Birthday Fun

Last weekend was a birthday/baby shower extravaganza!  We attended two birthday parties and one baby shower.  I hate that I did not get any pictures at the baby shower but the mother-to-be looked beautiful. 

Brinlee turned 2!  I went to school with her mom and dad and she is just a doll!  Avery had a blast jumping in the jump house and eating cake!  It was an April Wallace cake, so of course it was good! 

 Avery and the Birthday girl in their Minnie glasses!  Too cute!

 Avery chauffeuring the guests around!

 And then she was done.......so tired and resting!

 Happy Birthday Brinlee!

Hunter turned 1!  Hunter and Avery go to school together and he is such a cute little man! 

 Digging into his cake!

 Such a cute set-up

 Yummy candy bar

Playing with the kiddos!

Happy 23 Month Birthday

 Happy 23 Month Birthday sweet baby girl!

This month has brought little change.  Miss Avery is still as independent as ever with saying such as, "I do it mommy, or I help......"  We did however pee pee in the potty twice!  It is a start and I was so excited.  I ran into the game room, grabbed the phone and called daddy!  She had ice cream that night!!!!!  That was our milestone this month.  She is talking more here lately and it is starting to make more sense.  I cannot believe that Avery will be 2 at the end of this month.  The way she sits in her chair, the way she looks at me, and the everything in between is changing into a little girl but she will always be my baby.  I can remember when she was so tiny, she would scoot up right under my chin and that was where she was content.  Occasionally she will lay like that when I read to her at night and I just melt.  It amazes me how even though she is growing so fast there are still little things she does that remind me of the most earliest memories.  She fills my heart with such happiness and joy.  I had a moment the other day paying for something for Avery's birthday that I had monogrammed and the cashier was commenting on how cute the item was and what a lucky little girl she was.  I replied, "Her daddy and I are the lucky ones!"  Our prayers at night are quite long, we mention a lot of things, but one of the first things I say is thanking God for making Jason and I Avery's parents.  She gives us purpose and we are forever grateful for her.  The next time I do this my miracle baby will be 2 and I just don't know what to think of that.  Until then........

 Loving her trampoline

 Happy girl

 Just a swinging

 Love this face.

 Jumping with a book!  Classic!

 Busy baby

 Dancing to her own drum

 So true!

 "Taloring" Pronounced Ta-lor-in.  (Coloring)

Note: these capris where pants last year.  Wow!

Thoughts that make you Smile

In the last week I have come across two really good sayings/quotes that I wanted to share. The first one is something I have lived by and I hope to instill this belief into my daughter.

"What is popular is not always right; what is right is not always popular."

And the next thought is from Charles Swindol and I needed this so much this week. Anyone who knows me knows that I am high strung, OCD, and a control freak. I also have problems delegating to name a few. I like to do things my way and when things fall off the beaten path I tend to stress out or over react. This year has been hard with Jason working away, but it has been a sacrifice for our whole family. It will be nice to go and visit him more once summer gets here! What I need to remind myself is that life happens and at the end of the day I will always have my awesome husband and beautiful daughter. I have to get pass worrying about things I have no control over and if I come to a bump in the road I need to slow down and chill out. It sure is easier writing these thoughts than actually doing them. I'm not sure if things really do get crazy when Jason goes to work or it just seems that way when half my team is missing!!!!!

With all this being said, my point is to not worry about the small stuff, hand it over to God and all will be alright.

ATTITUDE

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company......a church.....a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past....we cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude.

I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you.....we are in charge of our attitudes.

This is perfect.

New Finds and Spring Time

So over Spring Break I had some time to find a few new things that I love, put out my Easter stuff, and finish a Christmas project that I started in December.  I know, but better later than never.  Right?  I figured I was in the mood and had time!  So here are my new finds, decor, and project!

 One word: Genius!  Avery loves apple sauce and now she can have it on the go!  Thank you Mott's and Toys R' Us.

My friend Ann sent me a text that Market Street had Minnie cookies.  Enough said.  So today after church Ave and I ran by and picked these up!  She loved them and held them the entire trip to the cashier.  Thank you Ann for thinking of my Avery!  I wonder how she is going to react at Disney World this summer?????

Call me the neighborhood watchdog or whatever, but cars WILL slow down in front of our house now.  Jason is still laughing at me!  Avery loves this little guy and now when we go out front she puts him out before getting her toys out.  And it works.  I can hear the cars gas it after they pass our house.  We truly miss our cul-de-sac in Houston.  Our next move will be to some land where we have free range to do whatever!

 Squeezable bubbles!  And they are Mickey.  Only problem is that when the bubble level gets below a certain point they can not reach the wand therefore no bubbles come out.

 I love crosses and Fleur de lis's.  I found this one at Canton last month and I love it!

 Spring has Sprung!

 Last year I change our tree and all the downstairs living room decor to Red and Green!  This will go on the mantle next Christmas.  It turned out really cute! 

Mini Me

 Avery 2012

Playing with mommy's glasses

Ashely circa 1985

Excuse the midriff top....Thank you 80s!

Lucky Charm

Happy Birthday Andi!  Thank you for letting us celebrate with you!

 I wish I would have taken a picture of the inside after being cut.  Each layer was a different shade of green!

 Lots of green!

 Playing with the birthday girl!

 Wanting the "truck" to go.

 In action!!!!!  Can't decide on what to play with.

 "Where's Avery?"

 There she is!

 Arts and Crafts!

 Birthday girl

 Yummy cupcake.....I mean icing because mommy got to eat a cupcake with no icing.

Spring Break Fun

This week has gone by too fast.  We did so much that I am having trouble remembering everything......two play dates, took her 2nd Birthday pictures, cleaned house, birthday party, played with her cousins from San Antonio, worked in the yard, visited the park a lot, and this is where my memory has drawn a blank.  Anyway this week has been great.  I have caught up with many tasks that were on my to do list such as updating our blog, finishing some projects that I had started in December, working on stuff for Avery's birthday party, and making more lists of things to do.  I am really good at making lists!  This week has just shown me that what my heart has been feeling and wanting is right and that is what I am going to do.  I am staying home with Avery next year and I can't wait!  I told Jason that I want to be able to pour myself into her life and I have felt like I have been able to do that this week.  Nothing has been rushed and time has been meaningful.  Exactly what I have been needing.  She makes my heart full and everything about her is great! 

 Dressing up in mommy's old dance costumes!  I knew these would come in handy again someday!  Kind of crazy!

 Lots of play time.  She is a good little multi-tasker!  (wonder where she gets that?????)

 Her cousin McKinley dressed her up for "her wedding" (I don't think so!).  They had fun playing even though we didn't get to visit with them that much.

 Diva Minnie glasses and eating a tortilla!

 Avery thinks her shoes are just like mommy's!  She calls them her, "bling bling shoes".  I can't wait till the day when she can go and get her nails done with mommy!

We hung out with Minnie!  Of course!

And put directions on the driveway for daddy so he knows where to go!  We miss his truck.  :(

Fun with Karley

Avery had a sweet play date with Karley.  Karley's mom and I work together and the girls had a ball!  Us moms talked the entire time and did not take very many pictures so here is what I have!!!!!!!  Time flies when your having fun!

 Avery loved Karley's play high heels.

 Sweet Karely

My little artist