Griffith Halloween Extravaganza!

GO TIGERS!!!

It must be said that Dolly puts on THE Halloween Party of the year, every year, for her grandkids. She missed her calling as a party-planner, that’s for sure. Adults and kids alike dress up for the party. This year, the theme of the party was “Pirates and Gypsies”. Most everyone who attended this past Saturday came dressed in their pirate or gypsy gear.






My sister Sherry made a sign that was hung right outside the house. Sherry is also very creative, and especially good at drawing. She definitely got that gene in the family… unfortunately I didn’t!












My cousin Rachel and her husband Paul came as Marilyn Monroe and JFK (SCANDALOUS!). I asked Rachel if she was going to sing “Happy Birthday” for us, but she declined. :-) Rachel told me she was not wearing a wig, but that her hair was REALLY that blonde and that short! Rachel has very dark hair naturally (and longer), so she said she’s been trying for a few months to get her hair as blonde as it could be. It looked great! Talk about commitment to a Halloween costume! Those who attended were: Dad and Dolly, Doug, myself, Ava, Sherry, Daymian, Jordan, Uncle Dave, Aunt Freda, Adam, Adam’s wife Kristen, Kristen’s little sister, Rebecca (who dressed as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz", Rachel’s little guy Troy, Chris, Kristin, Olivia, Sophia, Dolly’s sister Mary, Mary’s daughter Dawn, Mary’s grandkids Noah and Cole, and Dolly’s friend Michelle. Talk about a packed house! It was very fun for the kids. We had a hauntingly good time!



Har, matey!

And again, we got to watch the DETROIT TIGERS seal the deal with game 4 against the Oakland A’s! Thanks to Magglio Ordonez’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th. We’re HEADING TO THE WORLD SERIES! The last time the Tigers won the World Series was in 1984, so we’re due for something…. Watch out St. Louis, Kenny Rogers is on-fire! Bless you boys! :-)



Olivia, Kristin and Sophia


















Gypsy Olivia


















Gypsy Sophia


















Pirate Jordan, when I asked for his meanest pirate face :-)


















Pirate Daymian, fending off landlubbers


















Rebecca, as "Dorothy"



















The decorations outside, complete with Pirate music!













The door to the "Tattoo Parlor"... Enter only if you dare!!!













Gravely, and other ghastly Halloween decorations


















My Uncle Dave and his grandson, Pirate Troy, both putting on their best pirate face













Dolly's sister Gypsy Mary and her grandson Sir Pirate Cole













A sweet picture of Sophie!














Pirate Chris













Grandma Dolly and her Swashbuckling crew :-)













Dolly's niece, Gypsy Dawn



















Pirate Noah, with his meanest Pirate face :-)

















Pirate Grandpa Dean and Gypsy Ava













Aunt Freda and the crew, hangin' out













The Carey Crew

We look dangerous, don't we?
Doug is thinking of wearing the earring permanently to his job at the architecture firm.... :-)









Pirates who took long walks on short planks

Visiting the Grand-Carey Casa

My Dad dropped us (Ava and myself) off at the Carey's house on Friday afternoon. We were able to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa Carey and Aunt Tracy before heading to the airport to pick up Daddy Doug!

Grandma Carey has a toybox for the grandkids when they visit. It is covered in pink polka-dotted material, and was the perfect height for Ava to stand next to. We also figured out that Ava is somehow scared of this pink, rubbery ball with soft spikes. When you put it in front of her face, she blinks like she is scared of it hitting her in the face. She's never seen this ball before in her life, which makes it pretty funny. We had to torture her by putting it in front of her face a few times, to see if that was the item to which she was reacting.


Ava behaved well while in Grandpa Carey's lap. He had knee surgery on October 3rd, so I was a little scared of what Ava might do when squirreling around on his lap. She seemed to do alright, at least that's what Grandpa told us! She refrained from her usual tap dance, which was good.

Grandpa seemed to be doing well, considering he just had surgery October 3rd. He was moving about the house, which was good to see! We'll get to visit with the Careys three times from October through December, so we're glad about that.








Ava tried on part of her Halloween outfit for Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Tracy, giving them a sneak peak at her costume. She doesn't bat an eyelash when she dons a costume or something unfamiliar. Very odd.

