Celebrating Palm Sunday

What the flower eggs were suppose to look like per Pinterest!

Getting the peppers ready


Frying the eggs and peppers

Finished product

Ava was not into the peppers...put still liked the eggs

Reading the Palm Sunday Bible Story

This morning Ava and I made a special breakfast to celebrate Palm Sunday. We made "flower eggs" that I found on Pinterest. As you can see they did not exactly turn out like the picture, but pretty close! Ava had fun cutting the peppers and she thought the eggs were yummy. While Ava ate her breakfast I read the story of Jesus riding into the city of Jerusalem and how the people laid flowers and palm branches down. I taught Ava the Bible truth that "Jesus road into the city". Hopefully all the activities we do this week will help Ava enjoy the imaginative fun of Easter (Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny), but also learn the truth of why we celebrate Easter. Thank you Jesus for coming to earth, living a sinless life, dying on the cross for us and rising again the third day!! Happy Palm Sunday!

Egg Hunt in the dark!!

Look Mommy up in the sky!!

Its the Easter Bunny

Chatting with friends before the hunt

Ready to hunt some eggs in the dark

Tonight we had some super fun finding Easter Eggs in the dark. The night started with the Easter Bunny sky diving onto the field...it was AWESOME!! Since Ava was in the younger group, it had just gotten dark when her egg hunt started (8:00). She did such a great job getting the eggs and had a great time with all of her friends. Even though the hunt was a little after her bed time, we figured we could be flexible one night with her bed time. The night Easter egg hunt was a great way to start spring break and celebrating Easter!!

Spring picnic at the park

Picnic with friends

Ava is ready for Easter!! This is how I found her this morning!

Ava sliding with AJ

Today was such a beautiful day that we decided to have a fun morning with friends. Ava started the morning by wearing her bunny ears around the house. We then went to the park, played and had a picnic. It was a great day, other then Ava having a stinky accident in her pants. Oh the joys of potty training!

Spring is coming...yeah!

Beautiful day...with my beautiful girl

Posing for the camera


True Joy

True trust

Ready, Set, Go

Racing Mommy

This afternoon we headed out and had some yummy ice cream. Before we went for ice cream, I asked Ava if she wanted ice cream and she said in her clearest voice said, "Okay, lets go get some ice cream!" So very thankful that Ava's speech is coming along so well. After we had ice cream, we drove up to Red Top mountain to drive around and look as some of the new, incredible neighborhoods. The views were absolutely beautiful. It was just a wonderfully, simple afternoon.

Speech with Friends

Having snack time with friends: AJ, Kinley, Lauren and Rayna


Making her Dr. Seuss craft

Catching her "fish" for her picture


Sitting together for craft time

Today Ava started a new program at speech therapy. Her play speech group is now made up of just 3-4 year olds. Also, the program is set up to be a little bit more structured and geared to challenge her and her little friends a more in their speech development. Today was amazing! Ava's attention span was great. She followed directions and had a great time with her friends. By the end of the time at play therapy, I was so very, very proud of Ava and how she surprises me everyday with how far she has come in her life!

I am so very proud, thankful and blessed to be Ava's mommy! It may take her a little longer and she may have to work a little harder at things, but she always accomplish the task in front of her. She faces every challenge with a smile on her face and such a sweet spirit! "I can do ALL THINGS through Christ who gives me strength!

Celebrating the big 3-5

Yummy Sappora

Sparkles was so much fun!


Daddy had a great time too

This last few days I have had a blast celebrating a milestone birthday...the big 3-5! The celebrating started on Wednesday with Grammy coming in town. Grammy and I had a fun time together having fun girl's time shopping for great new spring clothes. Then onto this weekend, Adam helped me celebrate in a very fun and creative way. We started Saturday with breakfast in bed, then on to lunch with Me-Me and Bob-Bob and then the evening was full of roller skating and supper at Sapporo.

My life verse that my parents have always prayed over me is Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.!" As I have looked over my life, I am so thankful for the dreams and prayers that God has allowed to come true in my life. I am thankful for having a wonderful, loving family, husband and daughter that have loved, supported and encouraged me throughout the years. I also feel thankful and blessed for the incredible friends that are in my life. This evening I am going to bed feeling very blessed and ready to take on the next 35 years!!

Celebrating Valentine's Day

My two Valentines

Roses Daddy gave Mommy

The table is set

Yummy dinner: chicken, green beans, black eyed peas, rice

Valentine Breakfast

Valentine Lunch packed



Giving Valentine Monkey a kiss



Hugging Valentine stuffed animals

Celebrating pink day at school

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!! We began celebrating with a Valentine's breakfast of pink grits and strawberries. Ava then had fun opening her Valentine presents from both sets of grandparents and from Mommy and Daddy. For lunch I packed Ava some berry/applesauce, strawberries and then put heart stickers on her crackers and cheese. Today at school they were having pink day so of course Ava had some pink to wear. Tonight once Daddy came home, we had a yummy dinner all together. It was a fabulous way to celebrate Valentine's day with the two loves of my life!

Valentine cupcakes for class

Mixing up the cupcakes


Finished product

This afternoon Ava and I made some Valentine cupcakes for her school class.

Playtime with preemie friends

Ava and Hannah, February 2012

Ava and Hannah, December 2009

Beverly and Hannah

Chick Fil A

Disney Store

Riding the train together

Ava and I had such a fun time today playing with our good friends Beverly and Hannah. Beverly and I were friends as single ladies at FBCW. After we both got married we lost touch but reconnected a few years ago, because we both had preemies. Ava was born early in December 2008 and then Hannah was born early in May 2009. It has been fun to keep in touch and see how these two preemie princesses have grown up. Today, it was so fun seeing the two girls playing and having so much fun together!