Cabin cabin cabin cabin (chant it with me)

Summer gets good when its time to leave the Texas heat and head to the Roberts cabin.  And for Rob that means he gets to go with his law school buddies on their annual mancation hiking trip.  This year it was Mt. Rainier.  We drove again this year - 23 hours and the girls did great. We spent the first few days at Tara and Brad's until we headed to the cabin.  It was a great week filled with family, food, laughs and one giant sunburn for me (unfortunately no picture).

Snuggling with the babies

Brads annual "putting on something skin tight" game

Kiddos playing tea party with a set we've had since I was young

Did I mention a stomach bug was passed around all week? Poor Charlie caught it

Playing in the water

Sweet Blake

The sun is in my eyes mommy

cheese

Magic Rocks!

Nothing like a runny nose and a crazy pony tail  to say fun times!

Trying to get all the kiddos by the big bear. Charlotte is behind Ava

The whole gang that was there on Saturday  (minus Braden, Elizabeth and Mitchell )

Happy Independence Day

Fancy pants in our red, white and blue

LE and I with our annual 4th of July shot

Rob and I join the fun. 

Besties

Madi-moo

Bubbles, bubbles we love bubbles.

Nothing says summer like dirty kids playing with bubbles!

How many days can a birthday last?

Because 4 days of birthday celebration isn't nearly enough, Ava invited her best friend over a couple days later to celebrate. Presents, pedicures and cake decorating on the agenda.  They had a blast!

Ava tackling Ande to tell her thank you.  And of course Charlie joined the fun

pedicures

Ava's finished product - it was 2 days before Independence Day!

The cake Ava decorated

The coolest 5 year old around!

On June 30th Ava J. turned 5.  I can hardly believe it was that long ago that she came into our family and I can also hardly believe this means I'll be sending her to Kindergarten this fall.  We celebrated the big day with a trip to Seaworld but made it home on her actual birthday so we could do cake and presents.  This year we started a tradition where I asked Ava some questions about herself and plan do ask the same ones every year on her birthday to see how her answers change.  Here goes:
1. Favorite color:  all the colors in the rainbow
2. Favorite toy: Woodley (stuffed panda we got in D.C.) and my tater tot (free stuffed toy from Sonic)
3. Favorite fruit:  watermelon
4. Favorite TV show: Doc McStuffins (a little girl who is a doctor for stuffed animals)
5. Favorite thing to eat for lunch: PB&J with grape jelly
6. Favorite outfit: my purple peasant skirt
7. Favorite game to play: Duck, duck, goose
8. Favorite snack: chips (because she never gets them)
9. Favorite animal: giraffe
10: Favorite song: Sweet Zoo (by Barbra Streisand)
11. Favorite book: my mermaid book and my big princess on that got ripped
12: Who is your best friend: Ande Yanelli & Sydnee Jones
13. Favorite thing for breakfast: Raisin Bran
14. What do you like to do outside: play in the sandbox
15. Favorite thing to drink: Strawberry soda (which she also never gets)
16. Favorite holiday: my birthday
17. What do you like to sleep with at night?: All my stuffed animals
18. What do you wanna be when you grow up?: A doctor for kids (pediatrician)
19. How old are you today? 5
20. How does it feel to be 5?: Good because I'm a little older and the same age as Ande
21. What is the weather today?: Really hot
22. Tell me about our family: There are 4 people, and we have an artist in our family (Ava), someone who is potty training in our family (Charlotte- who yelled me! me!), and someone who has a pet butterfly (Ava), we all live together in the same house.

The ballerina cake.  Ava was very impressed with her mother's sub-par work. 

Ava being super excited about her cake and gifts

partay partay

Blowing out the candles

opening presents

Oooh ooh ooh!

We had a great day on Ava's big day.  When we got home we had a ballerina cake (per her request) and opened presents. She was full of energy and thrilled with everything.  What a wonderful, sweet, creative girl she is growing up to be.  We sure love her!  Happy Birthday big girl!

Seaworld San Antonio

This year for her birthday Ava asked for a pet.  She wanted a bird or a bunny or a cat.  Mom wasn't quite ready to go that route so instead went with something else Ava said about wanting to see a really big whale on her birthday at the aquarium.  I don't know about your aquarium but ours does not boast really big whales.  So off to San Antonio we went for a surprise trip to Seaworld for Ava's birthday.  We didn't tell the girls where we were going until we were at the hotel.  Ava was thrilled beyond belief.  We spent a great day at Seaworld and were back home in time to celebrate her birthday on the actual day. 

The girls excited to head to Seaworld

At the dolphin feeding

Smelly fish anyone?

At one of the shows - Azul

Riding the carousel

What Ava did while Charlie rode the carousel

Charlie and Dad riding another ride

What Ava did while they rode this ride. (Have you guessed she doesn't  like rides?)

Charlie cursing daddy over the last ride

At the killer whale show

Hello Shamu

Ava warming up after the water park

Taking a dip with dad in the hotel pool

Our sweet birthday girl