During our visit with Grandma and Grandpa Carey, Ava did flash a few smiles Grandma and Grandpa's way, as well as Aunt Tracy's. Ava does like to be down crawling on the floor, though. She doesn't seem to like her car seat or anything that restricts her movement. On the way home from picking Doug up at the airport, I had no idea what was wrong with her. She cried like I've never seen her cry before. I was almost ready to take her to the emergency room, it was that bad... Luckily when we got to the Carey's house, she stopped crying.

She did seem fussy by the end of the week. I think all of the traveling probably made her wonder if she was ever going to see her own home and own bed again. (Interestingly enough, she slept 13 hours this past Monday night, after we picked her up from day care, so I DEFINITELY think she was worn out).

While visiting, we also heard that Kristy, Joe's wife, started having contractions recently. She is due November 10th, so Ava may have a cousin a little sooner than originally thought! We're anxious to see if Baby Carey is a boy or girl. Can't wait!

Ava was able to attend church at Rochester on Sunday, and go to the baby class with which my Mom helps. Grandma Pam said she was able to take some pictures. There were 11 babies in the class, and three people to "referee". Yikes! We heard Ava behaved and didn't beat-up any of the other kids, which was good news. In the class, they sit in seats, within a table, which puts them very close to their neighbor.

Ava had her first plane ride on Sunday night, and did extremely well. She took part of a bottle during take-off, which seemed to help. She didn't fuss but for a minute when we were in the air, when she was tired, right before she went to sleep. After about a minute of crying, she fell asleep in Daddy's arms, snuggling next to her furry winter coat that Grandma Pam bought. Ava stayed asleep until after we landed. She was tired! The hum of the plane engine seemed to keep her asleep. I carried her around the airport in the Baby Bjorn, which helped me to have my hands free. Once we were home (around 11 pm), she seemed to recognize home immediately. She went to sleep in her own crib very quickly, and slept until 8 am the next morning.

The trip went very well. We were so glad to have had the chance to visit with so many friends and family. We miss you all already!

To our Michigander family members, we promise we'll be back soon. Watch out; I'm thinking Miss Ava will be walking by Christmas, at this rate! We'll see...

With love,

P.S.-Go Tigers!!!!
Shelly, Doug and Ava

Visiting Griffith Grandparents :-)

We were able to stay with my Dad and Dolly (Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly) on Wednesday night, Thursday night and for part of the day this past Friday. Ava seemed be getting over her ear infection by that point, fortunately. We were also able to see the DETROIT TIGERS win game 3 against the Oakland Athletics!

Grandpa Dean and Ava
Video sent by thecareyclan

We relaxed at the house on Thursday while my Dad went to work. Dolly was beginning to prepare for the Halloween EXTRAVAGANZA she throws every year. (Look for a post in the near future on the Halloween spooktacular!) Dad was able to come home at lunch and also hang-out with Ava. My Dad can make Ava giggle like I’ve never seen her giggle. We found out she is ticklish on her butt and her thighs. I still can’t get her to laugh by tickling her there, but my Dad can. She absolutely loved the beanbags that belong to each of the other grandkids. She loved it when I flopped down on the beanbag she was leaning up against, which caused her to bounce into the air. She loves rough-housing.

Thursday morning it started SNOWING in Michigan! It was the weirdest weather I’ve ever seen: snow, sunshine, snow, sunshine, sleet, sunshine. There was an accumulation of snow by the end of the day. This day went on record as being the earliest day the Detroit-area has ever received snow. I enjoyed it, but I know those who live there year-round were gritting their teeth and rolling their eyes at the sight of the large snowflakes. It was beautiful!

Dad and Dolly took us to Outback Steakhouse on Thursday night for my birthday dinner. Ava did really well while we were there, and slept during dinner. All of this family-time is wearing this kid out! :-) We then went to Marshalls to see if we could find an “everyday” winter coat for Ava, as the weather get cooler.

Friday my Dad took the day off work, so he was able to see more of Ava while Dolly went shopping with her sister Mary for Halloween Party items. Dad started to make a pen on his new JET lathe for us. He has been making pens out of different kinds of wood, including Olive Tree wood from Jerusalem. The pen he made for us was made from Corian (yes, the same material used for kitchen countertops - see picture to the left; the rectangle is the corion piece). He’s anxious to learn more about turning wood, and is now part of a local wood-turners association, where he hopes to learn more from guys who have been doing this as a hobby for a while. The pen he made is beautiful!

