Yard Sale Success

Ellie missed the memo on Saturday that we generally enjoy sleeping in on the weekends. Instead, she helped us start our morning at the crack of dawn by waking up at 6:45. At breakfast Jon read me his long list of outdoor chores he had planned for the day and I shared that Ellie and I would be going to a local yard sale or two.
First on Jon's list was to switch out his winter sweaters for his summer shorts. The poor man made it up to the third step of the attic when he realized that the yard work could wait: something had to be done about the mess upstairs. As he started tossing some of my innumerable empty boxes down the steps for trash, I grabbed Ellie and yelled "Adios!"
I had researched a few yard sales in Birdsboro and Exeter but didn't know how long Ellie would last. Our first stop was five miles away towards the center of Birdsboro and we hit a jackpot. I picked up two riding toys, one dump truck, and a musical steering wheel toy all for $5.00. I also had my eye on a big mirror for over our fireplace but I wanted to measure our space a second time because it was too close to the size of the area I had written down. The Exeter yard sales were at least fifteen minutes away and Ellie was starting to rub her eyes so we headed home.

Breaking in the new loot.

I put Ellie to bed and checked on Jon's status. While I was away Jon had decided to cut up the ping pong table (we had received it for free and had hardly used it -- not using it once in the past two years) and started making shelving in the attic out of the compressed wood. He was busy so I kept out of his way and cleaned up the kitchen, collapsed boxes, made baby food, and prepared lunch. When Ellie woke up we went outside and hung out in the sun (well Ellie was in the shade) while I did my Precepts homework. After lunch Ellie and I hung out some more while Jon continued in the attic then I mowed the lawn during Ellie's second nap.
Mom stopped by at 4:15 to pick up my Dessert Rose china for the Mom's Together breakfast. Jon was finishing up the attic and putting away his tools while I prepared some bruschetta.
Dan and Amanda invited us and the other brothers and their families over for dinner. Ben and Jess couldn't make it but Peter and Brittany joined us and a family that is friends with Dan and Amanda. We had hot dogs, chips and fresh salsa (made by Brittany), mac and cheese (made by Amanda), and my bruschetta. The weather was beautiful so we ate outside on the deck then sat around a fire in their fire pit. Cecelia, Amanda's youngest, is almost exactly a year older than Ellie. Whenever she was close to Ellie should would reach her hands in the air and motion with her hands that she wanted to hold Ellie. It was pretty funny!

Sitting on Cece's lap on Aunt Brittany's lap

Everyone started to leave around 9:00 so we also headed out. It was fun to spend some time with Dan and Amanda and their family since we do not see them very often.

SUNDAY morning we did not have to be at church until first service began at 9:00. Ellie has not been sleeping very well so Jon let me sleep in until 7:15 but woke me up knowing that I needed over an hour to get to church on time. I just move so slowly in the morning. We went to first service and then had second hour Sunday School. I was scheduled to sit as the hall monitor but Dad graciously took my spot so that I could go to the parenting class.
After church the Vines & Branches Sunday School class was having a lunch at the Rus' in Morgantown. Since I had slept in we had to run home so I could make some rice to take to the taco-themed lunch. We made the rice and arrived before it was time to eat. Ellie had slept while we drove and cooked so she was fresh and ready to socialize. Someone held her while I ate and afterwards, which was nice. I took her when she started getting testy and changed her diaper. Sometimes she just needs some time away from people to regain her generally happy demeanor.
After lunch Jon went and played soccer and I took Ellie to Mimi and Pop's house for a nap. I also laid down in the room where she slept until Jon was finished playing. He showered and then we hung out in the basement where Pop's joined us and we all watched some golf.
We went to prayer meeting and afterwards Jere Scott Bradshaw (our new pastor) came over for dinner. Jere Scott's wife is away visiting her family so we asked him to come sometime for dinner. I had bought some pork ribs and sweet potatoes and Kelly and left a green salad leftover from Friday night that I used. Jon grilled the pork and I made sweet potato fries in the oven and Jere Scott ate and hung around until 9:30. Jon and I caught up on emails and cleaned up the kitchen before heading to bed. It had been a fairly long day.

Ellieisms:
Ellie growls when she is frustrated. Or screeches. We prefer the growls.