Dollywood with Ava

Our sweet girl playing on the playground.

Kate & Ava riding the train.....they didn't like the loud noises -- such as the conductor & the train whistle...

Jarett & Greg rode the tea cups with the girls....Shannon & I were not wanting to ride this ride!

Kate & Mommy on the carousel.

Ava & Shannon riding the carousel.

Last weekend, the Meadow's came from Nashville for the weekend.  We spent all day (10am-8pm) at Dollywood.  The girls had so much fun and made it all day without a nap.  They didn't get upset at all and got along all day!  We had a fabulous day together.  The guys enjoyed getting to ride the roller coasters while we took the girls on all the fun kid rides.  It was a great time!  We enjoy all the time we get to spend with the Meadows.  They are great friends and we are so lucky to have them!  Thanks for visiting!!

"Fancy Nancy" Kate

Kate dressed up as Fancy Nancy for school today.  They are having a special week where they dress up in different colors, etc. this week.  Today, they got to dress up as their favorite character.  She chose to dress up as Fancy Nancy.  She loves all the Fancy Nancy books!!  She was so excited to wear some jewelry, sparkle shoes, & her fancy tutu to school.  (Thanks to Ava for the sparkle-y Belle necklace -- it was a must wear piece!)

Easter

My little poser....she loves to strike a pose.

Kate smiling outside getting ready to go to church.

After church with Daddy looking for her Easter basket.....did she have one?

Kate found her Easter basket!  She was so excited opening the eggs and finding her new movie, Bolt, new book, & Sleeping Beauty bubbles!  (Along with reese's peanut butter mini cups).

Kate loved her Easter dress.  Mimi & Poppy got it for her.  I just love smocking on little girls dresses.  This one reminded me of the dress Mary Beth made for her when she was born.  It had pink & green smocking and was absolutely beautiful.  Kate asked if she could wear this dress every morning along with her new Stride Rite sandals (that are pink and look like tulips).  She told me that she looked beautiful.  She's not proud at all!  Ha ha!  We had a great Easter with wonderful friends but missed our great families!

Easter Egg Hunt

Luke & Kate getting ready for the Easter Egg Hunt to start in our neighborhood.

Jarett & Wes discussing something during the Easter Egg Hunt.

Kate & Baby Charlotte looking over all their eggs & candy.

We had a neighborhood Easter Egg hunt on Saturday morning.  The Davenports were in town for a wedding so they came over for a short visit.  Kate loved having Luke with her at the egg hunt.  They had a great time.  Luke was very into the egg hunt and loved getting lots of eggs.  Kate was a little slower about the process.  She followed the directions very closely.  They told them after they got their eggs, take the candy out, and put the eggs in a big box.  She took the candy out of the eggs each time after she picked up an egg.  Therefore, she didn't get that many eggs but had a great time.  Afterwards, she helped Baby Charlotte open all her eggs and look at her candy.  

We had a great visit with Wes, Mary Beth, & Luke.  We're really excited for them and can't wait to meet Owen (Luke's little brother) when he arrives in June.  They are wonderful friends whom we dearly miss.  It was a great start to our Easter weekend!!

What a difference a year makes!

2008 - Kate in April with the tulips (one of my favorite pictures)

2009 - So I squeezed Kate into this adorable Hartstrings outfit for one more time, one year later.  What a difference a year makes!  She has grown up so much and looks so much older now.  She's definitely becoming a "big girl" as she likes to say.  Her face has changed so much!

Kate & Kitely

Kate & Kitely picked flowers (aka weeds) together.

Kate and Kitely had not gotten to spend much time together lately due to Kitely being gone for Spring Break and then Kate being sick the next week and missing 4 out of 5 days of school (due to a virus/croup).  So on Saturday night, Kitely came over to play and have dinner with us while her parents went to dinner and a movie.  The girls had such a great time together!!  They really missed each other a ton and played great together all night!  The weather was nice so they got to spend a lot of time outside (which is Kate's most favorite place to be).  They are very sweet friends!

My big girl

My big girl with her ponytail!  She looks so old with all her hair pulled back.  She found this ponytail holder that Mimi & Poppy got her for Christmas and couldn't wait to wear it.  She loves the ribbons!

Kate posing in front of our tulips.  Tulips are my favorite flowers!!

Kate picked one of the tulips and thought it was so beautiful!  (Don't you love her necklace?)

Smelling her tulip......

She is growing up so fast!  I just had to get a few pictures of her with her ponytail and with the tulips.  We have some great pictures of her last year with the tulips and it is one of my favorite times of the year (minus the allergy part).  She has definitely gotten my love for tulips....and all flowers.  It's sweet to watch her!

The Zoo

Kate looking at the giraffes.  We got really close to them.  They usually aren't anywhere near us but this time because it was somewhat cool outside, they came right up to the fence!

The giraffe is looking right at us!!  They were beautiful!!

Kate is posing with the chimps.  They are never out when we are their either!  It was a very exciting day at the zoo!

I thought this was sweet.  Kate was looking at herself in the mirror on the carousel.  She couldn't hardly wait to get around to the carousel to ride.  She loves riding it!!

Kate and I spent a fun weekend together while Jarett went to Louisville, KY to celebrate one of his oldest friends birthday.  (Happy Birthday Tyler!)  The weather was very pretty on Saturday (not super warm but not cold either).  So I promised Kate we could go to the zoo.  She had a great time and really enjoyed the entire day.  And then to make it almost perfect for her, we went to Chick-fil-a for dinner with Alison, Mamaw Doris (her mom), Clay, Paul, & Baby Charlotte.  She had a wonderful day (even though she missed Daddy a ton)!!!  It was a great weekend!

Our weekend in Nashville

Ava got a princess SUV for her birthday.  However, she wouldn't drive it.  She wanted Kate to drive her around.  Kate was super excited about driving the suv.  She had a GREAT time driving Ava around the cul-de-sac!!

Ava finally is driving the SUV!!!  Go AVA!!!  She drove a few times with Kate!!!

Two princesses swinging -- Cinderella & Belle!

Kate & Ava before we went home.  They absolutely LOVE each other!!

We had a great weekend when we were in Nashville for Ava's birthday weekend.  The girls had a fabulous time together!  We went to the park, had a picnic, played outside a ton, and just had a great visit!  Thanks for letting us visit Shannon, Greg, & Ava!  We can't wait to see you all again!

Ava's 3rd Birthday Party

Shannon giving the girls tat-oo's.  Kate was admiring Ava's tatoo.

Kate waiting patiently (hoping Ms. Shannon will give her another tatoo).  

Kate with the sweet birthday girl.  She got to sit by Ava during the Fancy Nancy party and have lunch together!

Kate & Ava swinging after the party was over.  They LOVE to swing together.  I have this exact same picture from last year after her birthday party.

We went to Nashville for Ava's 3rd birthday party.  She had a Fancy Nancy party.  They had so much fun!  Kate loves spending time with Ava.  She thinks of Ava as her little sister and Ava thinks of Kate as her big sister.  They get along great together and hardly ever fight or disagree.  It's such a wonderful relationship!  I am so glad they are so close and love being together.  It's really special since Ava's mom, Shannon, and I were best friends in middle school & high school.  It's great to see the girls having such a strong bond too!