Friday, on the way over to the Carey's, we were also able to stop by Grandma and Grandpa Spangler’s for a quick visit. I affectionately call them Grandma and Grandpa Spangler, although they are actually the Flanigans’ grandparents. I grew up with the Spangler’s grandkids: Andy, Molly and Katie. Grandpa Spangler appeared to be in great spirits and feeling well. He sounded good, too. Ava demonstrated her newest skill of standing up holding onto something, for them. It was great to be able to see them, even if briefly. Grandpa Spangler also felt well enough to attend church this past Sunday, which is such a blessing!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

Baby Laura and Baby Ava

Baby Laura lives with Mark and Cindy Wilson, who are friends of my Uncle Danny and Aunt Linda. My Uncle and Aunt know the Wilsons as they were all board members of the Metro Detroit Youth Chorus a few years back. (I was a member of the chorus when in high school, too, before my Aunt and Uncle became board members). My Aunt and Uncle remain close friends of the Wilsons. The Wilsons are foster parents to Laura, who is seven months old.

From what I understand, Laura has had an uphill struggle since she was in her biological mother's womb. Laura has other biological siblings in foster care, also. She was taken away from her biological mother at birth. I believe Laura has been with the Wilsons since she was born (I may be wrong about that). Laura is three weeks older than Ava.





My Uncle Danny and Aunt Linda (and cousin Ginger) are giddy with affection over Laura. It warm my heart to see how much they love her. They are concerned for her future and for her well-being. From what I understand, Laura is a celebrity at her church, because EVERYONE loves her! (Who wouldn't?) Whenever the Wilsons need a helping hand (or even when they don't), my Aunt and Uncle are there with wings, to keep little Laura as long as the Wilsons will let them :-). She has stayed with my Aunt and Uncle for a week or more at a time.


When Ava and I were spending the week in Michigan, Uncle Danny and Aunt Linda were eager to get the two girls (Ava and Laura) together again. The girls met each other originally when Ava was around seven weeks old. So, on Monday while in Michigan, Ava stayed up past her bedtime and partied with little Laura.






It was very interesting to see the difference between both babies. Laura is ever-so-content and "turtles" (Uncle Danny's term for laying on her torso and "swimming" with her arms and legs). It's hilarious! She scrunches up her nose and gets happily excited very easily. She is such a sweetie. Ava seems a bit more "busy" and not as docile. Ava can crawl and stand, while Laura isn't doing that just yet. Laura is longer than Ava, but I think Ava weighs more than Laura.



For most of the visit with Laura, Ava was standing next to a floor mobile and chewing on the top bar.










It was also interesting to note the expression on Ava's face when she first saw me holding Laura. Ava's expression seemed to say "Hey wait... That's MY Mom, not yours? What is she doing holding you instead of me?" Pretty cute. I've never seen Ava look that way before. :-)

It was a fun time to see the two girls on their play date!

We wish the very best in life for Baby Laura and pray that her future holds only the greatest of blessings. We pray that she is able to grow into a godly woman with a life full of happiness and good things. We hope to be able to keep up with her as she grows!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

Visiting the Strauss Haus

(Sorry I don't have more pictures for this post... As you can tell, I'm better about taking pictures when Doug is around, for some reason...My Mom actually took this picture.)

Ava and I had a great time hanging out with Grandma Pam and Grandpa Bill last week. We stayed Sunday night through Wednesday afternoon. I think I picked-up a "bug" of some sort from the family reunion (or Ava's doctor's visit), so I sneezed & sniffled the entire drive from Kentucky to Michigan on Sunday. Ava also seemed to have a bit of congestion and the ear infection that "wouldn't quit". She continued to take Amoxicillin to cure the ear infection.

Ava was wiped-out from the traveling and the family reunion. Monday we took it easy and got take-out from Kim's Chinese Restaurant. Ava had fun hanging-out with Grandma Pam during the day, crawling on the floor, and perfecting her "standing" routine. On the subject of Chinese food, I SO MISS the good egg rolls from Michigan. The egg rolls in Atlanta are a strange concoction which exclude bean sprouts, but instead contain carrots and cabbage. So, I definitely enjoyed Kim's!

Ava made fast friends with Grandpa Bill, too. She flashed quite a few gummy-smiles his way, and seemed to enjoy his entertaining her. I wondered how this would go, considering he and my Dad are both tall guys with deep voices. But she seemed to LOVE the attention! We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Grandma Pam and Grandpa Bill.

