A view from the window...

Last night while I was cooking dinner I took a peak out the window and this is what I saw.

 and then they disappeared and I had to go looking out another window.

 Look at the way she looks at him...she adores her Daddy.

Our life may not be perfect but we sure do manage to have some pretty perfect moments.

A little bit of Ava...

 Sitting at the table for breakfast.  She didn't do much as far as actually eating her breakfast.  She just sat there.

 and sat there...

 and refused to get down.

 Then she jumped around the room for a while.

Her hair is getting so long.  You should see it when those ringlets are soaking wet and combed straight.

Pumpkins, Goats, and those things that go Mooooo!

That's what we saw today when we took Ava down the street to Zekiah farms.  I love going there because we don't have to get off the back-roads to get there.  It's also where we got our Christmas tree and pumpkins last year.

I added a little warm country haze to the photos.  I love the way it kind of really helped set the mood for them.

Here she was walking to the car to go get her "punkins"

 and in case you missed it here is a close up of the goat with it's head in a pumpkin.

 She kept yelling "Hey cow come sit" and "Hey goat come here" just like she does to the dogs.

 I'm pretty sure she could have sat there all day.

 Trying to pick up her pumpkin....

...which she insisted was stuck.

We got one large pumpkin, two medium/small pumpkins, and three tiny ones that Ava could carry.  She loves her pumpkins.

A family bonfire

My Aunt and Uncle have started having weekly bonfires now that my Uncle built a fire pit at their house.  They moved closer to us back in May/June of this year and since then we see them so much more.  We no longer have to cross the dreaded "waldorf" area to get to their house.  Now we just head down a few back roads and in about five minutes can be pulling up their driveway. 

Ava's favorite thing to do when everyone else just wants to sit by the fire is to run up to the house to walk on the "circle".  The circle is a large covered well (you know those things kids use to fall in all the time) that sticks up about a foot above the ground.  Normally she drags at least one person with her and literally hops up and walks circles around it.  Then when it got later my Mom, Aunt Denise, Uncle Doug, and Ava headed in to watch mickey mouse.  While Aaron, Chris, Jessie, Katie, and I sat around the fire talking about ghosts and all the creepy noises that emit from the woods late at night. 

I really enjoy our family dinners and bonfires and can't wait for the next one.  I do need to come up with a way to distract Ava from the circle and keep her down by the fire.

and just for fun here are two playful edits.

The Party!!!

Ava's party was so much fun.  I just can't get over how well it went and how blessed she was to have so many people come and to receive so many great gifts.  She enjoyed every minute!!  So here is the overload of pictures I have been promising.

 I can't believe I forgot to take a picture once the cupcakes were uncovered and the cake pops were put out.  We worked so hard on those.  I did take a picture of a few cake pops the next day.  They are towards the bottom of the post.

 Here she is in her adorable Minnie outfit.  I ordered the dress off of etsy (love that site) and the ears were compliments of my good friend Joanie.  She did an awesome job on them.

 About twenty minutes into the party we had to swap out the tights and shoes for black leggings.  The kid HATES anything on her feet.

 My cousins son Kyler.

 Our nephew Ryan.

 He turns four this halloween.

 Present time!!!!  Thanks to Aunt Katie for taking over camera duties.

 Thanks Kyler for helping to pick up all the trash and helping to open gifts once Ava lost interest ;)

 Ava quickly put Daddy on toy freeing duty.  Seriously no more twisty ties...it's all zip ties and screws these days.

 I think at this point she was probably thinking alright already give me my pony.

 Finally...hahaha!

 As you can tell she found her ears and removed them.  Ava also doesn't like anything on her head.  We are working on the hat issue now so it's easier once it's colder.

 Nathan joined the crew.  Nathan is Aaron's cousin Alan's son.

 Nana keeping the kids entertained.  Now that woman is a pro when it comes to kids.

 Her tricycle from Poppie who insisted on going out months ago to find the right one.  Thanks Pop, she loves her "bike".

 Nathan on the scooter from Ava's Grammy (Aaron's Mom). 

 Ryan and Ava found the horn, so if anyone feel asleep during present time, these two were sure to wake them.

 Then Ava decided to sing into it.  Silly girl!

 My cousin Juli who was awesome and helped out so much.

 Poppie!!!!!!!!! enough said :)

 She loved it when everyone sang.  Priceless reaction.

 Ava and her buddy (Uncle) Doug.

 Our friend Mandy's youngest son Alex.  She told us she was pregnant with him when she came to see us at the hospital with Ava.

 Juli and Katie helping to get the kitchen stocked with her new toys.

 An Ava self portrait from the next morning.

 The Mickey Mouse cake pops which turned out to be really yummy.

 The cake monster on the prowl.

 Ava=1 Cake Pop=0

Well, I FINALLY got them uploaded.  I can't believe that today marks a week since the party.  We are already headed too fast towards her third birthday.  Here's to another year of memories to come.  We love you Ava Rose.  You make our lives fuller and our days brighter.