Another new friend

So she's caught ladybugs, roly polys, grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, worms, and frogs.

On Mother's Day, she caught her first...

turtle!

She was so excited...she ran to show it off to all the family gathered at Jean Jean's house.

She was so proud to show it to everyone.

She thought it was so funny when she showed it to Ellenie.

The turtle did not think Ellenie was that funny though. He was tired of being upside down.

Lillianna even showed it to the neighbor's dog.

Then she showed the turtle it's way home as she walked it back down to the water with the help of her daddy.

Classifieds

FOR HIRE:

BACK YARD BALLERINAS

Too much to do with too little time?

WE CAN DO IT FOR YOU!

Need a stump removed?

No problem! Ellenie is our expert digger!

Need a dangerous animal trapped?
No problem! We can get 'em!
We use only the most up to date technology and equipment.



Of course, we use the most humane treatment -

giving the animal a name & keeping it as our new pet.




Need a large tree trimmed?

No problem! We will take it down leaf by leaf to make sure each one is gone!



May Special!

Let us makeover your entire backyard and we'll perform our "Backyard Ballet" just for you!

Please call us soon!

There's no backyard that's too big for us!

Blessed.

I love them so.

Thank you my sweet Mama for loving me so.

My cup over-floweth.

Of course

Of course we came home from the street festival with two new pets...

Of course they are the most high maintance "low maintance" pets ever. Of course they need refills of distilled water in their "swimming pool" every day. Of course I swore I wasn't going to take care of them...of course I refill the water everyday.

Of course they are exciting...in the middle of the night when they are actually awake and moving.
Of course they just sleep during the day when the girls want to see them...so we just stare at their shells.
Of course Lillianna wants to hold them constantly and of course I constantly dread the moment she starts crying because it pinched her.
Of course their names are Rainbow Keisha and Sunshine Weety.



Of course we came home with two new hermit crabs.
Of course we did.

When in Rome...

So now that we live in the Magnolia State, we are stopping to smell the magnolias... Gorgeous blossom off the tree in our front yard.

Lillianna (with her face painted from school) playing Venus Fly Trap with Ellenie.

She HEARTS frogs.

Loving today's frog that our new buddies Lily and Meg caught in our yard and were so gracious to share with Lillianna.

I love that just saying the word frog makes her face light up.

Talking on the phone (to Ya-Ya - it looks like serious frog talk) and holding last week's frog.

Posing as her frog.

Taking the week-before-last's frog for a spin in the car.

She must have one really cool Mom to get to do that!

Finger lickin' good!

Nothing like lickin' the brownie batter bowl.

She always looks delicious to me but covered in chocolate she's even more tempting...

to her sister who is licking her!! I turned around to see Lillianna actually licking the chocolate off of Ellenie! I'm not sure who was being a "sweeter" sister.

Reunion

Lillianna and I took a special road trip this past weekend, just the two of us.

She talked about seeing Bibby everyday for two weeks before we went. Every flower she picked was for her, every picture she drew she was going to take to her. When they got together it was all love...for about 7 minutes. Then it was true just-like-sisters love where they argued and laughed, tattled and played all in the same moment. It was great!

Sweet Virginia was glad to see us but really wondered why Ellenie didn't make the trip.

We wanted to take the big girls to something special on this special trip and were thrilled to find out that the Zoppe Italian Family Circus was in town! It's not everyday that you get to see that!

It was fun and cute and funny and a little strange all at the same time.

Complete with girls on trapeze, dogs who could dance, several jugglers, a funny clown, a girl who could balance ANYTHING on her feet, and lots more.

The girls LOVED it!

However, Mary Bibby did not love that the clown pulled her Mommy into the ring.

Ginny was a wonderful clown assistant and thought about joining the Zoppe family and running off to Italy. Bibby and I talked her out of it.

I thought I was also going to have to talk Miss Lillianna out of it too.

A wonderful night to remember!

Things I don't want to forget...

Lillianna asks questions all day long right now:

Why do we fold sunglasses?

Why is this sidewalk made out of bricks?

Why do frogs eat bugs?

But her favorite and most frequent question: Is this good for me?

"This" is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING edible.

She only wants to eat food that "will make my bones grow so I can be strong and tall."

She looks at me like I'm crazy when I give her potato chips.

She has mastered several of the funny voices and accents that Brad and I often speak in around the house. I didn't realize it until recently when she has used them out in public, in front of people who don't know her and ask me, "what'd she say?" with a face that says, "was she just speaking in a british accent on purpose?

Ellenie is eating a little better. We can add grapes, strawberries (sometimes), peeled apple, and

POPCORN!

She loves for me to just mention the word. Then she stands in front of the microwave and whines and fake cries while waiting for it to "OP, OP, OP". But like many in my family, the popcorn is only the vehicle for consuming LOTS of parmesean cheese. As seen here.

Ellenie answers to many names.

Pee Pie, Elles Bo Belles, One Shoe, One Shoe Willie, Rascally Rabbit, Ellenie Bo Bellenie, Sweet Girl, Sweetie Pie.

There is one name that she is so proud to be able to say...and it's not her own.

It's what she calls her big sister: LaLa.

She says LaLa ALL day long.

Together, these two fill my days. Truly, FILL my days.

With all sugar...

and spice.

Fun and friends

On Saturday we went to the Cotton District Arts Festival in Starkville.

It was a GREAT day! Mostly because we got to see wonderful friends

The Kennedys and The Overstreets. After fun face painting and necklace making, Lillianna and Camp found something ever more fun...

a little DRUMMIN' !!!

Two noteworthy facts:
1. The precious dresses the girls have on are courtesy of their paternal grandmother Sue-Sue.
2. The serious drumming skills Lillianna displays are courtesy of
their maternal grandmother Ya-Ya.



Sweet Ellenie is stopped in her tracks when she see what her sister is up to. Of course...

she joins in the fun!

E: She's off beat! She's too fast!
L: I'm just feelin' the beat sis...just feelin' the beat.

No words necessary. Just LOVE.