We then visited Uncle Danny and Aunt Linda's house on Monday night, where Ava got to hang-out with Baby Laura again. (Ava and Laura originally met when Ava was about 7 weeks old). Uncle Danny, Aunt Linda, my cousin Ginger and Grandmother all hung-out with us. More on Baby Laura and Ava's fun in tomorrow's post...

Tuesday Mom, Ava and I went to Old Navy to find a winter coat for Ava as Michigan a little cooler than I expected. Ginger told us they had some cute winter coats at Old Navy. We found some very cute clothes and a nice dressy winter coat for Ava, with which Grandma Pam treated Ava. I also saw a "Daddy Is a Rock Star" long-sleeved black onesie, so I had to get it! I thought Ava could meet Daddy at the airport wearing this onesie, a pair of black velvet pants and some patton-leather shoes when Doug arrived the following Friday. All of the shopping wore Ava out. During our shopping excursion, we were able to surprise my sister Sherry while she was working. She said it made her day to see Ava. We then headed home and ate dinner with Grandpa Bill before he headed to play volleyball that night(as he normally does once a week).

During this trip, I was determined to get Ava's 6-month pictures taken, and hoped that everything would come together for a "four generation" picture including my Grandmother (known as Grammy to her great-grandkids), my Mom (Grandma Pam), myself and Ava. To make a VERY long story short, we were able to take both pictures at Olan Mills. I thought Ava's smile repository would be depleted, considering how long we had to wait, but she did very well. With a dirty diaper (found immediately after the "session"), a long wait, a tired and sick kiddo, spit-up aside, she actually SMILED many times! :-)

After the pictures were taken, we were able to quickly visit my sister's apartment in Rochester. Her apartment is in a very nice area and is a nice place. Her apartment looks out on a very pretty courtyard right outside her window. Sherry was cooking dinner for the boys, so we didn't stay too long. Sherry had it nicely decorated for Halloween. Ava seemed to enjoy Aunt Sherry's window decorations the most. My Mom dropped Ava and me off at my Dad's house, where we then were able to spend a few days. (Post on the visit with Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly to follow soon).

We had a great time at the Strauss Haus!

'Missing everyone already!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

Family Reunion(s) 2006

This message was written 10/09, but not posted until today so I could add pictures...

Hello, all!

I'm typing from the beautiful state of Michigan this morning! Doug, Ava and I all rode up from Atlanta to the Corbin, Kentucky area this past Friday night, for my Mom's Mom's family reunion (the Claxtons). We stayed with my Mom's Dad's sister, Aunt Jean Archer. Aunt Jean is a jewel! She always goes out of our way to make a SPREAD of food for dinner when we come up.




At the Claxton reunion, we were fortunate enough to also hang-out with my Grandmother, my Mom, my sister Sherry, her two boys (Daymian and Jordan), my Mom's brother (Uncle Danny) and his wife (Aunt Linda). Grandmother is definitely in her element at these family reunions, filling her role as social butterfly, graciously.






We always seem to have great weather when attending the family reunion in October. The area of Kentucky where the reunion was located couldn't be more beautiful. The combination of rolling hills, trees changing color, blue sky and crisp air can't be beat.








Because we stayed with Aunt Jean, you could say we had two family reunions; one for my Mom's Dad's family, and one for my Mom's Mom's family. This time of year is very special to me because I get to learn more about the way my relatives grew up, and about their families, too.







Ava did very well on the car ride up to Kentucky. She was a bit antsy by the time we arrived, but faired well. After the reunion, Doug drove back to Atlanta and I hopped in a mini-van with my Mom, sister, Ava, Daymian and Jordan. Good times! Jordan sat behind Ava, so he was able to provide unending entertainment for Ava. (Thank goodness he has that much energy, because I don't!) Jordan had her cackling and laughing out loud while driving to Michigan.




Ava's ear infections became a little more obvious while we were staying with Aunt Jean, although Ava has been on an anti-biotic since last Monday. When driving up to Kentucky, Ava was sleeping, but cried during her sleep while going through the hills around Jellico, Tennessee. I think the altitude-change / air-pressure didn't help her ears at all. But, she is chipper this morning and smiling once again. She was quite the party-girl this weekend, staying up late with the "fam".



