Then and Now

August 2012

August 2013

August 2014

Camera Roll: End of Summer Fun

Cool or rainy weather has started rearing it's head here and there, and the sweaters, boots and pumpkin goodies have hit the stores. We have been squeezing all the summer fun we can into the schedule in the recent weeks. Here's a few pictures.

Building blocks and an a ear of corn. Two of this girl's favorites.



 

    

    

    

Mommy and Me Days

Some days, this mommy just loves a good morning and afternoon spent all with her girl. A good dose of cuteness does a body good, ya know?

Like most of our Mommy and Me days the morning started with coffee and donuts.

Then a little retail therapy, followed by Ava's first lunch at Olive Garden. Sometimes a soup and salad is just calling my name. On this day, the Ande's mints our waiter kept bringing were calling Little Miss' name.

Then an errand for Daddy. What kid doesn't love Bass Pro? It was a good day. :)

    

PS, yes I know different clothes in some picture...I promise this was the same day. Two year olds and messes...that's all I'm going to say. ;)

Camping with Toddlers

We knew this summer would be our first summer to take Ava camping, and we decided to do it in style with two other two year olds in tow! We booked a camp site and met our friends the Wassons down by the river. One of the couples brought a pop up camper, that sleeps six. Our group included six adults, three two year olds and a full size dog. So just in case we brought our tent, and that's a good thing because Ava is just not ready for that kind of quiet before bed!

We let the kids play and get dirty, we played with glow sticks way too late, we found that the best toy for toddlers while camping is just an empty tent to run around in, Ava crashed and slept on the floor of our tent (!), got in the river and paddled around in boats all afternoon, we chased frogs and crawdads, we fried up fresh caught fish for dinner, served alongside an AMAZING grilled pork tenderloin, and finally we made a mad dash out of there during a crazy lightening and thunderstorm. At the end of the weekend, we all agreed that camping with toddlers is a heck of a lot more work, and that we couldn't wait to do it again! Such fun memories. :)

Doesn't Bennett just look ornery here?

Oh corn...the kids loved the corn.

See? And who says two year olds can't share? :)

Who knew this empty tent would provide probably 30 minutes of uninterrupted fun and giggles?

Cuteness.

Little Miss Chit Chat

I'm going to have the set the scene on these entries. Ava talks nonstop, and just like an adult these days...so you never know what you'll hear!

While up at the in-laws, the Schwans man arrives for an order/delivery. He is in the kitchen with Grandpa, Ava and I are in the living room coloring.

Ava: "Someone's with Gampa! Who is it?"
Me: "It's the Schwan's man."
Ava: "Oh I want to go see them." She gets up and heads that way, only to quickly return and loudly say "I don't like the Schwans man, he's yucky! I like you. But Gampa likes the Schwans man."
Me: "Ava, be quiet!"  -- opps.


A couple weeks ago, Ava was struggling with bedtime. So we started singing her a night-night song and saying a night-night prayer, while rubbing her back. It worked like a charm. Ava has QUICKLY picked up all the words to both the song and prayer and does them with us each night. Adorable, and smart!

Night-Night Song - from what Wynston remembers from an old Golden Book movie he watched as a kid:
Day is done, Little One
Close your eyes now sweet dreamer
Up above, is a light (actual lyric: Every star, is a light)
Watching over you tonight!

Night-Night Prayer - this prayer was in a needlepoint that hung in my bedroom as a child.
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
May angels watch me through the night
And wake me with the morning light.
Amen.

Yep, she's a sweetie!

This Little Miss...

Is a master train builder.

Has the cutest curls in the world.

Has a million expressions.

 Is not to be messed with.



A Trip to the Fair

Last month we took Ava to the local fair, and met her friend Adalyn there. The night turned out rainy, but those girls still had a great time. It was full of toddler cuteness...including the girls holding hands and dancing in the rainy drizzle. :)