Showing posts with label Ava Kate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ava Kate. Show all posts

Thursday, December 31, 2015

2015 in Review

Since 2010, I've been doing a "Year in Review" post.  I love looking back on them and reflecting on the good and the bad!  However, each year it gets harder and harder to narrow down to 1-2 pictures a month, so I snuck in an extra 1-2 for a few special, eventful months!  That being said, I apologize in advance for how long it takes for this post to load with the 3,000 pictures I chose to include!  Haha!! 2015 was a great year and I am super excited about 2016!!  There are lots of things in store for our little family!

January
The beginning of 2015 included getting back into the grind with a new semester, our first annual beach reunion with our original Sunday school class, Ava Kate's 6 month mark, and the first time we met sweet Cousin Pepper!
Ava Kate meeting Cousin Pepper!
At the beach for our Annual MLK Beach Trip with the original Sunday School folks!

February
In February, we celebrated my 26th birthday, enjoyed Carolina basketball season, and played in Ava Kate's first snow!
Ava Kate's first snowman… she wasn't impressed.
Ava Kate's first time in a swing on the playground at church.
Carolina Girls are the best in the world!

March
March was a pretty chill month!  Between Ava Kate recovering from RSV and pink eye, and Parker and I battling viruses, we didn't do a lot!  I did host a baby shower for my sweet sister-in-law as we prepared to welcome Ella Paityn into the world!
The spread for Candice's baby shower!

April
April began with Spring Break and Easter!  We went to the river for the annual sunrise service and spent time with the Morgan family, and then came home for church!  Then, at the end of the month, we welcomed baby Ella Paityn when she was born on April 29! :) :)
Ava Kate in her first Easter dress!
Sweet Baby Cousin, Ella Paityn is here!

May
May consisted of busy school events, my first Mother's Day, beautiful weather, and church-league softball games!  Good times!
Beautiful weather on Mother's Day!
One of the first softball games of the season!

June
June was a busy month as Parker, Dad, Weston, and Parker's dad worked to build a swing set for Ava Kate's birthday.  Parker & I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary and we had friends and family over for Ava Kate's first birthday party!
Beginning of Summer!  She looks so grown up in this pic!
Our 4th wedding anniversary!
The guys spoiling Ava Kate by building her birthday present!

July
July was also super busy!  Ava Kate had her first birthday, we celebrated Independence Day at the river, and went to the beach several times -- one of which being my family's 26th annual beach trip!  During that trip, Ava Kate took her first boat ride on my dad's boat!
Happy Independence Day from the Morgans!
Ava Kate's first boat ride with Granddaddy Mark!
Annual beach pic with the fam!

August
August was another busy month! (I see a trend during the summertime!)  Parker and I celebrated our anniversary with a trip to the Dominican Republic and Ava Kate stayed with our parents for a week.  Candice, Mrs. Lydia, and I attended the Ruffin McNeil Ladies' Football Clinic and had a blast!  Sadly, ECU let Coach Ruff go… it won't be the same without him!  I also began my 5th year teaching at SCHS and began teaching for the Pitt County Schools Virtual Academy and NC Virtual Public School!
Dominican Republic with my love! :)
Just a normal day at the end of summer break!
Some of the Morgan girls with Coach Ruff!

September
In September, we celebrated Parker's 29th birthday with a trip to Asheville for Amber & Jarrett's wedding!  Parker and I went to the Biltmore Estate during our weekend away and had a reunion with my college clan!
My bestie and me getting ready for Amber's wedding! :)
Date to the Biltmore! :)

October
October was a SUPER busy month!  I chaired the 3rd annual Stand for One Gala for Restore One and it was A-MAZ-ING.  I loved planning it and it turned out SO well.  Bob Goff was our speaker and he was WONDERFUL.  I cannot say enough about him!  Ava Kate dressed as a ladybug for Halloween and picked out our pumpkins!
Red Carpet photo with my love at the Restore One Gala!
Setting up for the Restore One Gala!  So proud of it!
Picking out our pumpkins! 
A ladybug and Forrest Gump…. my sweet family!

