Sunday at the Winery

We had Sunday brunch at a winery near where Emerson's grandpa grew up. It was fun to see where my grandparents first farmed and how my dad was allowed to drive the farm truck to the elevator when he was just a little kid. The food was delicious, and it was nice to relax by the lake with a bottle of wine (and a loiipop!).

Go Illini!

So, maybe the Illini didn't do so well on Saturday. But, we had a good time at the game, and Emerson enjoyed dressing in her cheerleading outfit and spending the day with her grandparents and Ben.

Same little girl?

Emerson was my sweet little cutie for church last Sunday.
Then, in the afternoon, we went for a walk and Emerson dressed in a shirt that one of Daddy's friends gave her after seeing the picture of Emmy and her daddy with DMC.

Day at the Zoo

I took a day off of work last week to spend with Emerson before Jeff and I went out of town for the weekend. We spent our morning at the zoo and rode the train multiple times. Em also enjoyed looking at the tigers but it made me kind of nervous when the one she was watching got out of the water and roared at her. Emerson, of course, thought it was funny.

Playing in the Rain

What good is a summer rainstorm if you can't jump in a few puddles?

Incredible Pizza

We went to Incredible Pizza Company on Friday night for a little fun before Daddy headed to the farm on Saturday. Em had her first go-kart ride, and loved playing the driving games with her daddy. Her other favorites were the basketball game and bowling. I think her least favorite area was the kiddie area. On the way home, she enjoyed playing with the slinky that she won while singing "If you're happy and you know it..."

Backyard Fun

Emerson had so much fun playing in the water with her cousins, Ellie and Katie on Sunday. The cool water from the hose was perfect for such a hot day. The girls also had a lot of fun inside playing restaurant and practicing gymnastics. After watching Ellie, I think Emerson has perfected her "dismount" from the balance beam.

Playdate with Kate

Emerson and Kate had a great time playing in the water at Citygarden this week. It's so much fun to watch them play together now. Em loves hanging out with her "best friend", and it's a great chance for Amy and me to catch up on our lives!

Christmas in August

I am a true believer that Christmas activities should occur all year long, so I was thrilled to find out that the Christmas Carol Train Tour was in town. It was here to promote the new movie coming out this winter from Disney. Jeff was out of town, so Em and I went and had even more fun than I was expecting. In one picture, Em is playing in the 'snow'. We also got to walk through different exhibits on the train cars, and we saw a 3D preview of the movie. It's the classic Christmas Carol tale, but it looks like it is going to be a great version!

We love parades!

Emerson and Ben both had a fun time at the parade in Mascoutah this past weekend. Emerson's grandparents have great friends that live only a couple of blocks from the parade route, so we all met there and enjoyed the festivities. Emerson and Ben are already competing for candy, but I think the thrill is mostly just racing and picking it up.