Grandma Pam, Aunt Sherry, Uncle Danny, Aunt Linda and Grammy all are enjoying their smooch-time with Ava. I guess you could say we're going to be doing the "smooch-circuit" this week. This week we don't have anything particular planned during the week, with exception to an early Halloween party at Grandpa Dean and Grandma Dolly's house. So, Ava and I will enjoy hanging out with family and relaxing a bit. It's supposed to be beautiful here all week, although a little colder than Hot-lanta!


Happy Fall!

Enjoy the beautiful colors the season has to offer!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava







Aunt Jean - She's a sweetheart!













God's country

The First Snow

The First Snow
Video sent by thecareyclan

More Later...

Hello, everyone! We made it back safely last night from the great state of Michigan, after a wonderful time with family and friends. I came back to 352 e-mails, so I will be digging out from them before posting to the blog.

We hope this message finds you well!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

Ready To Go!

Today I took a vacation day and made cookies ALL DAY LONG. When I say ALL DAY LONG, I mean ALL DAY LONG! :-) My Grandmother's annual family reunion is in Corbin, Kentucky, this weekend. Last year I made a cookie bouquet (in a terra cotta pot) with extra cookies on the side, to serve at the "potluck" style lunch. The kiddos that were there last year especially seemed to enjoy these treats on a stick. So, when I found out my sister and her boys were coming to the reunion this year, I decided to make them again.

I made 97 treats on sticks! Some were in the shape of flowers, some were jack-o-lanterns, some are smiley-faces and others are flower-shaped rice krispy treats on a stick. Michael's (the craft store) sells Wilton "treat pans" that I use to create the "treats".



After the reunion, I will be driving back to MI with Ava, my Mom and sister for the week. Doug will return to Atlanta for the week, and will then fly up on Friday the 13th (e-gads! :-), to join us for the weekend.

I am really looking forward to Ava getting to spend some quality time with her grandparents, and all other relatives! (I'm looking forward to spending time with them, too).





Ava looks more like a little toddler to me, these days. Doug says she has a "tall person head" (I have not been able to figure out what he means by this...) She has been a real sweety lately. We couldn't ask for more of an angel!
















A little FREAKY... Today when I was multi-tasking with cookies in the kitchen, Ava crawled over to me and started tugging on the back of my pantlegs at the ankle. She can't be close enough to me these days, it seems. When I turned around, I noticed she was STANDING UPRIGHT while hanging onto my pants! Yikes! All of these developmental milestones seemed to happen within a week or so of each other. I guess we're overdue on the baby-proofing. We'll be sure to do that when we return from MI.

Just an FYI, I may not be posting pictures while in Michigan, as I don't think I'll have room (amongst the baby gear) to bring the camera docking station... I will be sure to catch-up when I get back, though!







Also, an update... Prayers have been answered. Doug's Dad (Jim) had successful knee surgery on October 3rd. He has had previous operations on his knee, and the knee didn't seem to "take" (for lack of technical terms, here). The doctor gave him a new knee on the 3rd, and Jim will be released from the hospital on Friday. We are SO THANKFUL that he remains healthy and in such good spirits! Please continue to pray that this surgery / knee does the trick, and that he will be able to do the things he wants to do, without restrictions due to his knee. We appreciate it!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

Ava's Afternoon Nap...

Afternoon Naps...
Video sent by thecareyclan

Six-Month Appointment

She was a trooper! Ava was in good spirits when we went into the doctor today. I tried not to give-off any apprehensive vibes, and she seemed to remain full of smiles.

Weight = 17 lbs, 10 oz. / 79%
Height = 2 feet, 2 inches / 58%
Head = 17.52 inches

The doctor said Ava is very "athletic". I found that observation pretty hilarious. Our little 17 lb baby is athletic... :-) The doc said that Ava had very good back-control and seemed to be doing things that an eight or nine-month old would be doing (rolling, army-crawling, sitting up, holding onto things while standing with assistance). She is a very "busy" baby.

We found out Ava has an ear infection in both ears, although the doctor said she would never have guessed that, when walking in and observing Ava's happy demeanor. So, we're on some Amoxycillin to clear it up. Ava had been a goobery mess for a few days, but I contributed it to teething (she's chewing on everything in site). The doctor says that she doesn't think Ava will be cutting teeth within the next 8 weeks or so. It's a relief to know that, I guess.

