Ava's Jungle Adventure

Well, Little Miss A's bday party turned out so cute and so fun! The guests included friends and family with their kids. It was just the right size for a 2 year old.


This is what the kids did when they first arrived they decorated jars with felt made to look like these animals. Everyone was so creative and they all turned out so cute. Then the kids got to fill the jars with candy or trailmix from the party to take home.

Ava working on her craft.

Then after they were done making those. I gave each kid a passport (made by me of course) and around the room were pictures of jungle animals hidden behind things on the walls etc. and each time a kid found one of them they got a sticker to put in their passport. By the end of the game all the kids had lots to show from their "jungle safari"! It was really fun and the kids all seemed to get really into it.

Along with each kid's passport they got their "goody bag" that included binoculars, compass, dora or deigo stickers and a stuffed animal of their choice. All of which would help them on their safari. The goody bags where a huge hit. I really wanted to give the kids something fun to take away from the party and not just junk and candy. If I'm gonna spend the money they should like it right? Yep.

Next up the food table. We had healthy treats and the cake was made by my amazing mom! It was really yummy too!

We decorating our houes with lots of animal print balloons, vines, and lots of plants and trees. Those were mainly in the entryway. I wanted it to feel as though people were entering into a jungle but didn't want it suffocating once they were in here thus less plants in the main part.

Ava really did great the whole party. I think it was easier on her since it was at our house this year so she felt at home and happier. Plus she's older now, 2 to be exact. haha

Just as we were getting ready to open gifts. She ran over to her chair and started throwing a bit of a diva fit.

Then it goes to the floor....

And the next second she is totally over it and happy as can be! She is such a little drama queen and loves attention. But she is moreover a happy little girl. So her fits never last long at all. We have been lucky the terrible 2's haven't seemed too bad yet.

I loved her little outfit :) She has the same skirt in red since I loved this one so much. Ahh.. little girls are heaven!

Opening gifts were such a fun part this year. She was really into it and would say, "Oh WOW!" During it and once she saw the gift. It was I'm sure quite entertaining and absolutely adorable!

Me and my 2 BFF's. We have been close since high school. We all have kids, husbands and morgages and we would do anything for eachother!

Ava with her cute little cousin, Ethan.

All in all I am happy with her party this year. I can't believe she is already 2! My oh my where has the time gone. I love that little girl to the moon and back 70 times 7. She is my everything. Russell and I love being parents and are so lucky to have her in our lives. I love you Little Miss Ava!

FINALLY!!!

The last couple days have been SO nice and warm, high 40's so yesterday we decided to take advantage and go play outside. Miss A loves her 4-wheeler so she played on that.

Then today it dropped down and we had a big storm. SOooo I decided to make another attempt to get Ava to play in the snow. And for the FIRST time she actually liked it and played and played. I am SOO happy that she FINALLY likes it!

We didn't go far and just played in our back yard. I love how the snow looks on the dropoff behind our house.

This pic was when we first got outside, so she wasn't sure yet.

So I found a ball for her to play with and she quickly was so happy. She loved throwing it and chasing it after it (even when it went down the hill haha).

There she goes trudging through to snow-- all of it from today. It was actually a decent storm.

After throwing the ball when it rolled a ways down the hill. This is her surprised, oh no look.. cutie patootie:0

I am so happy she loves it now. Since Russ is still at work I took a bunch of phone pics and sent them to him. He was pretty stoked too! He loves the snow and we have been wanting to take her out sledding for a while but I didn't want her to be stuck if she hated it. So NOW we can take her! My little snowbunny ;)

Power OUtage & Pirate Island

Last Saturday we were without power for most of the afternoon... soo we decided to be creative to entertain ourselves. We found her pig and found all the spare change in the house..

Then we called daddy and told him all about it ;0 Miss A has been talking more and more lately. She says the funniest little things.

SHe is SUCH a girlie girl and loves shoes. SHe loves trying on my heals and loves just sitting in her closet trying on all her own shoes. She is learning very young :)

Later that night we headed out to Pirate Island for some yummy food and arcade games. Russ was quite the pro he won us thousands of tickets, enough for some sweet prizes (for a 2 year old that is haha). He is a child at heart and was having a blast playing all the games.

