Buster, Zoo, GB Friends, watering plants, pony tails, and tying shoes

Elle and her new duckling friend we named Buster

(it sounds so cute when she says it "Busser")

The Matta fam at the Lincoln Park Zoo (our 2nd time this year)Our friends Tara and Dustin Zeal (baby Ashlyn was sleeping). Our friends from Green Bay who came to visit us!
Me, Tara and a giraffe (Tara's favorite)

Elle (with slicked down hair from sunscreen) loving the fishies!
Ashlyn (8mo) and Elle
(Elle had to check out Ashlyn's crawling techniques - since Elle never crawled)

Close up - she's holding my watering can

helping me water the plants

The "cheese" face - this just started a couple days ago, as soon as she sees us getting ready to take her pic, this is what we get!

onsies make great bonnets

attempt at a somersault - not bad!
check out the little pony on top of her head - also the "cheese" face!
having fun running around - had to try and have fun indoors with the terrible heat outside
She's so talented, she can already tie her shoes. Also, note her cute tennis outfit on the eve of Wimbledon - Jonathan and I can't get enough of tennis.

Last weekend in Wausau

I know I'm a week behind in posting these, but better later than never! My parents got a new pontoon and we had fun cruising it around the WI River (which is right in their backyard)!

Elle kept her sunglasses on just long enough to get this shot - she was having fun on the boat and playing with ice cubes!

Here she is holding on to the pontoon at Daytona Beach (that's what we call it). It was her first time experiencing sand - she loved the way it felt on her feet - plus if she pushed both feet apart she discovered she could do the splits quite easily!
She loved when Grampy Jer splashed her around in the water.

Grammy Laurie got Elle this cool cup that has a twisty straw that was way more fun to drink her milk from than her sippy cup!

She carried this mini umbrella around for quite a while - what a fun toy

b.t.w. - If you were wondering, yes, that is Bob Marley on her shirt - a gift from my cousin

Mark W. The shirt says "B is for Bob."

Our cute little girl

Lake Geneva and other pics

Here are pictures from our outing in Lake Geneva this weekend. We also went to dinner at Popeye's, it was extra special bringing Ellison to this restaurant since it's where Jonathan and I had our first official date!

Elle loved looking at all of the boats

running around in the grass

stopping to smell the flowers (she is practically doing the splits)

This cute picture was from earlier in the week. Elle had just come in from playing outside in her Hippo pool and was heading up to the tub - she was looking back to see if I was coming.Elle helping Daddy get some work done.

New friends

We have new friends here in Cary, IL (our friend Jenny Staniak put us in touch - Jenny also introduced Jonathan and I)! The pictures above are of Ellison and her new friend Danielle (19 mo) from our little play date the other day. Of course Danielle's mom, Katie (my new friend) was here too- we should have had the girls take a picture of us! Anyway, we are so happy to have such great new friends in our neighborhood. We have already had a few other fun adventures with them and look forward to many more!

"Hippo Hippo Hippo"