Summer 2012

This summer was a busy one!  We started out with a trip to my sisters house in Kentucky to celebrate Peyton's first birthday.  My sister had everything decorated so cute and Peyton was of course as cute as ever.  All of the kids had a blast.  I was so happy to be able to be there for the special day.

I love the banner my sister made with a year of pics of Peyton

I am ready to party says Peyton!

Eyes are closed but pretty smiles from my mom, aunt and mamaw

Trying to get all of the kids ready for a pic proved to be impossible!

Next we celebrated Fathers day!  Ava and I surprised daddy with some new wheel bags for his racing tires and some beautiful mommy, daughter and pregnancy pics that my friend Erin took for me.  

Mark had many races throughout Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina so we did alot of traveling.  He ended the season 3rd overall for the Georgia series and 2nd overall for the South East Region.  Ava and I were so proud of him!!!

Mixed with all of the travel were going away dinners for many of my closest friends.  It was for sure a rough summer in that department.  I have to say that saying good bye to friends as a military spouse does not get any more easier but the good thing is I have found that somehow many of our paths will cross again.  I look forward to that!

We went to the Rawls to say farewell to Joyeclyn and Dawn.  I will miss our lunches and shopping trips together.  Luckily Joyeclyn only lives a couple of hours from here and I hope I will cross Dawn's path again as well.  It is a small Army world!

One of several going away dinners.  I somehow managed to not get a copy of the one for Candice's dinner.    She has moved to California and has many new adventures her way.    I will miss Candice as well! 

Ava also did her fist VBS and loved it.  She still sings and dances to the CD that they gave her.  She also did summer camp at church.  This allowed mommy to catch up on orders and go to my many doc appointments.

In July we celebrated the 4th with our friends the Huberts, McDonalds and Facklers.  The McDonalds opened up thier home with some great food, fun games and fireworks.  We had hoped to see the post firework display but due to weather they were delayed until way past the kiddos bed time.  Maybe next year!

The three stooges.  Claire, Ava, and Maggie.

Haley had some minute to win it games for us to play.

The faces we made while doing this are so funny!

The guys trying their hand at the oreo game.

Haley and I passing the ball with our necks.

Claire and Ava's turn now!

A few days later the Huberts moved.  It has been a rough separation for all of us.  It has been tough seeing Ava's reaction to her best friend moving.  It was so nice to have our close friends move here as Daniel went through flight school but boy did that year go by too quickly.  I have been talking with Erin often and we hope to be able to visit with them soon!

Here are some pics from the last night the Huberts were here.  We had Claire over for a sleep over and had lots of fun.  We sang, danced, played, had pedi's and watched a movie.  The sleep over ended around 10 however because Claire wanted her mommy.  We had fun though and it gave Daniel and Erin a chance to do the last minute clean up and pack up of their house.

singing and dancing

Goofy girls

pretty toes

ready for bed

May 2012 Round Up

May was another busy and exciting month!  We started out the month with a day trip to the beach.  Seven of my friends and our 15 kids loaded up and headed for the beach.  It was a great idea at the time until the mass chaos set in as we were setting up our tents, towels and baby gear on a very windy beach with kids 4 and under running around.

Don't think we will be doing that again any time soon but the kids sure did have fun!

A few days later on May 7th Mark and I headed to Dothan for an ultra sound to find out if we are having a boy or a girl and just as I predicted it is a boy!  Max is due October 3rd.  Over half way there!  We spent the day shopping for Max and a little something for Ava to share the news with her when we picked her up from pre-school.  She was so excited to hear she will be having a brother!

For mothers day I was treated to breakfast at home, pearl earrings and some cute little onesie for Max that say "Mommy Rocks" and "Banana's over Mommy".  Mark also grilled that night and we spent the day relaxing at home.  At Ava's school they had Muffins for Mom program the Thursday before mothers day.

The teachers interviewed each child in the class and had the list of questions and answers printed out along with art work by our child.  We all laughed as we read and shared what our kids had said.  The kids also sang.  Ava was singing loud for all to hear!

Mid month Mark had to go out of town for work for a week.  During that week was Ava's last week of pre-school.  It was so fun to watch her sing at the graduation.  You could hear her all the way in the back!

 She already misses her friends and teachers.  I loved the binder the teachers prepared for us.  It had artwork, pictures and progress reports from the year.

When Mark returned from his trip, Ava and I picked him up from the Airport and we spent a few days at the beach.  It was such a nice and relaxing time!  Sorry no pictures here.  I lost my camera battery charger so no camera for awhile.

Sprinkled throughout May were more mountain bike races and fun times.

April 2012 Round Up

Whew it's been a busy few months so I am way behind on the updates to the blog.  Not to mention that I am tired all of the time due to the pregnancy.  So in order to catch up quickly I am going to do a few highlights for the month to catch you up in the Legaspi Family happenings.

