The time has come

So Ava and I were at the doctor's office this week. We were sitting there talking to the nurse when she just pipes in and says, "my dad leaves his hair in the tub." I tried to make the awkward moment a little better by saying that he shaves his face in the shower and we cleaned it out and it's okay but she just shook her head lightly and said, "he's a gross man."

The nurse and I were dying. I guess we've gotten to that age when nothing is a secret and our dirty laundry will be aired at inappropriate times to inappropriate people. Yaaaaaay.....

Le Sigh

You know what's annoying? Thinking all your life that you love snow and then moving to a very snowy place with lake effect snow in the winter time and realizing that you don't, in fact, like snow at all after mid-January. It just. keeps. snowing. And I feel like it will never end.

But I have faith that in a few months I will be enjoying this:

And it will be wonderful. Until then? I'll be hibernating. 

Science Fridays

For some reason, science is more fun on Fridays. It's kind of like watching a movie in 5th period the whole week before Christmas break. It's a fun, sneaky surprise in our house (because Ava never knows when Friday is coming) and she goes out of her mind with excitement when it's time for science (not unlike I did for 5th period movie time).

Today we played with milk, food coloring, and soap (really cool). You can find the directions and waaaay cooler pictures of it here. and then we made slime from glue and borax. The slime was gross and awesome and might be Ava's new best friend for today. You can find the recipe here.

Some Ava-isms

Ava is really concerned about Little Bunny Foo Foo and his fate as a goon. So concerned, in fact, that she includes him in prayers. She reeeeally doesn't want him to be a goon.

She also thinks that any random child she sees is one of her "sriends" and she asks me what their name is. It is awkward.

My "I love you" is usually met with an "I love you soooo much" from her.

When Danny leaves for work every morning, Ava stands at the top of the stairs and says, "Don't forget your money! Here's your hat! Have a good day!". It reminds me of my dad bidding me me farewell before social engagements in high school. He always had last minute advice too.

"begot" = forgot/forget, "goldshish" = goldfish, "misharies" = missionaries, and "decoration it" = decorate.

This conversation in the car:
Ava: Dad is the best boy ever.
Me: Yes he is!
Ava: He is a man.
Me: Yup.
Ava: He is an older man.
Me: Tell him that when he gets in the car.
*Danny gets in the car*
Ava: DAD! YOU'RE AN OOOOOLD MAN!
Me: Heh heh heh.

Running

So after training for and running that 5K back in November (wait, did I blog about that? I don't think I did....) I've been trying to keep my running up. Because I feel soooooo good when I run. Since I am not a natural runner and I do not think it is the best thing evar! while I'm doing it, I have to make sure that I have music pumping in my ears and anywhere but a treadmill to run.

Running anything beyond 50 feet on a treadmill is kind of torture for me and it's kind of really cold and it has been snowing for 5 days outside. Thankfully, the local high school has the field house track open 4 nights a week for people to go run so I don't have to run in the snow (which would actually be hilarious, now that I think about it).

Running on the track is great. I have a little system with my fingers to help me keep count of how many laps I've completed. Also, I'm surrounded by runners and walkers whose endorphins are pumping through their veins which means they are super nice and very apt to smile. It's funny, even though there's a runner who has passed me like 3 times and is on lap gajillion, I never feel self-conscious or silly like I do ev-er-y time I'm at a gym on an elliptical. I gotta say though, my favorite part about running on the track is that the whole time you're there, you see the backs of everyone's heads. I sub-consciously create an image, in my mind, of what their faces MUST look like. Lap after lap, that image gets more ingrained in my brain until, by the end of my run, I am sure I know what their faces look like. I cool down, stretch, drink a bunch of water, and get all bundled up to leave. I step out onto the track, walking the opposite way as everyone on the track, and walk to the stairs. It's at this point that I make eye contact with pretty much everyone I stared at from behind for 2 miles and it blows. my. mind. No one looks anything like I imagined them looking and it is hilariously entertaining for me.


So.....right now. That's my favorite part about running. People's faces. I am so weird.

Jungle Party

Ava turned 3 last week and she asked for a birthday party. I was pretty scared at first. She wanted to invite everyone she'd ever met and have a jungle cake. She decided only 6 friends was okay but she wouldn't budge on the jungle cake. She's a tough negotiator. 

It ended up being a good time. I made the dining room look like a jungle:

And got a lady in the ward to help me with the cake:

I planned out all the games and activities but they ended up taking 20 minutes less than I thought they would. That always happens, doesn't it? The kids didn't care though because, BALLOONS!

After pizza, it was cake time! The birthday girl was too shy to blow out the candles:

So I did it for her: 

Like I said, it was a good time and even the jungle trees were edible (candy clay):

I just had to put this shot in here because it may be the only time I ever get a shot of my husband crafting. What a guy.

Happy 3 years, Ava!