I broke the rules...

I couldn't stand it. My Christmas tree/decor has been up for two weeks. With busy schedules, and holiday traveling, we went ahead and put it up. I wanted to start listening to my Christmas cd's in October, but Shaun drew the line there ;). I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We have already had two delicious meals with Shaun's family, and we're headed to MV in the morning for more food, fun and shopping! Here is a clip from my favorite holiday movies....I think I'll watch it with Avery tomorrow!

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Halloween Weekend

This may sound like a repeat of my mom's recent post, but here ya go!
Nonna came into town Thursday night so she could keep Avery Friday and spend the weekend with us. Friday night we went to our church's fall festival. Avery was a little shy at first, but she started warming up once she learned if she played the games, they gave her candy! She had lots of fun with her little friends, and really enjoyed the trunk or treating and the hayride. Saturday, mom took us out to the SFA experimental forest and took some family pictures of us. Not as successful as I would have liked....out of about 200 pics, we probably got just a few that have Avery NOT trying to jump out of our arms, crying, or pouting and wiggling away. She just wasn't having it! That seems to be the norm these days anytime we try to get a quick pic of all of us together! Little stinker, lol.
After some shoppigng around town, we got ready for a night of trick or treating. Our good friends Larry and Julie invited us over for chicken chili and trick or treating with the kids. It was so much fun! Avery and their youngest son, Carter, rode around in the wagon. They soon picked up on how trick or teating works! After about the 2nd house, Avery didn't even want me walking up with her!.... and she said "trick or treat!"and "thank you!" at every house. Their neighboorhood is pretty big, so next year we decided to do it hayride-style =)
Great weekend, ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Pumpkin Fun

As tradition since I've lived in Nacogdoches, we go to the Christ Episcopal church pumpkin patch every fall. It's not really a "patch", but a bunch of different sized pumpkins scattered all over their lawn. Avery had a blast. We decided this year instead of carving the pumpkins, we would let her paint them.(What a great idea from Brook!) Thanks to crayola paint, they can magically be erased with the water hose and ready to paint again! I think she had more fun painting herself. I can't figure out how to get my pictures posted in the order I want, so the pumkin patch pictures are at the bottom, and the painting pictures are first.

Blogger likes to put my pictures in weird orders...this picture was supposed to be last. It was last year at the pumpkin patch...can't believe how little she looks!

Giggly Girls

Avery Kate turns 2!

Yes, we're still here! I just haven't taken the time lately to sit down and post. Well, we've been busy lately, with the lates event Avery's second birthday. I can't believe she's two...these years have flown by! Well, Avery loves "Mimmy", so of course we had to do a Minnie Mouse party. I decided I wanted to make her cake this year, so I enlisted my mother-in-law's help. She has every you need to make any kind of cake, and taught me how to make a really good buttercream icing! We spend most of Saturday making Avery's cake. It was lots of fun, but lots of work too!
My mom and dad came in Saturday evening, and gave Avery her present early-- a cozy coupe car! I'll have to post a pic of it later...she loves it! Sunday, my uncle, and brother and sis-in-law came into town for the party. After a church and lunch, we came home to get ready for the party! Avery had aunts, uncles, great aunts, grandparents, great grandparents, and some friends over..we had a full house! Avery had a special Minnie Mouse dress, complete with her own "ears" to wear....we had minnie ears for everyone else to wear too! Avery received lots of fun gifts...a cash register, books, dolls, clothes, and lots of other fun stuff. She had so much fun running around with her friends. They got to sit at their own kiddie table that Shaun and I got for Avery. My good friends from Mt. Vernon, Anna and Kelsi brought their little girls over...Kelsi's daughter Taylor and Avery are in the same class at preschool, and they have had to be separated at naptime for talking! Hahah, sounds like how Kelsi and I were in school! Brook, Scott, Ella and Eric were able to come too. It was so good to see them; Avery has missed her friends! After much cake, M&M's, and running around playing with friends, Avery zonked out on Aunt Erin's shoulders. It was such a fun day! We love you Avery, what a blessing you have been to us!

my blogger likes to post my pics backwards...oops!

Ready for school!

"It's too early Mommy!"

I think this will be her favorite hang out- surrounded by books!