The doctor said Ava will be needing lots of calories as she becomes more mobile. I'd say she's doing fine with her current calorie intake. For a while there, she was eating quite a bit, but that seems to have slowed-up in the past week or so. I think she was just going through a growth spurt when she was eating more than usual. I saw the other day that she has part of her neck "back". I couldn't see it there for a while. I wondered where it went... :-)

Ava also seems to have food "texture" issues. The doctor then suggested we hold off on solid foods and then reintroduce them in a week or so. When we got home from her appointment, I gave her oatmeal cereal w/mixed fruit and cereal crisps, and she loved it. So, I guess we'll stick with the bland stuff for now. At least she opened her mouth this time!

When she got her immunization shots, I had been tickling her a few moments prior. She was laughing pretty hard. Somehow I think that helped with her reaction to both shots. She cried for a minute, but didn't wail like she did at her last appointment. After I bounced her a little bit, she started smiling again, and was back to her sweet little self. She even smiled at the nurse who gave her the horrible shots. :-) So far so good; overnight she didn't get sick from these immunization shots...

A clean bill of health (minus the ear infection), and a prayer of thanksgiving!

With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

What a GREAT weekend!

Happy Fall, y'all!

We had a great "Fall" weekend, and hope you did, too! Only a few trees are beginning to change color here in Georgia, as of yet.

The weekend started out with a nice dinner at Houlihan’s on Friday night. Because I’m turning 30 on October 4th (yikes, I’m starting to hyper-ventilate, here), we got a coupon for a free dinner entrée.






(This picture was taken after church on Sunday)

On Saturday, we had a not so fun time at Olan Mills. Not because of Ava, but because of our "Debbie Downer" photographer. (Those of you who have seen the Debbie Downer skit on Saturday Night Live will catch my drift, here). Hoping to take our first professional family picture, we gussied-up and ventured out to the photography studio. (Please note: "gussying-up" does not happen frequently around these parts, with a little one's needs coming before perfectly-coiffed hair), so the extra-effort compounded our disappointment that the pictures didn't turn out.


(I swear we didn't pose her this way...
It's just that the shoes are too big and clunky
for her to move them).
The very young and flustered photographer was running an hour behind and not too positive from the minute we walked in the door. The photographer wasn't having a good day, to put it mildly. We pressed on, hoping to catch a smile of Ava's on film. Ava didn't smile too much, though, as I think she was freaked out by three people (Doug, myself and the non-smiley photographer) yelling and clapping in front of her, in hopes that she would smile. What's a little girl to do? We won't be going back to that studio, but hopefully will get that professional "family photo" sometime in the near future.

Our friends Amy and Mark Hoffman agreed to babysit for us on Saturday night, so Doug and I could go out to celebrate my birthday with dinner at Stoney River. From what the Hoffmans told us, Ava did well with them. Ava fought going to sleep, but went to bed at 8, which is fairly typical. Amy was even able to rock her to sleep. This was good practice for the Hoffmans, who are expecting a little guy on Christmas Day!

We don't often frequent Stoney River, but for a special occasion. Doug had a coffee-cured steak and I had pecan-encrusted swordfish. Yum! The bread they offer before the meal is called "stoney puppies", which I imagine would be something like a beignet (a French doughnut). They serve this bread with sweet, whipped butter that is flavored with cinnamon. I was in heaven. :-) And they, too, offered something for free, because of the birthday. We got an almond-laced top hat dessert with fresh strawberries and blueberries, complete with a lit candle stuck right into the Haagen-Daz ice cream. As Rachel Ray would say: "Yum-o!"


Sunday evening Doug and friends surprised me with a party at the local park. I thought we were going to meet and have a picnic at the park, but little did I know it would be a birthday surprise! Walking up to the pavilion, I asked Doug "what are the balloons for?" When I looked over at him, he had a Cheshire cat-grin on his face, so I figured it out at that point. :-) As we walked up, everyone sang "Happy Birthday". Thanks to all of our friends who made the night special. Melissa Baillairge made TWO (yes, two!) cakes. The Hoffmans decorated with balloons and streamers. It was very sweet. And the weather was PERFECT for hanging-out outside. Thanks, guys!

I'm allowed to celebrate all week, right? ;-)














With love,
Shelly, Doug and Ava

P.S.-Wish me luck... today is Ava's six month appointment, complete with immunizations! :-(