Back Off Girls He's Mine!

This little hunk of burning love is recovering from a wonderful weekend of turning EIGHTEEN months old, no way, and having his second turn down the aisle as ring bearer extraordinaire. Hopefully, I will get more up about both soon, but I thought this picture was to hilarious not to post. We are so excited for Uncle Blake and Aunt Courtney!!!

Also, please say a quick prayer for my college roomie and friend from all the way back in Kadesh. Leah and her husband Ben are trying to deal with horrible news about the health of their precious baby boy, Liam. I can't imagine what they are feeling or dealing with right now, but I am sure they need prayers and unconditional support!

Our Life These Days By the Numbers

1-Avery is 1 year old... how???
2-Number of days I work each week, I am so thankful for my part time job!
3-Number of weeks until we help host the Dallas Walk for Honduras. Do you want to walk or donate??? go to www.predisan.org to find out more
4-Days until Avery makes his second ring bearer run at Uncle Blake and Courtney's wedding!!!!!
5-The time I had to get up this morning to go to work... gross!
6-The number of hens are neighbors are allowed to have roaming around in their back yard, seriously
7-The number of weeks until Mom, Linde, Emme and I walk in the Breast Cancer 3 day. Emme still needs help with her fundraising, help her here.
8-In 8 months I will be 30....
9-The number of times we have tried various treatments to get rid of the fleas we think are coming from #6... so gross... so infuriating...so embarrassing
10-Number of times per hour Avery says Dad-dy!
11-years ago I was 18 and in my very first semester of college...I guess that means I am getting old.
12-million, the number of times I have said "Avery please don't throw your food on the floor" maybe next time he will start listening. Any tips?
13-My favorite number...from childhood...do you know why? My friend Melanie will, she's the number queen.
14-The number of weeks I am PREGNANT!!! Wee's back. :)

Celebrations!!!!

We have a lot of great things to celebrate lately!!! A few weeks ago our WHOLE family got to go to the NEW Cowboys stadium for a pre-season football game. It was so fun. Especially if you had the cutest little Tony Romo jersey and a super great Pop to take you walking all over the stadium!

It is also fun if you have a great Daddy to get you all ready all by himself, I met the family after work.


Avery is also celebrating something very special tonight..... guess who passed the CFP!!!!!!!
That's right D-A-D-D-Y, C-F-P*

*apparently there is some form he has to fill out and mail in so technically I can't say he is a CFP yet...whatever, he passed the test! We are SO proud!!!!


*CFP= Certified Financial Planner!

Auntie Linde

Thank goodness Avery has an aunt like Linde.

He thinks she is the greatest. Yesterday she came over and he went running to the door saying "Ninde" "Ninde"

I don't have a creative bone in my body. I never think to do things like let him finger paint in the floor in just his diaper just cause it is fun and why not...
I hope he gets a least a little of the creativity that lives at Aunt Linde and Uncle Jeff's house!

Nothing Much

I keep thinking I should blog, but what have we been up to... Honestly, nothing much. We stay busy but not doing anything exciting. I slacked off a little on my walking, but I am getting back in the habit. I walked 12 of the long 14 mile walk I was supposed to walk this week on Thursday. Avery was a trooper riding in his stroller for 10 of those miles. When not strapped in his stroller or car seat Avery has been keeping us entertained.

We love to watch Avery play with shoes. He is always finding our shoes and putting them on or bringing them to us to put on. This is what I found after I finished cleaning up the breakfast dishes the other day. I guess my daddy was right I shouldn't leave my shoes out.

Avery is talking more and more and I think it is so funny. Sometimes we get a little frustrated with each other when I can't tell what he is saying. But, cookie is one word that is very clear. He is a boy after his daddy and Papa Virgel's heart! The other day the first thing he asked for when I got him out of his crib was a cookie.

Daddy is usually in charge of bath time, he went on a quick business trip to I had to fill in. We were glad Daddy is back to keep it fun, when mamma does it it gets so boring you have to use your toy basket as a hat to stay entertained!

Have a great Labor Day weekend! We wish we were at the lake.

Chicago!!!

This week Michael and I took a trip just the two of us to Chicago!!! We had so much fun. I have been thinking and thinking and I can't remember the last trip we took just the 2 of us. I think it was New York City for our anniversary 4 years ago! Too long!
We did many great things on our trip, but probably most importantly we ate like royalty. Our favorite breakfast was probably Ann Sather, this cinnamon roll was one of the two sides that came with our breakfasts. Michael is still talking about the greatness of this cinnamon roll. I am not a sweet breakfast girl myself, but I have to admit it was amazing!



We also had a lot of fun using our citypass to go to several museums. Our hands down favorite was the Shedd Aquarium for several reasons. For one we just liked all there was to see from dolphins and walruses to a really neat 4D movie. It was super kid friendly with tons to keep them engaged and entertained as they looked at the exhibits. I also thought it was great that the only thing that cost extra was the
4D movie and that was included with our museum pass. We were not huge fans of the Field Museum, it had lots of stuffed dead animals and we paid $16 dollars to go through a Pirate exhibit that was very crowded and not that great. I don't know a ton about museums and I am sure it takes a lot to keep the doors open, but we were very disappointed that anything that seemed interesting at the Field Museum and Museum of Science and Industry required an additional ticket, and money. I am also bitter because the Harry Potter exhibit was sold out by the time we got there. But, we did not plan ahead at all so we also totally admit this was at least in part our faults for not researching what we wanted to do and spend money on. The space section and U505 parts of the Museum of Science and Industry were great. What a neat story about the German U boat.





Michael's favorite outing was the Chicago Cubs game. I must admit I loved it too. The weather was perfect, exactly 80, and the setting great as well. We had a blast! Michael was so excited to see the stadium he watched on WGN year after year and all that went with it. We were sad the Cubs lost to the Pirates, but it was still such a great day. We also had dinner at Harry Caray's restaurant. It was so good. Michael stepped away from his country eating habits and had a Gorgonzola crust on his steak. It was at first his favorite meal of the trip, but the food was so good by the end of the week he couldn't choose a favorite.





We had so much fun, but man did we miss this little fella. We were so glad he stayed in Tyler with Honey and Pop having a great time. We saw many kids his age at the museums not enjoying themselves, but man oh man were we glad to see him today.

Boys Best Friend

Avery has a new best buddy...