Fort Worth Zoo

Avery's birthday last Wednesday also happened to be 1/2 price day at the Fort Worth Zoo. I decided that with the beautiful spring weather forecasted it would be the perfect day to go. And it was! The weather was great, and all the animals were out eating and playing. We saw pretty much all the major animals, including those in the new MOLA (Museum of Living Art) exhibit which was really nice and houses all the snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and fish. We also fed the parakeets, and did the petting zoo and the play barn this time. It was a great way to spend Avery's actual birthday!












That evening I took the girls up to Scott's office so we could give Avery her birthday present from us (we had been storing it there) and take her out to one of her favorite restaurants, Pei Wei. She loved her Barbie bike and had to try it out right away!

4th Birthday Party!

Last Sunday evening we had Avery's birthday party at ASI Gymnastics in Keller where she takes classes. This was her first year to have friends at her birthday party, and she was so excited to show them where she takes gymnastics and have them there to help her celebrate. We invited her whole class from school (15 kids), and had a good turnout of 8 kids from YCW, plus her 7 year old cousin Brooklyn and of course Kendall. It was a very hands-off party which was really nice for us-- the coaches took care of set up, all the games and activities, serving cake and lemonade, and even writing down the gift list. The kids all seemed to have a really good time too. They got to jump on the trampolines, swing, bounce, and slide into the foam pit, play with the parachute, and do relays and other games. Avery really liked being presented with her own gold medal by the coaches, being the line leader every time, and all the other special attention. She was all smiles when they turned out the lights and brought her cake over to sing "Happy Birthday." And of course she had fun opening all the presents and giving all of her little friends thank you hugs. We topped off the night with a big family dinner at Spring Creek Barbecue-- delicious! Here are a plethora of pictures from her party:

The birthday girl, Mommy and Kendall

Jumping-- her favorite part of gymnastics

Catching a little air

Playing popcorn

Swinging into the foam pit

Bouncing into the foam pit

Getting fanned w/ the parachute (wish I had zoomed so you could see her laughing)

kicking the foam blocks in a relay

getting ready to play "Cookie Monster"

Receiving her birthday gold medal

Ready for her Barbie cake

opening presents surrounded by friends

thank you hugs for her friends

To Avery on Your 4th Birthday

Sweet Avery,

Four years ago today we brought our precious first daughter into the world, and we knew you were extraordinary right from the beginning. When you looked at us, even in those early days, it was almost as if we could see the wheels turning behind those big brown eyes, taking everything in and understanding things well beyond your days or years. And over time, you have indeed showed us just how special you are. Not only are you very intelligent, but you are also kind and caring, tender-hearted, funny, good-mannered, helpful, and sweet-spirited. We are so blessed to have a daughter like you! Over the past year it seems like you have really begun to do lots of big girl things and have become so independent. Some of the things you have learned to do this year include: drawing people and other recognizable pictures, coloring VERY well, writing most of your letters w/out help, writing your name, counting to 100 w/ just a little help, sounding out short words, playing computer games by yourself, swinging yourself, playing card and board games, and doing gymnastics (you will move up to level 2 in April). You are truly a girly-girl and you spend lots of time doing girly things like playing dress-up, pretending to be a princess, queen, or Wonder Woman, playing with Barbie or Disney princess toys, putting on your play make-up, and doing crafts. You also really like reading new books, playing all kinds of games, coloring, playing outside, helping me cook, playing rough with Daddy, playing with your stuffed animals, hearing me tell stories, and playing with your friends at the playscape after school. Although you and Kendall squabble sometimes, you do love it when she follows your lead and hangs out with you or plays one of your little games. It has been fun to watch your relationship with her really blossom this past year and to see you really own the role of big sister. The two of you are so funny when you team up and you can really crack each other up sometimes! Daddy and I are so proud of the little girl that you are becoming, and we are really looking forward to the new worlds that await you in the next year or two with school, friends, and activities. We love you so much Avery and we thank God every day that He gave us "the miracle of incredible you!" (quoted from your book "God Gave Us You") Happy 4th Birthday!
All My Love,
Mommy

