We're On A Break

No, not the Ross and Rachel kind of break. Christmas break! Josh is still home making every day magical and completely unproductive. That's why my blog has been slightly neglected. Get ready for a loong post.

I'm still making pasta like a crazy woman with my new roller. Ava loved the goat cheese ravioli.

She garnished her ravioli bites with black olives and capers from her salad. Fancy, huh?

The January Cooking Light Magazine had so many delicious recipes. Ava and I made their Chocolate Chip Scones.

She was meticulous with the egg wash.

So yummy and low fat.

It doesn't take much to entertain us. The heating vent and a droopy balloon served as hours of fun.

I gave the balloon a goofy voice and a desperate fear of vents and heights - poor old balloon.

There was just no pleasing him.

Ava tried to talk him through his problems.

And offered lots of support.

We headed to the childrens museum on Tuesday. Ava and I have been many times, but it was Josh's first visit.

An Ava-sized grocery store

Where's the beef?

A little produce to balance out the three boxes of cookies Daddy begged Ava to put in the cart.

Ava and I pretended to be firefighters.

Accessories make everything more fun

Playing with the sand table

Watching Mr. Bones, Ava can see how her bones move while she pedals a bike.

Big bubbles

Inside an even bigger bubble

I'm not sure what this is called. Tons of wooden balls follow a series of tracks and perform amazing feats. We love it.

We packed a picnic lunch so we could stay longer. Since the weather outside was insanely cold, we sat inside.

Ava was a doctor and an ambulance driver.

Then she helped Daddy dock a rocket.

Getting a little creative with the air current table

Surgery

Rocking babies in the NICU

Practicing her bedside manner

Even those folks who aren't afraid to fly would be terrified to see this scene in the cockpit.

The getaway car

Grinding wheat and building puzzles

A peanut puzzle just for you Coach!

Cutest puppet I ever saw.

Next Daddy put on a puppet show for us.

It was delightful

and enjoyed by all.

Even more pilot practice

Piecing together the United States

Daddy made the dots so Ava could draw her own dinosaur.

Carefully tracing

A law student's worst nightmare: the person you force into bedtime each night on the bench as your judge.

HLS quickly threw himself at the mercy of the court.

She was a soft-hearted judge after all.

Then it was Mommy's turn to be the judge. HLS represented Ava in
The Parents versus How many more bites of dinner do I have to take before dessert

It was decided that three bites would suffice.

Mechanic Ava cleaned our air filter and switched out the tires.

Next Daddy used a pulley system to soak himself.

Teacher Ava taught us how to spell her name.

The last room we visited is a room where kiddos can experience many different things: how to walk with crutches or a walker, how to use a wheel chair up and down a hill, how to use a guiding stick to keep balanced on different surfaces, practice reading a Braille book, and learn to use sign language. On our way to the room Ava called out, "Come on Daddy, let's go where we all pretend to be old."

Daddy pretending to be Mr. Potter from It's a Wonderful Life. And we wonder why the girl is confused...

After a day o' fun Ms. Ava was plumb tuckered out.

Leaning on furniture is a sure sign that it's time to go home.

Playing possum on our way to the door

Today Josh decided to sell back the law books he won't need anymore. We had a tradition of taking Ava's picture next to the books before each semester, but a pocket full of green was just too tempting. Here's the Bave the night before Josh started law school.

And here she is before he started this fall.

Last picture with all the books up to this point. I'm confident they would have caught her before next fall.

Josh will go back to school on Tuesday, and Ava and I will 'muddle through somehow'. Each semester seems to get a little easier, at least from my perspective. Josh's brow is slightly less furrowed and the floor pacing is done in less concentric circles. It's always an adjustment for Ava James though, so keep her in your prayers. She tends to get a little sad those first few mornings we wake up to find HLS back at law school. Good thing we have her 4th birthday planning to keep us busy.