Jason and Jia-Yee's Wedding

We went to Chicago on Oct. 1 for the wedding of Travis' friend, Jason. They met at work and since Jason has left ATI and moved to Chicago. He and Jia-Yee live in an awesome apartment near Michigan Ave. Their wedding was at a really nice hotel in downtown Chicago and I can't for the life of me remember the name of it. Oh my word! The pregnancy brain is upon me! LOL! Anyway, as you'll see from the photos, it was VERY luxurious. We also were upgraded to the highest luxury suite (no idea why!) but we didn't complain. =) We hung out with one of Trav's other buddies, Jamison (Jamie) and his girlfriend, Scout. They live a few blocks away from us and all 3 guys worked together when Travis started at ATI.







I loved the cake! And their cake topper was the cutest thing I've ever seen...and so original!


The happy couple =) Jamison performed the ceremony!


The 3 guys!










The view!


There was also a separate living room. I swear the whole suite was about as big as the first floor of our house, haha!!

Ava Funnies

My sweet little 2 1/2 year old! This was one evening when I needed to run to pick up a few things after Kindermusik - I was tired and in a hurry - and HUNGRY! I think I was picking up something for dinner. Ava wanted to wear this headband so she put it on and this was how it turned out, LOL!

I have to document a few of the funnies from Ava lately! I just don't want to forget and she is just so darn cute right now!!!!!!! =)

Today we got a thank you card from a baby shower we recently went to, so I told her we had gotten some mail. I asked her if she wanted me to read it to her and she said yeah. Then she says, "It's from the ZOO!!!!!! It's from the 'aminals!' They eat paper!! And bones. They eat bones." Pretty sure they learned something about bones at Miss Lisa's but I have no idea where that came from!!!!!!!

She is obsessed with being a kitty right now. She will crawl around meowing and say she wants a treat. Then will tell you to meow and ask you if you want a treat.

She is also obsessed with telling on one of the little girls from daycare. LOL!! Little Allison is about 18 months old (so quite a bit younger than Ava) but has 2 older brothers and is apparently used to wrestling and can be a little rough! She also hits (which I am not worried about in the least bit!! And I work with Allison's dad at school, LOL!). Anyway, in the car, at dinner or just playing, we will hear Ava saying, "Allison, NO HITTING, NO HITTING, NO HITTING! That is naughty! Miss Lisa says "NO HITTING." Oh it's too funny! I always tell Ava "It's ok, Miss Lisa took care of it" or "see, it's not nice to hit."

Speaking of...about a week ago, Ava was jumping on the couch and I told her to sit down and kind of forced her to sit down to which she HIT me!!!!! (ha!). I told her to go to time-out and that "We do NOT hit." She screamed and cried all the way to time-out and then said, um, screamed, "I AM MAT AT YOU!!!!" I literally had to run into the kitchen so she wouldn't see me laughing! Then I of course went back and we had a little talk.

Oh my word, she is also obsessed with saying "right." She will say any sentence and then go "Right??" and now she has started saying (particularly in the van or car when we have her music CD on), "We don't say right! Not until the CD is over." We have no idea what it's all about! Then tonight at dinner, she said something like "We don't say right, right?" Then Travis and I kept saying "right. right." Then she goes "We don't say right. We TALKED about this!" bahahahaha!!!

Little Miss Ava has always been a talker and pretty much can say just about anything so Travis and I LOVE her little words that she mispronounces!!! Here are a few:
Ro-get (for Yo-gurt!)
Mus-gik (for music)
Lel-low (for Yellow!) Why do all kids say lellow??? So cute!
El-pha-lant (for El-e-phant)

September 2011

This will probably be quite a post! Feel free to browse the photos (and skim the commentary, LOL!). I have once again said I am going to keep up with my blog but I haven't blogged in over like 2 months, so in an effort to get caught up, I am going to do monthly posts until I get caught up. I do really want to try to do a blog book so I am going to have to try to stay on top of things! The past 15 weeks (minus about 2 or 3), I have been EXHAUSTED due to being preggo (more to come on that)...and literally had to go to bed as soon as we put Ava to bed. It was ridiculous! I am thankful now that I can stay up until at least 10pm and actually still function in the afternoons...well, somewhat...we might want to ask my students! =) So, anyway, here goes!

In early September, we went to an ISU volleyball game with Uncle Rob and Aunt Abby. Ava had a lot of fun running around before the game outside and inside the auditorium.





Labor Day Parade:
This was the first year we have been able to go to the Labor Day parade because typically we are in Grafton with my side of the family, but since Ava had the flu and we couldn't go, we were able to enjoy the parade at least. It is right in our neighborhood so we just packed the wagon and walked a few blocks and met up with the Hobsons.





Ava enjoyed it and looked so cute in her shades and Hello Kitty backpack peeking around to see what was coming next.



Ava and daddy and Hunter and his daddy, Jay!




Cheese!!

