Mark's Birthday Celebration

On Monday we celebrated Mark's 36th birthday.  I had originally planned a little surprise party type celebration for the weekend as were supposed to spend the weekend in Atlanta with friends.  Atlanta had some bad rainy weather so we decided to stay home so off to plan b.  With Ava in School Mark and I were able to have a lunch date and then I rushed home to start making his birthday cake.  Let me just start by saying baking is not my thing nor do I enjoy it but a friend showed me a mountain bike cake idea on Pinterest and I just had to try this special cake for Mark.  Once Ava got home from school we put the finishing touches on it and prepared dinner, presents and decorations while waiting for Mark to get off work.  The cake was a hit!  My favorite was the sweet family picture Ava drew to go along with her birthday card to him.  She is becoming quite the little artist!

 Yummy icing!  

 love the family picture by Ava ! 

 Helping daddy blow out his candles

Christmas and New Years with Family

This year we decided to stay home for Christmas so that Ava could experience Santa and all of the fun at home.  It also meant less to pack for us.  On Christmas Eve Oscar the elf made his last appearance with presents for Ava and a note explaining he would be going back to the North Poll and would see her next year.  She got to hug him and thank him before he headed off.  On Christmas morning Ava, who was a little under the weather, woke up with excitement of what Santa had brought her.  She was horse but still jumping up and down with joy.  Seeing Christmas through a child's eyes makes it all so much more fun.  We enjoyed opening gifts, and having a nice breakfast at home.

 Silly faces as we prepare to make a gingerbread house

 A Happy little girl!

The day after Christmas we drove to Kentucky to have Christmas at my Mom and Dad's house.  Pretty much as soon as we arrived we all gathered for a great meal and lots of presents.  Ava was a little under the weather but that didn't stop her from enjoying the festivities.  We all were spoiled this year, especially Ava!

Peyton didn't like the flash!

We had an ugly Christmas sweater contest.  I made mine LOL!  Can't get much uglier than glitter puff paint and cheap ornaments sewn on a shirt!!!

Jaime handing out the gifts

My brother refinished a baby doll crib that I played with as a child and that was my mom's.  He made a matching chest to go with it to hold all of the baby gear.

Barbie Karaoke was a hit!

Mom and Dad even decorated the Tree House

The rest of the week we spent trying to visit all that we could,  unfortunately it was hard since Mark and I both started feeling a little sickly towards the end of the week.  We ended the week with another Christmas dinner at my grandparents house and a weekend celebrating the New Year with my Sister Natalie, her husband Jaime and my sweet Peyton.  I can't believe how much she has grown since I saw her last.

Awww cousins!  

Ava coaching Peyton to eat lol!

As always we had a great visit and hated saying goodbye to everyone but hopefully we will get another visit in soon!

December Wrap Up

Like everyone else, December is a busy month for us!  Wrapping up sewing orders, finishing up Christmas shopping, decorating, parties, Christmas programs at School, and all of the fun stuff that the Holidays bring.  This year we have an elf "Oscar" who visits us to make sure Ava is being a good little girl.  He reports to Santa every night.  Ava wasn't so sure of Oscar in the beginning, afraid that he would watch her while she sleeps.  Oscar has been good elf so far.  He brought her a christmas tree for her room and has left her a few notes of encouragement to be a good girl.  He has only gotten into a little mischief when he wrote on our family picture and tried to help me wrap presents.  I guess you can't be good everyday!

Ava was a big help this year decorating the tree!

Oscar arrived Thanksgiving day

The first weekend in December Mark did a duathalon in Dothan.  His boss did the running and he did the biking.  They came in first place in their division and second place overall.  I was so proud of him!!!  It was a mild day so Ava and I had fun hanging out with our friends and cheering everyone on.

Later in the week we celebrated my Birthday!  Mark really planned an awesome day for me!!!  He surprised me by taking me to Destin to eat at PF Changs.  I always want to eat there when we are at the beach but he is never in the mood for Chinese when it is hot.  I was so excited when we pulled into the restaurant parking lot.  Afterwards he took me out to coffee where he and Ava surprised me with a cake and gifts while I was inside getting our coffee.  What a special birthday I had!!!

Before heading out for my Birthday

Ava didn't want to smile

Last week Ava preformed at her Pre-school program.  The night before we had a Christmas party and as we were leaving Ava fell and scratched up under her eye really bad.  She was carrying her crayons in her hand and I was thankful that she didn't poke her eye out!!!  Needless to say she looked pretty banged up for her Christmas performance the next day.  All of the kids did really well and were so cute!  I think there were less kids who cried than at the Thanksgiving program!

Ava and her buddy Rylan

Best buddies Ava and Claire!

Now that all of the parties and preparation for Christmas is coming to an end, we are looking forward to Christmas at home and with our family back in Kentucky.  Only 4 more days until Christmas.  Merry Christmas everyone!!!

A Military Thanksgiving

Since Thanksgiving and Christmas are only a month a part we usually don't travel home for Thanksgiving so we can for Christmas.  This year our niece Megan and her little boy Ben came for a visit for the week.  Her husband is deployed and we are the closest family to where they are stationed. YAY us!  We really enjoyed having them here.

The first night they arrived Mark's brother James (who is in town for training), our other niece Geneva and her girls came over to have dinner with us.  It had been many years since Megan and Geneva had seen each other.  It was nice to be able to have a mini reunion with Mark's side of the family. I didn't get any pictures that night :(

On Thanksgiving we joined our family and our friends the Hubert family together for a Thanksgiving feast.  Everyone came here and we shared in making all of the delicious food. It was great to see Erin's sister Juli, Clint, Tanner and the newest addition Cameron.  It was a typical Military Thanksgiving with our Military family and our family full of great food, great conversation and plenty of laughter!

These first two pictures are from Ava's school Thanksgiving program.  They all looked so cute in their pilgrims and Indian's cosutmes.  They sang well too!

 Ava loved playing and helping with Ben

 The group picture using the camera timer

 The girls

The guys minus Ben.

Ava and Eva

Although I have enjoyed being here at Rucker and getting to meet many new friends as well as seeing old friends as their husbands come here for training,  I feel as though I am always saying goodbye.  Ava is just now at the age where she is realizing this and missing her friends.  Through my bunco group I met Rachel who is also a Kentucky girl.  She has a little girl name Eva who is 6 months older than Ava.  On the days Ava didn't have school we would try to get together to let the girls play.  They always had a great time and play so well together.  A few weeks ago we had to say our good byes as they move on to Ft. Drum.  Luckily the Aviation community is small so chances are we will see them again.  We wish them well on their adventure at Ft. Drum!

Here are a few pictures I took one evening before they left.  I watched Eva as they went to a graduation Banquet.

 eating ice cream in fun bowls and painting in the bath was fun!

 They had fun jumping on my bed and making goofy faces in the mirror

Shower for Bebe Hubert

On November 6th, some friends and I threw a baby shower for our great friend Erin. We decided to go with the Cirque du Bebe theme.  With the help of Erin's sister Juli who made the invitations and all of the printable cards and pictures and sister Haley who made an awesome wreath, the shower turned out super cute!

It was such an honor to be able to throw Erin a shower who always is doing so much for others! Many ladies turned out for the fun day to shower Erin and her baby boy to be with many wonderful gifts.  I can't wait to meet baby Hubert in just two weeks!!!!

 Everyone filling out their wishes for Baby Hubert 

Erin with the hostesses. From left to right Dawn, Me, Erin H. and Erin F.