All About Ava

So Ava and I went over to my parent's house for dinner Saturday night. I had planned on the whole big family and some close friends going out to eat for Ava's real birthday (her party is in April...), but my dad took a nasty fall at work a few weeks ago, and had surgery recently to repair a fractured leg. So he is in no shape or mood to go much of anywhere! So we decided to keep it low key, just us. Now I should first explain something. My mom makes cakes. Like MAKES CAKES. Wedding cakes, birthday cakes, BIG cakes! So we are used to having major, elaborate birthday cakes in my family. But since my dad's fall, she has been busy with him, so I just went to Walmart and got a cake for us to share. It has been YEARS since I have had a walmart cake- and it wasn't too bad! But shhh! Don't tell my mom! ;) Anyway, my sister called a couple of hours before dinner, and asked me if Ava was going to do a smash cake. I told her no, that I figured we would just wait for her party. She told me that she HAD to do one, and that she had already got her one. So I reluctantly agreed (thinking I would back out later). When I got to my parent's, and saw the smash cake, I just cracked up! It was the tiny version of the bigger one I bought for everyone to share! HAHA! I love my sister, and I love when we do stuff like that!

So I gave in (like she knew I would) and let Ava do a smash cake. I guess somewhere in me, I thought she would be a dainty little princess and just pick at it. Not my kid. She went at it full force. As Cole said, "Yup! That is definitely a Brewer!" HAHA!

And please excuse the "singing"...not one person in my family can carry a tune very well, and the worst of us all is me- and I am holding the camera!!!!

All About Ava

I would just first like to say that I had every intention of writing this post last night after the birthday girl had gone to bed, but the day was much more emotionally taxing than I thought it would be, and after indulging myself with some spinach and artichoke pizza, I turned in early. I needed a little extra sleep anyway!!! So with that said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVA!!!!

I can't believe that my sweet baby is now a big ONE YEAR OLD!! It really does seem like just yesterday that we were bringing her into this world- so excited and unsure of what we were doing as parents. Now I look back, and I just have to laugh at us with all of our uncertainties and worries! Last night, as I was rocking Ava and feeding her a bedtime bottle, I read her a couple of Bible stories (like every night) but then I decided to start a new tradition and tell her about her birth story. If you would like to read it, check out THIS post. I think that it is a cool tradition to start- telling my kids about the day that they entered this world- each year on their birthday.

Some things I remember about the week Ava was born...which isn't too much because I was SO tired!!!

• I remember when we came home from the hospital, we just sat her (she was in her infant carrier/car seat) in the middle of the floor in the kitchen, and kind of looked at each other like "now what???" We didn't take her out I don't think until our parents all arrived. We were so scared!
• That first night at home, she slept in her pack-n-play cradle. And every noise and grunt and squeak she would make (oh how I miss those newborn sounds!) Cole and I would both jump up and run over to her!!!
• We were so thankful for double sinks in our master bath because for the first month, one of them was designated for washing my pump parts after each feeding (our little princess never would latch on, so I had to pump EVERY.SINGLE.FEEDING for 7 weeks...then after two rounds with double mastitis and some other issues, I broke down (literally too- I was inconsolable for a week) and gave up. We put her on formula, and we were BOTH happier for it!!!
• I remember after my epidural was out (which was the afternoon after Ava was born) and my cath was out, the nurse asked me if I needed to use the bathroom. I told her I was okay. She said that I had to go before I could be released, so I jumped up and headed to go #1!!! HA! I thought she was telling me that I was going to be sent home as soon as I peed! Nope...it was still that next afternoon.
• We bought our pump from the hospital lactation consultant. I didn't even think to buy a pump- our baby would just latch right on, right?! HA! SO glad that we did. Of course, Cole had to have the top of the line one. So we have a REALLY nice, only used for 7 weeks, pump for our next baby!
• The dogs did really well with Ava. We sent a grandparent over with a baby blanket we had used in the hospital, so they could get used to her smell. We were told that Hugo got really attached to it...and he is still attached to her!

