Happy Thanksgiving and lots of Football!!

We had a really nice, cozy Thanksgiving this year.  It was definitely bittersweet without Rich and we missed him dearly.  Tim gave a beautiful toast in honor of him and dedicated our meal to him and we all cheers-ed and enjoyed just being together with one another.  

Part of our spread…we always seem to have way more food than necessary but isn't that the meaning of Thanksgiving - leftovers!!

Love these 2 women so much.  They mean the world to me!

This is Tim and I's favorite holiday and we love hosting our families.  So in Love!

Typical Ella fashion, she was too busy dressing up and showing off to join our family pic

2 Fabulous Men

And, as if there wasn't enough football on Thursday and Friday we had the Joneses and the family back over on Saturday to cheer on the Buckeyes!  What a wonderful afternoon catching up and hanging out. We can't wait to do it again next year!

Bowling with the Kiddos

We took the girls bowling for the 1st time up at our favorite bowling alley, Splitsville.  

7:00 A.M.

7:00 A.M. - it's when the alarm goes off in our room for us to get up and Tim get ready for work.  Every morning, ALL summer, Avery would wake up no later than 7:15 to come down and hang out with Tim before he left for work.

Yesterday, she was talking about how she has to wake up by 7:00 so she can see him before he leaves for work because if she wakes up at closer to 7:30 he is already out the door and she has to see him before he leaves or she is so sad.

This morning, at 7:00 on the dot, the pitter patter of her feet coming down the stairs filled the house as Tim and I snoozed before getting out of bed.

She loves her Daddy so much and it's so sweet that she makes a point of waking up every morning to see him off before work.  Over the summer I would love to just lay in bed and listen to them talking in the bathroom while he got ready

.

Yesterday, she came home and changed into her "Daddy's Girl" shirt because it was a special Daddy/Daughter day for them.  She's been excited all week waiting to go back to school shoe shopping with him.  And, then, they decided to go have lunch together and shop around at Watters Creek.

I love that they are such Best Friends and I hope they continue to be forever!  

Little Hands

The past few nights when I've put Ella to bed I sit with her for a few minutes to chat with her about our day.  I love to look at her sweet, toddler face and smell her sweet baby smell.  I know so soon she will be as big as Avery and the baby parts of her will be gone.  She talks and talks and talks...when did this start happening I wonder?

The other night she said, "close your eyes Mommy".  And, of course I willingly obliged.  Then the softest touch of her little hands caressed my forehead, then my cheeks, my nose, my lips, covered my ears, smoothed down my hair, over my shoulders and down my arms and then one more sweep across my lips and she said "open your eyes Mommy...you are ready to sing" :)

Every night I try to get her to do it again because it just melts my heart.  Being the toddler that she is I strike out sometimes but mostly she does it and then asks me to do the same to her and after we sing 'Call Me Maybe' because that is her choice.

Saturday at the Nasher

Every month, the Nasher has a free kids morning sponsored by Target.  We met up with Brian and Maddie to enjoy it.  It was a little chilly when we got there but it was a beautiful day.  We started in the craft area 1st but the little ones were not really into it so Tim and Brian took them around the grounds while Avery and I stayed for the art craft.  

Tim got some great pics of Ella...I mean look at her smiling at him.  Lucky man, I can't get her to do that for me

How cute are these 2..how much fun they will have growing up together!

Then, the little ones were done with the Nasher completely but Avery hadn't done the scavenger hunt yet, so Brian and I took them over to the new park over the highway downtown while Tim and Avery finished the scavenger hunt.  Tim got her to "pose" like the sculptures...Love it!!

Ah, steps are so much fun!

Checkin out the park and all the food trucks. Yum!

Totally in her element. Our little artist.

Watching a marionette show.  I think the adults enjoyed it more than the girlies.

What a great Saturday!

Happy Birthday Nana!

Happy Birthday to one of the Fabulous Women in our lives!  She means so much to us and we were so happy we were all able to celebrate her special day with her!

Lucky lady turned 1 this year...I don't see anymore candles than that on this cake (this yummylicious cake!)

Someone started to ham it up for the camera, probably because she was so excited after getting 2 big bags of clothes from Cissy!

There were several dance-offs

And, I am just in love with this photo!  What a beautiful couple!  Love you

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!  We had a great day celebrating our love for one another...it's a little silly don't you think?  I love my peeps every day of the year, but it's fun to get in the spirit of things especially with little ones around!  Plus, I can't complain, I love white chocolate sprinkle covered strawberries and I can't turn down jewelry...thanks babe :)

Avery ready for her Valentine's day and party at school. Don't you love her cute shirt Nana made her

Ella opening up her Valentine's gifts after we dropped off Avery to school

and that's breakfast...

I went up to Avery's school during her class party

Here's all her loot she came home with

And my other sweetheart.  Both of them melt my heart :)

Hilarious Video

I saw this video and just had to share!!  It is so funny...what a cute little girl!

Holiday Dance Performance

Avery's dance studio put on a little holiday performance before the Holiday break and it was very cute! The girls got to wear accessories with their leotards to match the theme of the songs they were dancing to.  

Here's Ella holding the flowers to give to Avery

Seriously, I think if we had just given her flowers and not even had her dance she would have been so happy!  I think this is the Best part about the afternoon that she had been waiting for!

A couple of pics from Poppy...he's on the other side of the glass taking them.  They made me smile :)

grouchy ella wouldn't look at the camera.  i don't like being woken up from a nap but this chick takes it to a whole different level!

love the chaos in this pic and clearly tim and ella are the only ones who know that a camera is pointed in their direction.