Ready to share cupcakes with her friends at school on Monday

Spring Break Part Two

Well, we had a lot planned for part two of spring break/week without Daddy, but we actually didn't end up doing very much. Wednesday we were originally going to go the zoo, but after seeing a story on the news about the Wed. of spring break typically being the busiest day of the year, we decided to wait and go another time. Instead we met some church friends at the mall to let the kids play and eat Chick-Fil-A. Thursday I got to have a maid come and clean the house (woo-hoo!), and then we had the carpets cleaned as well (double woo-hoo!). My Mom had taken the day off work, so after lunch we headed over to Coppell to spend the some time with my parents and have a Mimi and Poppi sleepover while our carpet was drying overnight. Both my girls went to bed without a fight, but then Avery woke up at 3 am and did not go back to sleep until 6 am! Brutal! So on Friday instead of going to the Children's Museum after lunch, we all took naps. But then it was all rectified by Scott coming home a day early -- he arrived around 12:30 that night. Yay! We were all so glad to have him home. Here are a few pics that my Mom took while the girls were playing at their house Thurs and Fri.

Kendall asked, "Avey will you give me boost?" They wanted to bounce on Mimi and Poppi's bed.

Kendall had fun playing with jewelry on Friday morning

it's almost impossible to get them to take a cute posed picture if they're busy or not in the mood

playing out front and supposedly helping me look for my keys

Spring Break Part One

Last Saturday after Avery's gymnastics class, the girls and I enjoyed a beautiful day with my family. We all met at PF Chang's for lunch to celebrate my sister's birthday, and then we headed out to the stables to see Amy's horse, Kola. I forgot to bring Avery's helmet, so she didn't get to ride Kola, but she did get to sit on her for a little while. Avery and Kendall both got to pet her, feed her treats, watch Amy brush her and clean her hooves, and then we watched Kola show off her skills a little bit in the arena. Amy has her trained so well and it is really neat to see their working relationship. When she wants Kola to come to her, she gives her this signal where she looks at her and leans to one side. I told Amy that I wished that worked with children too! Ha ha! The girls also had fun chasing the barn cats around and seeing the ducks and turtles in the tank. It was a gorgeous day and a fun start to our week without Scott/Daddy, who is on the Edmond C of C Mexico Mission trip.

checking out one of the barn cats sitting in the windowsill of the office

When I asked Kendall if she wanted to feed Kola a treat she said, "Yea, but I'm just nervous." It was really cute and I had no idea she knew how to use the word 'nervous' correctly!

Kendall and Mimi watching Kola in the arena

Avery wanted to go see the ducks and turtles in the tank

She also had fun climbing on the gate and watching from there

Sitting on sweet Kola

Kendall and Mommy

Monday I took the girls over to Southlake for a girly day. We had lunch at McAlister's, then Avery got her hair done at Sweet n Sassy, and we topped it off with a visit to a really neat toy store called "The Owl's Nest." They had lots of toys out for kids to play with-- a kitchen, a train table, baby dolls and their equipment, a puppet theater, riding toys, etc. I let the girls pick one inexpensive toy each. Avery's choice was a Melissa and Doug ballerina doll craft kit, and Kendall's was a new Hello Kitty journal since she has colored on every page in the other 2 we have. Avery started on her craft right away when we got home. She was very proud of the finished product and very proud of her headband braid they did at the salon. Today we bought all the decorations, tableware, and party favors for Avery's birthday party coming up a the end of the month. Then we went to family night at Chick-Fil-A for free kids meals and entertainment. Stay tuned for more of our Spring Break/Week Without Daddy activities. . .

crazy face- the glitter glue must be getting to her

the proud artist with the cool headband braid

Western Day

cowgirl sisters

cowgirl in motion= strange looking picture

the littlest cowgirl playing when we got home this afternoon

Yeehaw!

Today the girls had Western Day and a petting zoo at school. We mixed and matched outfits from old Halloween costumes and other things they had in their closets and came up with some decent looking western wear. Kendall wore Avery's fringed skirt from 2 Halloweens ago when she went as a cowgirl, and Avery insisted on squeezing herself into the size 2 shirt and barely fitting pink cowgirl boots from that same Halloween. Needless to say, by the end of the day Avery's feet were hurting a little and she was tired of her shirt coming untucked. But it sounded like they had a lot of fun seeing and petting the animals and doing special farm and cowboy crafts. Yeehaw for YCW!