November
In November, Ava Kate and I joined Parker in Myrtle Beach for a work conference… I know, such a sacrifice on our part! Haha!  AK and I did a lot of Christmas shopping and we joined the family for a helicopter ride over Myrtle Beach!  It was super fun!  SCHS SGA hosted it's first annual color run, which turned out to be a huge success, and we decorated the house for Christmas!
Riding on the helicopter over Myrtle Beach!  SO FUN!
Color Battle at the end of the SCHS In Color 5k hosted by our SGA!
Ava Kate's fall dress… and "hand-me-up" from sweet Ella Paityn!  She's grown SO much this year!
Picking out our Christmas tree!

December
I began December by cutting off 12" of hair and donating it in honor of my mom!  It's been on my bucket list and I was excited to finally do it!  We celebrated Christmas with our families and Ava Kate was soooo fun this year for Christmas! :)
Ava Kate wasn't in love with Santa Claus this year!  She didn't cry, but she wasn't excited about him either!
After the big cut!  :)
Our wiggle worm on Christmas Eve at our Candlelight Service.
Sweet cousins…. sweet friends! :)

It has been an excellent year and I can't wait for next year's fun memories and events!  Blessings to you and yours in the New Year!
laura ann

Here are my previous Year in Review posts:
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

First Trip to the Beach

We had a free Saturday on July 11th, so we decided to take a day trip to Fort Macon.  It was Ava Kate's first time at the beach, and she loved it!  She loved the sand, the water, her pool, and the seagulls.


We went to the second public access and there weren't a ton of people, which was nice, because Ava Kate ran all over the beach like she owned the place.





Candice, Jacob, Ella Paityn, and Candice's parents met us for a picnic later in the day!  It was Candice's birthday and we were so glad we got to celebrate with her!


The day wore AK slam out and she was OUT before we even got out of the parking lot!  We had sand EVERYWHERE and I'm still finding it in the car!  Haha!

laura ann

Thursday, July 9, 2015

Ava Kate's 1st Birthday Party

I had such big plans for Ava Kate's first birthday thanks to Pinterest!  I picked out a pale pink, blue and white theme probably before she was born.  Don't judge me.

I found three invitations that I liked and combined the elements I liked most to make this invitation:

I worked for the two weeks leading up to the party making decorations and plans and shopping for the best deals.  The party was supposed to be on a Saturday afternoon, but there was an 80% chance of rain, so we pushed it back to Sunday afternoon.  Of course, Saturday at noon looked like the picture below.    -_-

Sunday was way, way windy and the decorations flew every where, the tents almost took flight a few times, and several balloons popped.  Good times.  So much for the perfectly decorated plans I had!

Tammy brought a bunch of outside toys for the kids to play with, and everything turned out fine.  It wasn't the perfect Pinterest-worthy-photos I'd hoped for, but we celebrated a very special little girl's first birthday with our closest family and friends, and for that I am so, so grateful!


You can see how windy it was in the pic above if you look at how the balloons are straight out to the side.  In the picture below, you can see the balloons got tangled up in the column on the porch.  :(





Ava Kate was pampered by everyone… spoiled rotten little thing!


Her Granddaddy Jack, Uncle Jacob, and Daddy grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.

Granddaddy Mark spoiled her by moving her from toy to toy.


This was the best family picture we got from the party.  :-/

She got some wonderful presents!  We would've been happy if everyone just came to celebrate with us and didn't bring any presents, so the presents were just extra icing on the cake! :)


These are my cousins' kids and I thought this picture was too cute.  I wish I had gotten to my camera before Carrington started getting out!  Haha!

Swinging on her birthday present from us!

Some of the kids playing on the swing set!

Happy Birthday sweet girl!

laura ann
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...