Herbs and Health

Do you love the dollar section at Target as much as I do? I found these adorable herb garden starters for a dollar each. They were the perfect evening project for Ava. We planted, oregano, basil, and chives together. She loves Rabbit's garden on My Friends Tigger and Pooh, so it was very exciting for her to plant her own garden. She now refers to my windowsill as "Ava's Garden".

First we put some soil in the little terracotta pot.

She poked holes in the soil to make room for the seeds.

Next she planted the tiny seeds.

Finally she put the remaining soil on top.
Did you know that planting seeds could look so prissy?

Here is Ava's garden, all finished in my kitchen sink windowsill.
We can't wait to transplant them into my larger herb garden.

We spent Saturday in Clifton.
Baba gave Ava water balloons to play with in the pool.

Beach babes

Baba helps Ava slide into her little pool.

Splash!

We are so lucky to have a chiropractor-in-training (less than a year to go, woohoo) in our family. Brandon was gracious enough to adjust Ava and me this weekend. When he's adjusting us she is always by his side, instructing us where to put our hands. Ava is a very busy girl, but when she's being adjusted, either by Brandon, or Dr. Bergren, or Dr. Lederman, she is so calm. She had her first adjustment at 6 months, and she has never budged on the table. It's like she knows they're helping her. I have to say, she seems to do the very best for Uncle B.

Now he adjusts her neck. She's still and relaxed the entire time.

Ava thanks Uncle Brandon with a big hug.


Smooches with Aunt Sarah

This picture cracks me up, look at her cutting those eyes. She's such a ham

Pops and Ava enjoy the beautiful Saturday evening on the front porch swing.

On Sunday after church we visited Coach, Mimi, Beene Beene, and Aunt Jaryn in Frost.
Coach fried up a gigantic zucchini from his garden, seriously this ONE zucchini fed all of us. Ava squeezed him tight.

Silly Ava, hid inside Mimi's screened-in pantry. Beene Beene pretended to be hunting for her, then Ava would pop out and shout, "Here I am!"

WARNING:
The following is a non-paid commercial for general toddler heath and well being!

Another thing I love about our chiropractic contacts is all the amazing health advice we get. Not to knock our wonderful pediatrician or family doctors, but I truly feel like the chiropractors in our life care about our well being. Ava takes a chewable daily multivitamin called Catalyn by Standard Process.

We also put 1/4 teaspoon (half the dose on the label until she's 3) of Primal Defense Kids Probiotic Formula in her juice once a day. We have seen such an amazing boost in her immune system since we started these wonder vitamins! The combination of balanced menu, vitamin supplements, and adjustments keep our baby girl healthy...plus they're cheaper than copays and perscriptions.
(And they don't require Josh and I to pull an all-nighter rocking a feverish toddler, priceless.)

Graduation Day

On Friday, May 15, Josh graduated from Truett Seminary at Baylor University.
Here we are, on our way to the graduation lunch.


Courtney and Patrick, sweet friends at the graduation lunch.

Most of the graduates in their robes. They were the largest graduating class in Truett's history, 45.

Josh and Patrick in their robes. We look forward to seeing where God will take them in their future.

Josh worked as a Graduate Assistant for Dr. Brewer for the past two years. At the graduate lunch I heartily thanked him for the grocery money.

Josh Lockett fan club: Baba, Pops, Coach, Ava James, Mimi, Pa, Nan, and Jaryn. We were only supposed to have seven seats in the chapel, but oh well.

Mommy and Ava waiting for Daddy to graduate.

Ava, Courtney and I before graduation. It's hard to believe that Ava was only 5 months old when we first had dinner with the Broaddus family. We just celebrated our 2nd "friendaversary". Courtney and Patrick are at Disneyworld right now. I'm so jealous!

Ava had to smell the flowers at the front of the chapel, gorgeous.

Baba gave Ava a snack and a shared a story to distract her for the beginning of Josh's graduation. Ava was quiet, but very busy during the ceremony.

Coach and Mimi keep Ava quiet for the middle of the graduation.

Jaryn keeps Ava entertained for the last part of the ceremony.

The moment, Josh received his diploma from Dr. Garland.

Heading out of the chapel, diploma in hand

We made it!

Proud Mom and Dad

Josh with his Nan and Pa, precious

Smooching my grad

WHOOP!
(Josh was the only Aggie graduating from Truett, so we felt it was necessary to include some A&M traditions in the evening.)

Sarah and I could not be more proud of our guys.

Handsome fellas

Sweet siblings

The Millers, Arnolds, and Locketts...great friends on a great day

I snapped this picture from a window on Truett's third floor. The gold cross on top of the roof barely shows, but still a neat shot.

After graduation we went to Ninfas to celebrate. Luckily, our good friend Ryan works there and helped us turn a 2 hour wait into a 25 minute wait...for 20 people on a busy graduation Friday it was no small miracle! Here's a blurry shot of Josh and me.

Baba and Pops celebrate

Josh and Ava celebrate

Ava gives Daddy some graduation advice.

Pa, Nan, and Nate celebrate

Jaryn and Mimi celebrate

Kristyn and Ryan Arnold (along with Baby Arnold, not yet available for non-ultra-sound photographs), Chris Doe, and Ray and Sarah Miller celebrated graduation too.

"Three cheers for Daddy," Ava claps happily.

Our day concluded with chocolate cinnamon congratulatory cake for Josh and Ray.
A BIG thanks to Lori Kleibrink for baking the cake on such short notice.

I can't believe Josh's time at Truett is finished. When I think back to his first day, three short years ago, it seems like yesterday and eons ago at the same time. I was starting my first year as a fourth grade teacher and was 7 months pregnant with Ava James. We were building our house, and anticipating a life in ministry. Now we're on the other side of graduation and so much has changed. I'm a seasoned writing teacher, Ava is two, and we're trying to sell our little house. Josh's career path has drastically changed. I can't imagine how different things will be at the end of our next three years, when Josh graduates from OU Law.