We started off April with a trip to Tsali, North Carolina for one of Mark's mountain bike races.  Our sweet friends Ginger and Steve have a wonderful cabin 5 minutes from the Tsali trails and invited us to stay with them for the weekend.  Their daughter and grandson Brayden came as well.  Brayen and Ava played so well the whole weekend.  It was nice that they could keep each other entertained while the adults relaxed and caught up.  Mark placed 4th at the Tsali race and 1st in the Time trials so it was a great weekend of fun and racing.

Tsali is such a beautiful place in the Smokey Mountains.  Bryaden and Ava enjoyed splashing in the river.  The water was COLD!

The following weekend we headed to Huntsville to meet up with my family for Easter.  Our 4 hour trip turned into 6 due to crazy spring break traffic and construction.  Needless to say we were a little frazzled by the time we got there but once we saw all of the family and the amazing food we quickly put all of that behind us.  On Easter Sunday we headed to my uncle and aunt's church to witness my cousins commencement.  It was a wonderful sermon and dedication to God.

We wrapped up the month with two more races both of which were in Georgia where Mark placed 2nd and 7th.  One of the races Ava and I stayed behind to celebrate Ava's friend Caitlyn's 1st Birthday.  Joycelyn went all out in a Minnie and Mickey theme for the party and everyone had a blast!

As you can tell Ava wants to wear her striped dress everyday.  It is her favorite because it spins when she twirls around!

A Big Girl Now!

Today was Ava's 4 year old check up.  One in which I was dreading for awhile!!!  Now that she is not an infant any more,  I am not having to take her to the doctor as often and going through the dreaded shots.  I know, I know,  I am not the one getting the shots but all mothers know it hurts us to see our babies in pain.  I cry every time!!!!  This time around I knew it would be harder because once she got the first shot she would know what was coming for the second and third one.  Thankfully Mark came along for support!  He was so sweet gearing her up with her doctor kit before we left and once we got there for the shots he explained as best he could what would happen.  She didn't seem to mind until the first shot came and then she cried.  She was a trooper though!  She stayed still as best she could until it was all over.  We were so proud of her!!!

 As I took this picture I couldn't believe how big she looks!  Here are a few stats of Ava:

1.  She weighs 37.2 lbs and is 40.5 inches tall.

2.  Her favorite color is purple.

3.  She wants to be a doctor when she grows up.

4.  Her best friend is Claire.

5.  She loves drawing pictures of her friends and family and writing her name.

6.  She is a Daddy's girl and when Papaw is around a Papaw's girl.

7.  She loves to ride her bike.

8.  She refuses to wear bows ever since she turned 4.

9.  She loves to sing and dance.

10.  She is a big girl now and not a baby as she reminds me daily :)

Popping Out!

It is true what they say....you pop out much sooner on your second pregnancy than you did with your first.  I feel like my belly looks like it did at 5 months with Ava and with this baby I am only 3 months along.  Now that I am 12 weeks I feel like I am slowly getting my energy back but the nausea is still around especially first thing in the morning and after dinner at night.

I can't tell you how much I am ready to find out what I am having that way I can start shopping and planning.  Also if I am not having a girl I am ready to pass along Ava's clothes.  Everyone keeps saying they think I am having a boy and I feel as though I am too but we will have to wait and see until May.  Hurry up May!!!!

Here is a pic I snapped of myself this week so you can see how big the bump is already.  I haven't gained any weight yet (in fact I've lost a pound) but I am sure it is only a matter of time!

Our Lil Jelly Bean

Our family of three will soon be a family of four come October 3rd.  Will lil Jelly Bean be a boy or a girl?  We will find out in May and I can't wait.  Today I had my second doctors appointment and got to see the baby for the second time.  Jelly Bean was  moving like crazy today and even looked like he/she was sucking it's thumb.  I'm 11 weeks so not too much longer until I hit the 2nd trimester.  I am starting to feel a little better as far as the extreme tiredness goes but the sickly feeling still comes and goes.  Hopefully just a few more weeks and I will feel more like my old self!

 Jelly Bean was kicking and moving today.

This one you can see a cute bottom :)

Sweet Ava Tate Turns 4!

Sweet, treats and fun galore... Our sweet girl turned 4 on March 5th, 2012.  We celebrated with a birthday party at Cup Cakes Yall will many friends and family.  Fun was had by all.  It was so cute to watch 3 and 4 year old (even some babies) decorate their cupcakes with deep concentration.

 They all looked so cute in their aprons and hats.

 Claire and Ava - Best Friends!  

 Ava and Cassidy showing off their art work

 My niece Peyton and Caitlyn got some cupcakes too.

The fun didn't stop there!  The next day my parents, sister and niece all loaded up with us to head to the beach for the day.  We had fun shopping, eating, riding rides and seeing the sites at Panama City Pier Park.  It was so nice to have family come in all the way from Kentucky to celebrate!

 It was a beautiful but windy day at the beach

Sweet Peyton's first Ice Cream Cone.  She loved it!!!

On Monday Ava celebrated at school with her friends.  I brought in cupcakes for snack and had fun visiting with her class.  That night we let Ava do all of her favorite things and pick where she wanted to eat.  We had to visit the rabbits and the pet store, go to the park, eat at Moe's and go to Barnes and Nobles.  Ava had a birthday to remember.