Catching up with good friends

Ella has become really close with her playgroup friends that she has known for over 3 yrs. But ever since she started going to school full time, she doesn't really see much of them anymore. She misses them, but unless we have a weekend birthday party to go (which we do often thankfully) she wont see them. I knew my friend Michella's daughter Makenzie was feeling the same way. She started Kindergarten last August and has been missing her friends as well. So I set up an after school shopping/play/dinner playdate at the mall with them. It was so wonderful for me to have alone time with Michella to get caught up and for our girls to have fun playing with each other. They all get along so great. Here is the Fantastic Foursome:



(Makenzie, Madison, Ella and Ryen)

We started off by playing with trains and books and toys at Barnes and Noble. Then we had 2 trips to the bathroom and 16 trips up and down the escalators before finally leaving. ;)




Then we headed over to Brio Italian Grille and took up the entire patio with our kids while we had some happy hour appetizers! Can you say $2 apps!!??? Yum... The girls did not appreciate the good food the way we did. But they did appreciate some nail polish and one balloon that Michella managed to find in her purse and blow up. Seriously, Michella should really have the title of Super-Mom. The things in her purse can entertain anyone, even me! LOL.



Then our littles strutted their stuff all the way to the play area!





We played, we ate, and we posed for pics.




All told, we had a great time catching up with our friends. There are many more friends she misses just as much and we are going to have to start making the rounds.