MINNIE MOUSE MADNESS

 Ava's first friend birthday was such a fun successful!!!  Maybe a little bit too much fun... check out how spent she was after the party... The mom (aka: me) felt the exact same way.... I was pooped!!!!  I don't know why I go so nutty over birthdays, but I l just love my kids and love to make their day as special as possible!!!  All of her friends were so sweet!  They enjoyed watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, dancing, presents, games (pin Minnie's flower on, button-button (total hit... who knew??), Minnie Mouse says), eating minnie mouse chicken nuggets, cupcakes, and their fun-filled Minnie Mouse purses.  Thanks for partyin' with us little ladies...

Ava we love you so much!!! What fun memories we made as we celebrated the four precious years we've been together as a family!!!  You mean everything to us!  You are such a kind and loving girl.  You make everyone feel loved and important.  That's why you have so many friends and family that love you!  You've always been known as the "Party Girl" and now we know why... You know how to have FUN!!! Minnie Mouse will never forget this birthday! And either will we... WE LOVE YOU!!!

CELEBRATING "4" AVA

Amidst all the minnie mouse madness and parties we also managed to squeeze in a fun family date to honor our big 4 year old.  We took the birthday girl to "Build-a-Bear" where she created her new best friend, Ali.  It was so fun to see her get so excited!!!!

 (There was also some fun celebrating at Preschool.  It was so cool to see Ava around her peers at school and to see how proud she was to have her mom and brother there.  I hope that she will always have that same great confidence as she keeps getting older.)

Now that our Miss Ava is 4 she is quite the grown up.  She lets me know about everyday that she is 4 now and can do it herself.  It's pretty funny when she can't do something she'll start to cry and say, with frustration,  "Mom I'm not 4, I can't do it!!!!"  

I can tell that she expects excellence in everything she does.  She has so many wonderful qualities that I just love and admire.  She is also very concerned about others and their needs.  Including mine.  I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful little friend and helper during those long days at home as a desperate housewife ;)... You know what days I'm talking about if you are in the same stage of life as myself.  However, I'm happy to say those days are rare.  I love being a mom and especially the mom of this amazing 4 year old.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVA... WE LOVE YOU!

(SIDE NOTE)

(I found this picture the other day and I decided I have to share it.  Ava loves taking my camera and taking all sorts of random photos.  I'll have to share more.  I just thought this was so sweet... she'll make a great mommy some day.)

NEMO!

My little fishy, Ava (aka... Nemo), just finished her second year of swimming lessons.  She really is becoming quite the swimmer.  She had fun learning from her teacher, Mike, whom I think she had a slight crush on.  He was actually really good with this all-girl class.  These girls giggled so much!!!  Especially when they went on floating plane rides with their teacher... Definitely Ava's favorite part!!!  She also loved being there with her friend, Rachel Fergurson.

Mac and I loved cheering her on from the sidelines and I also had fun catching up with my old friend, Nilly, who also had kids swimming at the same time.  

Lessons are over now, but we love to go swimming as much as possible.  

Being a mom in the summer is the best!

WE'RE BACK!!!!!

Hooray!!! I finally figured this whole blog mess out!  I'm so happy I found all my contacts too... Hopefully this will motivate me to stay up to date on things...

Obviously, I've been MIA... Hopefully this overload of posts will explain why!!! We've just been having way too much fun!  Life has been really good to us and we feel very grateful for our wonderful little family and all the exciting things we get to enjoy in this life.  Here's just some fun pictures that will help me remember this moment in time with my two darling kids...

 This is on Father's Day... He'll be a cute future father one day;)

 Yes... that is string cheese

 Lots of fun days at the Pool...

 This was during our crazy Spring/Winter... notice there's still snow outside.  We had lots of lazy days at home.  This is a common scene at our household.  Luckily I love to be busy and we're always running around town because if not these two would watch WAY too much TV.

 Fun Times @ Wal-Mart... Ava always wants to just go play the arcades there.  

We really need some kind of entertainment place with fun stuff like that here in B-town.

 This boy is seriously a "BOTTOMLESS PIT!!!!"  He never stops!  

He sits at a meal for so long that he likes to get comfortable with his foot up on the table! Love it!

 Fun play days with her cute cousins, Brynlie & Camren

 This was at our Ward BBQ.  Ava is in love with her friend/greatest babysitter in the world, 

Racheal Hosman, who has the cutest puppies EVER!!!

 Crazy times at the zoo.  My sister Jamie was in town a ways back... 

and obviously I'm just a little bit behind on this bloggin' thing

3 GOING ON 16

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!  Since Jake and I already celebrated this lovely holiday... We decided it was the kids turn.  I surprised them with fun new hooded bath towels this morning with their valentine oatmeal breakfast!!! Our favorite ( I know lame, but we love it)!!! The strawberries got us in the spirit and then we were all off to our morning ritual... the gym.  Afterwards Jake took a separate car and met us at home as he picked Ava up on her very first date.  He rang the doorbell and handed her a single red rose...This was the real deal.

They had so much fun at McDonald's even though Jake was dreading his meal, but they made up for it with a trip to Orange Leaf.  Then they made a quick pit stop at Top Hat Video and picked up the movie "Barbie and Three Musketeers," which they are currently watching downstairs.  They have the cutest relationship.  It just brings a smile to my face.

While they were gone Mac and I had a date of our own.  A romantic lunch for two at home.  After being covered in his noodles and spinach we snuggled up to watch his favorite, "Brainy Baby."  Now the little guy is down for a nap.

I love my kids so much.  Valentine's really is one of my favorite holidays.  It's such a fun time to express love and appreciation to the people that matter most.