Catching Up!

Soooooooo, yeah, I've got a LOT of catching up to do! Just working part-time, being mom to Ava, managing my MOMS Bible Study group, and running my household was too much, so I decided to step back from my wonderful job. OK... so that's been a couple months ago and I'm ready to get back on track with our blog!

Ava and I have been having a fantastic summer! It's going by way too quickly already! She's really progressed in the pool this summer even though we haven't been swimming really all that much (if it were up to me, we'd go at least a few times a week!). She swims under water a few yards at a time and can go down and pick things up from the bottom of the shallow end now. She's having a blast trying new things in the pool this year. About a month ago Ava and I spent several days at my parents' house in La with my sister and her kids. Those cousins had a great time together:) We also had the privilege of mom and dad's neighbor, Gabby, coming over to join in the fun! I have a new favorite sound... Gabby's giggle! I wish I could can it and listen to it whenever I needed a smile! The week before last Ava struggled with a really bad case of strep throat, so last week was spent with her eating us out of house and home to catch up from eating hardly anything that entire week! Oh, and Ava got to spend a day with her GG and TomTom, who took her to the Chattanooga Aquarium and then she got to spend the night... more great memories made:)

We also had a yard sale, which went very well... most of all, I got rid of extra stuff! Yay!! Ava sold some toys and earned herself a new scooter, which she already rides like a pro! We are still so blessed to have little Brady next door to spend lots of outside time with. They LOVE picnics and request one at least a few times a week... well, last week Brady's uncle Dan made him a new picnic table so we've had the joy of using that nice gift! This past Saturday we were so blessed to get to enjoy an incredible marriage conference at the church, put on by Dale and Jena Forehand. If you ever have a chance to hear them, don't miss the opportunity!

The rest of the summer and fall proves to be busy and filled with fun! In a week, Shawn will be in Nashville for a training and Ava and I plan to join him for at least a few days. Then comes the start of soccer for Ava, a last summer trip to Louisiana (my parents house), the start of Kindergarten for Ava, the children's ministry consignment sale, the beginning of my MOMS group... and that's just August! September will bring Ava's birthday and a visit from my parents plus a trip to the beach:) And yet, we'll have plenty of time together in between. We're not big rushers... we like to spend lots of quality time together as a family so this is a busy schedule for us! But, we'll be sure to make lots of time for each other:)

Shawn has gotten even more new camera equipment and gained more knowledge and skills, so I will be posting some great new pics very soon. He also plans to referee high school football this fall, so he's really, really excited about that!

I'm sure I'll think of something later that I've forgotten, but this will have to do for now. I promise to keep future posts less wordy and to post pictures soon!

Here We Come, 2009!

The holidays have been GREAT! I have so enjoyed the extra time at home with Shawn and Ava and the extra time with extended family! My folks were "home alone" this Christmas with Lee and I both spending the holiday with our husbands' families and their own celebration with Dad's mom wasn't until the weekend after Christmas. But, they ended up at some dear friends' home on Christmas Day and had a great week getting some major projects done together!

2008 was a big year for us... we had great pains, great joys, and most of all, learned and gained so much in the process of it all! We hope that the Lord has just as much in store for us in 2009 and hope to 'see His face' more and more as well! God is so good!

Shawn got a new photography toy for Christmas and so enjoyed a little more practicing. It's too bad, though, that he doesn't have a beautiful and willing subject! Here are some examples!

Happy Strawberry Shortcake Birthday, Cadee!!

So, my background today (strawberries) is in honor of my niece's birthday today! Happy 4th Birthday, Cadee! You are such a big girl and we love you so very much! Have a wonderful day today!

Cadee is a "pistol" as my dad said today and so I thought this picture might be the most representative of her personality! Yes, the red hair is to blame!

Christmas Time's A-Coming!

