Snow Day

I am only going to use 2 words to describe each picture (title included) from our day today. Enjoy!

Not happy.

Snowy walk.

Bundled up.

Happy camper.

Snow angel.

Crawling cutie.

Ready? Go!

Fun ride.

Hammock time.

Family time.

Snow bunnies.

Snot drip.

Merry WHITE Christmas!

If you happen to live in North Carolina, or know someone who does, then you are probably well aware of the fact that we had a white Christmas this year. The last measurable snowfall on Christmas day was 2.8 inches, back in 1947. We got 7 inches this year, which clearly blows the previous record out of the water. It was perfect. It was beautiful. It reminded me of the words to Silent Night.... What a great way to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior!

We spent Christmas Eve at Matt's parent's house with Matt's Mom's family. It is always wonderful to be around family. When great food, Christmas decorations and Christmas movies on TV are added into the mix, it makes for a perfect evening.

Ava and I cuddled by the fire.

Ava mastered the art of opening presents. These shreds were the only evidence left after tearing into her bags and boxes.

Mimi and Ava walked around the house looking at all of the beautiful decorations that made the house look so festive!

After a wonderful Christmas Eve dinner, we headed home so Santa could pay us a visit.

Christmas morning, we woke up and found our living room as it appears below. Several of her toys from Santa are geared toward 'bigger' kids. Translation: Ava may not be able to play with all of her toys now, but come July, I'll be able to pull said toys from the closet and it will be like Christmas morning all over again. How smart of Santa to get toys that Ava will use down the road since her birthday was 3 weeks ago and she received more than I can organize and put away! :)

Christmas morning aftermath.

All those toys, and she just wants her sippy cup.

Crawling through her new tunnel.

After Christmas morning craziness and a mid-morning nap, we headed to Tim and Kathy's house for Christmas lunch with Matt's Dad's family.

At some point while we were there...

Poppy and Ava were goofy.

Mimi, Poppy and Ava posed for a picture.

Ava admired (and probably wanted to pull off) all of the ornaments on the tree.

The three of us posed for a picture.

Ava opened some gifts.

Matt and I enjoyed some grown-up time while other family members watched our daughter.

For those of you unfamiliar with eating meals at Tim and Kathy's house, let me explain the following picture. Tim and Kathy's house sits on a rather steep hill. The stairs connecting the front door to the driveway are dangerous and the driveway is down right treacherous.... especially if you're elderly. Well, the majority of the family members who attend these family meals are, shall we say, quite experienced in life. So here is what happened this time, and every other time we eat at Tim and Kathy's.

1. All of the 'more experienced' family members find a seat inside and wait until it is time to go.

2. A 'less experienced' family member goes out into the street, gets a car, and pulls it into the driveway.

3. The rest of us help a few 'more experienced' family members down the stairs and into the car.

4. A 'less experienced' family member drives the car and its passengers home.

5. Repeat.

When we made it home, we took a moment to enjoy the snow before Ava's afternoon nap. (Ava has worn this Christmas dress twice and it has snowed both times she wore it!)

Christmas night, Mimi and Poppy came over for our gift exchange. I think it is safe to say Ava loves her new red wagon!

The snow continued to fall well into the night. Before going to bed, Matt stepped outside and snapped the following picture of the tree in our front yard. First, let me say this picture does no justice to how beautiful the tree really looked. Second, it was such an overwhelming feeling to be standing on our front porch, listening to the silence of the snowy, Christmas night... All while gazing into the glowing lights and thinking about the importance of this day.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Merry Christmas!

Smith Family Christmas

This past weekend was spent celebrating Christmas early with my family. We ate. We played. We watched old home movies. We had a great time. Here is a glimpse of our weekend.

Usually at some point during the weekend, my brother and I bust out the Old Nintendo 64 and play Mario and Mario Kart. This time, we introduced Ava to the good old Nintendo 64. She figured out that when she pushed the buttons, the TV made different sounds. She may not have mastered the games, but she can now push the pause button with the best of them.

I managed to get 2 pictures of Ava with the Nintendo 64 control. I couldn't pick which one I liked best, so...

You get to see both.

Ava spent some snuggle time with Uncle Ryan and Kayla. Let me just tell you... Ava LOVES her uncle Ryan and Kayla.

Ava took my mom on a scavenger hunt around the house. Ava pointed at every single thing she saw, and made sure that Oma not only walked her over to the item, but let her touch it as well. Ava definitely got this 'pointing' thing from me. I used to do the exact same thing with my Grandpa when I was a little girl. Well hey, Ava may not look like me, but maybe she'll act like me... Oh wait, that is not going to be a good thing in about 13 years.

