Rapunzel

To say Ava loves Rapunzel is a HUGE understatement. I think she wants to BE Rapunzel! She looks for all sorts of things to have long hair - Here it's a towel {a Rapunzel towel no less}. Other times its blankets, boas, dishtowels, shirts, nightgowns...whatever works!

Daddy's Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!!

We went out to dinner to celebrate Daddy's birthday. It was so HOT outside so the restaurant was chilled nicely...a little too well for Ava! She was cold and when we talked to our waitress about it, she fixed it! Brought Ava a chef's coat!!

VBS - Hometown Nazareth!

Ava was old enough to go to Vacation Bible School this year...our church has a preschool group. They do the same lessons as the big kids but they make it on a younger level. She was so excited...but a little confused - she thought we were going on vacation again :)



Welcome to Nazareth!


Checking out the wool...


Putting her coins in the well...the goal was to build a well to help provide clean fresh water for those who need it.



Ava and her friends from her VBS class on parent night.


Not listening...Oops

We are so GROWN...

My not so "little" girl has had some pretty neat revelations in the past few weeks:

As we were cleaning out the basement for our yard sale, Ava would come across some of her baby things that we were selling. She would ask if she could get them out to play. We explained that they were toys from when she was a little baby and she was too big for them now. We asked her if she would like to sell them to a family with a little baby so they can have a turn to play with the toys. She agreed. We brought a little horse up to the garage and priced it...she found it and quickly said, "but Mommy, this has a sticker on it now"...My how we forget. To my surprise though she remembered about the sale and was happy to share with a little baby...

Coming past the baseball fields at the school by our house, Ava randomly said, "girls play softball". I thought about that for a moment and then asked, "What do boys play?" to which she answered "baseball". HA

After having found a pacifier in the basement things she asks "This is for little babies, can we send this to Baby Brady? It will make him feel better when he goes wa, awa, awa".

Oh my, she is growing up TOO fast. We are often reminded of the "rules". We see our own actions in her...Mostly me, the way she talks to {and maybe scolds} her babies, and especially the way she bosses our dog around! Poor Lily!

WOW, it's a House!

We made a fabulous yard sale find...








Can you tell she's excited? Today we even bought a pink throw rug to put in her house, just like Mommy she says :)

For Sale...It's ALL for sale

We've been in our home for almost 5 years...we were overdue a good cleaning out! We participated in the subdivision sale~


BEFORE



Despite the relentless heat, people came out to shop.

AFTER



We had a very successful day...and look who helped!

{and for the record, NO! she's not for sale}

300...and counting...

Welcome to my 300th post. I'm so blessed to have been able to brag on my precious little girl 300 times... And this is a gorgeous picture to remind us all of how blessed we are ~ whether we're bragging on little ones, or struggling to pay bills! God Bless!

Oh ~ Those Summer Nights~

It's been hot ya'll...not just normal summer hot, more like opened gates of Hell HOT, and that has made outside play miserable. We decided that we would go outside after dark and let Ava run around some to burn some energy...

And, yes! I am the mom that lets my kid run around on a HOT summer night in nothin' but her panties~ If it were socially accepted, I might would too :)






This would be what my beautiful flowers looked like before the wicked heat and humidity scortched them :(


I just thought watching this spider was cool...and I'll admit, I thought it was a creative picture...Besides, it's what was going on this HOT summer night!


Hope ya'll are staying COOL!!

Family~Friends~4th~Fireworks

It was time for a road trip, we visited our good friends in Kansas... Mark and Emily welcomed us to their home!


Emily and I met in Mobile while we were in graduate school together at the University of South Alabama...we hit it off the first day and, despite moves, miles, and time, we've shared lifes great moments along the way ever since.


We spent the afternoon at the pool so we had one tired little fish! The adults enjoyed good company and pizza...


But our sleepy head woke up very playful :)


We even tried to take time out to smell the roses...er, flowers


before going back to introduce Ava to *SpArKlErS*




She loved watching the fireworks down the street, however, her favorites were the poppers!


The next night Mr. Mark "burned meat with fire" for us!


While Ava climbed on every rock she could find :)





And THEN, it was time for round 2!


We even made s'mores over the fire pit...




Every night we were there, our little girl was WORN OUT...she even asked {in the middle of all the fun} to go to bed! Yes, s'mores face and all...