Monday Night Football -- and more!

Monday Night Football returns to Kansas City!! The Chiefs took on the San Diego Chargers and it was such an awesome game, rain and all! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!

The game didn't kickoff until 9:15 PM, so... we decided to go to the Royals vs. Oakland A's game beforehand! So at 2, we headed out to the Truman Sports Complex and went to the baseball game, then tailgated for... around 4 hours... then headed to the Chiefs game! Ava had such a blast! She stayed awake and cheered through the whole game!!!! We didn't know how she would do, but since we couldn't find a babysitter, we tried it out and she made it until the second we got in the car - @ 1 am!

GO CHIEFS!

the 800 lb cake, a replica of "the NEW Arrowhead!"

The nice thing about Kaufmann Stadium is they have an entire area devoted to kids. Water fountains, the giant baseball, a huge playground, mini-golf, a merry-go-round, kids restaurants and pro shop, a mini field so they can "run the bases," etc!

On Saturday, we went downtown to see Dora the Explorer, Kai-Lan, the Wonder Pets, and the Backyardigans in Nick Jr.'s Storytime LIVE! Ava kept pointing and saying "oh wow!" We would catch her waving to the characters every now and then. It was a really neat experience and we hope to go again someday!

Until next week... Chiefs vs. San Francisco!!!! 2-0!!!!

Chiefs vs. Packers.. and more ZOO fun!

Today we went back to the Kansas City Zoo to see their newest addition.. a 3 year-old polar bear named Nakita. He is SO COOL!

watching Nakita get his lunch!

adding her own little "cheese" at Smashburger..

Then rewind to Thursday... and that brings us to the final game of the Chiefs preseason vs. the Green Bay Packers. WE WON our FIRST preseason game since 2008 (avid fans)!! It poured down rain during our tailgate, but just before game time the skies cleared and a pair of rainbows graced the stadium (see below.) It also made for this awesome picture I took with my iPhone... no flash, no effects.. this is the real deal. Cool, huh?!?

I had to add this cute little video of Nakita.. sorry if it's loud -- might want to turn down your sound first :)

NYC & Chiefs pre-season home opener!

The CUTEST Chief EVER!!

Nana, Aunt Steph, Aunt Dani, and Sam took Ava to Build-A-Bear on Saturday. She built a golfer bear! (Papa and daddy were busy building her new swingset!!)

The New York Stock Exchange. What an AMAZING experience!!!!!!

So my second favorite part of the trip was walking across the Brooklyn bridge to get to....Grimaldi's. BY FAR, the BEST pizza EVER. A true NYC experience and SO worth the hour-long wait in line.

Hanging out at Rockefeller Center with my Magnolia Bakery cupcake

Friday the 13th and other fun happenings!

Hello blog readers. Hope everyone is doing well. Things have been busy around our household. I have been busy doing a few DIY projects around the house. I can check off guest bath, lower patio, and fireplace.. and now this week I have started a kitchen renovation, putting together Ava's new swingset/playset thing, then Ava's bathroom (hopefully) and then maybe done?!?

As for Ava, she talks and talks and talks. Most of the time, you can only pick out a few words per sentence, but they are starting to come together. Potty training is still going really well and she loves wearing her easy-ups. After several months of telling people she's two, we finally heard her tell nana last night that she's one. Just in time for her to be two :) She is doing really well with counting and while she knows her eyes, ears, mouth, nose etc.. but she would much rather show you where yours are.

Finally, as for me.. I recently accepted a promotion to senior associate! HOORAY! I guess I also celebrated a birthday on Friday the 13th. Below are a few pics of birthday weekend.

Ava didn't want to take a birthday picture with me, so this was the best we could do :)

Ava admiring my handy work :) I forgot to take a "before" picture but it used to be gray ceramic tile, now it's a travertine/glass mosaic tile with a travertine border and tile on the base. Much better :)

2010 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure - KC

A very special birthday!

Today we went to McPherson to celebrate my great grandma Opal's 95th birthday. She is in great health and spirits and enjoyed watching all of the kids play. She is truly a remarkable woman and we love her very much! Happy birthday grandma!

grandma with her FOUR great-great grandchildren!
Breck, Blain, Ava, and Donovan

later we ventured out to my aunt and uncle's farm for a BBQ. Ava got to ride her first horse, and we got to meet Cookie. Cookie is a 12 year old, 3 foot tall miniature horse. Isn't she adorable? Ava loves animals, so she had a blast playing with their dogs, cats, and the horses!

Lately...

It's been awhile, sorry! We've been busy enjoying the summer and working on the house. Here are a few random pictures of our summer thus far!

enjoying some pool time at nana & papa's

@ B:2

doing some finger painting!