A 3 Year Old - Where does the time go???

Well Fall is as busy as the summer was and again I cannot get over how truly blessed we are.  I am enjoying my time at home with the girls and especially loved celebrating another birthday for Miss Ava.  We had so much fun this year celebrating Ava's birthday and did everything she wanted to do.  Next year I think I am going to try one really big birthday with all her friends and family because this year she actually told me she was tired of her birthday.  I think she was just tired but I could not believe she uttered those words.

Birthday # 1 was celebrated with KK and cousin Connor.  We went to a fun indoor playground, to the Rain Forest Cafe, and then to the Imax Theater to watch a movie on dinosaur fish.  When we came home, Ava and Connor painted and then we ate some yummy hamburgers and Pinkalicious Cupcakes.

Cousin Connor and Birthday Girl Ava - These two are the best of buds

Connor had a lot of fun driving the cars at the Little Gym

Ava loved the blow-up jumping gyms

And Alex had a great nap before...

The big Air Hockey game!  

This game ended up with two hockey discs so that each could play their own game :).  It was a great time!!!

At the Rain Forest Cafe, we had a great time checking out the animals.  We were going to go to the zoo but the weather was a bit overcast so to the rain forest we went. 

 I think this was a great choice - Connor kept cheering on the elephants as they moved around.  The quote of the day "Great Job Elephants"

And this little one was a big trooper the whole day!

Birthday #2

On November 18th (day after birthday) we headed into San Antonio again with Pancho and Tee.  We had a great time at an old antique amusement park in Alamo Heights.  It brought back great memories of amusement parks when I was a kid.  Ava had a blast and she was the perfect age "3" for the park.  Gosh I cannot believe it has been three year!!!

 We have a unique style that is all girl!!!

 I mean really....how fun.  Don't you remember these boats in the water when you were little.  It just made me smile.

 Not the best pic of Ava but I just loved the quote on the airplane.  I don't know what it is like to have a sister but all the sisters that I know are truly best friends.  I cannot wait to watch them grow up!

Birthday #3/Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving we drove to Spearman and had a wonderful time.  Full of laughs...

 Do you see this duct taped trash bag contraption...that is our turkey.  Mom defrosted it for 2.5 days however the darn thing weighed so much it should have been defrosted for like a week.  So we read the instructions on a quick defrost - but wait we read the instructions after we took the plastic off the bag.  That is the first no no in the quick defrost method.  So put mom, Miranda and I together and we come up with a new wrap.  Two trashbags and a whole lot of duct tape :).  I had to include it only for the memories.  This was a great turkey once defrosted.

 Alex had on a matching outfit but I didn't get a good shot of them together.

I always love to go home but this time was extra fun.  Ava is in love love love with the Wizard of Oz and I had told her that we would go up to Liberal, Kansas for her birthday and see Dorothy and visit Oz.  If you have a little one that likes the Wizard of Oz, this is a must do.  You probably won't have a great friend that lives in town but you will have a great time.  Lindsey, we had a wonderful time with you, your kiddos, and your mom.  I am so glad that we could get together and catch up; even if just for a few hours.

Now to Oz....There is a funny story that goes along with this trip to Oz and it is narrated through the pictures below....try to contain yourself until the end

We are not in Kansas anymore...Glenda welcoming Ava into Munchkin Land

Oh my goodness, the Lullaby League and the Lollipop Guild!!!  Mom, will you sing the song again....

 Ava was not a fan of the black crow on the scarecrow...he moved his head and scared her :)

 Sweet Bentley and the Tin Man

 Scrub Scrub Scrub, Rub Rub Rub and a couple of La De Dahs...that's how we wash the day away in the merry ole land of Oz.  This was Ava's favorite part, imagine that!!!

Do you remember in the movie when the whole crew heads down the narrow green hall in pursuit of Oz.  It is kind of a scary part, and they recreated it so well in this land of oz...I mean really this is a great place to visit!!

Now to the funny part.

In the pic below do you notice two things that look the same.....

Dorothy the mannequin and Ava as Dorothy.  

This is the Dorothy that Ava had in her mind.

The Dorothy that Ava drove 11 hours to meet.

The Dorothy that Ava watches everyday in her movie. 

 This was the Dorothy Ava expected....

Meet our Dorothy, 

When you are 3 you just want things to be exactly like what you see in the movies or have in your mind 

and it is tough to explain when things are a little different :) ....  

She was a sweet sweet girl and a wonderful tour guide through Oz.  

Just not exactly what Ava was expecting.  It will make for great memories though.