Thursday, February 19, 2009

Hello! Well, that took a little longer than I expected. I got wrapped up in a book series and I am slowly trying to come back to reality. Here are the pics from her birthday and a few from the night before. I seriously have about 6 months worth of great stories and pictures to blog about. Hopefully I will be able to spend more evening time blogging this next week. In the meantime enjoy.....

These are not in the order of the day, sorry!

Our little girl is FOUR!


Birthday Cake






Eating birthday dinner at Satchel's


Her birthday present from Mommy & Daddy. She loves it so much. She can now control her songs and that makes everyone happier.


Birthday wishes on the phone


Her birthday shirt


Presents! And the story board we took for her birthday celebration at school


School party outside


Healthy birthday muffins - zucchini muffins with cream cheese icing


Avery looking at Ms. Christina during the birthday walk around the sun


Daddy is telling the class what was significant about one of her years (the entire class was looking at him)


The night before we worked on her 'one hundred project'. 2/3/09 was the 100th day of school and all the kids brought in their 100 prjects. Avery did 100 stickers on a long piece of calculator tape.


This is some of her class work that came home in her folder. I opened it up and it made me laugh. I actually still laugh everytime I look at it. :)


Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Happy 4th Birthday Avery Raine!!!

Pictures will follow later this evening from today's school party festivities, but I had to leave you all with a 4th birthday quote from Avery this morning.

"Mom, do you know why I am eating a snack"? "Because I have a cough, because I bite my nails and I am an old woman".

There you go! Gotta love 4 year old comments and logic.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Kitty Update

He was gone again this morning, but I didn't have time to go up to get him this morning, but they brought him back sometime today.

I can't believe this kitty sleeps at our house all day and then goes back to his old home at night! Hopefully it won't take doing this everyday for him to stay.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Sweet Girl Saturday

We had a wonderful weekend with family. It started out with Grandad & DD coming in Thursday. They came down to do a late Christmas and watch the BCS National Championship with us. We had a nice time and woooooohooooo, GO GATORS! That game was so stressful and I still don't think it has sunk in that we are national champions AGAIN!!

Avery has been sick lately and not herself. There is something special about a day with Avery when she is a sweet girl and Saturday we were lucky enough to get the "Sweet Girl Avery". She is normally a very intense girl and when she is ill, it is very hard for us all. She has recovered from the strep and finally the new round of antibiotics seem to have worked this time. Saturday was a day where she didn't seem to do as much wining or complaining and overall she was happy and cheerful - MUSIC TO A MOMMY'S (and Daddy's) ears. Saturday was also one of the most beautiful days we have had in awhile - low humidity, not a cloud in the sky, and still a bit of a crispness to the evening. We made a fire pit out back and grilled dinner on the fire and had a few friends over. There is something so relaxing about a fire.

We also got a new kitty! When we went on a walk Saturday morning around the neighborhood we bumped into a neighbor that told us about another neighbor that had a stray kitty show up and they were looking for a home it. Well, since we recently lost of sweet outdoor kitty Cole, we have been looking to replace him and this just seemed to be perfect. The lady brought him up Saturday and he seemed to like us and hung out with us by the fire. I saw him about midnight and he was on the back porch. This morning when we got up, he was no where to be found. We searched the yard and nothing. We even walked all over downtown looking for a black/white kitty - we saw about 4, but none were him (or her, we are not sure yet). When I got home we had a message. It was the lady that gave us the cat. He was back at their place (at least 6 blocks away) waiting to be fed on their back porch. So, Avery and I headed down with the wagon and the cat carrier and picked him back up. As of now, he is still on the back porch and I hope since it is raining he will not wander back tonight. We'll see. I think I have become a little attached to him. :)

Avery in the side yard. We were looking for New Kitty and I took my camera since the sunlight was nice. She looks so serious here.


And this is the forced smile. Still cute in my opinion.



Avery sitting on Daddy's leg while he tends to some plant.


New Kitty Close Up


New Kitty checking out the yard

Friday, December 26, 2008

Merry Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas day. It was very casual and relaxing. We all got naps and didn't even get out of our PJ's until later in the day.

Pictures from the day....

Checking out what Santa brought


Daddy assisting with the Tinkertoys

Present opening snacks


It's stocking time

Ooooooh, chapsticks!


A real tiara for the princess!


Checking for more presents behind the tree

Wooohooo! A wallet and a princess purse!


The stocking explosion!


Later in the day, riding her bike in the courtyard - notice the purse on the handlebar and the chapstick in her hand

Tinkerbell flashlight firmly in pocket


Being silly


Snow White



Snow White checking out the chapstick

Christmas Eve Gill Family Fun

On Wednesday, December 24th we had 21 members of the Gill Clan over for dinner. It was a 'simple' meal of Standing Rib Roast, Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes, Asparagus with a browned butter sauce, rolls, a mincemeat pie and a yule log cake for dessert! Jonnie brought oysters and stone crab claws and Scott made homemade smoked mullet dip for us all to snack on before the main meal. Thanks to everyone that helped - it was greatly appreciated. And thanks for your patience - hopefully the meal was worth the wait.

We had a wonderful time. I really enjoed hanging out with everyone even though we were exhausted from the company party the night before.

The dining room / kitchen before the meal


The kids so patiently waiting for dinner...watching Madagascar


Leif playing with his gift from Nana & Papa. I love how his head and the train are all that are still


Avery and Izzy playing in the sand


Avery posing


My attempt at a group picture of the kids. It didn't occur to me that we were missing Katy until today. I also have no idea why this picture looks bluish either. Maybe better next time!


Jenny tried to get a decent pic for my facebook page. I'm not so sure.

Jenny

Anna Banana

Sean probably talking clams :)


Nanny looking all sorts of cutes

Bob, making sure the wine is drinkable....IT WAS! :)


Caryn and Will hanging out waiting for the next phase of dinner preparation

Leif and Jason - Leif just woke up from a nap in the car

Jon Jon is supposed to be taking a picture for his mommy, but I slipped in and snapped one

GG enjoying the conversation

Gingerbread House

On December 20th, the day Avery started feeling better from her bout with strep throat, we decided to put together our gingerbread house kit. She had a blast placing all the candies on the house and I really think it is was the turing point for her feeling better after being really sick for 4 days. She picked up strep at Disney. (Disney pics to come in another post).


Smelling the gingerbread

Holding it together for 3 minutes

The icing was a little runny, but it was still fun

Placing the candies on (that is an old Cinderella tatoo on her hand)

Her finished masterpiece






Sunday, December 14, 2008

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