Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

We had Thanksgiving at home in KC this year.  My little helper and I made all of the traditional Thanksgiving staples:  turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cheesy potato casserole, pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and rolls.  We were all definitely stuffed and ready for our afternoon naps!  

We have so much to be thankful for this year.  Our house, jobs, family, friends, and our freedom.  We are so beyond thankful every day for Ava.  We thank God for his many blessings!

MeLeah made this *adorable* turkey shirt for our little turkey.  It is SO cute!

It was pretty dang cold outside, but Ava had to be a part of the action. 

 
my helpers... 

James braved the cold for us to monitor my fried turkey

 it was a beauty again this year!

 wow, that's a lot of food for 4 people :)

 getting ready to carve up my bird!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!!

Lately....

 Wow, we've been pretty busy lately!  Here are some pictures from our most recent adventures.  KC Zoo, trip to Springfield, MO, and Ava's first trip to Allen Fieldhouse for a KU Basketball game!

of course, she wanted to pull the wagon herself...

  

the cheetahs got really close to us this time! 

 

 tired of pulling....

 Trip to Springfield...

 the kiddos have all gotten so big since our last visit!

 Madison has gotten SO big.  It's amazing this little girl will be 4 years old in a couple more weeks!

 playing with aunt MeLeah..

Dinner with the Steinmann's.  Maddux and Ava had so much fun playing together!  

After driving through a couple hours of severe thunderstorms, and running to AFH in the pouring down rain.. we finally made it :)  KU vs. Longwood... Ava's first trip to the fieldhouse!

such a pretty little Jayhawk :)

 more zoo....

 I've been having some trouble with the new Blogger format.. iMac doesn't seem to like it very much so sorry if my posts become a little unorganized! :)

Here are also a few pictures from my recent volunteer project with Habitat for Humanity of KCMO.  As part of my company's global outreach program, we are each allowed a few paid volunteer days per year.  My friend and co-worker Connie and I were in charge of hanging siding on this house.  We did a pretty good job :):)  This week.. Connie, Bridget and I are volunteering at the American Cancer Society. 

 some of this isn't our work, but Connie and I got done the front and an entire side :)  We are pretty talented! :)

Ava the Ladybug

 We had a quiet Halloween.  Ava wore her costume to the Chiefs game then we stayed in our neighboorhood in the evening and had a few friends come by.  Halloween has never been my thing, but I carved a one-eyed pumpkin, a puking pumpkin, and dressed our little munchkin up anyways!  (she wasn't crazy about dressing up either)  Ava is a little bit of a clean freak, so she wouldn't help me get the goop and seeds out of the pumpkin -- didn't want to get her hands dirty.  :)  

What a cute ladybug!

Ava's 2nd birthday party!

We had Ava's2nd birthday party at the University of Kansas vs. Texas A&M football game this year as part of the Junior Jayhawk program.  They threw a pizza party, complete with a KU cake, appearances by Big Jay and Baby Jay, tickets to the game, and an autographed KU football!  Thank you to everyone who came and helped us celebrate Ava's birthday!  We had fun and hope you did too!

 with g. grandpa & grandma Morris, cousins Ruby and Phoebe

 nana and papa, take 1!

 

 n & p -- take TWO!

 ava & phoebe

 aunt steph and brian!

 

Ava is TWO!

Oh how time flies.  Our baby turned two today.  Ava is such a happy, sweet, beautiful, fun little girl.  She amazes us every day with the things she learns and at what a beautiful little girl she has become.  At two years old, Ava's favorite show is The Fresh Beat Band.  It's all she watches.  She is a little bit of a picky eater but still loves potatoes, mac and cheese, hot dogs, yogurt, eggs, bananas... and powdered sugar donuts.   She is talking up a storm!  Her favorite sayings are "hi monkey" and "nastygross."  She is making excellent progress on potty training (pullups full time, got the #2 down..).  She loves playing with her friends, music and dancing, going to the park, going to games with mommy and daddy, and her family.  We are so proud at how polite she has become.  She says please and thank you and excuse me and it is just too cute!  She is such a sweet little girl and we thank God every day for blessing us with such a wonderful little girl!

For the big birthday celebration,  I took her to the same pumpkin patch and corn maze we went to last year.  After lunch, we went to Build-a-Bear, where Ava built her "munchie the birthday monkey."  We stopped by Yogurtini for a little frozen yogurt, then home for rest-time, then James, aunt Steph and Brian came over for birthday dinner and cake!  Sorry the pictures are out of order.  Enjoy!

 10/21/2010.....

 

10/21/2009.......

 honk honk!