More of Ava's Handiwork

Ever the crafter / artist, Ava is always at her desk drawing or coloring, it seems. 

Here are a few samples of her recent artwork.

Peace, love and all-things-crafty,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

All-Girl Rock Band

I've learned that Ava is a member of a very exclusive all-girl rock band, which consists of only kindergarten girls. 

Here is a drawing of those in her rock band:  Milena, Dayla, Ava, Ansley, Issy and Ella:

Peace, love and rockin' out (girls only),

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Ava and Dad: Guitar Practice

Ava recently requested a guitar lesson from Doug.  I took a little video of their session.  These are the snapshots.  He was teaching her how to play "Mary Had a Little Lamb."  She did great!

Peace, love and love notes,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

A Frequent Sight Around Our House

Within the past few weeks, Ava has really enjoyed practicing headstands.  I mean REALLY enjoyed.  We don’t have too many bare walls in this house (we have quite a few windows), so she has found creative places to practice her headstands.  Evidence below.

What can I say?  This girl is most definitely a multi-tasker...

Peace, love and a good head on her shoulders (or is it below her shoulders?),
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Ava's Pre-K Graduation: I Forgot the Kleenex!

: 

Today Ava graduated from the Pre-K class at Lighthouse Academy.  I had NO. IDEA. I would be such an emotional wreck EVEN BEFORE it started!  Oy vay, that really surprised me?

It was a very sweet ceremony!  Ms. Ebony marched the kids in, they then performed three songs.  The rising 3 year-old class also did a song.  Ava’s class sat up on the stage in the sanctuary / auditorium of the East Cobb United Methodist Church.  They also had a slide show set to a song called “Let Them Be Little”.  The slide show had pictures of the kids throughout their years at Lighthouse.  Normally one to realize that the song is oozing with emotion and heart-string tug attempts, I can USUALLY overcome and trump the tear-thing.  Nope, not this time.  My eyes were welling with tears!  Raphael’s Mom sat to my right and was also holding back the tears, which made me feel better.  I looked over at Doug and HE even had a smidgen of a tear falling down his cheek.  My sweet man, aww! 

Ava looked SO big sitting up there on stage in her cap and gown.  When she went to get her “diploma” from Mrs. Edwina, her cap fell off… quite a few of the kids had this problem.  J  Ms. Ebony then went through the graduating class and asked each child what they wanted to be when they grew up.  Their answers? 

Ava: Horse Rider (because you get to do tricks).  Ava says she originally said “teacher” during practice, but changed her mind, because "horse riders have the best job and get to do tricks!"

Jack:  An artist

Ruby:  A house decorator

Tommye-Elyse:  A teacher

Sara: A Mommy

Max:  A ship builder

Eli: A firefighter

Veer: A car driver

Raphael: A doctor

Mia: A Horse Rider

Ava was given a Barbie and a nice outfit from Miss Alicia.  She was also given a Pre-K graduation medal, a sash she wore when she accepted her diploma, and a nice princess art set from the school staff.  We also gave her some pink and yellow daisies, her favorite colors! 

The school had a lunch that followed.  We ate lunch at the same table as Tommy-Elyse’s family (her Mom Tommye, her Dad Threadwell, her ten year-old brother Trenton).  We also met Edwina’s husband, Mr. Campbell.  We learned that Ms. Ebony recently earned her Master’s degree in Social Work and will be leaving within the next month.  We’re so thankful for the amazing job she does every day with the Pre-K class!  She will definitely be missed. 

We had asked Ava earlier in the week where she wanted to go, letting her know we wanted to have a special family day to celebrate her graduation.  She wanted to go to Monkey Joe’s.  J  So after Ava’s graduation ceremony, we woke Liam early from his nap at school and headed to Monkey Joe’s!

Peace, love and “diplomatic” behavior,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Prayers: My Stars!

Ava has been fascinated with planets lately.


A recent prayer of Ava's:


"Dear Heavenly Father,


Thank you for everything that you've given to us.  Thank you for Mommy and Daddy and Liam.  Thank you for the planets, thank you for Jupiter, even though it doesn't have any air on it, thank you for it. 


In Jesus Name, Amen."


Peace, love and astronomical prayers,
Shelly, Doug, Ava the astrologist, Liam

Ava Carey, MD

Grandma Pam gave Ava a Birthday Barbie for her birthday. Complete with many different outfits, one a doctor's outfit.