One of the few things Ava could do. She looks thrilled doesn't she? lol not really that exciting I guess. But what do you expect for 1 token right :)

Ah..something a bit more her style. The SLIDE!

Ah..something a bit more her style. The SLIDE!

Driving.. good thing we've got a while till she spikes our insurance premium right? For now we have Russell for that.. just kidding :)

This one was the mister's idea.. the bullet bike! I don't know how I feel about her hoping on the back of her boyfriend's bike. Oh wait I did that to my parents didn't I :) Russ was pretty hot on his.

And one with the bullet bike master!

Me and my little sweetie :)

Mr and Mrs!

NYE

We had SUCH a funnn NYE! Me and my man headed up to SLC for the night minus the Little Miss to celebrate!
My kiss at midnight :)
I LOVE this guy SOOO much! I am so lucky to be hitched to him!

Happy 31!

So guess who had a birthday? This wonderful man.. Russell! He turned 31 yesterday. I just wanted to give him props for the wonderful husband and father he is. More and more everyday. I can't believe we have been together 10 years. We have had so much fun together. He is truly my best friend. I am so happy with the life we have built together, we have everything that matters.. each other, and Ava.
For those of you who really know my husband, you know what a good, genuine, kind person he is. Everything he does is for other people. He is so unbelievably unselfish. He does so much for me and Ava everyday. Ava is so lucky to grow up with such with such love in her life. We are a close little family and would do anything for each other.

I love Russell for so many reasons. Not only is he such a good person but he is so funny. He makes me laugh everyday and has little Miss A rolling on the ground laughing all the time. He is just a fun guy.

When we first started dating I remember how he was so loving and playful with his nieces and nephews. He would go out of his way to make them laugh and be their friend. I had never met a guy like that and knew right then I wanted to marry him. I knew at that moment what an incredible daddy he would be. We had a connection right off. (On our second date he told me I was the first girl he could see himself marrying. ha ha but that's a whole 'nother story :) I believe you can tell so much about a person by how they treat children. It shows a lot about how he was raised and what a great guy he is. He didn't ignore his nieces and nephews like some people would. And ever since we have had Ava he is such a hands on dad. He always wants to carry her wherever we go. He is so helpful with everything involving her. He is anxious to have even more little ones, so am I! So HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUSSY! I love you SO much!

Merry CHristmas One and All

Well here at our house we all must have been good this year cuz Santa spoiled us :) Little Miss Ava certainly has been such a angel and I really wanted to go all out making it the best Christmas ever. She is such a kind sweet, spunky little thing. I Adore that girl I tell ya.



Here is our tree before the madness and mess. I should've done a after too. Ava biggest gift was this retro play kitchen. She LOVED it and I love it too. It is adorable and we got her stainless steel pots and pans to match. She also got lots of dolls, puzzels, books, art stuff, -dress-up stuff, little people house, little people barn, race car track with all the little cars.. etc. She for sure got hooked up this year:) And her birthday is coming up next month... little princess of mine :)

Ava loves to play cook, wash the dishes and feed us and her dollys. Its so cute!

Oh and her fav part by far is the phone.. yep this girl already LOVES talking on the phone.

She also got a vintage rocking chair. I want to refinish it but for now she loves it the way it is.

Here she is helping me open one of my gifts from Russ. He did so great picking out stuff for me, clothes, shoes, jewelery that man knows exactly what I like. He sure is one of a kind!

Little Miss had such an exciting day she was sound asleep napping by noon. (Oh and she never takes naps anymore so this was rare.) Aww but she looks so sweet and peaceful asleep on her pillow pal bee.

Later that day the fog was so thick. It looks like a see of clouds. It is kinda cool to see it from up high. Alot of the time we are stuck in the fog too but lately our house is above it.

I wish I would've taken more pictures this Christmas. We filmed all of it this year to relive all the memories so we didn't do the picture thing. Here is Russ and I at a friends house. This was the night of a huge CRAZY storm. It was one of the worst ones we've driven in but it was worth it to spend time with eachother and our awesome friends.. Hope you all had a great Christmas! We sure did. We are so blessed and are so grateful for eachother and our generous family and friends. Until next year...