Ava's latest talent: Sticking out her tongue whenever she is hard at work. Whether she is crawling, looking at a book, or trying to figure out how to work a toy, her tongue is out.

Saturday morning, we looked out the window and saw SNOW! I'm not talking about any ordinary snow, either. I am talking about the fattest snowflakes I have ever seen! The snowflakes were easily as big as a golf ball in diameter. My brother and Matt were kind enough to catch a few and show them to Ava.

Ava is only used to having one dog at our house. While we are at my parent's house, Ava gets to play with Fergie + 2. Fortunately, these 3 pups are very well behaved and gentle with Ava. She loves them, and they tolerate her.

Speaking of Fergie... My bro graciously trimmed her nails for me over the weekend and accidentally cut one a little too short. None of us realized that her nail was too short until we noticed the streaks of blood trailing across the floor. The only way to keep her from aggravating her own foot, was to wrap it up in paper towels and masking tape. Poor dog. It made for a funny, yet pathetic picture though.

On to the presents.

Ava is officially ALL ABOUT presents. She loved opening hers, and helping me open mine.

The more presents she opened, the more excited she got...

Merry (early) Christmas to all!... And to all a Goodnight!

You Spin Me Right Round Baby....

....Right Round

Two weeks ago, on Ava's Birthday, we turned her car seat around to face the front. Hallelujah! She finally has leg room! See, Ava's legs are so long, that her poor little (or should I say, 'big') feet had nowhere to go when her seat was rear-facing. As a result of this, her knees were practically hitting her chin during all or our car rides.

Now, it's a whole new world! Not only can she freely kick her legs, but her view in and outside of the car has completely changed. Plus, it's fun to look in the back seat and see her face looking at me... instead of having to find her cute face in a distorted mirror.

Better Not Pout

Last night, Matt and I took Ava to meet Santa Claus. We drove to the other side of the world, aka Four Seasons Mall, and joined the line of other parents and kids anxiously waiting for their moment with, "The Man."

Ava had never been to Four Seasons Mall before, so to say that she was mesmerized by everything to behold would be an understatement. And I'm not just talking about the Christmas decorations, the stores, the hustle and bustle of the season... I am talking about the fact that bullet proof vests are a necessity before stepping on the premises and that the kiosk workers will nearly turn their carts over on you if dare walk by without showing interest in their product. If you've been to Four Seasons lately, you know what I mean.

After waiting in line and pointing to every possible bell, light and ornament in sight, we finally made it into Santa's village. Ava was beside herself with excitement. We let her stand along the gate that prevented her from falling into a mountain of artificial snow. For several minutes, Ava clung onto the gate like there was no tomorrow... Apparently the snow, trees and other North Pole decorations were hilarious. Ava laughed and squealed for five minutes straight.

"This is great," we thought. Ava was in an exceptionally good mood and we were next in line to see Santa! Surely Ava will continue to be in a good mood for a photo opp, right? I mean, what is so scary about leaving the comfort of Mom's arms, only to be placed in the lap of a complete stranger who is wearing a strange outfit and has white, wiry whiskers growing out of his face?

If nothing else, the people in line behind us got a good chuckle out of Ava's reaction. Even though we were charged an arm and a leg just for ONE 5x7 picture, it was worth every penny. What can I say Ava? You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout, I'm telling you why.... Hmm, guess it's too late, huh?

*On a side note, as scary as Four Seasons can be, the Santa there is anything but scary. He was wonderful and was very nice to Ava, despite her reaction to him. He even told her, "Ava, I enjoyed our time together. Hopefully next year, you'll enjoy your time with me too."*

Christmas is one of my favorite holidays. I love all of the traditions I grew up with as a kid and since being married, I have loved learning about the traditions in Matt's family too. Matt and I are really looking forward to continuing our family traditions with Ava as well as starting a few new ones of our own. One such new tradition is called, "The Elf on the Shelf." Every year after Thanksgiving, The Elf on the Shelf (specific name to be determined when Ava can talk) will come into our home and keep a watchful eye on everyone in the house. Each night, The Elf will fly back to the North Pole and give Santa a report as to how everyone in the house is behaving. Each morning, The Elf will spy on our family from a new and different location. Today, he is keeping watch from our Christmas Tree. Who knows where he will be tomorrow!

(The Elf on the Shelf really is a great idea for families with small kids. If you're interested in learning more, click here.)

We hope you all are staying warm, done with your shopping, geared up to eat with family, and most importantly, staying focused on the true meaning of the season!

 

"And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:9-12

Cake Eating Jamboree

Just a little glimpse of Ava eating her Birthday Cake!

Ava's Birthday Weekend

Warning: This post is probably the longest, and most photo-filled post in Gardner Gang history. It may only be suitable for the most dedicated blog readers. Continue reading at your own risk...

