Go, Go, Goers!

Another full week filled with fun Christmas activities...Ava helped me make fudge this past Friday night, we had a great drive last night looking at all of the Christmas lights in the area, and today we visited Santa (after a wonderful brunch at Tavern on France.  Where Mommy had a mimosa in preparation for the long line to see Santa.  Thank God for planning...)  After that nice, long event, Scott and Ava took a trip around the mall on the train...I never thought I'd see Scott squeeze into a little train car - but look what he does for his girl! We've also been having fun counting down the days until Christmas using Santa's beard and cotton balls (there are circles on his beard with a date in each circle - each day, we glue a cotton ball to the beard, and on the 25th, the last circle will be filled!)  This should come in handy as EACH day Ava asks me if we can open presents.  It's never too early to learn patience, right?! So, Ava did great with Santa today (after o

We are in full Christmas swing here at the Goers' house!  All the presents are wrapped (with just a few left to buy), Nutter Butter Santas have been made (see below for picture!), and the annual viewing of Rudolph has been completed. Let me tell you a story about our red-nosed friend.  I asked Ava (before we watched it), if she knew what the story was about.  She told me he was a deer (pretty good)...and then I explained to her that he's a special deer that pulls Santa's sleigh through the sky, and that his nose shines bright red.  As I was saying those words, I thought to myself..."Huh, that sounds really...weird."  The look Ava gave me and the complete silence that followed confirmed that thought.  However, never fear!  She thoroughly enjoyed watching the movie on Friday night!  And since then, Hermey (the elf who wants to be a dentist) has been a permanent fixture in our house.  He's eaten all of our meals with us, spent the last few nights/naps with Ava,

Don't let this sweet face fool you!  Ava is continuing to be a little naughty at daycare AND at home...especially with not listening.  I'd say she's mastered the ability to ignore those people around her!  Argh! On a funny note...our daycare provider puts up winter-themed items in her bathroom at this time of the year.  For example: snowman towels, snowflake shower curtain, etc.  One day this week, as Ava was sitting on the potty, she noticed all of this new decor and kept telling Debi "How a-DOR-able!" everything was.  It makes me wonder if Ava's really an older woman trapped in a toddler's body... Well, the tree is up, but I didn't get a chance to wrap the Christmas presents yet...BUT!  I bought everything we needed to make fudge, as well as Nutter Butter Santa cookies.  Today, I ran into a lady in the grocery store who was making the same fudge recipe that I use, so she kept asking for my advice.  It's not too often that I can give baking

Another great holiday can go into the books!  We've had an excellent weekend...started off by a great Thanksgiving gathering at Grandma Deb and Grandpa Whitey's house.  Lots of good family time spent - and wonderful food, too!  Since the weather was unseasonably nice, the girls also got to spend some time outdoors playing.  With how late our summer started this year (late June), it's amazing that the MN true winter hasn't hit yet...  I, for one, am very thankful that we've had an extended fall, and we're not into the deep freeze yet! Getting ready to catch the ball from Daddy Tatiana and Jenna I know this is blurry, but I love the enthusiasm in this one! Pondering his next move... Great-Grandma Addy, Tatiana, Jenna, Ava and Savante (and Santa!) Jenna eating nicely with a fork, Ava eating piggy with her fingers.  Sigh. Tatiana smiling pretty for the camera!  What does Jenna see on her fork?? In addition to turkey

What a great week it's been!  Super busy at work, but we made time to have fun around the house and with friends.  And...I can't believe it's already Thanksgiving this week...we're almost done Christmas shopping for Ava, so at least we feel a bit ahead this year.  Thank goodness, because last year, we were really late with things. To celebrate the very NEXT holiday, Ava and I went to my friend Emilie's house today, and made turkeys out of tissue paper.  It was a glue-y, sticky, messy fun time!  Em is great with kids, and Ava is no exception.  And Em's dog Lily did really well with Ava, too - we weren't sure how that was going to go, but we were pleasantly surprised!  We have some fun Christmas crafts lined up in the next few weeks...I haven't done projects like these in forever.  I forgot how fun they are! Sticky! Ava cleverly placed this cow sticker on her shirt...it looks like it's nibbling on the doughnut! Now that Ava ha

Last weekend was deer opener for rifle, so Scott's been gone the past two weekends.  Ava and I have had a fun time hanging out, but we are definitely ready for Daddy to be around on the weekends. But, we make the best of our time while we have it.  We had a cooking weekend last weekend....we made cookies, muffins and pizza.  Lots of fun, and pretty messy! And when Daddy came back, she helped him make mashed potatoes one night for dinner.  It appears that pants are optional while making dinner...! One of my co-workers has two daughters who have outgrown some of their toys.  He happily passed along ALL of their My Little Pony toys.  I think we now have a herd of 50+ ponies, shoes, brushes, and various accessories.  It's crazy!  I only had 2 ponies when I was little, and I'm pretty sure they didn't have all of the fancy things to go along with it! The nice thing is that we're using them as a potty training tool, too.  Ava's got #1 down fine, but s

Halloween was definitely a fun event this year.  Last year, Ava sorta figured out the trick-or-treating thing...this year, she was all over it!  She loved getting dressed up as Alice in Wonderland, loved hanging out with her cousins to beg for candy, and she's still loving all of the treats she managed to score.  And I'm trying hard not to eat all of her candy.  It's very, very hard to resist. Leading up the big event, we were very, very busy... We managed to carve 5 pumpkins within 1 hour, the night before Halloween.  I used patterns, Scott free-formed his.  Ava wouldn't even help scoop the seeds out, but she had a heck of a good time poking holes in the sides of all of the pumpkins.  The next day, we had a pumpkin carving contest at my work - Scott's "BEER" pumpkin took 3rd place!  He was quite proud of himself.  His other one received a comment about looking stoned.  Clearly, he's the artiste in this family! At daycare, there is alway

I can't believe we're already halfway through October...it's been a busy fall with trips, hunting, family visiting, work, play, etc.  Plus, we're getting ready for Halloween and trying to take advantage of the last few warm weeks of the year before the snow flies. Last weekend, my parents visited from Colorado - they hadn't seen Ava since last Thanksgiving, and they couldn't believe how big she has gotten, as well as how chatty she is.  Scott and I think there was some definite bonding that happened, as my mom called this past week to say hi to Ava.  Not me.  But Ava.  :) Here are just a few highlights from their visit: Reading with Grandma Karen At the Afton Apple Orchard Climbing up the tire mountain... And back down... Lots of swings to play on! Although, I think she might be a wee too big for this one. Not so sure about feeding these animals... On the hayride Helping Grandpa Doug fin