Chicago:
Travis and I were able to go to Chicago for a Bears game on September 11 and enjoy a mommy/daddy weekend while Ava stayed at home with Gma Holtman. We took the train up on Saturday so we had time to shop, go to a nice dinner and then relax (I think I was asleep by like 11pm) and be ready for the game on Sunday. We ate dinner at Hugo's Frog Bar and Fish House. It.was.AMAZING!!! I had the crab legs and was not disappointed (they even cut them open for you!!)! We also had the crab cakes appetizer which was delicious!



Us waiting for dinner in front of a cute little fountain on Rush St.


Bears Game





It was pretty neat to go to the game on Sept. 11. I LOVED the huge flag they put on the field!



Rawwwrrrrr!!! (and they won!!)


My 15 Year High School Reunion

Les, Anne, Kristy, Me



Me and my sis...no not twins, since it is "Alumni Weekend," she was out with some friends, as well.


Anne and me...BFF's! Anne is one of my dearest friends. We went to high school together (obviously) and then were roomies in college and still keep in touch and are best friends even though 2 hours separates us.

Whew! Busy September...October coming up soon!

Getting in Gear

Well, I haven't been blogging much lately - partly because if I get on to blog then I get lost in reading everyone else's blogs...which of course I LOVE DOING, but I find I am wasting a lot of time that I could be doing something else (um, things that I HAVE to do...and not as much fun of course!). And especially if I am checking blogs during my plan time at work, LOL! =) Anyway, I have always used my blog to help me keep track and journal our daily lives which in turn helps me with my scrapbook. BUT...the idea of actually turning my blog INTO my scrapbook is sounding more and more intriguing as the months fly by and Ava is still only 6 months old in her scrapbook - and she is *ALMOST* 2 and a HALF! So, I thought to myself well, if I'm going to plan to do that, then I better get some blogging done! =) I even have digital scrapbooking software but it still is time consuming AND you have to be in a scrapping kind of mood, so apparently it's not helping me. ha!

This post is going to be kind of random but of course, those simple small things that we do each day really are the BIG things in life, aren't they??????? These are also pics from my phone and of course I have loads more (I'll get to those someday!) but since I'm (SHHHHHHHHHHHH) blogging on my lunch/plan break, these are what I have to work with. teeeeheeee! My goal is to get back into doing more structured posts of actual events etc.

This is a pic of Ava at our local Hobby Lobby. One evening Ava and I took my good friend Nanci out to dinner and then we did a little shopping. Nanci often times watches Ava for us if we have mommy/daddy plans. We've been friends since college and she will NOT let us pay her!

Last week (ish), poor Miss Ava got the flu for the very first time. Yes, the vomiting flu. YUCK. Not fun for anyone. Now, obviously things are going to get passed around at the daycare, but one of the little girls apparently vomited at 4:30 on a Wednesday afternoon and went back THE.NEXT.DAY! Well, no wonder. Ava got it - along with EVERY SINGLE CHILD at daycare, the daycare provider, her daughter and lots of mommies and daddies (including me.). Boo. Here ishe is recovering. Sweet little thing. She didn't quite understand the whole throwing up thing. I think she must have thought we were saying "poop" instead of "puke" because later she said something to the effect of "I pooped in my bed." LOL

This is a picture of her helping me out at my school preparing for the start of the school year. If you can see the partial image on the Smart Board in the background, yep, that is Dora's torso. And on the table is her "lemon-dade" and popcorn. No wonder she keeps asking if we can go to my school now! :)

This is a picture of Ava while we were waiting at the airport here in town waiting on my sister and my nephew Jackson to arrive from North Carolina. They went on vacation and actually made the drive down there (my sister, bro-in-law and 2 nieces as well) but then my sister and J made the trip back via plane! :)

Watching their plane land!...

Every day when I pick Ava up from Miss Lisa's (if she isn't upset because we have to leave), then she asks if we can go to the park. This girl LOVES being outside. This was taken before school started. It stinks because we usually can't just go to the park right then because we need to get home for dinner etc. but we will also go outside to play at home and I try to make a quick trip to the park when we can. The problem with that is that then she doesn't want to leave! :) The crying is usually short lived, though!

She is so much fun right now (as usual, right!?). She is constantly cracking us up. Funny things

she has said lately...

• "Can you open the garage sale so I can play?" bahahaha! Her toys are in the garage and we all know her mommy loves her a garage sale! I guess she got the 2 mixed up.
• "Actually............" Her new favorite word is actually. One day at Jewel, she asked me what this thing up on the wall was. When I told her it was leaves, she said "Actually, it's a flower." Well, ok then! Now all of the sudden that is her favorite word.
• This one cracked me up...Me: Well, I better take a shower. Ava: Well, I better watch a Dora. Nice try little one!
• "I have Cheetos in my butt." No, I am not proud of this one but apparently she had Cheetos at Miss Lisa's as part of her lunch and then when she pooped she said this statement. Travis and I about died! I mean, how does she even know to say that???
• She is also repeating things I say a lot. For example, "Wait a second! I think I forgot something!" hahaha!
• While she used to be deathly (screaming) afraid of bugs, now they are "cute little baby bugs!!!" Crack me up.
• She can also recite her ABC's perfectly and count pretty well (sometimes up to 15)...when she wants to, of course.
• She is learning a lot at Miss Lisa's who does preschool daily and one night while we were saying our prayers she then breaks out with the Pledge of Allegiance! I was dying. I think she initally said "indivisible" and I was like "Oh, you want to say the Pledge of Allegiance!" She doesn't have it fully memorized...yet, but I'm sure she will soon.
• The other funny thing about that story was she kept saying "Here's your chocolate chip!" so I asked Lisa and she said they all get a chocolate chip after play time and before they start Preschool time.