At Ava's birthday party, we are asking guests not to bring a toy for Ava, but if they want to do something, they can either bring a donation (small bow or toy) for Arkansas Children's Hospital, or they can simply make a donation in her honor to a favorite charity. She is so blessed and has so much already, and we really want her to be a blessing to others and to learn the idea of compassion and giving. So what a great way to start!!!

BUT... Mommy and Daddy just HAD to get their sweet girl some gifts for her real birthday!!! Here are some pictures from yesterday...she really enjoyed her new kitchen. The car and the ball pit might be enjoyed a little later... ;)

Don't you just love that little bum!?!?!?

She really loved her little kitchen toy! I can't wait until she is old enough (and we have room for) a big kitchen set!!! I loved mine as a kid, and I know she will too!!!

Her new thing is to stand up and play. She usually falls down pretty quickly, but it is so cute to see!!! I just love it!!!


My big girl!!!

Happy birthday, Sweet Ava!!!! Mommy and Daddy love you very much!!!!!

They grow up so fast...

***I must confess, I really need to be cooking my dinner, folding clothes, doing dishes, etc. right now. But I am writing a blog post. Oh well....***

Ava has started climbing on everything the last week. She really wasn't even pulling up much a couple of weeks ago. Now she is pulling up and trying to "hurl" herself onto and over things!!! It is crazy to me to think about this day one year ago. Friday is her birthday. February 11. But February 9th was almost her birthday. I went into "early" labor on the night of the 8th. They stopped it and sent us home, but as the nurse wheeled out a very sad pregnant woman and her equally disappointed husband, she assured us that we would be back within the week if I continued to progress as I had been. She was right! That Thursday, my water broke and off we went to become parents! You can read the whole story here, or just wait until Friday! I am sure I will post about it then on her birthday! ;)

Anyway, my little monkey has only stood up in her crib once. But I am nervous. Because she stands a little higher in her crib (without bumpers) than the girl in the picture below. And with her knack for climbing, I just know a fall on her head is around the corner! I am considering a baby tent for her crib. But I don't know- I am going to talk to her doctor about it Friday. But I am going to order her one of these (in a cuter fabric of course!). These are at BRU, and they protect the crib from those precious little teeth marks! HA! The crib and nursery furniture we have was purchased to use for ALL of our kids, hopefully two more- LORD willing! So we really want it to stay nice, since the last baby will be using it all the way up (it converts into a full sized bed).


I just wanted to share a few pictures of my sweet girl! Sorry they are such poor quality. With a busy baby (or is she a toddler now? I don't know???) it is hard to run and grab my camera, but my cell phone is always nearby. I love my iPhone, but the camera really is lacking!!!

Miss Thang learned to climb up on the hearth (which is about a foot and a quarter tall) all by herself!!! She was so proud!!! To find out more about our custom fireplace hearth cover, click here.

Chowing down!!!

She was GLUED to Designed to Sell!!! I was so proud! LOL! I normally don't turn the TV on for playtime. But sometimes, I just need some noise!

My happy, beautiful girl! She is just a joy!!!

Yummy (and Healthy) Recipe!!!

So it's another snow day here in Arkansas. Which, for a stay-at-home mom with a child under one (for one more week. Tear. My baby will be 1 a week from today...) it really is like any other day except I can't go anywhere which drives me BONKERS! Ugh. Anyway, I find that it is really hard to eat right as a stay at home mom, especially on snow days when there isn't anything else to do.

But I recently found a recipe for a Weight Watchers Eggs Florentine that is just too good and filling not to share. Now I haven't started WW. Yet. BUT my mom has lost over 100lbs. on WW and so I am very familiar with the principles behind the plan. I really like that it is all about portions and HOW to eat, as opposed to what to eat or pre-packaged food. So I plan on joining soon. But I have started trying out some new recipes that are WW or WW friendly, or could be made to be. And this one is a winner!!!


