Early Thanksgiving on the VanMeeteren Side...

Dad, Uncle Denny, & Mom

Shelly trying to get Owen to take a few steps..

Sam & Uncle Brad

We had an early Thanksgiving celebration at my parents' house before they make their annual trip to Arizona to celebrate Thanksgiving with my sister and family. We went down the night before and spent the night, so I was able to help Mom a little in food preparation. We had a wonderful meal and ate way too much as usual. It was a great family day!

Ava turns 4 years old....

Enjoying her birthday waffles before preschool playing piano

Posing with her gifts from Mom & Dad

Blowing out the candles

The excitement over a doll hairbrush

Ava with her Bitty Babies

Ava had a fairly busy day on her birthday. We got up early and made her waffles for her birthday breakfast before preschool. She came back from preschool with a birthday crown and pin, so I think she had a good day there. I had her gifts wrapped and sitting on the table when she got home from preschool. I told her we couldn't open them until that night when Daddy got home. She anxiously awaited Daddy's arrival home, and asked about 10 times when he was going to be home. She requested Daddy's homeade pizza and pineapple for supper. She had dance, so Daddy made the pizza and had it ready for us when we got home. They even sang Happy Birthday to her at dance! I did talk her into "birthday brownies" instead of cake or cupcakes because we were kind of caked out after Owen's birthday and then the birthday party. She was fine with that and thoroughly enjoyed brownies and ice cream after supper. Her big gift from us was a set of Bitty Baby twins. I was at the American Girl store at the MOA and I thought they were so cute. She had also picked them out in the American Girl catalog we get. She seemed pretty excited about them, but I don't think they rank up with the computer or piano just yet!

Trick-or-Treat....

Enjoying some of the "fruits" of her labor

Ava once again loved trick-or-treating this year. After just a couple houses, she was no longer too shy to go up to the door without one of us holding her hand. She had a full bag of candy in no time. Owen was a great sport and was in a cheerful mood as we got him in and out of the car several times. We tried to do quite a bit of walking since the weather was very nice for late October. We were home before bedtime and had a fun night!

Happy Halloween....

In their pumpkin shirts

Miss Snow White

The Lion & Snow White

Our cheery little Lion

Ava was very excited for Halloween this year. She couldn't wait to get her costume on so she could twirl around in her Snow White dress. Owen was remarkably cooperative for putting on his costume. He didn't even try to take the hood off like I thought he would. He was so soft and cuddley in his costume, we kind of wish we could turn it into pajamas or something. Ava couldn't wait to leave to go trick-or-treating as soon as Daddy came home.

Ava & Owen's Birthday Party: Candid shots

Grandpa Glenn & Owen Dad & I dishing up the cake & ice cream

Grandma Joyce & the birthday girl

Aunt Shelly trying to get Owen to take a few steps

Hannah & Luke playing with Owen

The two girls playing doctor with their dolls.

Ava & Owen's Birthday Party: Part 3...

Hannah & Ava with her new piano from Grandpa & Grandma VM The gift chaos, but Owen still finds space to try out his tractor

Owen opening his new truck from G&G Sieve

Owen's new barn from Hannah & Luke

Just what she wanted: a new computer from Grandpa & Grandma Sieve

Owen enjoying the paper!

Gift opening was just as much of a highlight for Ava as the cake/ice cream. Owen was somewhat "present" for the first bit of gift opening, but didn't really enjoy the opening as much as playing with the new toys once they were unwrapped. The kids got so many wonderful gifts. Ava had been asking for a new computer and a new piano for about a month for her birthday and her grandmas came through and made her day! She also got a new alarm clock and super cute necklace and ring which she wears daily from Jason & Shelly, and a Snow White doll and cute little books from Hannah & Luke. She was thrilled with all of her presents! Owen got a truck, tractor, and books from his grandparents, a new barn with animals from Hannah & Luke, and new personalized backpack from Shelly & Jason. Thank you so much to everyone for all the awesome gifts- the kids love them!

Ava & Owen's Birthday Party: Part 2...

An "unsure about this whole deal" Owen with his cake

Mom & Dad with the birthday boy!

Not really into the cake

Next, we got Owen up from his nap to sing to him with his cake. He was not at all sure about the party hat, cake, or all those people staring at him. He didn't cry though which I was grateful for. We couldn't even persuade him to destroy his cake! We ended up giving him some ice cream which he enjoyed! Overall, he did much better than Ava did on her 1st birthday....she just cried the whole time!