Hello. Long time no blog. It's been about 4 months since my last post, so here goes. By all means, take it in stages. Lots of pictures. :)
Ava is in to dressing herself now. Her go to outfit: blue dance tu-tu, pinks sparkle shoes, rainbow hair clips.
I suggested we just use a few colors, I was told that they all the clips were necessary.
Playing at the lake with Emer and Olivia on one of the last warm days in Oct.
Pink Olivia.
Adventurous Emerson.
Climbing trees on another day in front of the Marbles Kids Museum.
Monkeys.
Inside the museum. Standing next miniatures of NC four lighthouses.
Playing on an indoor pirate ship.
Captain Becca.
Horsing around in the underwater room.
Bus driver Emer.
Livi and Ava preparing elaborate meals.
This sweet museum worker obliged the kids as they made numerous purchases at the pretend store.
Emer gets a check up in the ambulance.
Olivia sweetly attends to her mama.
Watching a solar energy demonstration.
Playing with some enormous legos.
Sharing an icy sweet treat.
Playing at the exit.
Blue tu-tu Ava.
Free face painting. It's on!
Meow.
Duck races at the American Tobacco Campus.
Watching the duckies float by with a friend.
Petting and alligator.
Pretty blooms, pretty girl.
A walk.
Her highness watching a show and eating a hot dog.
Looking a stuff at the state fair with Emer and Olivia.
Inside a helicopter.
Spider-Emer at the helm.
Passengers Olivia and Ava.
Ava and Emer watching a pumpkin carving decoration.
Silly pumpkins.
Spider-Kitty Olivia.
Butterfly-Kitty Ava and Spider-Emer.
Look what Becca caught.
By far one of the coolest things I have ever seen at a fair. A walking tree man. So fun to watch people's reactions.
A little light reading in the waiting room for a check up.
Is peace possible? Ava explains the complexities.
It was a long visit and she was soooo patient. This calls for a banana split.
Mr. Potato head. The stunning collection.
Duke Gardens is a magical place.
Just want to live here.
Halloween girl.
Candy bones.
Matching shirts. "So cute it's scary"
Bounce!
The ward Halloween party. Fairy Ava, Little Bo-Peep Layla, Cleopatra Maya, Boba Fett Emerson, Chicken man. I don't even know who that guy is. Just kidding, I might know him. Layla and Maya's awesome dad, Colin.
Mom and Dad's visit to NC was fun. Here is the cabin we stayed in at Hanging Rock. It was on the weekend of hurricane Sandy. Our power went out one night but we were all safe and fine.
Inside the cabin.
Grandpa reading to Ava before she gets ready for bed.
Hiking: Rhonda, Ava, Rex, Emer, Becca, Olivia.
Mommy and Ava under a waterfall.
Intrepid hikers Ava and Olivia.
Climbing Emer.
Bundled up.
Love that face.
And this face. That's a handsome man!
Climbing with Daddy.
A little bouldering.
A lot of bouldering, with a two year old no less. Go Becca.
Lova ya pop.
This is what the smoky mountains are made of: Granitized Gneiss
NC woods.
Grandpa and lovely Livi.
Emer climbing the tree in front of his house.
Dancing Olivia.
Hugs for Grandma.
Behold. The Halloween costume reveal.
Halloween sillies: Olivia, me, Ava, Emerson.
Trick-or-Treat. Trick I think.
Lots of laughs.
Had to show this guys costume. Love it.
Olivia, Grandpa and Ava watching a Tinkerbell movie.
Ava and Grandma and Grandpa before they travel back to Utah.
Love you!
A family portrait.
A pose.
Jumping on to the couch.
Big air.
We are starting her young.
I went to a Madonna concert. It was an okay show, but I think the most interesting part was watching a 55 year-old woman dance, sing and jump around for two hours.
Ava at the Charlotte Children's Museum.
Watching the fish tank get cleaned.
Ava and Daddy.
On a hike with the Thaynes. I would love to know what is being discussed here. :)
Monkey Emer.
Playing in the leaves.
A beach trip in winter.
A walk with Mama.
Pretty day.
I can jump around too. Not for 2 hours probably.
Pick out shells.
Flying Grackle.
Sitting Grackle.
Watching the Christmas boat parade in Wilmington.
Music playing from each boat.
The most text votes picked the winner.
A pretty sky on an evening hike.
The wondrous artistry of God.
Resting with Ava.
Mama walking.
Feeding a donkey.
Holding a chicken at the Mahoney's house.
Olivia got her turn. Look at that satisfied expression. So cute.
Making gingerbread houses with our neighbor Terrell.
The final touches.
On another night the Thaynes came over and we did it again.
Careful work and lots of nibbling.
Sugar highs.
This is what it looks like on the box of the gingerbread house kit.
Hmmm. Something isn't quite right.
Jumping in Christmas jammies.
Twirling in Christmas jammies.
Playing with legos at the Durham kids Museum.
Ava made lots of presents. Hint, hint.
A day out with Daddy.
Happy girl.
Going to see Christmas displays with the Thanyes.
Gift discussion.
Smiles indicate that an agreement has been reached.
Feeding ducks in her puffy coat and hat.
Winterized.
Climbing at the park.
Waverly Place Christmas tree and the moon.
Sparkles and smiles.
Just so darn cute.
This was unplanned, but if you are desperate for an activity on a dark winter night, decorate the clearance Christmas trees at Target.
I put everything back of coarse, but she was having so much fun, I didn't have the heart to stop her.
So pleased with herself.
More decorating at home.
Lights on the doll house.
Christmas eve crafts at the Thaynes.
Big eyes, big smiles.
Art knows know bounds.
Christmas morning!
Stocking surprises.
The ornament she loved at the mall.
Unwrapping presents. (1)
Unwrapping presents. (2)
Unwrapping presents. (3)
Unwrapping presents. (4)
Unwrapping presents. (5)
A music box, with a ballerina, from Daddy.
Very happy.
A hit.
Electronics for Daddy.
And coal. Too bad. :(
Oh, yeah. We have a cat now. We got her in October. Presents for kitty too.
This cat when bonkers for this toy. After awhile we tried to hide it, but then she went even more bonkers trying to get to it.
Chase, chase, chase.
She became winded and was panting like a dog. Relax kitty cat.
A fabulous mess.
Get cleaning Ava.
The Thanyes and friends came over for dinner in the evening.
Layla, Olivia, Ava, Emerson, Maya.
Becca brought really cute snowman craft.
Giggles.
Reflecting on our little tree after the house is quiet on Christmas night.
This is a manger ornament that my Grandma Shirley brought back with her on her trip to Israel. All in all, a wonderful Christmas for us and lots to be thankful for. Love you all.
