Birthday time in Greenville

Sharing birthday cake with Doc!

McClellen really enjoyed the birthday cake!

Hudson wanted me to take a picture of him with his mask on!

Ava and Hudson playing piano together

Grammy reading a story to her grandbabies

Ava and McClellen playing with Carri

Hudson, McClellen and Ava playing t-ball together

This week Ava was on Winter Break from her little school, so the two of us headed north to South Carolina. Since this week is Doc and my birthday week, it was an extra special time to be together. It always fun for me and Doc to celebrate our birthdays together. Just in case you were wondering, Doc and I have the same birthday. Ava again had a super time playing with her cousins Hudson and McClellen. The older they get the more fun they seem to have together. The girls play so great together and Hudson is such a great big cousin.

Happy 65th Anniversary: Bob-Bob and Me-Me!

Happy 65th Wedding Anniversary, Bob-Bob and Me-Me!

"and the generations were blessed to the 3rd and 4th generations!"

Bob-Bob and Ava are best buddies!

Cheese!!

"In God we make our boast all day long and we will praise your name forever!" Psalm 44:8

On Saturday night we celebrated Bob-Bob and Me-Me's 65th anniversary! Adam, Ava and I were excited to celebrate this special day with my parents, aunts and uncles and cousins. We always have such a fun, though very loud time together!

When I think about their marriage and their life, I think about the above verse. My whole life, as far back as I can remember, their love for Jesus and their love for each others has be evident in their lives. I am blessed to have been raised in a Godly home because Bob-Bob and Me-Me raised a daughter (my mom), to love Jesus. Bob-Bob and Me-Me not only taught me about the love of Jesus but they demonstrated and continue to show that love by both their words and actions.

Park time with friends

Ava loves the slide

Luke, Lyla and Ava

All our playgroup friends having a picnic lunch

Well, yesterday both the weather channel and 11 Alive news made a big F!! Both places said that yesterday was going to be about 72 degrees and sunny. So our playgroup planned to play and have lunch at the park. But when we got there, is was overcast, windy and very cool. Even though the weather did not cooporate, we still had a great time (as always), together playing and having a picnic lunch together. Ava's favorite thing yesterday was the slides. She was fearless! In fact she tried to walk DOWN the slide. I kept on telling her to stop and not to sit on her bottom. It ended up that gravity was the best discipline I could have given her. After tripping down the slide, she realized that walking down the slide was not a good choice. The next time she tried to walk down the slide and I said no, she listened!!

Happy Valentine's Day

Not really excited about holding the sign

Enjoying Potty Book

Eating Valentine breakfast

Look at these! Mommy made my cereal bar into hearts!

Ava's Valentine breakfast

This morning Ava and I celebrated Valentine's together with a speacial breakfast. When I was growing up, my mom (Grammy) would always make Brad (older brother) and I festive breakfasts on holidays. For example, we would have heart shaped pancakes for Valentine's day or green eggs and grit for St. Patricks Day.

So now that I am the Mommy I wanted to pass on the tradition to Ava. This morning I got out her pink plate and then cut her cereal bar into small hearts and then encircled the heart shaped cereal bars with oranges. This morning was just another small little treasured memory that I get to make with my precious, miracle baby. In celebrating Valentine's day, I was reminded just how much God loves me.

The Cooler family want to wish everyone a very Happy Valentines day!

Swimming Lesson

Carbing up before the lesson

Mommy and Ava ready to go

Before the lesson

Waiting by the pool

Worn out after the lesson

Today Ava had her first swimming lesson today. She loved it! She is in a class with 2-4 year olds, and kept up really well. Today we learned how to get out of the pool, sit on the side, jump in, blow bubbles and to kick. Ava was really into kicking, in fact she splashed some of her new friends in her class....oops! I was very proud that by the end of the class she was able to get out of the pool by herself. In the kicking department she definitely liked kicking on her back the best. I guess she is taking after her Bob-Bob in loving the backstroke. She loved the being in the pool and all the way home she kept saying, "pool", "the pool"! So I think today was a success!

Playing with pegs

Ava loves her some pegs! So much that she wanted to make sure she had the best vantage point in stacking them. Some times when you are short you have to do what you got to do!

Ava and Brody

Brody and Ava in their classroom

Ava getting a goodbye hug

In Ava's MMO class one of her best little buddies is Brody. It is hilarious to see them together because Brody is the biggest and oldest in the class and Ava is the littlest and youngest in the class. Everyday when I pick up Ava, Brody always tells me, "no Ava go"! I know the picture looks like Brody is squishing Ava, but I assure you that she was squealing with joy.

When I was growing up my big brother, Brad always told me to find the biggest kid in school and make friends with them. In case you ever have a problem, then you have someone who can come to your defense. I followed his advice and when I started middle school, I became friends with Rico. He was a very, very big, tough guy. We were in homeroom together from 6th grade-12th grade and every day I would bring him something for breakfast. I guess it paid off because no one every really messed with me because they knew that Rico would "take care" of them!

Maybe Ava is following my lead in befriended the "toughest" child in her class. As a petite person you never know when you may need someone to help you out!

Snack Time with Daddy

Look at my snack daddy!

I know how to share!

Working off the snack by playing outside!

Since is was finally above freezing today, we all went outside for some some back yard fun. The afternoon started with Daddy and Ava having snack together. Ava then played up and down the slide, in the the sandbox and on the swings. After playing in the back yard, Ava had fun on ALL of her riding toys! It was a great afternoon and hopefully it will help Ava sleep through the night, which she has chosen not to do the past few nights! Fingers crossed!

Good idea, Bad idea??

Mommy trying to get in Ava's little car!

Sneaking Cheerios