GI Elsa Jane

Elsa had fun playing Army at Fun Aunt Holly's house earlier this week. Stay tuned for pictures from our road trip when we get home!

Daddy tells me that my college savings stocks are performing better than 18% over the past year. Now to decide on a preschool that I want to attend. : )

Long Time No See Quinn!

Quinn came over tonight to hang out with Elsa. She was SOOOO tired, but having company over lifted her spirits for long enough to play. As soon as Quinn left, Elsa crashed.

Elsa's analog camera is quite interesting... Quinn is more into digital photography I guess.

"Nice kicks Quinn"

Charmed Life

Here you see Elsa and Grandpa singing "row, row, row your boat" at Grandma and Grandpa's amazing beachfront house. Can you get much more love than this girl gets from her Grandpa?

Da Da's Birthday

Daddy is 372 months old today! That's about 20 times my age. Wow... that's old. Great Grandma P. came over today for dinner. It was fun showing her all of my toys, making animal noises for her, showing her I know some colors and letters, and how smart I am in general.

Cookies?

Elsa and Mommy are currently making something yummy.

Visiting Grandma & Grandpa Beach

Elsa visited grandma and grandpa at the beach for a fun-filled two day adventure. In these pics, Elsa hangs out with grandpa and grandma in the backyard... Elsa discusses the benefits of four stroke outboards with grandpa... Elsa crams her mouth full of raspberries from the garden... Elsa rests with a full belly after a tour of the garden.

New Couch

Elsa has an affinity for playing chase and hide & seek games. This is her way of celebrating the return of a couch to the living room.



Whose big head is that flashing across the screen around 12 seconds?

Quiz Time

1. Elsa recently traveled to which two major cities?
a. Fort Lauderdale
b. Denver
c. Toronto
d. Wilmington
e. Seattle

2. Elsa often asks (signs) for more of what?
a. Food
b. Swinging
c. Music
d. Sliding
e. All of the above

3. Elsa likes to help her stuffed animals?
a. Eat
b. Sleep
c. Swing
d. Change their diapers
e. All of the above

4. Elsa can sign all of the following except:
a. Orange
b. Dad
c. Help
d. Music
e. Book
f. Sleep

5. True/False | Elsa has learned a sign in one sitting

6. Elsa can say all of the following except:
a. Daddy "Daddy"
b. Baby "Ba Ba"
c. bling bling "ling bling"
d. Backpack "packback"
e. onion "nyanyan"
f. dirt "dirt"
g. uh oh "uh oh"

7. Elsa recently helped Daddy build a:
a. house
b. birdhouse
c. patio
d. tree fort




Answers:
1. b and e
2. e
3. e
4. b
5. True
6. c
7. c

Elsa on the lake

For Independence Day, we hung out with good friends. The weather was beautiful and I had a lot of fun. I love people, kids, dogs, and water... so it was pretty much the best 4th of July I've ever had.

Independence Day (Dad's lecture)

It is an extraordinary gift to live in a nation where we enjoy many freedoms and are protected by many rights. After reading a biography of Desmond Tutu and his nation's struggle to bring many of these same freedoms and rights to people in South Africa, I think of the great number of nations where there exists little freedom or guarantee of rights. Imagine raising your child in an oppressive, tyrannical nation where your daughter or son has few opportunities to look forward to. It should sadden us that this is the norm for many in our world. The Declaration of Independence is an awesome document that might inspire others as it has inspired many Americans for the past 231 years. Although watching a fireworks display may stir patriotism and thankfulness, it is an important exercise to connect with our past, and rediscover the reason we celebrate. -Joe

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."

Waterpark

Here I am at the waterpark on a rare sunny day. The water randomly shooting out of those holes was intriguing. My friend Lincoln didn't notice when I stole his cool toy in the second picture.