Easter Weekend and a BIG Loss

Patio Season is upon us and we are taking full advantage of it.  How smart is God to make seasons that change?  I try not to be preachy on my blog, but I'm certainly thankful that He knows us and our needs so well.  Anyway, here are two of my favorite patio-dwellers looking deliciously gorgeous.

Two Saturdays ago Josh and I skipped Law Prom and went to dinner and a musical instead.  I had rented a dress and we'd secured childcare for Ava, but at the last minute we decided not to spend $80 on an event we were just kind of okay with going to.  It turned out to be a great decision.  We saw Spring Awakening at Oklahoma City's Lyric Theater.  Wow.  If you have a chance to see this production or just buy the soundtrack you definitely should.  What a delightful evening!

After much begging from the Bave I'm back teaching her Sunday school class every other month.  I adore the kiddos and she really enjoys the time we spend together.  I don't completely understand why it means so much to her, but it melts this mommy's heart to know that she wants me there.

In Switzerland I fell in love with their precut parchment paper.  Imagine my elation to find this hanging on a Walmart shelf.

Lots of tooth wiggling happened in our house over the past two weeks.  Ava's bottom tooth was hanging by a thread, but she wasn't too keen on us pulling it.

Sunday night spiraled into a three-day battle of fever, negative flu tests, snot, horrible hacking coughs, and lots of snuggling (the only yay in a list of ick).

Saddest little face.  Josh and I tag teamed time at home to love on her and help her recover.

Even though she missed most of the Easter preparations at school, we did our best to improvise at home once she started feeling better.

We made Snickerdoodle Muffins since Josh loves the cookies.  I did tweak the recipe a little, so shoot me an email if you decide to make them (alockett@ou.edu).  They were yummy.

By Thursday Ava was back at school and on Friday she had her Easter party.  Her darling headband that matches this sweet little shirt from Leah is MIA somewhere at her school even though I wrote her name on the inside of the egg decoration.  I think some mama laid claim to it because it was so cute.  Grr.

 A lot of the kiddos were scared of the Easter bunny, but not Ava James.  I think we have Disneyland Paris to thank for that.

I was in charge of the Easter bunny gift for Ava's class so I used this darling Pinterest idea to make goldfish 'carrots' in a pot of 'dirt'.  They kids loved them.

Josh and I crashed her party for a little while - no idea why I weigh 500 pounds in this picture.

I made it back to work just in time to receive an email from my new favorite prospective student.  (I am most often referred to as Miss Autumn, which cracks me up because that's exactly what my 2-year-olds at the A&M Children's Center called me during undergrad.)

On Friday night we stopped by the casa de Randall to wish Missy a happy birthday.  With one quick paper towel grab Missy plucked Ava's wiggly tooth right out.  She didn't even feel it.  Ava has informed us that Missy will now be pulling all of her teeth.  That is SO fine by me.

Ava wrote a note to the Tooth Fairy and stuck her tooth in an envelope.  The note said, "Tooth Fairy, Thancs for coming From Ava".

Daddy helped her seal the envelope.

I spy a possum.

Ava's sleepy entourage 

The next morning that same little possum found something under her pillow.

Look at her hair!  People who say short hair is easier are cray.  Every morning I have to spritz it and blow-dry before I try and tame it further with a brush, clips, rubber band and a huge bow.  Grow grow grow little hairs.

From the Tooth Fairy (who sealed everything in a neat little bag) Ava received:

3 gold $1 coins

3 magical fairy beans

some fairy dust

a note explaining what she should do with the magical fairy beans

She planted the three magical fairy beans in the flower bed and sprinkled them with fairy dust.

In just a few minutes, after a quick rest inside, we went to check on the progress.  Three lollipops sprouted!

What a sweet harvest.

I think the Tooth Fairy will probably bring seeds to grow toothbrushes on her next visit - especially if the next missing tooth falls around an already sugar-filled holiday.

We spent the rest of our Saturday lazing in the back yard, pulling weeds, eating watermelon (not me, gross), and watching thunderheads roll across the horizon.  Ava crumbled stale bread to feed the birds.

My cute little chicks on Easter Sunday

Ready for the big hunt.  

This is Ava's last year to hunt in the gated 'little kid' section.

Talking strategy with Daddy

Here's a quick look back at past Easters:

2007

2008

2009

2010 

2011

2012

Yes, she's wearing the same dress.  It still fit and, contrary to everything I learned from my Baptist upbringing, the world did not come to an end just because she didn't get a new Easter dress.  Shocker.  Not that we wouldn't love a new dress next year sweet grandmas!

Any doubt that she is her father's child is cast aside each time she sticks out that tongue when she's working really hard.

Bro and Swisster Easter picture

Butterflies released to celebrate new life

Precious, yes?

And the obligatory family shot.  

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend and start to spring.  Find a warm spot on a patio and enjoy the changes - both seasonal and otherwise.  And, just for the record, HLS graduates from law school in 37 days!

Just for fun, here's a video of Ava jumping rope.  Watch her face at the end.