A Pirate and Dancing Kitty

The Princess's New Throne

Miss Ava Mae got a new high chair today! She will be enjoying a meal of squash and rice cereal in it this evening. She looks like she enjoys her meals doesn't she?! :) I like to call her my Chubba Bubba......I take after my mom with lots of nicknames for my kiddos!

Sorry my pictures have been so dark lately. We still haven't bought a new digital camera to replace the one that died so we are using the camcorder's camera but there isn't a flash on it. I try to take pictures by windows to get more light in the photograph but we've had a lot of cloudy weather here! I figure that grainy, dark pictures are better than no pictures.

A Kid Update

Scott got home yesterday afternoon. Yeah!! I took this picture of Ava with him last night. We even managed to get her smiling at the camera!

Ava is just growing up so fast. She is getting quite a bit of hair, compared to when Elle was a baby anyway . She is eating solids at breakfast and dinner every day and has liked everything we've given her so far. The funniest thing she does that the other kids didn't do was roll over and over to get where she wants to go. The other day I laid her on the floor in the middle of my room to play and then I went into the bathroom to fix my hair and put my makeup on. Elle was in there with me putting her pretend makeup on. Ava didn't want to miss out on the fun so she just rolled, scooted and rolled to get over to my bathroom doorway. When she got there she gave us a big smile. :) Another thing that she does that makes me smile is when she's being laid down for her nap she will put her thumb in her mouth as soon as she sees her bed. She rarely sucks her thumb any other time but when she's sleepy and she knows that she's going to be laid down for a nap, in goes the thumb. :)

Thomas taught Elle to ride her bike without training wheels this week. Thomas took the training wheels off himself and she can now get on her bike and get going all by herself. She likes to go fast and try to do all of the tricks that Thomas does so I am just waiting for a crash and some tears here soon. I am ignoring my urge to wrap her up in bubble wrap and put a hockey goalie mask on her! :) The two rules that I made very clear are to stay away from the retaining wall and do not attempt to go down the driveway! Other than that she can ride as fast as she wants to and even go off the ramp made up of a landscaping timber and piece of plywood. I'll just say a prayer for her when she goes out to play and have the Strawberry Shortcake bandaides ready I guess. :) Scott sent me an article last week about a school banning playing tag at recess because kids can get hurt and it makes them feel excluded. Give me a break! We aren't afraid of a few bumps and bruises at our school. :)

I have Comments!

Lots and lots of comments were sitting behind the scenes on my blog waiting for my approval to be published and I didn't even know it! Whoops! I must've changed that setting while updating my blog once and didn't even realize it. And here I thought that noone was reading my blog. :) Don't I make my computer guy husband proud?!?! :) It was sure fun reading through all of them....like going to the mailbox and having several letters from friends in there! (Thanks Mom for letting me know that none of the comments you were leaving were showing up!)

We are having a good week so far. Scott left on Saturday for Nashville, TN and will be back home on Wednesday. We are looking forward to that! The big highlight of the week are 2 field trips that we have coming up on Friday with a few other homeschool families. We are going to visit the grocery store bakery/produce department in the morning and then go see how icecream is made at Coldstone Creamery. The kids are going to get to put their own mix-ins into the icecream and smoosh it up on their marble counter by themselves. Thomas and Elle can't wait! I'm sure Thomas will blog about it!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Hope you have a nice, relaxing day with at least a few peanut m&m's!

Love you lots!

Just Like Mommy

Elle just loves to help take care of Ava. She thought it was so much fun to carry her around in the Baby Bjorn this afternoon. Ava liked it too though you can't really tell from the pictures. She always wants to have a stare down with the camera when I try to take her picture. Look at those chubby little cheeks though....they are so kissable! :)

Playing Trains with Big Brother

My Girls

Ava is 6 Months Old Today

The Heat Is On

Yesterday I broke down and turned the heat on. It was 62 degrees in the house so I figured it was time. Today snow is in the forcast. Of course Thomas is thrilled with the idea of getting snow already. He's picturing the lake frozen, a big ice rink cleared and playing hockey with Scott.....and hot chocolate with lots of marshmallows! :)

And for those who might be wondering where the pictures of the kids helping with the apples are.....well, we haven't got to them yet! They are still in the basement waiting for me. We have been so busy around here this past week but I hope to get started on them tomorrow.

Apple Picking

This afternoon the kids and I went apple picking at a friend's house in town. There were two trees loaded with pretty good sized apples. We had so much fun picking them we ended up with 2 1/2 grocery bags full. I am going to be busy canning applesauce, apple butter and apple pie in a jar now! I have an apple peeler from pampered chef that we are going to give a try. If it does a good job then I will put Thomas and Elle in charge of peeling! I was going to take pictures of the kids up on the ladder picking the apples (Don't worry they didn't go too high!) but I forgot to put the memory stick back in my camera so I wasn't able to take any. :( I will take some of them helping me and post them though.

Happy 15th Birthday Nicole!

Hope you have a great day! Love ya lots!