Labor Day Weekend and More FALL FUN!!

I've loaded a bunch of pictures this time! I started with last weekend (Labor Day weekend) and actually even had some from today! We are taking a bunch of pics lately (I should say Adam is) because Adam got a new camera lense for his b-day and he is really enjoying learning all about it and practicing!
So the reason for the opening pic of the giraffe is that last weekend we met Nana (Fisk) at the zoo in Lexington (http://www.naturalbridgezoo.com/) for a day trip! We all had a great time - Ella loved it - animals are her fav!! This giraffe was so awesome (and eating out of our hands I might add!) - he/she had such kind eyes and was so gentle - they are a bit intimidating with their size but so sweet!

We were a little surprised that Ella was all about feeding any and all of the animals! She wasn't a bit afraid of them! When we saw the bears (which of course we couldn't feed), she wanted to get in their 'swimming pool'!!

Ella had a great time seeing her Nana...

who had just gotten back from a trip to Europe and brought her wooden shoes from Holland! Shoes are Ella's absolute favorite thing - perfect souvenir!!

After our day at the zoo, was church on Sunday, and Ella looked so cute in her little dress that we had to do a little photo shoot when we got home! I thought the one above of her and 'Papa' (as she calls him) was so precious!

She loves smelling flowers!!

Then on Monday we spent time with family and friends! Ella ALWAYS talks about her 'Pawpaw'

Our friends Adam and Bailey came over and Ella got to play with Kinley again!

I couldn't resist putting up this one of their new baby Follin! She's so beautiful!

After a long (and pretty hectic/crazy) week, we had a wonderful weekend this weekend as well! Yesterday, Adam got up REALLY early to go to Herndon to get a playhouse for Ella (from his aunt) - she LOVES it and has been playing in it non-stop since he brought it home! If you will notice in this photo Ella is in a coat and there is a little blanket at the bottom of the slide in the next one - that would be because she asked if we could go out and play starting at 7:30am! I made her wait at least until 8:45 before we were heading out for church!

After Ella and I went to breakfast with the 'gang' then Adam and I went to a UVA football game in the evening (Ella stayed with her grandmother and great-grandmother)! Our friend Adam's brother plays on the team, so it is very fun to watch the games and for me it is such a wonderful FALL activity! I love everything about going - from putting on the team 'gear', to tailgating, to watching all the pre-game stuff with the band/fireworks/the Cavalier on the horse, and then the evening when it starts getting chilly - LOVE it all!! (Ok so probably for the next few months I will be doing fall tributes :0)

Today was low key with church, grocery shopping, some chores around the house, and then a new sort of weekly 'tradition' we are starting (we've done it the past couple weekends), which is going to family swim at the YMCA - Ella loves it, and Adam and I take turns swimming laps - a great activity to end up the weekend and start up a new week!!