Happy 4th Birthday Avery!!!

I can't believe my little Avery is already 4! I say that sort of thing alot, but my kids are growing up TOO fast!! MeMe and PawPaw came to visit from TN, and we went out and had lots of fun! Earlier in the day, we went to Red Robin to eat lunch... then we went to Up the Creek for dinner with Daddy! Wow. WAY too much food!!
(above) Courtney, Daddy and Avery outside the restaurant

(below) Alex hanging out on the front porch before dinner

Courtney at dinner- I love the way she looks in pigtails! It won't be long before she thinks she's too old for them though. :(
PawPaw goofing off with Avery
Avery's photo shoot. When I break out the camera, she gives me about 10 different poses, instantly!
Like mother like daughter- Ashi likes the butter WAY more than the bread! Here she is, licking the butter off her toast.
4!!!!!

Avery with her Red Robin balloons from earlier in the day...

A princess cake for the princess!

May all your dreams come true!!!!

Fun Around the House

Ashi is such a funny little baby!

She loves to dress up in whatever she happens to find lying around, and she always has a way of just making things hers! Check out the recent outfit she put together, consisting of Courtney's Crocs and her sequined hat!

A Boy and His Dog

These pictures capture an event that happens in our house at least once a day. Alex is sneaking up on Mosby from around the corner. Check out Mosby watching him out of the corner of his eye...

Mosby tries to maintain control and act as if he doesn't notice Alex sneaking up on him...Then JUST as Alex gets close enough, Mosby pounces!

AWESOME new recipe!

Vegan Bean Salad

3 cans pinto beans
1 can of diced tomatoes with chilies
1 cup onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper
1 small yellow bell pepper
1 large cucumber
3/4 cup vinegar (to taste)

Mix it, Chill it, Eat it, LOVE IT!!
Thanks Jan!!

Posh Avery

I picked this dress up for Avery today, and she doesn't want to take it off!

She's already angling for the perfect shoes and bag to go with it!

HomesCOOL cooking!

Really, who needs an excuse to indulge on peanut butter cookies???? But, I can use homeschool cooking as an excuse. It comes in handy. Courtney is a pro at her fractions, and Avery LOVES the mixing part. Both of them are incredible egg breakers, too!
Both of them will use any excuse they can to be snuggly.
Never trust a clean cook, right? Check out the flour on their noses! They're the real deal, now!

Hurricane Ike Pictures

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/09/the_short_but_eventful_life_of.html

Happy Second Birthday Ashlyn Belle!!!!!

Happy Birthday Little Ashi Belle!

Ashlyn Belle had a wonderful second birthday this past weekend! She is such a little monkey, and has an ENORMOUS personality (one of these days I will video her doing her "this little piggy rap")! We spent a lot of family time together, and I think her favorite part was the Happy Birthday song! She would sing her own version to herself. It went something like, "Happy birthday to you Ashi Belle, happy happy birthday!" We celebrated Saturday and Sunday, because her Daddy had to fly out of town for work on her real birthday, which was Sunday.

We started out the day Saturday by taking her to Target to pick out a little toy. She chose this Dora the Explorer ride-on toy. It has figures on the front that sing and dance while you ride...

Here are her brother and sisters helping her find all the features on it. Of course, Courtney elected to dress up like a present instead!!!

Here is Ashi, blowing out her own candles for the first time ever!

"...I'll just take a little off the top..."

"Isn't this what those figurines on the cake are for??!!?"

We ended the day by roasting marshmallows and blowing bubbles. Now that is Ashi's kind of day!

"I may be dirty, but I'm still a princess!"

And then on Sunday...
Thanks Aunt Stacy and Uncle Jack for my birthday money!

Then, Daddy took us to Brusters in Grand Dad's old '65 Pontiac Lemans for ice cream! The kids love this car! My Dad did a ton of renovations to it, and Dan is working on some other renovations.

Courtney gives Ashi Belle a boost to pick out some ice cream!

Everyone got nice and sticky.

Ashi got the "dirt cup." It kind of grosses me out, but it's just ice cream covered in oreo crumbles and a gummy worm...

I think they had to most fun of all on the way home, when Daddy elected not to slow down on the curves, so all the kids would go crashing to the other side of the car...

What a fun day we had! But I STILL can't believe she's TWO!!!!!

Where are the HOCKEY MOM car magnets?

I will be the first to own one! I found this online... but this one is a yard sign (and it's a little red for my tastes...)

You guys tell me if you find a Hockey Mom car magnet!!!

GOOOOOOO VOLS!

IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN TENNESSEE!

As you can see, we're ready for game day!

I said IT'S GREAT

TO BE

A TENNESSEE

VOL!!!