Putting up the Tree!

O' Christmas Tree

Most years i wait until the last minute to put a tree up, and then leave it up until at least my birthday, but this year we got it done early! Not only did our tree get up the earliest it has ever been up but we got it set up in record time, thanks to my helper.

Sorting branches

As an added bonus Avery also go to work on letters and colors while we sorted the branches!

After the branches were sorted, it was extremely helpful to have a delivery boy to bring me the next level! He only took one little break to listen to his "The Night before Christmas" book from GG & Papa T.

Story time

Just like that the tree was up, and ready for lights, this year we have extra lights on the tree at Avery's request, white and multi colored M&M lights (that i have had since i was kid). And of course after the lights come the ornaments, Avery was nice enough to let me hang the special and breakable ones (on the top of the tree), while he was in charge of all the others. He did great job our tree is beautiful, epically the two branches that got most of the ornaments!

This one goes here.

After Avery spread them out. lol

The stockings are hung and the tree is up a few more decorations inside and out and we will be holiday ready!

Avery & the Tree 2013

Hand Turkey with Feathers

Coloring Turkey Feathers

To wish GG & Papa T Happy Thanksgiving Avery colored them a beautiful hand turkey with beautiful feathers! Thankfully someone invented washable markers because Avery really gets into coloring sometimes. You cant see it in this picture but he has a blue and orange marker all over his face and hands.  Oh well, he didn't do it on purpose, and he washes!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2013

 As always I am very thankful for all the things and people in my life. And today we got the chance to spend the day with so many of them (and those who weren't with us physically, were definitely with us in our hearts and minds!) 
I know Thanksgiving is about more then food, but nothing brings people together like food does! And we had a great family get together and of course great food, that Gobbled right up!

Yummy!

Pumpkin Pie!

Gobble Gobble! Happy Thanksgiving!

Wake me when it time for left overs!

And of course after a big day turkey meal and big turkey day nap is required! 

Deck the Halls....actually the Deck

I think one of Avery's favorite things of the Holiday season is all the pretty lights and decorations. He loves them so much he have been actually been plugging in the blow up Santa and Snowman in the living room almost every night for like a month now!!! But now it is finally time for them to head outside for the season and of course Avery couldn't be happier to help his Papa get them set up!!!

So excited to Deck the Deck!

Avery is an excellent helper! 

Papa's helper

And is very proud of his work!

Avery and Santa!

Avery and the Snowman

Of course in my family's typical style everything has to be semi complicated, so that means Santa and the Snowman are not on timers like the other lights, oh no, they are on a remote. Which Avery loves, and is actually very helpful because every night Avery can put Santa and the Snowman to bed, and when they go to bed, so does Avery!

Putting his friends to bed!

Bring on the snow Mother Nature our lights and decorations are up!

Starting his list...

Avery checking out the toys at Menards

Well its that time of year where stores are filled with toys and the paper is filled with ads and almost every kid gets the "I wants" and Avery is no exception. It is actually really fun to watch Avery look at the adds and pick things out, and announce that he likes something, or doesn't need something, like tools, because he already has some.
The concept of having a Christmas and Birthday list and waiting is hard for a 2 year old. Like any good parents we are using Santa to help reinforce good behavior and so far so good.  Well as good as can be excepted he is 2 almost three and pushing buttons and testing limits is what they do! But Avery has his eye on a BIG garbage truck from Menards, aka his favorite store. It has 2 "hoppers" (garbage cans)..... 2!!!! So he know he has to be good and listen to Mom and Dad or Santa might not bring it for him!  Let the list making being!

Holiday Kick Off - Southern Minnesota Christmas Festival

With a late Thanksgiving this year it seems like we don’t have many days to celebrate the holiday spirit, so we started last week! Friday we kicked off our holiday fun at the Verizon Center at the Southern Minnesota Christmas Festival. Its a newer event so I really had no idea what to except but what we found was some friends and a pretty good time. 

The civic center was filled with craft stations for kids (we didn’t do any crafts) and venders handing out candy canes, toothbrushes and other swag. But we were really there for 2 reasons, to frost a cookie and ride the horse drawn trolley! 

