Montana Girls are Back - Days 4 & 5

Today we are going to put our purchases to work.  It's SEWING DAY!  I have set up my sweet Featherweight and her table just for little people.  You can't go too fast on these so they are perfect for teaching with.   Notice the step stool for the foot pedal.  Short legs need all the help they can get.

The first thing we are making are dresses and you can read AND WATCH the video by clicking on this Sewing Post Link.  The details are all there and this will just be the highlights.  The moments we have together are just so sweet and the girls do such a great job with their dresses.  I think my favorite picture is of little feet under the table.  So fun.

I have to laugh as Malea sews.  This is the total relaxed seamstress.  Her hand is even holding up her head.  Perhaps it is nap time.

TA-DA --- Dresses.

At this point I put Malea down for a nap and Elena and I make the aprons.  That's enough sewing for today -- for sure.  It's time to get ready for a picnic with Grandpa.

We have put together a super fun basket to take to the Dallas Arboretum for our picnic.  Grandpa and I know of the perfect place to settle in, complete with table and chairs.

It's a beautiful night and I'm thankful for that.  We are able to set the table nicely and sit back and enjoy while the girls tell Grandpa all about their super busy sewing day.

Fried chicken, quinoa, and fresh strawberries grace our plates along with some sparkling cider in lovely stemware.  Yes, these grandparents do it up right.

After our super fancy meal, it's Grandpa takes the basket to the car so that we can walk the grounds and have a little fun.  The Arboretum is open late on Wednesdays, giving us the fun opportunity.  Currently, "The Great Contributors" are featured throughout the garden with wonderful bronze statues and this gives us plenty of wonderful photographic and teaching moments.

The girls get up close and personal with several of them, all of which bring instant smiles to my face.

The best part of bringing them here?  They both LOVE the flowers and are perfectly content to walk and see all the beauty around them.  It is abundant and they find wonder everywhere they look.  We, on the other hand, are constantly on the lookout for memory making moments.  Say that three times super fast.

Find a rock and smile.

We take the girls to a spot that we found a few weeks ago.  It has lots to discover, including a vegetable garden.

There are all kinds of fruit trees as well and as we roam about, talking and answering the multitude of questions thrown our way, little eyes locate something moving and settle in to watch.

This sweet little rabbit is also watching them but as long as they don't get too close, it is content to just nibble away.  That is until another child notices it and races this direction.

Grandpa and his camera are busy this evening as we have the chance for a few pictures.  Since the girls wanted to wear their new dresses, I went along and put one on too.

As we arrive at the koi pond, peeking into the water is always so fun.  Which one is the biggest?  The brightest?  The fastest?

Hair down if you want one of just me, my sweetheart.

At the Women's Garden, there is a statue that the girls try and mimic.  Elena does a pretty good job.  Malea's leaves a bit more to the imagination.  Perhaps it is just upside down and it's my perspective that needs adjusting.

Well, that's it for today.  Time to go home, bathe, and head to bed.  What a super fun day and tomorrow is still ahead of us.

Hello again --- it's been raining off and on for a couple of days now (yes, we were super lucky last night) and we've decided to have another "at home" day that will include cooking and crafts.  Perhaps I should say "baking."  We have cookies on the agenda.  Now, where are those aprons we just made?

The decision is made for chocolate chip cookies.  Hair is up, aprons are on, hands are washed and we are ready to start.

All the ingredients get worked on by both girls so that no one feels left out and we soon have a nice dough that can be scooped out for cookies.

Why oh why didn't I have one of these scoops when my own children were small.  They are just perfect for little hands.  Happy hands and faces.

Well, the best part is actually eating them right?  I catch Elena in the act after we finish and Malea has gone to take a nap.  She'll get one when she wakes, I guess.  What a cute little snuggle bug.  After some quiet time for Elena and me, I find a craft that the girls can paint.  Silly Gammy lets the girls get started before I remember that I just gave the PAINT.  Time to find Grandpa's donated "craft" t-shirts.

There now, that's better.  I won't be near as nervous now.

I do like letting them play this way.  We can always find things to make out in the studio.  It seems like no matter how many things we use up, more are always there.

Once Grandpa gets home from work, we decide to drive down to the dam and see just how much water there is.  We park the car and walk around the south edge of the dam and lake and watch the water rage by like crazy.

As we walk along, the waterfowl is out and about all over the place.

A beautiful white egret stands along the water's edge, watching us as we watch it.

There are even more sitting in the tops of the trees.  That's a new one for me.

The girls are off and running down the path and over the bridge.  It's great to be outside and get the wiggles out after being in the house all day.

There is water EVERYWHERE.  It's crazy how full the lake is and how much is being emptied out through the dam.  Muddy --- oooh it is indeed muddy.

The south end of the lake has some beautiful viewing spots and we find one to check out.  The sound of the water is super loud here.

About this time, the rain starts back up.  Fortunately, we brought umbrellas and hand them out.  Unfortunately, it doesn't decide to just sprinkle.  It lets loose on us.  Knowing how much Malea LOVES to get wet, we try and make the best of it.  However, as she is walking along I can hear her say, "My shoes are so wet Gammy."  I know, but, oh well, they'll dry.

Grandpa and Elena walk much faster than us and once they get to the car, Elena gets in and Grandpa makes a return trip to get Malea.  Saved.

He is one soaked unit and we had been planning on going to get pizza after walking at the lake.  Now for a trip home to change clothes.

Wow --- that was such a simple activity and it turned into quite the memory for us all.


Dry clothes and an hour later -- we are ready for some dinner.

Let's feed those bellies.  It's been another great day.  I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring our way.  Love, love, love these little bundles of joy.  See ya in the morning.