Zoo School

For the last couple of months Ethan and Ella have spent every Wednesday morning taking a class at the Nashville Zoo called "Zoo Twos." They thoroughly enjoyed it and asked every morning when I got them up if they were going to Zoo School today.

It was really a neat program. At the beginning all the kids would sit in a semi circle on their carpet squares and listen to the days lesson from Ms. Julie. She would ask lots of questions and the kids would yell out the answers. It was neat to watch Ethan and Ella get braver and braver through the class about answering the questions. After the lesson, they would get a chance to meet 2 different animals. We met lots of neat ones - a boa, a turtle, a sloth, and Ethan's favorite - a Macaw!! Ethan about came unglued when the Macaw came out. They would hold out one finger and pet each of them. Much to my delight, Ms. Julie's assitant followed right behind with Purell :) After they met animals, they would have a craft. Usually it was Mommy racing to finish 2 crafts while they colored on the butcher paper covering the table. Then they would go back to their carpet squares for a story and snack of animal cookies. They ended the class holding hands and sining their zoo song. They loved it and would sing it all the way home.

I am so glad we got a chance to participate in this. We may even sign up for the next one in the Fall!

Sunday Funnies

God not only blessed me with 3 adorable kids, He also blessed us with 3 very funny kids. They say things all the time and I think "I need to write that down so I don't forget it." I am going to try to be a little better about doing that here in our blog. Here are a few quick funnies to get us caught up

* We were sitting at the table eating lunch after church last week. Our little lady, Ella, really let one rip. I gave her a stern look, she grinned and said "Excuse me!! My heinie burped!" Eric and I usually try to hide our laughter when they say something funny but unappropriate....not a chance this time. We were in tears!

* We were reading a book over at Mimi & PaPa's that had an elephant in it. Ethan pointed at it and said "Roll Tide!" (To clarify for our non-TN family that reads this, this phrase is something that should never be said.) I had to ask him to repeat this because I couldn't imagine where he would here this. I called Eric on the way home to tell him. Who would teach our precious boy such a vile phrase? Eric was convinced it must be a Sunday School teacher and that clearly we would have to pull them out of church ; ) When I told PaPa he started laughing really hard. Apparently, he made an off hand remark to Ethan a few weeks before when they were looking at the elephants at the zoo. What a memory! Eric has considered revoking grandparent rights in light of this. I have been working to deprogram since then. I am not entirely sure what an elephants says. So if you ask my kids what an elephant says now they will say in a high pitched voice "I'm an elephant!"

* The kids love Dora the Explorer. It is an interactive cartoon that teaches them many Spanish phrases. We were stuck at a roadblock on the way to the Y and not moving. Ella started yelling "Go in Spanish! Go in Spanish!" at me. (Instead of Vamonos : ) She also got very excited when she saw 2 little Mexican girls at the grocery store. "Look Mama! TWO Doras!!!"

I am sure there are more, but this is all I can think of for now. I wonder why...

Sissy the Fashionista

On Saturday Ella was in a dress review for Old Timer's Day in Dickson, TN. Mimi signed her up for it with some ladies from her quilting shop. She wore a dress that Mimi made her last summer. Yes....it still fits the little thing! It is Ella's favorite dress. It has lots of ruffles that twirl and twirl when she spins. Mimi & Aunt Sharon made all the girls the same dress in different colored polka dot fabrics. Unfortunately we haven't been able to get them all together for a picture since we are so spread out. What a great picture that would be!

We all practiced our walk and spin on Saturday morning. Good thing we did because Ethan decided he needed to be up on stage with Sissy too!




To reward their participation, Granny B gave them suckers. Since I have kept them in a very clean bubble most of their lives, this was their first one. We'll see if their will be a second.

It seemed every kid there had a balloon and it took us forever, but we finally found where to get them one too. Oh the little things.....

Buddy & Sissy's First Fish Fry

A couple of weekends ago Ethan & Ella got a special treat and went to spend the weekend with their Nana & Papa in Paris, TN. Every year they celebrate the "World's Biggest Fish Fry" there. They thought they would really enjoy the parades and festivities. They thought right! They went to a parade on Friday and another on Saturday. Sarah told me that Ella had her parade wave down pat. Why am I not surprised?

Eric and I got a very cool treat that weekend too (aside from the whole 3 down to 1 kid thing) We are HUGE "24" fans. The actress who plays President Taylor, Cherry Jones, is from Paris. She came home for Fish Fry. Earlier in the week, they had an auction for charity with props from the show. Brent got us a script from an episode, a folder used by the Joint Chiefs in a scene, and shell casings from a gun shot by THE Jack Bauer!!!!!! I am not exaggerating one bit when I say I cried when I got it. Absolutely the coolest thing that has ever happened......at least we thought. Sarah called me from the parade on Friday and she got a picture of Ethan and Ella with President Taylor!!!!!! Ous kids are officially the coolest kids ever. I am so not missing Fish Fry next year even if I have to eat a piece of fish.