Avery's 11th Birthday

When I started this blog back in 2012, I was determined to keep up on it. I have come to a few conclusions since then:
1. Time goes to fast
2. Sometimes you don't get it all done
3. Your family loves you anyways

So, here I am.  I resolve to do much better at posting, while keeping these three things in mind.  This year has been so different , just like time is moving faster than ever.  But, I made it to this day, and in my head I crossed the finish line!

Avery's Birthday came so quickly this year. Maybe it was because the kids didn't even go back to school until Jan 6th.  Maybe it was because 4 classes started up again.  Maybe it was because we ventured into having a new puppy (babies are so much easier).  I don't know! I just know that our sweet Avery is 11. It feels like I blinked, and here we are.  So non sappy readers,  you may want to pass over this next paragraph!

Avery, I remember finding out I was pregnant with you.  What a surprise you were! You were no surprise to Zachary, because just a few weeks before I found out I was pregnant, he told me we were going to have a baby sister, and I just laughed, "Yes, we probably will someday".  Wow, when I found out I WAS pregnant, that was surely a God wink!  Holding you for the first time was something I will never forget. You were my first baby girl, and I instantly knew that... you and me kid, we were good to go forever. You have always been the easiest, sweetest, most precious soul. I think God makes special ones like you just to remind us how beautiful life is. I believe you choose your parents with God, and thank you for choosing Daddy and me!

Now, Party Time!  Avery LOVES< LOVES<LOVES (that was singing) the movie Frozen. Eric and I took her to see it in 3D, (the boys were having none of that). Anyways, she didn't like the movie in 3D, so she watched it blurry with glasses on her head. I have to say this is one of the better Disney movies I have seen. It is a beautiful story about loving your siblings.

Avery had eight girls come to her party. Let me tell you, I LOVE MY HUSBAND. I know he thinks I am crazy sometimes. But he is always right by my side, helping me pull off these ideas.  We started with our bare white basement room, that was filled with basement stuff.  That means moving stuff. No fun....

Complain Time:  One thing I can't stand about being over in Germany is not having Hobby Lobby, Michaels and Party City. I know, such trivial things seem so stupid. But try planning any kind of themed party and you are out of luck.  We do have a party store here in Wiesbaden, it is called Party Schmaldt.  It is like 1/8 of the above stores, cost three times as much, and is pretty much all costumes. They still have the three Disney princess's party ware, if that tells you anything.  UGHHHH...I was so frustrated.

So, I had to think outside the box on this one. Thank God for IKEA. We managed to get most everything there, my Mom sent me two Frozen dolls (thanks Mom) and well, we made due with what we had.

Back to Eric. He helped me hang all this wrapping paper on the wall. He glittered big snow balls with Avery, he painted red containers white. He strung lights. He carried benches in. He only got yelled at 10 times. Avery was shaking her head a few times, because, lets face it, Daddy's are boys and sometimes boys just don't get the decorating thing. But we love him anyways!

It was a hit all around and then some. We used IKEA frames and modge podged pictures of Elsa and Anna onto them, and then the girls used all the decorations to decorate their mirrors.  We made OLAF(the snowman in the movie) mugs and they colored and chatted all while the movie was playing.

Her cake was a fondant OLAF, and if you haven't seen the movie, you need to just for him. He is the cutest little guy, who has no idea he is made of snow and can melt. He is hilarious!

Zachary's Friend actually drew the two sisters and let us use it for the invitations that we made! She is very talented!

                                        Avery and I cut out each one of these girls!

                                  See how much work Eric helped us do. He is such a good Daddy!

Avery came up with the food ideas, so I thought it was cute to put on here. All "Frozen" related. I should have taken off the saran wrap!

All in all, she had a great birthday, and the girls had such a good time watching the movie.   I wish I could have gotten better pictures, but these will have to do!

In addition to this party, this week we had SAT test taking the same day for Zachary, Girl Scouts twice, Tae kwon do twice, Averys real birthday Wed ANDDDDDDD No school Friday.

I woke up sore this morning, not sure why? :)

So to end this very long post (sorry about that) I will end with a quote from Olaf.

Some people are worth melting for......yes Avery, you are!

Nelson IV

We have been super busy around here, and I have so many pictures to go thru and post. The New Year just popped up and left as quickly as it came, just like the holiday season. Sad in a way.

But...a new year holds new things, and we have been planning a new addition for some time--just waiting for the right moment.

We are going in to year #2 since Eric was denied retirement, and life kind of flipped up side down for what we thought we had planned. We had to make some quick decisions, some really hard decisions about our pets, and choose to leave Champie, our Dotsie, with my parents.  He doesn't do well with German stairwell housing units, and flying was hard on him making him skittish.

I know that God always directs us to the path we need to take, even though sometimes it feels sad. It was hard to leave Champie, but in my heart I knew it was right. I didn't really know why though.  This year my parents lost their older dog Bear. Bear and Champie had become best friends and I really believe that this is the reason why our family made the choice we did. Champie has provided laughter and love to them during their grieving.

When I see Champie I can tell how happy he is and lets face it, he hit the jackpot of love!

So, we have been waiting. Deciding. Talking about it. Thinking about it. I gave it to God. If its right, it will fall into place. Just like Sami did. Just like Lajja did last year on Avery's b-day. What a sweetheart Lajja turned out to be! And then, after alot of looking, looking into shelters, adoptions, and coming up empty handed, one day a post in our local yard sales online popped up.

I saw him out of three, and I just knew. The same way we knew with Lajja and Sam, and even Champie.

Meet Nelson IV, a wire-haired Dachshund. A sweetheart who has melted all of our hearts.

Why, you ask, is he named the 4th?  It is kind of a inside family joke, but when I want the kids to get going, I always say, "Let's go Nelson I... Nelson II and Nelson III" in this crazy nerd voice.  I don't know why I have always done this. No one really does, but he just seemed like Nelson IV to all of us.

Eric caught this adorable picture of him running up our hallway which is very long.  After running back and forth about six times, he is ready to chew on his bone awhile!