Yum, right?!?! And only 3 pts per serving!!!! So this plate only cost me 6 pts! So for the "cost" of a frozen lean cuisine, I got a hot, cheesy, filling homemade meal in like 10-15 minutes! Plus, I think I get extra credit for cooking and not just heating up. But that is another post.

So here is the recipe! If you try it, I hope you enjoy!!!

You will need:
4 large egg whites
1 tsp of water
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp red onion, finely minced
1 cup packed baby spinach leaves
2 slices of WW cheese singles (these have saved my diet plan!)
1 WW wheat english muffin, split and toasted. NOTE: I couldn't find the WW brand, so I got the Thomas 100 Calorie brand. Not sure if this impacted the points, but I don't think it would matter much as it is wheat and high fiber.

1. Combine egg whites, water, salt, and pepper in bowl and set aside. Do not whisk or beat.
2. Heat medium saute pan over medium-high heat and lightly coat with cooking spray (I like the kind made with olive oil). Add onion and saute until soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until spinach wilts. Add egg white mix and cook until egg whites are opaque. With large spatula, flip and cook other side (I am awful with eggs, so mine ended up being more scrambled. But still the same taste.) Combine the eggs and veggies, then cover with cheese slices. Let the cheese melt over the eggs and veggies. Divide with spatula and place on top of the muffin halves. I divided my eggs/veggies first and then added the cheese. I think this makes more sense. :)

The recipe came from a WW ad in the Feb/March edition of Taste of Home magazine, a subscription from my Nana as one of my Christmas gifts! Thank you Nana!!!

Bon Appetit!!!

New (pseudo) Window Treatments...

I have been unhappy with the curtains in our living room for a long time. Really, I was never really happy with them. We don't have any windows in the room, just double french doors to the back deck. So window treatments are more for look than function, as we never closed them- just the blinds. My friend from high school, Shannon, is a fabulous home decorator, and she "cheats" on a lot of her window treatments. When she posted about her living room curtains, I knew I wanted to borrow...ok, STEAL, her idea. She purchased her drape hardware at HobLob, so this morning Ava and braved the cold and headed to the mecca of home decor! I went in search of some similar hardware (which are just wall hooks) and I found (I think) the very ones she used!

I was going to use the idea with my existing curtains, but I have really been wanting to brighten the room up a bit. So while looking at the fabrics, I fell in LURV with this beautiful upholstery fabric!

Of course, it was one of the most expensive ones...BUT it was 30% off. So I got it for like 19.00/sqft. I bought 2 1/2 yards, and some hem (no sew, iron on, heavy duty) tape. And off I went to make my pseudo window treatments...

Here are a few pictures of what was there....

Sorry it is so hard to see. I have already told you all about the darkness of this room and my plan to lighten it up in my last post. :)

First I took the fabric and cut in in half long ways. Because these are not functional, the width doesn't really matter. In fact, I am glad that they are pretty narrow so you can see the pattern and design. You will understand it more when you see the finished project, promise.

So after cutting the fabric in half, I got out my rarely used iron (it is used more for crafts than clothes. I am a throw it in the dryer type girl!) and got to work!

I trimmed the edges so that they were not showing from the front.

After I had "hemmed" (via the iron-on tape) the edges, I attached my drapery rings. I wasn't going to "hem" the top, but I ended up going back and doing it because it wouldn't lay down without it. I got the rings at HobLob too, and there were 12 in the package. Since there are 5 hooks per side, I only had to buy one package. SCORE!

Naptime was over before I could do the other side, but here is the first side finished. I LOVE LOVE LOVE how they turned out! Just what this room needed I think! They really bring height and character to the room, and because that is the first thing you see when walking into the home from the front door, I am glad that I made them so dramatic!

Here is the top. I

YAY! I plan on finishing the other side when little-bit goes to bed tonight. I just can't wait!!!

So what do you think? What have you cheated at in your decor?

