Christmas Day 2011

Look what Santa brought to our house!


Ava was so excited about her Toy Story toys


Ava and all her stocking loot

Christmas Morning with Mommy and Daddy


Yeah for building and knocking down

Opening presents with Grandmama and Poppy Joe

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2011!! Ava gave Mommy and Daddy a great Christmas gift by sleeping all the way to 7:30! We woke up and walked into the den to see what Santa had left. Ava's face was priceless when she saw her Toy Story figures under the tree. There was even a little squeal! After playing with her Toy Story toys, she played with her Duplo blocks and building bricks. It was such a fun, sweet morning. Later in the morning we drove over to Grandmama and Poppy Joes house and went to church with them. After church we went back to there house for lunch and to open presents.

Christmas Eve 2011

Ready for Christmas Eve service at Cedarcrest


Ava thought Santa's cookies were for her!

What? These are Santa's??

Whew...Santa did not see me eat his cookies!!

Tonight we started our night with a wonderful time of worship at Cedarcrest with Grandmama and Poppy Joe. I love that Ava is part of a preschool ministry that does super fun stuff, like crafts, action songs but also focuses on the truths of the Bible. I am also thankful that we attend a church where our pastor (George Wright) is not afraid to teach the truth and preach the cross and salvation even and especially during that Christmas Eve service. After the service we ate our families' traditional Christmas eve meal of hotdogs and Cobb Chili. Ava took a bath and put on her Christmas PJ's. She put the cookies for Santa by the fire place...after taking a taste.

Ava's Birthday Celebration at school

The pink princess

Ava and Addison waiting for school

Ready for her school birthday celebration

Yummy, pink sprinkled cupcakes

Since Ava's birthday is very near Christmas, I try to make her birthday celebrations show now sign of red or green. For her birthday school party, I make some yummy cupcakes with pink sprinkles. I then dressed Ava in the most pink I could fine. Since she is the 2nd generation Pink Princess, she had to have pink, ruffles and a big bow. I feel so blessed that I get to plan fun, exra girly stuff for my precious Ava!!

Greenville Christmas

Building Blocks with Bob-Bob


Roper Mountain holiday lights



Ava and McClellen sitting sweetly in the sleigh

Just a few minutes later....no one was happy

Hudson did not want his picture taken, Ava had just bumped her knee

and McClellen was mad that the other two were not cooporating


Finally a smiling cousin picture

unwrapping Christmas presents


Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Ava enjoying the box her shopping cart came in

This weekend we went to Greenville for our "Greenville Christmas" with Grammy, Doc, Brad, Carri, Hudson and McClellen. It was so much fun! The weekend started with a short, but fun visit from Me-Me and Bob-Bob. On Friday night, we all piled into Brad and Carri's minivan and drove through the Holiday Lights at Roper Mountain. On Saturday we opened presents, had a great dinner, and even a birthday party for Jesus! Ava had a wonderful time with her Doc and Grammy and playing with her cousins, Hudson and McClellen. It was so wonderful to celebrate Christmas together!

Ava's School Christmas Party

Ava's placemat and ornament

Sitting still on her "spot"...miracles do happen!

Getting ready to sing Jingle Bells with her class

Ava and her buddy Caeden

Ava's class with Miss Laurie

Its party time

Mommy and Ava at the party

On Thursday, Ava has her first school Christmas party. Last year because of the snow, Ava had to miss out on a Christmas Party. It was such a fun time to see Ava with her little school friends. It blessed my heart, and there were a few tears, when I watched Ava sitting still and singing Jingle Bells with her class. I am so thankful for the wonderful teachers and school that Ava attends. They teach her academically but most importantly they teach her about loving Jesus.

Tomorrow!!

At our house we LOVE the movie Annie (the original one done in like 1984!). We even have the soundtrack. Here is Ava showing just how much she loves the music in Annie!

Lazy Saturday

Lazy Breakfast watching Fresh Beat Band


Lunch at Steak and Shake

Watching a movie with Daddy

Sometimes its nice to just have a lazy Saturday. We started the day by leisurely having breakfast and getting ready for the day. We all went to downtown Acworth, to try to make some Christmas memories. It was an epic fail. What was advertise as a Dickens Christmas with children's activities ended being three adults dressed up in costume and then five or six little game tables set up. It was a little disappointing but we made the best of it. We took a little drive, we went and played with the puppies at Pet Co, and then ate at Steak and Shake. After naptime, Daddy and Ava watched Ratatouille. The big news of the day was that Ava stayed dry all day long. YEAH, YEAH, we are on our way to being potty trained!

Play Therapy

YEE-HAW...playing dress up, she said she was Jesse!


Playing with new friends Liam and Declan


Ava's favorite is playing in the ball pit

Having snack after play time

Ava has just started going to a new, fun, play therapy place. It is called Babies R Talking and it is amazing and has been so beneficial to Ava so far. It has been such a great place for Ava, because she enjoys being active. The play place combines fun, free play with speech therapy. The children are able to play with a variety of activities, while a speech therapist incorporates speech therapy with their play time. It is practical practice of using speech in everyday, social and life situations. Ava is having so much fun playing that she doesn't realize that she is having speech therapy! So thankful for finding the fun, educational and helpful play place.

Seeing Santa

Ava went a saw Santa Claus today! She did great! Last year, we have the typical, screaming, crying, red faced picture, but not today. She sat right in Santa's lap and sad, hi!! Even though she did not tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas, I know he knows what she wants!!

Decorating For Christmas

Mommy and Ava

Putting up the star

Watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Stockings hung with care

Playing with her Manger Scene

Ready to decorate

Today we decorated our house for Christmas. We put up the tree, hung the stockings and decorated the outside of the house. Our Christmas tradition is to watch Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer while we put up the Christmas decoration. It was a wonderful day, full of making memories. My heart is full!

Jesus Loves Me!

Ava singing "Jesus Loves Me" in the car!