My sweet little darlin!

Ashley Turns Three!

This year was all about DORA and her entourage. You all with children are familiar with Boots, Isa, Benny, etc. Well, we HAD to have a Dora birthday! I'm thrilled that Dora is a cartoon character with whom the girls are interested in. Dora introduced the girls to their first Spanish words, including Ola, counting one-ten, Gracias, Amigo, among others. I think that Dora has helped my girls learn a lot about sharing, problem solving skills, making good choices, and diversity.

OK, enough credit to Dora.

Ashley had a great day! She wasn't "overstimulated" like last year. She ran and played with friends and family and had a good ole time. She even found time in the busy afternoon to get two handfuls of lovely mud from the backyard. She really likes the way it feels in between her toes, as well. A favorite pastime of Ashley's is making mudpies and getting in touch with her tactile sense. She is my little boy trapped in a girl's body. At least for now anyway! = ) She is very much a "hands on" learner! = )

We sure enjoyed seeing so many friends and family on this special day! And we thank our beloved grandmother Geneva for giving of her time and talent (once again) by baking the special Dora birthay cake! We love her so much. She is so wonderful to us.

We began the party with a hotdog cookout, complete with kid friendly snacks and treats.
And, rather than have any structured activities, kiddos seemed to enjoy running freely about the backyard and playing as they wished! Then, we came in the house for some cake and opening presents. It was a great day as we marked another birthday milestone for Ashley. She is growing so fast, it's unreal!

And finally, for the highlight of the day....dorky mom Lisa just HAD to provide a musical aspect to the day. Poor kids....I actually invited them to participate by doing the chicken dance in the kitchen, complete with waving our hands (while skipping) about the house....oh well. My kids are still too young to feel embarrassed by me! I have to enjoy these little ones while I can! I am THAT crazy mom who truly enjoys dancing and singing with little ones!

Is This Thing On?

Hey! It's my blog! I remember my blog!

Hello friends & family!

Thank you for continuing to check in to see if I'm here. I'm sorry I haven't been. It's been a busy couple of months. It's been busy for a lot of reasons! I have really enjoyed spending some time catching up with your blogs, though! I am going to try and remember how to correctly post a blog in chronological order, so, if you see Halloween pics first, I do apologize. Just scroll down and see events as they unfolded in reverse order....

Successful Surgery!

The goofy juice kicked in...

Daddy was SOOO nervous, but you couldn't tell.

Giving brave girl smoochies...

Avery is 3 1/2 ft. tall. The nurse commented that she was tall for her age.

Anxiously awaiting the walk down the long hall.....

It is with grateful hearts that we can put today behind us. Little Avery Jewel pulled through her surgery today smoothly & without complications. The doctor reported that her adenoids were very enlarged and that her ears were all clogged up. It's no wonder that she hasn't heard much in her first four years! Everything she was hearing was muffled and unclear. I am so excited that she can now experience hearing to the fullest. After surgery Avery said, "Doctor fix-kit ear!" Troy and I had to laugh after they gave her the "goofy juice" in the pre-op room. She said some really funny things, and was even willing to let them wheel her away to the OR. Grammy Melva & Nana Beverly were there to help support Avery and her parents today, and we are so thankful for all the help at our house afterwards. So far, the only struggle has been Avery enduring the repertoire of meds that we'll need to take for three days. I am so proud of my little trooper....

Soaking Up Some Last Minute Summer Sun..

Our family really loves to eat. We try to make up reasons to get together and eat, laugh, and make memories. I feel very blessed to be part of such a close knit and loving family. For whatever occasion, we feel compelled to get together and celebrate! On this past Labor Day, Grammy and Granddad prepared delicious grilled chicken with all the fixins, which everyone enjoyed. The girls are sensing that their outdoor swimming activities are winding down..sigh. We definitely enjoy going outdoors whenever possible, and swimming is always a favorite!

Mother's Day Out

Ashley's first day of school was today. She does NOT like getting her picture taken. The look you see here is a genuine smile, (smirk, rather) because she is unwilling to produce a smile for the camera. With Ashley, what you see is how she truly is feeling! The other four pics. I attempted to take at the house were of her scowling at me. The book entitled, "Strong-Willed Child" was written with her in mind, in fact.






Ashley wants to help comfort a new friend.

Today was Ashley's first day of Mother's Day Out at the First Baptist Church in Collinsville. It was a completely different experience than last year, when I had to peel her off of me. She actually started cheering from the moment I pulled the car in at the church, and then proceeded to RUN to the front door, and then RUN into her classroom to greet familiar friends and hug her new teacher, Miss Vickie. What a difference a year makes!