Thanksgiving, San Diego Style

Afternoon began with a 6 mile bike ride around Mission Bay.

 The Pettit Family graciously hosted us for dinner. Avery really likes those sweet hawaiian rolls!

Jerry snoozed with Jack while the turkey cooked...

Dinner divas!

Avery LOVED Jack, their Shitzu! 

Big Kid

She's memorized a few facts about herself....




And is officially ready for a big girl bed...

Professional Mom, Part-Time Artist

That's what I usually say when people ask me "what I do." This week I've had the pleasure of living in the second role for awhile...

The Lowe family found my website online and hired me to do some handpainted verses in both their newborn's nursery and the playroom.

Last year I painted these hand mirrors for a client to give to her nieces for Christmas.

This year, she had me put together matching hairbrushes... fun!

Turning 29

As I enter the last year of my "20's," I feel incredibly blessed to be at this point in my life. A wife, a mother, an artist and a child of Christ. It was the first birthday that Matt has been home since I turned 23 and spending the day with him was fabulous!

I woke up to fresh flowers and beautiful cards. Matt made blueberry pancakes before we all headed to church.

The weather was San-Diego-Famous-Gorgeous, so we dropped Avery with a friend and walked around Balboa Park. Spent a couple hours laughing at Matt's commentary in the art museum.

Finished the evening with dinner downtown - lobster bisque, mandarin martini and chocolate cake!

Happy Haunting!

So, the original plan was to trick or treat with Avery's best friend, Cheyenne, as Milk and an Oreo. I made the Milk costume for Avery, but Cheyenne REFUSED to wear the Oreo. I have to admit, it turned out a bit stiff and bulky. Even Avery wasn't entirely pleased posing in it...

 We ditched the Oreo and went as Milk and Cowgirl.

She actually loved the costume. I reveled in the humorous irony that Avery is actually allergic to milk in real life. :)

Dad helped her get the goods... (from a busty Snow White, apparently)

Such a great Daddy!

Pretty proud of her sweet stash!

The Un-Happiest Place on Earth

Matt's work kindly provided us a 3 day / 2 night stay at Disneyland as a post-deployment retreat. We spent the mornings in sessions learning about family reintegration. Then, the afternoons were free to explore the parks. I think we greatly overestimated Avery's ability to handle mass sensory overload...

* Blog editor wishes to point out that 3/5 of these smiles were carousel-induced. Teacups weren't bad, unless we spun too fast. Avery would have had more fun riding the Seaport Village carousel 200 times, than going to Disneyland. 

Upon returning home, Matt flopped on the couch, exhausted, and said, "I'm more glad to be home after this weekend than after my entire deployment." And I agreed. It was one for the books, but I'm glad we could laugh in the moment, knowing what great times we'll have re-telling these tales!

Julian Apple Days

This weekend we drove the curvy swervy roads up to Julian to enjoy their annual Apple Festival. I remembered going to this event several times as a kid and was talking it up to Matt the entire drive. Well, as an adult, to describe the "fair" as po-dunk would be kind. I guess some things really ARE cooler when you're little. Oh well... at least it got us out of the house for the day.

Expert archery lesson from dad

REAL PONIES!!!

This was the highlight of Avery's day...

...before she refused to wear her shoes, refused to listen to anything we said, refused to eat her dinner and was generally in a sassy mood. After this one bite, she even refused the apple pie. Now that's just un-American!

Daddy's Home!

Things about being a family again that make me grin:

• Laundry treasures: ear-pro, coins, bits of random pocket paper
• Hysterical laughter in the other room thanks to the tickle monster
• Someone with whom to share adult meal conversation
• Cooking dinner in peace b/c Daddy's providing the entertainment
• Running errands without a child in tow
• Finding the dishwasher already emptied
• Avery's first words in the morning... "Daddy? Daddy?"
• Not feeling guilty about ordering pizza
• No longer sleeping alone
• Sleeping in an additional hour b/c Daddy's got breakfast covered
• Kissing my best friend
• Someone who finds Avery's antics as funny as I do
• Holding hands through church service

Labor Day

We had such a great weekend!

Avery helped me make a paper chain to count down Daddy's return. Along the harbor it was the annual "Festival of Sail."

There were 14 tall ships that sailed into the harbor together. An amazing sight.

Avery was not so keen on the pirates!
Watching the cannon battles out in the bay.
Stunning!
The Padres gave military families free tickets to the game on Sunday. My first time to Petco Park.

It was Avery's first Major League game. She had a great time dancing to the music, clapping, and watching all the people.
Cheyenne and Avery shakin' their groove things.
Had a hotdog for lunch, of course.

She crashed out at the top of the 6th inning. And I actually got to enjoy the game at that point, instead of keeping my eyes on her!

Carousel Aficionado

Over the past year Avery has taken a serious liking to Carousels. Everywhere we go, we are always on the hunt for good "horsies" to ride...

I don't remember if this was her first ride, but it's the first picture I could find of her on a carousel - 13 months at Seaport Village.

Waiting anxiously at Balboa Park.
With cousin Jaylene at The Nut Tree in Sacramento.
Columbus Zoo.
Ohio State Fair.
Seaport Village (our home turf).

Mission Beach Boardwalk.Funny to think that if I continue to photograph Avery on her rides, I will one day have a snapshot history of her growing up via carousel...