As soon as Ava woke up Friday morning, Matt and I entered her room singing, "Happy Birthday." Hilarious doesn't even begin to describe Ava's reaction when she saw us enter her room. She immediately buried her head into her mattress, as if she was embarrassed to be the center of attention. The birthday festivities continued with breakfast and present opening.... All of which we got on video. I'll have to grab some still frames from the video later.

For lunch, we went to Ava's favorite restaurant, Tokyo Express. Daddy, Uncle John, Aunt Erin, and Cousins Jack & Finn were able to join us for Ava's Birthday Lunch. Jack and Finn are two of Ava's best buds. She was thrilled to see them, and she was thrilled to see that they had brought her a special Birthday cupcake! This was the first time Ava had free reign while eating something so messy. She was a bit hesitant at first...

But eventually she got the hang of it.

The rest of her actual birthday was spent playing around the house while I finished getting read for her party the following day.

The theme of Ava's party was, "Winter ONEderland." Get it? I know I have a slightly biased opinion, but I think Matt put together a pretty amazing birthday invitation.

The Winter ONEderland theme was carried throughout the house with snowflake, snowman and Christmas decorations galore! The theme didn't stop at just the decorations, you better believe I incorporated it into the food as well. If you know me at all, you know that I love to cook and bake, and I had the best time making all of the wintry treats for Ava's party. Front and center on the food table were these guys. The Gardner Gang, snowman style.

Also on the menu, Frosty the Snowman. Who knew cupcakes could be so cute?

While we're on the subject of cupcakes, let's talk about Ava's personal birthday cake. My original thought was to make her a cupcake, but then I realized that in her excitement, she may pick it up and chuck it across the room. So instead, I made her a cake shaped like a cupcake. It is much less aerodynamic and if she tried to throw it, it wouldn't go very far.

Once the cupcakes were assembled and everything else was completed, it looked like this.

Ava is one lucky girl. 40 of her closest family members came from near and far to celebrate her first birthday. Aunt Erin and her family definitely win the award for traveling the farthest for the party. Thank you to everyone who came and made this day so special for our family!

While the grown ups ate and socialized inside, the cousins made use of the backyard and played outside. I'm not exactly sure what they were doing, but 6 boys + an exercise ball + a big backyard = a great time!

Before we knew it, it was time for the main event... cake! We sang Happy Birthday, helped Ava blow out her candle and let the fun begin. I'll admit, it took a while for the fun to get started... See, Ava is not a fan of having dirty hands, so it took her a while before she dove into her cake.

Once Ava tasted the sweet goodness her birthday cake had to offer, she didn't care if her hands, face, hair, chair and clothes got messy in the process. 

There is a chance Ava slipped into a sugar coma at some point during the party...

After seeing how much cake was mashed into her hair and on her face, it was obvious that wipes were not going to cut it. In the bath she went.

While Ava was bathing, I had some activities for the kiddos. First, the little ones got their craft on by making reindeer ornaments to take home. A big thanks to my mom and any of the other adults who helped supervise this activity!

  

When the ornaments were finished, they (hopefully) looked something like this...

After craft time was over, the kids enjoyed a game of 'Pin the Nose on the Snowman.'

As it turns out, the kids were not the only ones enjoying the games.

I tried my best to pay attention to every detail to make this party enjoyable and memorable for us and our extended family. Of all of the details put into Ava's party, my favorite one was the one I had nothing to do with... SNOW! How amazingly perfect that God made it snow as the guests were leaving Ava's Winter ONEderland party!

After recuperating from Ava's birthday party, it was time to head to Raleigh for our annual Kincaid/Gardner/Williams/Ussery dinner at the Angus Barn. Last year, our Angus Barn dinner was cancelled due to snow. This year, the snow was not going to stop us from getting to Raleigh and eating some steak! We got all dressed up, prayed for safety, ventured out to I-40 East and made the trip to the Angus Barn.

Ava enjoyed sitting next to cousin, Anna, during dinner.

Can you see the excitement in Ava's eyes? She knows what is coming her way... Cake #3. That's right ladies and gents.... 3 Birthday Cakes in less than 36 hours. But, how could we turn down a free cake from the Angus Barn? That's right... Not just a piece of cake, a CAKE! Yes please.

We finished up the evening with a family photo in front of the Angus Barn Christmas Tree. All in all, not a bad way to spend your First Birthday, don't you think?

If you are still reading, I am impressed! You must be a dedicated blog reader.

We give thanks to God for our amazing friends and family. Each and everyone of you play such an important role in our lives. We also thank God for Ava, and for giving her such a wonderful first year of life!