Thursday, May 29, 2014

Memorial Day Weekend 2014

This year's Memorial Day Weekend was packed full of activities...several of them impromptu or last minute, which makes for a QUICK weekend. But we squeezed a lot of fun into those few days.

I took Thursday off to go out with Ava, my mom and my aunt to decorate family graves. Ava did great driving out to all those rural cemeteries, and I learned a lot about my family history.



Friday Wynston and his dad left for their annual father/son camping and fishing trip. We sure missed him, but this is something we're used to and we sent lots of cute pictures. :)


Watching Daddy pack the truck for camping.

When asked to smile, the girl smiles.
 Friday we painted, we played with bubbles, we went to a park, we had dinner with our friend Katie, then we went to meet a sorority sister's brand new baby.


Sleepy smiles







Someone's learning to pose.

Saturday we got some yummy drinks at Mama Jeans - their lattes are amazing and Ava tried strawberry milk for the first time. Then tires and a sticker book were bought, shoes were tried on while out shopping with me and Grandma Janie, yummy Acambaro Mexican food was eaten, and a babydoll was cared for so sweetly by Little Miss.







Sunday Wynston and I had brunch plans with a group of friends we are soon going on vacation with. Final plans were made, with lots of laughter and anticipation and food I probably shouldn't be eating before hitting the beach.
Ava spent that time nearby at a family pool, being watched by the kids of our friends. This was the first time I'd left Ava with teenagers/young adults...but one was a certified life guard and I hear Little Miss had the BEST time, all snapped into the safety of a life jacket. :)

Monday we went to the lake with most of the folks we'll be vacationing with...working on building up our pre-trip tans and spending some nice fun time on the water with family. Ava loves the lake and was talking about it first thing that morning. She even hung out with her cousin Mitchell on a big floating mat. I'll have to get that picture off Wynston's phone and put it on here sometime.

This year's Memorial Day weekend was great. It will be a hard one to beat. But while we had some great family times this year, we can't forget the freedom that has been secured by our troops. Someday as Ava helps us decorate those graves, we'll make sure she understands the true reason for the holiday.

I hope you all had a nice long weekend as well!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Camera Roll

Some recent pictures and adventures! :)

A pretty slow morel season this year. But Ava sure loved this big guy we found.

Breakfast at the farmer's market.


Ava and her buddy Bennett relaxing.


Chasing bubbles.



Ava and friend Wyatt enjoying some water playtime!



Ava and friend Adalyn, at Adalyn's 2nd birthday party.

My sweetie and her sweet tooth.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

"Bubble Birthday TIME!"

Two years old. Unbelievable. Our girl is growing up fast. And right now Ava loves to announce what's going on, like "Yogurt Time!", "Bath Time!", "Go Outside Time!" and she has been talking about her "bubble birthday party"  for quite a while now.

Last Saturday we gathered with a small group of friends and family to celebrate the big 2. Once again we had the party at the lake by our house, this time choosing a small covered picnic table very close to the lake. While the breeze coming off the lake was nice, it was not so conducive to party decorations and the bubbles we were rocking. But we still had a good time, complete with a cute sprinkle cake, sprinkle ice cream, a bubble machine or two, feeding the fish down at the marina and lots and lots of bubbles. :)


Here's part of Ava's birthday invitation. Fun fun!


Cheese Balls, Melon Balls, Blow Pops and Pop Rocks...a loose shout out to the bubble theme!



Our lakeside setting, blowing around our cute banner and balloons that matched the invites. You can't even really see the banner here, hanging from the ceiling. Boo.
 
Grandma Cheryl and cousin Leonnie.

Little Miss sneaking some icing off the cake.




Ava and her friend Adalyn eating cake on her new picnic table we got as part of her present. It's so cute and little!






Pretty eyelashes down at the dock.


Ava and her friend Wyatt feeding the fish.