happy birthday, averie

Happy 12th Birthday to our Averie Grace.  What a compassionate, strong leader you are.  You can be such a great help to Mommy...a wonderful sister to your siblings...& a sweet friend to others.  You want to follow Christ in your words and actions, and you care so much about those around you.  Last year in your tweens, and we can't wait to see what God has in store for you.  We love you so much and thank God for you!  (Love, Daddy & Mommy)

It's my 12th birthday...& I am excited.  Birthdays are always so much fun.  We love our birthday tables, and this year, mine was decorated with American Girl Doll stuff, Twix, and gym...all in my current favorite color (aqua).

After school, I got dressed up for our family dinner at Nakato's.  Before dinner, I got to open my gifts from Daddy, Mommy, Brady, Brecken, and Emmersyn.  Then, Stephanie and Oma came over to give me a few presents before we left for dinner.

Brady & me

Brecken & me

Emmersyn & me 

(blurry, but still cute)

Stephanie & me

Oma & me

Daddy, Mommy, & me

(Mommy's camera was officially dying, so most of the pictures are yellow and/or blurry.  Oops!)

The Birthday Girl

I am so excited about my polaroid camera...and all my other gifts as well!

Uncle Art & Aunt Kelly had my name, and I loved the Our Generation vet clinic, Beados, and more that they got me.

Me with Aunt Blip, McKinly, & Easton...loved the lego from them, too!

Poppy, Nana, and me...loved the backpack purse & matching wallet they gave me.

"Happy Birthday..."

After enjoying the yummy pumpkin cake, we headed home after a fun evening of celebrating.  What a wonderful birthday!

phone pics #429

Sometimes, Mommy doesn't have her big camera with her.  So, she takes lots of quick pics with her phone.  Here are a few of our faves from the last few months (August-October).

What a cutie!

Playing Candyland with Mommy

Dr. Emmersyn is here...

Just making sure all my patients are healthy!

Going racing...

...& taking Brecken with me!

(This was at Brecken's friend's birthday party!)

Poppy & Nana with all of their grandchildren...

Averie (11), McKinly (9), Brady (9), Brecken (6), Easton (6), and Emmersyn (3)

Being creative with some of the many amazon boxes that arrive at our house!

Flag football time for Brecken

"Why are you laughing, Mommy...I am just keeping the sun out of my eyes." :)

I finally got to be a Cubbie at Awana at our church.  I love it!

Brady got to go to a Panther's game with Daddy & Mommy this season...and he got to hold Little T while he was there!

A beautiful sunrise!

Coloring together in the waiting room at the eye doctor.

Me & my best friend, Aubrey

I decided to play with some cups at the party store while Mommy was looking for supplies for Daddy's surprise party.  This is how Mommy found me... :)

Sweet sister in our matching pj's.

Mommy got to help chaperone Brady's mission work field trip...a soup kitchen.  Here are some of the boys (Brady, Nicholas, and Juan) helping sort through baby food...

...and then Brady, Victor, & Rocco restocking the shelves!

(A wonderful service project field trip!)

This cutie earned a medal after playing hard in a game.

Just riding my scooter...

...& very happy about it!

Just Brecken

Mommy & Brecken just chatting on the steps

I'm all ready for preschool picture.

Brady reading me a book while we wait for haircuts.

2 ninja's ready for school

And, Brady making dinner for us one night...all by himself.  He made eggs, turkey sausage, and toasted English muffins.  Yummy!

Me at my fall festival

Just some fun moments captured with Mommy's phone in our last few months!

halloween & the aftermath

We enjoyed picking out our costumes for Halloween this year.  For Halloween, we enjoyed going to Mr. Kevin & Mrs. Kellee's house (they live in a big neighborhood), having dinner, and then trick or treating around their neighborhood.  Always a good time...always so much candy!

Averie chose to by Rey (from Star Wars)

Brady chose to be a ninja

Brocken also chose to be a ninja (& Averie painted his face)

And, Emmersyn chose to be Skye (from Paw Patrol)

We are all ready to go trick or treating!

After trick or treating for 2 hours, "Skye" was done...notice the candy bin her hands?  We had a fun night.

The next day, we sorted through all our candy...and look at all that candy!!!!  We each got to make a ziploc bag filled with our favorites, and then we donated the rest to our school.

Yummy!