Seven

The girl is seven.  She is so beautiful and sweet.  Sometimes she is spicy.

She is really getting the hang of reading and starting to enjoy it.

She enjoys playing with friends but it's not unusual for her to prefer to be at home with us. She calls herself a "homebody."

She is an artist.

She loves to have a job to do.

She wants to do things in her own time frame.

She calls Luke and Max "The Brothers" and I love it.

She always tries to soothe troubled hearts, especially The Brothers, 

 although sometimes she yells at them and thinks they are so annoying.

She loves to be outside, go camping, catch a glimpse of a bird.

She talks to me all the time about the farm we dream of, what kinds of animals and plants she wants most.

Sometimes the noise coming out of her mouth is so constant I consider ear plugs.

Her favorite color is blue.

She loves to be silly.

She loves animals.

Stuffed animals are her favorite toys.

She might be part Italian because her favorite foods are spaghetti, lasagna, and mostly pizza.

She wants to be an author/illustrator when she grows up.

She still cries about small things but not usually to be dramatic, just because she truly can't contain the emotions.

She is a challenge to photograph.

But lest I worry that I didn't capture any of the "real Ava," she busted out her "I'm done" face and I knew I got at least one.

 And it was time to call it a wrap.

On a Random Friday in Summer

After hearing Ava correct Luke's lunch request to a Boy Cheese Sandwich, I've learned that for the past 7 years Ava believes she's been eating Girl Cheese Sandwiches.

It's the first day this week that Max hasn't worn these.

 

At Kroger, I turned around after swiping my card to find Max chowing down on a powdered donut he retrieved from the trash behind the checkout line next door.  "What dees called?" He asked me with powder on his lips, and the woman in line behind us made her crusty face.

I came upon this spread at the kitchen table.

I felt the wind on my neck again after a long overdue haircut.  And I won't have to look at another gray hair for approximately six weeks.

I nearly threatened punishment on my son, who, after much encouragement and cajoling in the birthday boy's driveway, refused to go inside.  Ava went in his place, though by the time we drove away and sat at the stop sign, he yelled out, "Ok! I changed my mind!" He had a great time at the party.

I continue to feel safe in our dementor-free home.  The constant chorus, and I do mean constant, with wands and everything, of  "EXPECTO PATRONUUUUUUM!" (Or in Max's case, APECTA TRONOOOOOOO!) is very reassuring and slightly annoying, especially when I'm on the phone.

I spent a chunk of time on my 50,000 page Rome post, but ended up running over to the computer and in less than 5 minutes tapping this out.  Cause Rome is cool and all, but this little stuff is important to me too.

Birthday Extravaganza!

I kind of feel like a gigantic balloon filled with birthday exploded all over us.  It's weird because some years we can hardly manage cake and a few presents and other years we go whole hog wild.  This was one of those years. Ava and Dan's birthdays' are a mere 4 days apart.  Throw in the fact that Dan left town before the sun rose on Ava's birthday and arrived back just in time for my well planned surprise, Ava's horse party had to be scheduled on June 1st, as well as the fact that the memorial day weekend was just too convenient to pass up a party opportunity and we've had ourselves one heck of a birthday(s) festival!

So here's how it broke down:
Wednesday May 23-Ava's birthday.  Dan's out of town so I take the kids out for dessert-first ice cream.

 It ends up being dinner and I put them to bed with messy faces.

And tummies.

Friday May 25-Dan flies back into Dallas I won't tell you what I wore to pick him up from the airport because it might make you blush. I drive him straight to the Gaylord Texan Resort where I surprise him with a room key and basket full of his favorite treats.  Dan thoroughly enjoyed his Nutty Bars, Whoppers, and soda. My Veggie Chips are less than satisfying. We eat dinner by the indoor replica of the Riverwalk.

Our room was way up there on the top middle.

And this was from our room looking down,

We hit the hot tub and make it out front just in time for the Friday night fireworks.

 Dan tells me he feels like he's just been on a date from the Bachelor.  We chose to forgo our individual rooms and stayed in the fantasy suite.


Sunday May 27-We have our family birthday celebration for both Ava and Dan at my parents house. We sing the song,

they blow out the candles, 

and open presents!

Monday May 28-We have a Memorial Day/Dan and Travis Birthday BBQ.  Our neighbor down the street (whose girls we carpool with) shares the same birthday as Dan.  So in their honor we gathered a few families together to celebrate.  Our impulse buy was perfect for the occasion.

After nearly seven years in Texas I decide it's high time I cook a brisket and thanks to Pioneer Woman, it turns out great.

 We played Which Birthday Boy? As in, which birthday boy was at one time addicted to Days of Our Lives?  Or which birthday boy has had clogging lessons?  The guests made their guesses and held up the appropriate signage.

More cake, more ice cream! Lots of fun!

Friday June 1-Finally the day of Ava's highly anticipated Horseback Riding Birthday Party.  Included was two hours with two horses.

While the kids took turns riding, they assembled Cowgirl Cookie mixes,

colored horse pictures, and ran between the barn and the pen feeding the horses in the stalls and this baby and Mama.

We had pizza.

More cake, more ice cream! More fun!

I'm not gonna lie, when the party was done and I drove out of that gravel driveway, I felt a weight lift off of my shoulders.  All kinds of rightly deserved celebrating for very worthy causes, but man, I was worn out!  A special thank you to my always helpful parents.

Life wouldn't be life without either of my May babies.  I love them so dearly.


I'm hunkering down now and storing up my energy.  Luke's birthday is 26 days and counting.

Before I forget

Luke's usual response to my professions of love is "me too". As in--

Me:  I love you, Luke.

Luke: Me too.

Or

Me: You're my boy.

Luke: Me too.

Tonight I knelt by Luke's bed with our faces close together.  His little fingers played with the curls of my hair and I patted his cheek.

"I love you infinity, Mom."

"I love you triple infinity, Luke."

"Acshully, I love you triple insipidy," he countered.

"Wow, that must be a lot." I said.

"It is." He paused and then continued, "Achsully, I love you more than when the numbers don't end."

"Me, too, Luke."

Technically the same as infinity, I guess, but I know exactly how he feels.