Life

Well, let's just say that life sometimes throws you curve balls. Summer didn't quite start out how I had hoped. We got a call from Travis' dad on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend that his grandma had passed away. She was home from Texas and staying at Travis' parents house. She came down to work her puzzle and had a stroke they think. She was a sweet lady and I'm so glad I was able to know her. She was able to come to Ava's birthday party, too, which could not have been more perfect. Lori got this 4 Generation picture and these other shots, which will be cherished forever!







We were gone from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend until Wednesday night at 10pm. YIKES! I then I had to get my house in order so I could ENJOY summer only to have Ava being a little out of sorts. There were a rough couple days when she just was not happy unless I as right there entertaining her. I couldn't even walk out of the room to throw a diaper away! I was starting to get discouraged, thinking "Oh no! Is this how my summer is going to be??" Well, I am happy to say that now she is back to her little happy old self. =) I think she was probably just needing her routine back, too. She is walking more and more and playing and getting into everything! She is also talking a LOT (though I'm not quite sure what language!). She is even playing right now as I'm typing this! Ahhhhhhh...A great feeling! She IS, however, going to be a momma's girl before summer is over, I'm afraid!

So, even when things don't always go your way, keep trucking and it will get better!!!

PASTING?

Well, I can't figure out how to PASTE (fellow bloggers...can you???). So if you are interested in what's new with Ava, check out her Shutterfly site. Let me know if you need the address and let me know if you know how to allow blogger to paste.

Peoria Zoo!

Megan and I went to the Peoria Zoo today with Reddington and Ava. It was absolutely the perfect day! Megan and I had great conversation. Well, we tried but Ava apparently had lots to say too! I guess she is going through a phase (not wanting to be in the car!). You start to think something is wrong but when we pulled into the driveway and I turned back and looked at her, she says "hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Little stinker! Of course it was fun, none-the-less and otherwise, she was a good girl!

Megan is my cousin Nathan's wife and we hit it off right away. Gosh, how many years ago has it been now? (7ish!?) She is a teacher as well, and with Redd and Ava being so close in age, it's great! Thanks for a fun day and always being such a good listener when I have so many things on my mind. =)

Ava and Reddington loved all of the animals and pointed at them when they saw them! I swear Ava thinks everything is a puppy. Either that or she was really excited and made her little 'wooo wooo' sound when she saw something she liked.

Checking out the lions!

wooooo wooooo!

Hi there nice lions!

Ok, so I don't think I am digging my $1 garage sale glasses??? I look like a bug!?

I HEART Giraffes!!!!!!!!!!

Holy Cow! I didn't know how long their tongues are!!!!!!!! Did you?

Reddington loved the llama!

Ava was pooped! =)

The End

Anne's

While I was home for Liv's birthday, I also visited my BFF Anne and her boys. We always have fun no matter what we are doing (even if it's absolutely NOTHING!). Ava did surprisingly well sleeping. She went down without crying and slept all night...she doesn't always do great in unfamiliar surroundings. Anne and I joked that she might wake up and freak out at the deer head in the room but she was fine! LOL! The boys had fun playing with Ava. Ethan is 5 and absolutely LOVES tractors. I think he asked me a bazillion questions about tractors and said that Ava probably couldn't ride on one like him because it would be too dangerous. Crack me up! Not to mention the loud noises would for sure scare her! Mitchell is 2 1/2 and is a sweetie pie!

We had fun and Anne and I ended up chatting til about 2am. We could talk every day like 3 times a day and never run out of things to say or talk about and there is never an awkward moment. I guess that is how you know how someone is your true friend! =) We've been through a lot together! Now I just wish we lived closer...maybe someday!!!!!!!

Here is Ava with the boys...





This is just outside Anne's house. I thought it was a cute spot for a photo op. OF COURSE!
Ava saw a little willy worm or something on the rock. Hilarious!


I think she just ate dirt or something here...

A stray cat but she loved it!

Olivia's 6th Birthday Party!

Well, in an attempt to get my blog back in working order, I am going to start with June!!!!!!!

