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!