Christmas 2013

Leaving cookies for Santa

It was an exciting Christmas season for us this year!  We had many gatherings filled with family and friends.  It was also really fun because Ava "got it" this year.  She was so excited about Christmas trees and ornaments, presents and Santa.  She truly put the magic back into it for us.   Santa brought Ava a kitchen set and she hasn't stopped "Ava cookin'" since.  

Pulling out everything!

I will add a couple pictures from each of our celebrations.  We are blessed with so many people that love us!

Grandma and Grandpa

Chocolate face with friends

Friend Cookie Exchange

Loves the trees!

More friends

Christmas Day with Mama

Lovin' on her Unky Steve

Sharing balloons with Nate

Great Grams

Great Gramps

Aunt Christy

Making cookies with Grampie

Tea Party with Abby Cadabby and Minnie clock

Ava loves the bows

Cutie pie

We had a wonderful Christmas season.  Thank you to all who made it so special!

Finding the Joy

First time sledding

The beginning of December found me having trouble finding the joy in things.  My daily prayer was to help me to "Be the joy."  The stress of balancing home and work was really troublesome to me and making me grumpy.  I took a step back and a deep breath.  I always know where the joy is…I just needed to focus on it more.  

The first good snow (I say good lightly as I don't care for the white stuff much at all) we were able to get out and get Ava on the sled for the first time.  She absolutely loved the part where she would zip down the mini slope in our backyard.  She detested the part where we actually sat her on the sled and got her ready to go.  Each time she would get upset when we tried to put her on the sled before we sent her on her way.  Oh well.  She liked it overall.  :)

Ready to go

Love that face!

"Wheeeee!"

"Help, Mama!"

She preferred the slide to the hill

Soft landing

Getting up the hill

First taste of snow

We found lots of ways to make December joyful.  Just have to slow down and enjoy it.  :)

Frosting cookies

Tasting is better than frosting

Yum!

Christmas post is coming next!  I'll get caught up eventually. :)

Happy Hallow-skgiving

 

Apparently I forgot to add in Halloween and Thanksgiving pictures.  Oh well.  A double bonus for this one (that I'm not even getting to until December!) Ava's first Halloween with Trick-or-treating was a wet one, but she had fun.  Once she figured out that she got candy when she said Trick-or-Treat she was really digging it. 

Our lil' hoot owl

Ava's first ever stop - the Kriewaldts!

Despite the rain we had fun.  We went to about 10 houses before heading back to have dinner with all of Ava's grandparents.  

We celebrated two Thanksgivings with our families.  The first was with Scott's family the weekend before Thanksgiving and the second with mine on Thanksgiving.  Of course I forgot my camera on Thanksgiving day (along with the high chair and the dinner rolls), it was a rushed day after Scott and I ran a race that morning. 

Our lil' turkey

Mama love

Dada Love

Unky Seeeeve Love

Cousin Love

More Cousin Love

Even More Cousin Love

We have so much to be thankful for.  We are amazingly blessed.  I am excited for the magic of December to come!

Dancing Diva

Ready for some dancing

Ava went to her first school dance of the year a couple of weeks ago.  It took her a bit to warm up but once she did she was a dancing machine.  (By dancing I mean she bobbed up and down with some jumps in-between.)  It was a glow dance so she was fascinated with the lights.  I love experiencing everything new through her eyes and experience.  Very cool.