Splish Splash....

Bath time is always a fun and soaking experience with Ava. She is a wiggle worm. And when I say that, I cannot emphasize enough the WIGGLE part!!! In fact, one of the founding members of her pediatric clinic saw her when she was about 3 months...now this lady is, well, advanced in age. Like maybe 70. And she couldn't believe how busy Ava was. She commented that she is the busiest and wiggliest baby she had ever seen in all her years of practice! Nice. I had hoped that Ava would calm a bit after she became mobile and had better motor skills. HAHA! Boy was I wrong! Let's just say, the dogs have had to learn to run faster, and the house is now baby proof for a reason! I am worried about the day she starts walking...because I think running will soon follow!

I just love this face! A little surprise, and a little annoyance!

Oh, what the heck! I guess I can give you a smile! Behind the toy, of course!

Soapy baby! She is cutting teeth #7 and 8, so right now there is ALWAYS something in her mouth!

On a totally different subject, Cole and I (admittedly mostly me) are seriously planning and prepping to put our house on the market. I would love to have it up for sale by early summer, but that might just be a dream. I don't know. At any rate, I am working hard on getting things "buyer ready" and making plans for what I will need to pack away when we do put it on the market. I am even putting off a picture wall for our family photos because I know that I will have to take them down when we list the house. SO not like me!

One thing I have been putting off is the changing of our living room fan. The one that was there when we moved in was HIDEOUS circa 1992. Brass, faux oak blades, the works! It HAD to go. Now I am not a big fan person, and I thought about just hanging a regular light fixture in there. But then I found this guy, and he changed my mind....

Handsome, isn't he? I just fell in love with it! But, like so many things in life, love was blind. And soon, I would be (almost) too. You see, the beautiful textured glass globe conceals three light bulbs. But not just any light bulbs. Three of the hardest to find, weirdest little bulbs ever that burn out in a couple of months and have no compact florescent equivalent. Yes, so sad. And to add insult to injury, the stupid little dinky bulbs put out NO light whatsoever! So to see in my living room, you have to turn on every lamp (three total), the foyer light, open the blinds, AND turn this on. And if it is a cloudy day, you will still stump your toe. GRRR. So he has to go. Function has won out over form for me, this time. And I knew I would have to replace it for these very reasons when we listed anyway. And since that time is coming up, I went shopping...

And a trip to Lowes, Home Depot, and only $100 later, this is the result. He is not as unique as his predecessor, but he is updated, will look nice in the room, and has mass appeal. And that is what you are going for when listing, right? I will miss my old guy. But who knows, maybe there will be a nice place for him in our new digs someday, where his function isn't of such vital importance!!!

I will post pictures when we get the new guy up. It might be a while as my dad took a bad fall last weekend and badly broke his leg. Please be in prayer for him- he finds out tomorrow (Wednesday) if he will be needing surgery or not. And also, please be in prayer for two VERY important people in my life, as they search for and interview for new jobs. This is a hard economy, but they both have so much to offer, I know there is a place out there for them both that will be such a blessing!

And while we are on prayer requests about jobs, I am seriously thinking about going to real estate school. It has been something I have thought about for a while. And I don't think I would want to do it full-time, maybe just be a broker's assistant, or something where I could just show houses (the fun part to me!) and not worry so much about the negotiations and paperwork. I don't know. I just need to pray about it more, but I am the person that looks at mls websites for fun and subscribes to the Sunday paper for the sole purpose of the real estate section. HAHA!

H&H Photography

I don't have a lot of time to write a big long post, but I just wanted to share with you my best friend's little sister's blog (you got that? okay, good....)

H&H PHOTOGRAPHY

Blakelee Bean is her name, and she is JUST FAB!!! Check out her blog- she has some stunning pictures. In a world where everyone is a "photographer", she is really a standout! She is in the Benton/Bryant area, so if you are in Central Arkansas and looking for a photographer, look her up!!!