She continues to be such a sweet little girl and is very sensitive and compassionate. She is always asking if you are ok, or "are you tired?" if you yawn. She takes care of her babies very well and is always making sure they are ok. We love you, Ava!

Ava's First Movie

We went to see Smurfs last week with the Hobson and Cunningham boys. We were the ONLY ones in the theater!! It was really fun. Being Ava's first movie, I wasn't sure how she would do...especially with the movie choice (not necessarily something I knew she'd enjoy) but she did great!! It was FREE popcorn night so that definitely helped. =) She giggled a lot at the little Smurfs! At one point she told Katie, who was sitting next to her, to check out her painted toes! LOL!

She only said "I'm all done" right at the end with about 10 minutes left so we went out and then immediately she said she wanted to go back in. So back in we went (after refilling our CAFFEINE FREE Diet Coke) and she sat and watched the rest. It was a decent movie and I enjoyed some free popcorn too!

Travis and I are excited that now we can start going to movies! I hope there are some cute ones out this winter for little ones!

SUMMER LOVIN'

I have been a HORRIBLE blogger this summer!! UGH. And summer is winding down. Here's a little bit of what we've been up to! The pics are not really in any order because I always forget to upload them backwards. =) Regardless, we have had a GREAT summer! I have so enjoyed every single second I've had with Ava and going back to work is always bittersweet. I am fortunate to have a job that I love and I enjoy my students, but of course, I will miss Ava tons. Luckily my days are so fast paced and get over quick and in the blink of an eye it's the end of the day!



Rock Band!!! Testing, Testing!!!



Lots of manis and pedis. :)




Playing with my bracelets while I get ready :)


Lots of splash parks, pool days, and fun hanging with our friends. Loved this pic of Ava and Lauren in their 4th of July suits!



Fun at the library. We frequented both public libraries to check out books and play. Ava loved it!


Putting our animals in time out!


We made it to the Fun Run most Friday evenings and Ava enjoyed getting her ribbon, seeing her friends and receiving a trophy on the last fun run of summer!



Out and about with Bitty Baby. Ava is all about safety, LOL!

Mommy and Daddy went on a vacation to Playa del Carmen, Mexico and it.was.AMAZING! It has been a few years since we've been on a real vacation and we figure it will be a few more til we are able to go on another one so we WENT FOR IT! AND it was our 5th Anniversary, so we figured the timing was perfect! =) Don't regret it one bit. It was perfect! We missed Ava, OF COURSE, but she did great with Grandma Holtman.











Here's Ava "swimming all by herself" as she will tell you. So glad I got her this life jacket with the floaties on the arms and the piece that goes across the front (Thank you, Annie for recommending it!). It is great!

Ava and I went on our annual "Girls" Trip to the Wisconsin Dells with my mom, sisters and my nieces and nephew. Mr. Jackson is the only "boy" allowed! <3

The Gang!!!! We had a lot of fun!



Great Wolf Lodge. 2011





We just recently went to our county fair with my friend Katie and her boys. It was melting hot, but the kids had so much fun riding the rides (see pic below, Holden is helping Ava! LOVE!), eating fair food, petting the animals, getting face and arms painted by the Zoo Lady crew and checking out the tractors. We also went to my hometown fair to watch my niece Isabelle sing in the talent contest. She did great!!!




Holden, Hunter, and Ava feeding the animals.




Ava and cuz Jackson. She absolutely LOVES him!




Fun at the Discovery Museum. We also went with Katie and her boys on a Friday night and "closed the place down" :) Ava enjoyed all of the areas there to play.



Pizza anyone?????



My mom and I went to St Louis recently, as well, to the American Idol concert. We had floor seats so that was fun. =) We ate at the Cheesecake Factory, did a little shopping and met up with a friend that lives there that was also going to the concert.

(me UNsuccessfully hiding my drink from the photo, LOL!)...

So, as of tomorrow, we have ONE week til school starts. Next Tuesday is our first day back with an Institute Day. The kids come back on Thursday for a half-day and luckily for me, I get that day to work in my room because kids won't come to area classes until Friday. I will need it as I have TWO classrooms to prepare. One is pretty much ready after multiple visits this past week!! :) I am anxiously waiting to find out my schedule. It is always initially a nightmare and requires a few tweaks. BOO!

Anyway, I feel super blessed to have the best of both worlds! I can enjoy the summer with Ava and she also gets the opportunity to be around other kids at daycare while I go to work. We are excited that she is starting at a new one this year. Again it will be in-home with a woman named Lisa. I have many co-workers/friends that have kids that go there and have heard only amazing things about her. She does preschool in her home with the kids as well so I am excited for all of the things Ava's little brain is going to absorb!