I went home last weekend for my niece Olivia's 6th birthday. I still can't believe she is 6 (and that Isabelle is 10 and Ava is ONE!).

Liv's cute cake...

Aunt Bridgett and Miss Ava

Making a wish...thinking hard!

Ava and Liv...

Birthday Girl!

Me with Belle, Liv, 'baby' Billy (their cousin on their dad's side) and Ava.

I'm Alive!

Well, HELLO blogging world...

I am actually still alive! This time of year is absolutely crazy. To add to it, I hosted a Kids Art Fair (for all of my 750+ students) at the end of April and we are planning Miss Ava's FIRST Birthday Party (I know, can you believe it!!??).

My original thought was to start using my shutterfly site for Ava (which I will still probably do/am doing), and even though you can 'blog' on it, I haven't gotten myself in the habit - like I was here on my blog. Funny thing is I REALLY enjoy writing and getting my thoughts out, etc. One of my english teachers in college even told me I was good at writing and should think about using that talent!

I'm sitting here on this Friday morning with my coffee (2 Hazelnut creamers and 2 sweeteners---is it even still coffee???) and need to get a few things off my chest!!!!!!!!!!

I am sooooooo anxious for summer and the kids are even more anxious - or so I would think based on their behaviors! YIKES! I feel like I'm speaking a foreign language to some of them. I need to push in my chair? What? I need to walk? What? I need to stop talking? What?...
Yeeeeeeeeah!

On top of that, I have purchased all of my 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students (about 375) a 4" x 4" canvas to paint on (with money I earned from my art fair). We are doing a REALLY cute project (I'll post some pics sometime...). I am even allowing them to splatter paint...they are having a ball but wow, I'm losing my mind! It definitely makes for a lot of clean up but oh well, it will all be worth it. :-)

OK, so with my mind going in 2 million different directions, I think it's putting me a little on edge and what would probably not bother me normally just really gets me ticked off! Oh it could also be due to the fact that Ava has been sleeping horribly...thankfully last night she slept all night without any interruptions!!!!!!!!! YAY! We were thinking maybe another ear infection or something but she seems fine now and I think she was just getting too comfortable with mommy and daddy coming in at her every whimper (haha...not really but...)

{So anyway here are a few stories of what's been bugging me!}

Yesterday I find out that a group of teachers were going to use my classroom because they thought I wasn't here (I'm at my other school on Thursday mornings...but come here in the afternoon). That wasn't a big deal but then one of the teachers proceeds to tell me that she tried getting on my (school) laptop which was IN MY LAPTOP CASE on my desk. Since I keep it 'locked' (when you open the computer you have to log in), she wasn't able to get on it and she said she didn't want to mess with that so she just left me a note. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? I would never open someone's laptop case and just get on their computer...

Ok, so this one is pretty comical...so, I go to Walgreens after having to run some errands yesterday after school and before Bunco and just need to pick up my Nexium, return a few things and get some eyeliner and some fast dry nail polish. "GIDGET," the girl working there WOULD NOT STOP TALKING TO ME!! I was telling Travis, she had completed the sale, I had paid, my items were in the bag and she would not hand it over! She kept going on about how they are doing a lunch this weekend and it's only a $5 donation for lunch...oh and the garage sales in the neighborhood are also going on, oh and this one guy who had cancer and is in a wheelchair offered to go around and pass out flyers, oh and he is even going to collect the money for them, oh and yeah, people are so excited, they are going to bring their 4 kids and wow, only $5 and that gets them lunch......................O........M........Goodness!!!!!!!! It really went on longer than that. Then I'm driving home, on my street, only a few houses away and the people up the street's dog (ok, and I LOVE dogs) is just leisurely taking it's time walking down the middle of the street. This dog is old and just wanders, I swear!

So, anyway, that is a glimpse into my world. :) I will post another blog soon for Ava's 11 month info....well, hopefully before she turns 1 YEAR OLD!!!!! My little sweetie pie!

New Site

I have started a new private site for Ava. If you haven't received the email yet and would like to be added, email me, fb me, or call me. :)

I will still be using my blog but I'm just trying this new site out.