Giving the frosting a taste

Frosting a cookie

Thankfully I had some helpers with me so Avery wasn’t completely covered in red frosting. I vote white frosting and sprinkles next year not red frosting! Every kid's skin around their mouth was stained red (oh well!)  

First candy Cane of the Season

Making a Blue "Big A"

After walking thru the rows of venders and getting some treats and adding his name to a link on the chain decorating a Christmas tree, and one small melt down because Avery wanted the pile of Tractors and trailers that was sitting by Santa it was outside to wait for the Trolley!!!!! 

Avery being photo bombed by another kid

We found Friends!

Waiting in the line for the Trolley we found friends! (Oddly enough are  the same friends we see every time we do a free community event!) Waiting for the trolly is so much easier when you have a friend to be silly with! Waiting is hard for adults let alone 2 and 3 year olds but the wait was worth it! 

Ladies first.

Two big beautiful horses pulled the holiday trolley around the block while the driver sang us holiday tunes! Avery is always happy to see his friends and try new things, so this experience was the greatest thing ever for him!

Rainbow Country Trolley

Buttercup & Butter Biscuit

2 Happy Trolley Riders!

It was a wonderful night to kick off the holiday season! I Can't wait to see what other holiday fun we find this year!

Really for holiday fun!

Some days....

Some days you just need to stay in you Pjs all day and play! 

Cleaning Grammy's table is fun!

Look Mom, I have have lots!

 With ski season about to start our lives get pretty busy so before we are always on the go we took a day to just relax and play. and not get out of our PJs!

2 years, 10 months

Growing up too fast!

I call him "my baby" and he corrects me and tells me "He isn't a baby, he's a big boy." And he's right. We are so lucky to have such a happy and healthy big boy! Of course like any kid his age he is always pushing his limits (i think this will continue until he is oh say....30ish maybe longer) 
Right now Avery's favorites are big trucks, tractors, puzzles, dancing and any thing blue, his favorite song is Ring Around the Rosy, and his favorite book is "Where the Wild Things Are". He also  knows that his name starts with the "big A".  

Avery wears 3T Pants, 3T Shirts, Size 9 Shoes, 3T/4T Pjs

We will Miss You...

Best Friends!

One of Avery's best friends is moving away. Which makes me sad (for me and for him) she and her family were wonderful! Her mom was my first "friend" at daycare i will miss seeing and talking to her as much as I will miss her daughters.


Moving is tough is a tough concept for a kid. I still remember my first friend that moved away, I was older then Avery but i still remember being sad and missing my friend Heidi who moved to "Transylvania" or Pennsylvania as the case maybe.

Thankfully she isn't too far away and we can still get together and play, and after all she has been says for sometime now that she is going to marry Avery, true love or true friends cannot be stopped.

We will miss you and your family at our house! You may be out of site but you are never out of our minds and hearts!

Party Time!

Avery got invited to his first birthday party! Sure he has been to birthday parties for the kids of our friends before but this was the first one we didn’t know the parents….. It was a costume party at the Wow Zone! It was a incredible  (lol… the birthday girl's parents were dressed up as the Incredibles!)

meeting of the minds!

The Birthday girl!

There were friends and snacks and bowling and so much fun!!!! Avery just loves his daycare friends, he says they are his best friends, and yes they are all girls! At first all the kids were a little shy because they have never spent time together outside of daycare and never with their parents there.  But It didn't take to long before they are relaxed and will they silly little selves again.

Avery and His best friends!

After some yummy food, it was time for some bowling! Avery loved loved bowling or pushing the ball down the ramp or rolling as he called it.

So excited to Bowl!

Hurry up parents we want to bowl!!

Avery waiting his turn!

Official Ball carrier - he loved the shoes!

Ready.... Set... Roll!!!!!

The only low point of the day was when one of Avery's friends dropped a bowling ball on her foot…luckily this party was covered medically with a nurse and 2 doctors in attendance. So after a few tears and some ice and a kiss from Avery, one sad little girl went to the doctor for an x-ray. 

Checking out his goodie bag

Then it was time for a some cake and singing and then the much awaited presents!

Best friends open presents together!

Pretty much all the kids struggled with the concept of letting the birthday girl open her own presents but she seemed happy to have her friends to help her. It was a great party!  Avery never wanted it to end and is willing to go "rolling" anytime anyone wants to go!