Baby Sister's crib

On Sunday Ava helped Dad put together Baby Sister's crib. Since then Ava has been playing in the crib, she has it all set up with her blankets and books like she is ready to move back in!

Happy Father's Day

Here is Ava giving Dad his Father's Day presents. Dad got a new pair of swimming trunks that fit better and a George Foreman grill. This present was a bracelet made out of beads that Ava made. Thanks to Ava and Mom, Dad had a very happy Father's Day!

Ava's new scooter

Ava has been riding a two-wheel scooter at summer school. So Mom got her a Razor scooter for home. It arrived on Friday and she was very excited. When Dad got home from work she rode it for a half hour straight. Here is a short video of Ava riding her scooter. She is saying quite a bit in the video, but the general message is "I love my new scooter!"

Hopscotch

Here is Ava doing hopscotch. For the longest time she would try so hard but couldn't really get all of the squares. But now you see that she is pretty good!

More of the show!

When the children get called up on the stage they are seatbelted into a bed and then they sing a song and spin the children around!

In the show!

Ava went to Great America on Friday with her friend Soriya. The theme at Great America is Peanuts. The characters walk around the park and a few times a day put on a show. We usually go to the show almost every time we are there hoping that Ava will get picked to go on stage. Well, on Friday Ava and Mom went to the show super early and got seats in the front row. It worked! Ava and Soriya got picked to go on stage with the characters!

Ava's math

You would think that since school is out a child wouldn't want anything to do with homework. But Ava is a little different. She continues to be obsessed with writing her letters and numbers. Lately she has been very fixated on adding numbers. So Dad gave her a little homework assignment today. She didn't do it until just before dinner. But in five minutes she had completed all of these. For some of them she even laughed and said "that is easy..."

Ava's birdhouse

Ava went to a birthday party a couple of weeks ago and received a kit to build a small wooden birdhouse. Ava and Dad built the little birdhouse over the course of the past week. It was quite a project! We painted all of the pieces and then let them dry overnight. Then each day we would glue a couple of pieces together. We finally finished it Thursday night!

Paint Mom's tummy

This was all Ava's idea. She wanted to pain Mom's tummy. Presumably because baby is inside. Then she took a picture of Mom's tummy.

Hot day!

We had our first real hot weekend of the summer. Over 90 degrees on Sat and Sun. Dad did work from home on Saturday, Mom had some reading to do, and Ava entertained herself in her little pool. Mom had the idea to use the little slide. This cooled off Ava for a while!

Pony tail

Picture is a little dark and it is hard to see, but Ava's hair is getting almost long enough to put a pony tail in back.

Clean closet

Ava loves to do her crafts. Coloring, drawing, cutting, gluing, taping, play-doh, etc. All of her supplies are kept in the front hallway closet. Every once in a while it gets a little messy in the closet. This week Mom and Ava cleaned up the closet. So now you can actually find something when you need it!

Legos

Ava got her first set of Legos. It had special pieces that can be used to make things in a house, like TV, tables, and flowers. It even had some wheels that can be used to make a car or bus. Dad made a little bus for Ava. Hard for Dad to believe but there are 402 pieces in the set!

Slip 'n Slide

Ava got a slip n' slide to play on. It came with a little inflatable raft that you are supposed to run and jump on. Ava tried her best but couldn't get up much speed. So instead Dad got down and pushed her as fast as he could. One time Ava went all the way over the end! It was hot this weekend and this was the perfect way to cool off. On Wednesday Bridgette and Jake are coming over to give it a try... a slip n' slide party!

Free dress day

Wed Jun 2nd was field day at Ava's school, which means it is also a "free dress" day! No uniforms! Ava picked out a pretty outfit with flowers and frogs. She wore her sneakers so that she could play in all of the field games. When she got home she told us her favorite game was one where you stand on a number and when your number is called you get M&M's or gummi bears. These are not the field games that Dad and Mom remember when we were kids.

Princess playing in the yard

Dress up in one of your princess dresses, put on your rainboots (?), and take all of your stuffed animals and go play in the backyard for hours. Ava played with them on the deck, swingset, and wagon.

Smore's

Mom and Ava roast marshmallows for Smore's. Ava's highlight of camping! Graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, mmmm. Ava could roast the marshmallows all by herself. Dad and Mom helped make the little "sandwich" and Ava ate it with chocolate all over her face.

Armstrong woods

Really, really, really tall redwood in Armstrong woods. Can't really explain just how big these trees are. Ava went inside the "cave" in this one.

Parson Jones

Mom and Ava in front of the tallest tree in Armstrong woods. A coastal redwood that is 310 feet tall, 13.8 feet in diameter, and 1300 years old. We went on a short 1+ mile hike through the forest. Ava wanted to run and giggle a lot and play "chase" with Dad.

Russian river

Splashing and playing in the Russian River. Water was pretty cold but Ava didn't mind a bit. She poured cups of water over her head and then insisted that she do the same to Dad. Ava spent the time at the river playing in the water, collecting tiny shells, and of course... eating a hot dog from the snack bar.

General store

Here is our little camper at the general store. Look closely and you will see that she is wearing a compass on a string around her neck and is trying to smile with a piece of Laffy Taffy in her mouth. She thought that the general store was one big candy store and she wanted this one and that one. But Mom was smart enough to get her fixed on a single piece of taffy!

Crafts at the campsite

Mom brought some of Ava's crafts camping with us. Ava likes to draw, color, cut, and tape. She found a couple of small sticks and said "these look like reindeer ears". Then she said "I am going to make a reindeer mask". She drew a mask and cut it out and taped the sticks on all by herself. She even cut out and taped a little paper band that would fit around her head. This was all entirely her idea and Mom and Dad were amazed at her creativity and skill in making the "reindeer mask".