Mom: "I really think you should put some clothes on"

Ellie: "I just want to be nakey"

Mom: "What's up with the potty seat?"

Ellie: "The chair was hurting my Tucas" (sp? couldn't find that one in the dictionary)

How do you argue that?