hi.

Hi.

We are surviving Japan! By surviving I mean that we are hanging in there during these most boring of days, but are counting our blessings that we are getting so much family time together!! The weather is awesome right now, couldn't ask for anything nicer, well except maybe a little less "haze" or whatever that stuff is from China that turns our blue sky gray! We have been doing a lot of bike riding and are getting to see different parts of the city, so that is very fun! Brian surprised me for Mother's day and took us all to Kyoto for the night! It was a very fun trip! Just great to have a change of scenery and of course, Averie loved it- if she had her way, we would live in a hotel! Kyoto is an old Japanese City that is famous for its many temples and shrines and I had always heard it was a must see destination! So, since I am a photographer and a picture lover...what do you think I went and did? Oh ya, you guessed it- LEFT MY CAMERA AT HOME! Not just the DSLR, but the point and shoot too! I think I am the first person to visit Kyoto with no camera! At least i phone has a decent one, so i took some with that!

Kyoto is about a 2 hr train ride North from Hiroshima and we stayed at a hotel that was connected to the Kyoto train station, so that was nice and handy! The hotel was very nice and had an indoor pool...yippee, we all get to go swimming.....NOPE- Kids are only allowed in the pool until 9 am and they have to be 3 years old. Bummer! Strange Japanese rules...So Daddy took Averie while Jagger napped and I got ready in the room!! After swimming, we went to breakfast at a place Averie had spotted the previous night when we first got off the train- "Honey Bees"! We had some delish waffles that were covered in ice-cream, whip cream, cheesecake, chocolate bananas and strawberries! More of a dessert really, but anything goes on "vacation" right?! We walked around the Gion district which was famous for its Geisha girls and ate at a little (curry udon) noodle shop that is somewhat famous I guess-I wasn't a fan but I am happy I tried it once! We also went to Sanjusangendo Temple. Inside are 1001 Buddhist Statues- the whole Buddha thing is very interesting! I don't think I will be converting religions anytime soon :) i LOVE my GOD!!! 

We had a pretty uneventful week this week- brian had a bone scan to see if it's bone spurs that are bothering his elbow so bad, and turns out it is! We are waiting on a doc in the US to find out if he should get surgery- hopefully we will know soon :)

Hope you all had a Great weekend! xo

Little Anthony's and Last day of Gymnastics

Every year we celebrate Averie's Birthday at Little Anthony's Diner and this year was no exception...you see they send Ava a free birthday meal coupnon each year and it's just a fun atmosphere and great food! We got the coupon last week so decided to go last nite! We invited Our neighbor Mrs. Sanchez, her daughter Jessica and her son Gavin to eat with us! After dinner, the waiters and waitresses call the birthday kids up and sing to them while giving them a yummy sundae! They top it off by posing for a pic with the special kids!!
It was also the last day of gymnastics at Old Pueblo Gymnastics today : ( We will miss it, and especially miss her teacher, Ms Becca. We plan to sign ava up for gym right when we get to Round Rock in April!! In fact, I already found a place that will let her start asap!!

being sung to

she made sure I told them "no kisses on the cheek"

posing in the rocket ship

excited about gymnastics!

stretching

I am doing well....baby Jagger is moving A LOT! He is a little party animal!! lol I am Growing bigger by the day and enjoying being pregnant!!

Such a girl :)

Maybe she will be a comedian

Lately, it seems like every time i turn around Averie is saying something funny!! This am she was sitting on the counter in the kitchen and she was pretending (her fave thing to do {BIG imagination}) to be rolling out dough...  she turned to me and said "mom, tell me I'm clever".....Last night I asked her where she wanted to eat dinner and she replied "out n in"...so we went to In n Out!
The other day I asked her what she wanted to eat for lunch and she said "I don't know yet.....c'mon Chica, lets go, we have work to do"...and she left the kitchen! There are so many more and I just can't thing of them right now...when I am driving in the car far from a computer, I am positive they will come to mind!

Have a Great week!

Rain!

quotes from our daughter....

These are some funnies that came from Averie's little mouth the past few days...
While walking in the hotel in SLC, we could smell the nail salon...Averie said "I smell nail polish...Oh my goodness, that is amazing!"
We left her home with our friends lil girls (ages 3 and 6) and a babysitter while we went to Brian's game...when we got home, we were welcomed with "Averie was talking potty talk"....Oh no...what was she telling these sweet girls??
Nothing too bad just that Daddy's breath smells like a piece of shit...(I am sure he appreciated her sharing that and I am positive our friends won't mind that Averie lives 700 miles away)! hahaha....

ps Brian's breath only smells like that in the am.. but whose doesn't? (except mine?)

ava's 3rd.

 

just frolicking around before the party

having a {pre-party} snack 

salted caramel cupcakes {out of southern living}

Nana {sugared} this one :)

adult {style} refreshment        

  

opening gifts

the jumpy castle that i didn't order.

 

just drawing a picture in the driveway 

 

kan, jenn and I

almost 3.

Just doing some {prep work} for her little party. look close and you can see the outcome of a stroller spill...poor girl :)