Big Birthday Day!

   Someone turned 2.  And two turned 2+36!  Happy Birthday Geoff and Uncle Matt!

    We had the birthday dinner and cake and ice cream a day before the actual birthday since it was a
    Sunday.  Avery is giving me us her "smile for the camera" face in the second picture below.

Great picture of Grandma, Avery, and Papap

I love her smile.

The birthday pair!! 

Time for cake, candles and wishes.  She is sizing up the cake here.

I better stand up.

Geoff's turn.  I didn't mess up his cake this year like I did last year.  But then I broke the "3" candle as I was placing it on the cake. AHhh.  Sorry honey.

Geoff is trying to strategically hide the broken candle.

   Our three little ones can pack in the cake.  Don't let their smallness fool you.

  Avery (with her brothers' and Papap's assistance...) opening gifts.

Love the expressions here.

 Happy Birthday Geoff and Avery!  Words can't express how much we love you!

Details on Geoff's birthday gift coming up...

Fun with Papap and Grandma

 Hanging with Papap 

 And grandma...

 ..and a dragon?!  Wyatt wearing a mask from a dragon book Papap and Grandma brought.

Saturday morning we went to our local bike shop to meet Papap.  Avery walked in and just waved at him like she sees him everyday.  

 

Wyatt had picked out a bike last time Papap and Grandma were here but Jack wasn't wanting one at the time.  He was ready this time though and picked out a bright blue bike.  Avery joined in on the fun.

The farmer's market was right next door so we picked some pumpkins and those strawberries Jack is holding?  AMAZING.  The best strawberries we have had.  When we got home, Jack pulled out a whole pint for himself.

 Papap and Grandma stayed with the kids and Geoff and I went out for dinner for an early birthday celebration.

Papap was on a mission to comb A's hair and to get her to keep a bow in her hair.  She was on a mission to do the opposite (notice how she is proudly wearing a real "bow" around her waist as a belt-how ironic) 

Saying good bye...

Avery and I went straight to the doctor for her 2-year well-baby appointment.  She weighed 22.4 lbs (her biggest weight growth yet!), and she was 32 1/4 inches long.  She survived her flu shot...and her iron test (prick on the toe).  That one doesn't bother her at all.  

 Her little band-aid.

The Lovely Everyday Stuff

Jack asked me in the car last night, "can Wyatt marry Avery?"  

  So cute.  The boys and I were driving to a Harvest Festival and they were discussing how they want to live on their own farms one day.  And if living on a farm wasn't enough, they plan on being zoo keepers in their spare time.  

  Speaking of marriage, we were so excited to hear that Aunt JJ is engaged to Mr. Jeff!  Congratulations to you both.  We love you very much! 

They got engaged at the beginning of September.  Their engagement news is definitely not "everyday stuff" - it is pretty amazing, memorable, one-of-a-kind stuff!!

It just fit in with the boys marriage conversation last night.

Back to our everyday stuff:   Avery showing me her new moccasins.

Fascinated with all that a cell phone can do (me too!)

    My friend Lisa G. just sent a box of amazing clothes for Avery.  Here she is looking pretty stylish -  
    ready for a trip to Walmart!

Thank you for the clothes G family!

 She convinced me at Walmart that she needed to ride on the back of the cart like her brothers do.

We have lots of terms of endearment for her:  pumpkin, itty bitty, little mama, baby, cutie pie, button...here is our little one peeking out of a tent while shopping with Geoff.

    And looking sly trying to sneak something out of Wyatt's lunch box.

    Almost TWO years old...birthday post coming up!

RENO

We had quite a crazy week in September.  I flew to Denver overnight to meet my dad for a work meeting.  Geoff caught the flu while I was gone...ugh.  I returned home and we left a day and a half later to drive to Reno.  Geoff had a work trip and we went with him and another family in our squadron.  We got to our hotel room late and finally got everyone to bed between 9-10, then I woke up at midnight and got sick...all night.  I was so worried the kids would get sick.  Geoff missed the first day of his course and took the kids to a safari/zoo, the pool, to the casinos with Katie and her kids.  Luckily I felt well enough the next day for him to go to his course and Katie, the kids, and I spent about five hours in a very fun store called Scheels.  It is this crazy large store/museum/carousel/hunting/outdoor gear/restaurant all-in-one.

Katie and the kids ready for their turn on the carousel.

I love that when they were waiting, Tyler got so excited he just hugged Jack.

 The next day we went back with Geoff and he even had trouble getting out of the store.  Wyatt was kind enough to try on some clothes for him.  :)