Ernest's 30th SURPRISE Birthday Party

Since Ernest was turning the big 3-0, I wanted to surprise him with a dinner to celebrate with some friends around here. The Birthday plans changed quite often up until the day of! Originally, I wanted to send Ernest and his guy friends golfing and fishing. My dad gave the idea for us to all go to Callaway Gardens- an idea which I loved! So I tried to secretively get everything together for us all to go there!... since this is a busy time of year, no one could go. I really wanted him to go golfing since he never gets to... So our friend Sam suggested they use his passes to just go one weekday. (Ernest isn't an avid golfer, but enjoys it whem he gets a chancw). Needless to say, I love this idea... but wanted to do something to "surprise him". The plan then changed to going to eat at one of our favorite places- California Dreaming! Ernest sometimes stops by there on his way home from work and grabs us salads... PERFECT!! We would be there waiting to say "SURPRISE!!!!"
That WOULD of worked perectly... until Sam told me they were all getting off early on Friday. UGH! The oh so wavering plan then changed to he and I "going to get salads I've been really craving lately" and everyone else would be there. Since they were getting off early, he and I could go after he got home, changed clothes and headed out to dinner. BUT THEN, on Friday, Ernest wasn't acting like he was getting off early because of a meeting. I then knew if he left at 4:30-5, he wouldn't have enough time to get home and change clothes... I'd have to meet him there. So I changed the plan again to "we are meeting your sister and Gertjan (her hubby) and Jonathan (their baby boy) to get some more veggies  and jami So we had to be there at 6:30". So we had to meet at babies R us so I could "get something for Avery" while he changed clothes in the car... to waste time until everyone got there. I walked all over that store talking to Rhonda on the phone to find out when everyone had arrived. We went the long way... and when we walked through the door, all the hostesses were walking around... so it wasn't a big SURPRISE factor because he saw everyone when we walked in the door. But all-in-all it was a fun dinner, and he was surprised! :)
Here are some pictures from the night!!

Our Blue Eyed Baby

Brandi and Josh

A preview of Avery's first Birthday!! She stuck her hand in Dada's cake (practicing)

Ernest's sister Marie with Jonathan

The Birthday Gang

"Ebony... Ivory..."

Avery with her Birthday Dada

Sure do love our family

4th of July

God Bless America for every yesterday, every today and every tomorrow!!!

We had a very low key 4th of July this year!! Welcome baby :) but we sure do love spending it with her!! I am so proud of my husband. He is SO BRAVE!! Because of wonderful men and women like him, this day is possible.

In our RED, WHITE and BLUE

Avee LOVES cool whip

Mother's/Father's Day!

I just realized that I havent posted about Mother's Day... and was coming to post about Father's Day! So I will do them together.

Mother's Day started with getting to sleep in!! YAY... Momma sleeping in is RARE!! Then when I woke up, we went to eat IHOP.... the Nutella Crepes are one of my favorite treats!

After eating yummy breakfast we went to get FLOWERS for the yard!! That is a HAPPY Mother's Day thing!! Here we are picking out the flowers...

And here is a baby who is TIRED of shopping!!

 

This is a happier baby when we got home and started planting our new flowers! Avery enjoyed the outside!!

I had an amazing day with my family. I am sooooo incedibly lucky to have this amazing baby in my life. You want to question God's ability and awesomeness? Just watch a precious child grow and change daily. HE is amazingly perfect!!

THEN...

NOW...

Ernest celebrated his first FATHER'S DAY with our precious girl!!! He got to sleep in (which we let him do on his days off anyways since he works so hard during the week) then when he woke up we gave him his first prize from Avery! After that, we went to eat at Outback! YUMM YUMM.

After giving Daddy his cards and his prize Avery made him, we went to Outback for lunch!!!

My two loves... Celebrating DADDY

There is no doubt in my mind that this man loves his baby girl more than life itself. She has a special place in his heart- a place for only a Daddy's little girl.

Daddy THEN...

And NOW...

Our family THEN...

and NOW...

WE ARE BEYOND BLESSED TO BE THIS PRECIOUS ANGEL'S MOMMY AND DADDY!!

update!!

Hey everyone! So, it has been so hectic around here, and I have no idea what we've been doing!! I guess just staying busy, enjoying the wonderful weather when it's out! Ive also been "summer cleaning" when I get a few spare minutes!
Avery is getting to be such a big girl... and always doing different, new things!!
She says:
Dada
Mama (when she wants something... it's what she says if she wants a bite of your food, sip of your drink, a toy etc)
Waba (water)
Moa (more)
Baby (to her baby dolls, and cleo and sheba)
Puppy

She is such a precious joy in our lives. She gives the best hugs (always has) and best kisses. Now, when you say "give me a kiss" she turns and gives you bog kisses!!

She has 5 teeth... almost 6.

Most of all, she is starting to walk! It's still on the wabbly stage, but she is definitely taking steps. So far she does about 5 steps on a good try. Sometimes it's more... she'll walk away from something, stop and catch her balance then continue one. In that case she can do pretty far, but most of the time she gets in a hurry. Once she figures it out, I'll be in trouble! She will be running!! We are going to use our new video recorder that Ernest's sister Marie gave him for his Birthday- and I will post it!!

SOLO STANDER

Avery has become our little fishy! She LOVES going to the pool!! We have a few friends with neighborhood pools (which is nice since our never got built! grrr) So we are al the pool weekly. Here are some pictures from our last pool excersions!

Splashing Momma

Since Avery is now more mobil than ever- she got her first REAL bonk!! She hit her sweet eye on the iron bed side :( Here is proof!