I LOVE Christmastime! Especially through Ava's eyes. Each year is different and so enjoyable! I was determined to get the Christmas tree up the Saturday after Thanksgiving even though we had just gotten home from a week at mom and dad's at 4 that morning, and I still had unpacking and laundry to do! It's all about the priorities! We got the tree up and Ava was a great helper to decorate it, got Ava's tree up, Ava hung the "sockins" all by herself, we had hot cocoa, and listened to Shawn read Twas the Night Before Christmas.

While in La, we had family pictures made with my parents, Granny, and sister's family. Shawn took several of his own and did a great job! Me and Ava

The Girls!

Shawn and Ava

Dad and Granny

Ava, Cadee, and Justin

Ava taking care of little cousin Jonathan

Ava and her "best fwend" for the week!

My sis with her family

Families are fun!!

Ahhh, here with family again! We're here in Louisiana spending quality time with my parents, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephews, and Granny. Thursday we'll also have more family here with us! The kids have all had a great time together! They each love their cousins SO much!

A couple of funny things we've overheard from the kids this week:

• Last night, Ava and Cadee were playing with the dollhouse and dolls and we heard Cadee and Ava figuring out which dolls were which and Ava told Cadee, "You have to be really, really old to be a grandma!" Just as my mom (her grandma) entered the room!
• The kids invited Granny to eat at the kids' table with them for dinner tonight and she delightedly accepted! Then, I overheard Ava say, "Granny, you're old. How old are you?"
• Tonight, Cadee wanted to sleep in her mom and dad's room instead of in Granny's with Ava, which is very unusual. We kept asking and she just did not want to sleep in there. Her dad told her in his sternest voice, "Cadee, I will NOT tolerate you waking up in the middle of the night, because Jonathan is in our room and you don't need to wake him up! The first time you wake up, talk, whine, whatever, I'll spank your bottom". She turned right around and said in her sweetest voice, "Ava, I'm sleeping with you now". Smart girl!
• OK, Justin is usually the king of the funny quotes, but I'm asking everyone and we're all coming up dry! I'm sure I'll be posting one in the coming days!

Thank You SO much, Lord, for the blessing of family and for the lessons we learn from the kids you've blessed us with:)

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

It's Clompicated

Yes, Ava has created a new word. As we were driving home from Bible study this morning, Ava was singing her own song in the backseat and sang something about "situations". I asked her if she knew what a situation was and she said no and asked me what it was. I was so stuck! I could only think of an explanation that involved the word "circumstances" and I didn't know how to describe either word without using the other!

After I took a short phone call, Ava still wanted a definition. I couldn't think of how to explain it to her. She reassured me... "I will believe you, mama. I will. I will trust you". Give you a hint that she doesn't always believe or trust me? Anyway, I tried to tell her that I knew she would believe me, but that I couldn't think of how to explain the word to her! After going back and forth on that and after more unanswered questions, I told her that it was "complicated". And the rest is history....

All I heard the rest of the way home was "You're clompicated, mama." Giggle, giggle, giggle.

On another note, we enjoyed a very fancy, 'Fancy Nancy' birthday party at Mercy's house on Saturday. The girls dressed up and wore their finest jewels, made bracelets and crowns, ate some fancy food and played the afternoon away. Here are Ava, Mercy, and Emma all beautified:)

I am so blessed! Today I had a wonderful friend invite me over to pray together and I am filled with joy for what God has done in me and what He is going to do!

Well, it took me FOREVER, but I finally figured out how to post a slideshow of some pictures of our fun last couple of weeks! Our recent days have been filled with pumpkin patch, Peinhardt Farm, Fall Festival, and a really special morning at Doss Farm with Mr. Morrow, who told me he got his "pay back from yesterday morning" the next day at church when Ava put her hand on his arm and said, "I love you, Mr. Morrow". Too sweet!

I'll also go back and add some soccer pics and birthday pics from September... Ava had a surprise family birthday party and a really fun time at Build-A-Bear with friends! Please look below and check it out! If you click on the slideshow, it will bring it up larger and you can also read the captions. Just click on the slideshow, then click on the word 'Slideshow' on the page that comes up.