"Ummm it's Just a Big HOLE!"

So Brent and I felt it was about time to take the kids to the Grand Canyon, they were old enough to appreciate its beauty and how amazing it truely is. We thought that they would be soo excited becuase of Lake Mead and how the river flows through....and so on.....unfortunately we were wrong! Way wrong!

We may have worked it up to much, we find what we think is the best viewing spot all excited and Andrew says...."It's just a big hole!" Oh well, I had never been so I can check it off my list and in all honesty he's right, it was just a big hole.

Lazy Sunday Morning

We love to spend our Sunday mornings watching football....we sounds like a lot of people. I should clarify Brent, Andrew and Avery love watching football.

She has clothes, but there's no better way to watch football than in a diaper and nothing else.

Avery + Boppy = Not Happy Baby

Avery has gotten pretty strong, holding her head up, so I decided to put her in the Boppy that way she can get a better "view" of what Andrew and Brianna are doing. We cant just lay her down anymore, she does baby crunches to get her body upright and look around. Well I thought it was a great idea....Avery, not so much! Although she doesn't look too unhappy she went from smiles to a very serious scowl...maybe she was just concentrating.

The seat makes her look chubby

Ha! This face cracks me up!

Looks Who's 5 and a Half!

We kinda celebrate half birthdays. I look at is as a celebration of life, never something to be taken for granted. Nothing fancy, no presents just a special dinner and a dessert of their choice. Kids love it and they look forward to being able to officialy say "I'm fiveand a half!"Nana chose rice and beans with tomatoes and brownies with chocolate icecream.

You are such a sweet, smart, sassy little big girl.

Thank you for always telling me like it is...sometimes I need it...even when it's harsh. Thank you for always making me smile even with your Nana-tude. Thank you for making Avery such special part of your life. Thank you for sleeping in Andrew's room even when you say you don't want to but we all know you really do. Thank you for making daddy paint your nails and watch princess movies with you.

you are one amazing 5 and a half year old who makes me proud to call me mom!

LOOK who's 3 Months!

Avery, in 3 short months you have managed to steal the hearts of us all. We fight for smiles to see who can get the biggest one. Then when those came to easy we fight for the giggle that's a little more work but soo rewarding.

Your big brother is absolutely smitten with you, he puts down his legos and his DS to talk or play with you. Though you are in tight competition with cartoons.

Your big sister adores you and can't wait to dress you and brush your hair.

You used to stick out your tongue but that has been taken over by your fingers which you suck on like crazy.

You can hold rattles and little toys although you have no idea you are holding them and usually just swing them around and hit yourself in the head. Which by the way Andrew and Brianna find to be absolutely hilarious.

You no longer like to sit back, you want to be upright and checking everything out.

You rolled over once but have yet to do it again.

From your wrist to your shoulder you have 4 folds and your thigh to your knee has 5, you have two chins and a little (big) belly. I hope you never loose.

You give the sweetest smiles all day

You've been sleeping 11hrs for over a month now with two great naps, and if I didn't have to wake you up to get the kids to school, you'd probably sleep a lot more.

You brighten the room with you smile and sweet sounds

You think the ceiling fans are there for your entertainment only.

Thank you for bringing soo much joy to our lives

I asked her how old she was, she pointed to the 3....Hehe not really

Sister Time

Having Brent gone soo much had made me rely on the kids a little more with helping out watching Avery. They still fight over who's turn it is....beacuse they both want to hold her. Avery absolutely loves all the attention, and I have to ask the kids sometimes to let her sleep. In the end of kids helping me I don't get much done because I usually stand around taking pictures instead of cooking.

Brianna loves singing dancing and kissing Avery. Avery is going to be singing and dancing with them before we know it!

Brianna teaching Avery Pat-A-Cake

Brianna coming in for a kiss

Avery waiting for another kiss

Then some dancing

...and another kiss

one more kiss

Haha....this look says, "leave us alone...it's sister time" or "help me!"

some singing lessons

and then more dancing....

Avery's First MamaMade Outfit.

I found a ton of cute little shirts at Target for less than $1 and made them into cute little dresses with left over fabric I had at home. Averys got a big ol cloth diaper butt so onesies and bloomers don't quite fit her right. These dresses are perfect, they look much more put together than just a plain top with no bottoms.

Checkout her modeling pose.

Her fingers, entertainment where ever she goes.
She was waaay tired and hungry so not into modeling

Brianna and her nasty mosquito bite wanted in on the picture taking. Here Avery is trying to eat Brianna.

The Mohawk is Gone

Avery's hair is finally long and heavy enough where it lays to the side not straight up. Although I do miss the mohawk the bow and headbands are much cuter. And she wont be mistaken for a boy anymore.

Bubbles...she loves making them.

Ever have one of those "Aha" moments when something you say or hear a lot just clicks in your brain...Well everyone talks about raspberries and is she making raspberries? Avery was on my lap making her little bubbles when I realized, her spit bubbles are all connected and hey, they look like raspberries! then it clicked Oh raspberries, I get it now! Pathetic I know...I think i need to get out more!

The lip always comes before the smile...

The tongue...slowly losing its newness. Being replaced by the fingers.

Just love this kid soo much. The smile, she gives it all day but never, ever, for the camera.

This is how she looks at me when I get the camera in her face.