Standing by her name...Shaun was embarrased at this point ;)

her new nap mat...hopefully they can get her to actually sleep on it!

ready to go meet her new teachers

This week Avery and I both started back. The week went by sooo slow, but by far it was my best "first week" back to school! Avery started at her new big girl school. We went to Meet the Teacher night to check out her classroom and meet her teachers. They are both really sweet ladies, and Avery was not shy! She found her chair with her name on it, read a book in the library center, and played house with her friend, Taylor. I spent the night before gettting her lunch ready, labeling all of her things, and picking out her outfit for the first day. I know, she's only two! I was worried about her lunch, because she is such a picky eater at home. I think being around 12 other kids eating has sparked her apetite more, because her teachers say she eats everything up! So, I pack things I can't get her to eat at home yet, lol. Maybe her teachers can get her to eat brocolli =) All in all, it was a good week back for everyone!

Reunited...

Avery doesn't like to look at the camera these days

Ella took really good care of Avery too ;)

Brook, a childhood friend of Shaun has been a big blessing in our lives. After I had Avery, we really weren't sure where we were going to put her once I started back to work. I wasn't thrilled with the idea of daycare, especially since I was working in Center at the time (45 minutes away). Little did we know that Brook was wanting to keep kids at her house, so it worked out that Avery would be able to stay with Brook in Lufkin, where Shaun works, and I work now. Avery was barely 3 months when I went back to work, so it was really hard for me. Brook eased all of my worries! She took care of Avery like she was her own child, and Avery really bonded with her children. Ella is now four and Eric turned two in June. Brook would make little crafts with the kids, and would send home cards that Avery had "made" during each holiday. I thought I wouldn't start collecting that stuff until Avery started school, but I now have a basket full of little treasures Avery has made for me already! When she had time, she would email me at work pictures of the kids playing, and updates on how Avery was doing. I don't know how she did it all with 3+ kids running around! This year, Avery will be going to the First Methodist preschool/Mother's Day out program. I'm looking forward to it and I think Avery will really love it, but we are really going to miss Brook! She's already got dibs on number two lol......not anytime soon though ;) Well, I took Avery over to Lufkin this week to get together with Brook and let the kids play. Avery is now taller than Eric, and Ella is still the little mommy to Avery. They picked up right where they left off! It was so good to see them playing again and to catch up with Brook.

wordless wednesday

Trip to the Discovery Science Place

Avery and Daddy found a little nook in the cave to hide out in


Rocking the newborn babies

getting all the good stuff- cookies, oatmeal and ketchup!

Hosting the "Tyler Tonight" show

Finding "Nemo"

Last week Shaun and I took Avery to the Discovery Science Place in downtown Tyler. I wasn't sure if it would be very age appropriate for her, but we decided to go check it out anyway. We were not disappointed! It doesn't look very big on the outside, but when you walk in, it is this huge old warehouse that has been transformed into a hands-on discovery center, complete with a two-story ship, and a huge fake cave you can walk through. There were three sections- a color/light area, "Hometown USA", and then a discovery science area. Avery got to be a news anchor and cooking show host in the CBS news room (complete with cameras and a tv to watch yourself on), do her own shopping at Brookshires, care for babies in the hospital nursery, take care of animals at the vet, cook pizza in a cafe and so much more. They even had a real fire truck and ambulance to play in, as well as a real car at the mechanic shop. Everything that you would see in a real town, they had it set up for kids to experience. In the discovery area, there all sorts of science manipulatives to play with-magnets, legos, fossils, even an earthquake simulation inside the cave. Avery's favorite part was the grocery store. She kept putting her produce in the scale to weigh it- then would ring it up at the real cash register they had. It is too much to explain on here so I suggest you go check it out! It really makes for a fun day, especially since it is indoors and air-conditioned! Plus, the admission wasn't bad- $6 a person, Avery was free. For hours worth of entertainment for her, it was well worth it!

Fun on the 4th

My Fourth of July post is a little late, but oh well. My parents came in that weekend and celebrated with us. We went for a late night swim at my aunt-in-laws house Friday night, which has led me to convince Shaun to plant a money tree in our yard so we can put in a pool someday. Saturday Mom, Avery and I did some shopping, then came home and napped! That evening, we went to a going-away bar-b-q for some friends of ours from church/college who are moving to Washington DC. It was fun, but HOT! Avery had fun playing with some of her little friends, and especially eating a cake lollipop...never had those before but they were de-lish! Our friend's parents live out on Lake Nacogdoches, so we got to see some great fireworks as well. It was a great weekend, and I hope you all enjoyed your Independence Day!