Blueberries Galore

Today we went blueberry picking with some of our friends.  We got up early (5:15 for me, 6 am for the girls) so we could get an early start on the hour and 45 minute drive to the farm.  It was thunderstorming when we left so we contemplated whether or not to go but I'm so glad we did because it turned out to be a beautiful overcast day and not nearly as hot as it could have been this time of year.  The girls picked and ate their fair share of berries and we finished it off with fresh blueberry ice cream from the store.

Charlotte getting her bucket

Ava has a bucket too

The whole gang

Charlotte getting a running start out to the berries

"This one looks ripe mom"

These buckets look smaller than they are and take longer to fill up than you think.

Hmmm is that one plump enough? Blue enough?

Cute little berry harvester

Ruff ruff

So Charlotte has been obsessed with puppies and dogs for a long time. She loves them and even uses a special sweet voice when speaking to them. Ava has picked up on this and sometimes they play puppy and owner where Ava is a dog and Charlotte pretends to feed her and walk her around. But Ava is very smart and has also figured out a way to use Charlottes puppy love to her advantage. Whenever Charlotte has a toy, book, piece of food or a treat that Ava wants, Ava will ask for it. If Charlotte says no then Ava responds with "ruff ruff" and Charlotte will immediately hand over whatever the coveted prize is. No to the sister, yes to the puppy. Its pretty hilarious to watch. I even just watched Ava get Charlotte to have plasma car races by riding around singin "ruff ruff ruuuuuuufff, ruff ruff". Now that's puppy love.

In the doghouse?

Last night Charlotte woke up with a fever and she has had a horrible cough as well and she just couldn't get back to sleep so since Rob was at the office still (at 1 am), I pulled her into bed with me.  Then late this morning I was sitting in bed working on the computer and Charlotte crawled up next to me in bed and fell asleep.  She never does this but I guess she is enjoying my bed because tonight I told her it was getting time for bed and she says "No bed. I wanna sweep mommy's bed."  I told her if she slept in my bed then daddy wouldn't have anywhere to sleep.  So then she says "daddy sweep, my cib (crib)."  A little later she is sitting at the counter eating and very quietly says to herself "Sha-yet (Charlotte) sweep mommy bed" so I had Rob come listen to what she said.  I asked her to tell daddy what she said and she goes "I sweep mommy bed." Rob asked her where he was gonna sleep and this time she says "seeping bad" (sleeping bag) so Rob says where am I gonna put my sleeping bag and Charlotte responds and says "out dere" (out there) and points to the backyard.   And we don't even have a doghouse.  Poor Rob.

This little light of mine

My sweet Ava got to be the spotlight today in Primary. Each week the primary spotlights one child so the kids can learn about that child. This year the theme for spotlights is "This little light of mine" and parents are supposed to write up something about how their child let's their light shine and is an example of Christ. Here is what I wrote for Ava:

Ava is a very good friend & loves to make new friends.  She also loves serving others whether its teaching her little sister new things or drawing pictures to mail to far away family and friends.

Ava has a special appreciation for the beauty of this world.  She is always pointing out pretty sunsets or interesting bugs for us to notice and enjoy.

One of my favorite things about Ava is her love of singing.  She sings constantly and is always making me smile with a sweet primary song or making me laugh with a silly song she's made up about whatever we are currently doing.

What a blessing she is to our home!

Smarty pants and playdoh birthday

Today Ava was playing with play-doh at the table while I was folding laundry. She told me she wanted to show me something so I told her to bring it to me. It was a cupcake she had made out of playdoh. There was even a toothpick on top acting as the candle and she had put a small piece of orange playdoh on the top of the toothpick to act as the flame. I oohed and ahhhed over the beautiful cupcake and then she said (in her pretending voice) Happy Birthday Mom and proceeded to sing me Happy Birthday. Here is my birthday cupcake.

After she sang she told me to blow out the candles.  Wanting to play along in the best way possible I did a large, dramatic breath followed by closing my eyes and blowing with all my might.  When I opened my eyes, this is the birthday playdoh cupcake I saw. 

Do you see the difference? While my eyes were closed blowing, Ava replaced the small piece of orange playdoh with black.  So now instead of a flame, she had a blackened wick at the top of the candle.  Such a smarty pants!!!  Totally (no pun intended) blew me away and I had to do a double take to make sure I was seeing a different color.  Pretty clever that sweet 4 year old of mine.  I sure love her and all her silliness and creativity.  Happy pretend birthday to me!