Ava, with her new Dr. Barbie doll, gets a call from Dr. Barbie on Dr. Barbie's cell phone.


The phone: "Dr. Barbie, please go to the ER, you are scheduled to see two patients."


Ava, speaking into the Dr. Barbie phone: "Please hurry to emergency, there is a guy dead."


Wow, do I need to be concerned?


She also wrote out some prescriptions for me, her patient. I told her, in my best doctor's voice: "Please come back and see me Sunday." Her prescription for me?


"Sunday, please."

















































"Doctor Ava. Sunday, please."

Peace, love and MDs,
Shelly, Doug, Dr. Ava and Liam

Miss Crafty

Ava is unbelievably crafty. So much so, that we have papers and artwork strewn throughout our entire house. I think she has a future in recyclable art! She can take absolutely anything and make a craft out of it.


When we first started talking about her upcoming birthday and party, she immediately began making art and crafts for her friends, as invitations. I think it's sweet that she really enjoys making things to give to others. It seems as if it is her favorite thing to do. She started decorating paint stirrers / shims, coloring them with different colored markers. She put stickers on them and put them in a pile to give to friends.


Ava could spend HOURS at the kitchen table doing crafts. We've figured out the perfect gift for her for her birthday. You'll just have to wait a week or so to see what we picked. :)


One thing I've enjoyed is seeing how she phonetically spells things on her artwork. She wrote the following on a piece of paper and taped it to a box:

As you might be able to tell, it is her "Birthday Box," in which she puts all things "birthday". :)


She also recently wrote a letter to her sweet school friend Jack Passman, to give to him with his gift at his 5th birthday party last weekend. I wish I would've taken a picture of it! She wrote a note telling Jack "Happy birthday" and asking if he could come over for a sleepover party sometime. Adorable. Ava and Jack have been classmates the longest, out of all of Ava's school friends. Jack's Mom asked Doug if Ava wrote the note on her own. She was really impressed when we told her Ava didn't need any help. :) Mrs. Passman said she had to concentrate to figure out what it said, but eventually figured it out. Jack's Mom said she was going to keep it, as it was Jack's first "sweet note from a girl". She thought it was utterly adorable.
See below for samples of Ava's artwork. Who knows, maybe one day these will come with a high price. :)
Peace, love and Crayola stock,
Shelly, Doug, the artist formerly known as Ava, Liam

She's really been drawing quite a few "swirlies" (my term) lately. Kind of Van Gogh-ish, don't you think?

Writing out her name and birthday

One of her favorite shows: Tom and Jerry

I'm not sure exactly what this is, but it does say "From Ava". It looks like a bridge of some sort.

July 3: Daddy's (Dade) birthday

Quite colorful, which is very typical of anything she colors

For a while there, Ava was fascinated with how to spell things. She would sit at the kitchen table for hours and ask us "How do you spell ___?" She often asked how to spell "brainhorse". I'm not sure why. I told her it was two words and that most people probably wouldn't put both of those words together. Today I asked her again where she heard it. She said no one told her the word, she made it up. So below, you will see a few pages dedicated to "Brainhorse".

Brainhorse again.

Yep, Brainhorse again.

Ava's collage of plants, cut from a mail-order seed catalog.

I Luv U

What appears to be a castle and swirlies.

I will have to ask her what these two people are doing. I'm wondering if is two people on a playground / swings.

A few bats and a bear. She did pretty well with the bear, I'd say!

I believe she told me this was a castle.

She wrote this quite some time ago. Sodr, for "Island of Sodor," from Thomas the Train.

Self portrait? I see what looks like a belly button, too. I remember my nephew Daymian drawing those, as well, when he was about her age. I thought it was hilarious that he drew them, as clothes normally cover belly buttons. But he insisted on drawing them. Cute that Ava includes them, as well.

I think she started drawing a princess here.

Piggy

I will have to ask her what this was about. I'm sure that is a self portrait, though.

She sounded out "Pegasus" by herself.





























Drawn with the help of the Lego table at school.

Schoolwork.

Another one of Ava's colorful creations.

We're busting at the seams with toys, crayons and the like. This is my tower of organization, in hopes of trumping the insanity. :)