Sunday, November 25, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving in Emory with the Dougherty clan!  PaJ has 4 brothers and 3 out of the 4 were able to make it in for a "reunion".  We had between 20-35 people coming and going throughout the weekend.  Mimi and PaJ worked like crazy getting their place ready to host the reunion and it was perfect!!!  We spent 90% of the time down at "The Grotto" and the weather was very nice.  It was a lot of fun to catch up with everyone.  We had excellent food (and drinks) and lots of laughs.  Here are some pictures from the weekend.  

We were able to spend some time with Grandma Sally over the weekend.  She wasn't feeling up to getting out so we brought turkey to her!  Ashlyn had a good time coloring and doing puzzles.
Ashlyn and her cousin Dillan are best buds!  They were connected at the hip the entire weekend!  So cute!
We had a feast for Thanksgiving!  And everyone made Granny Dougherty's recipes...and even some of her pans and serving utensils showed up.  So neat!  She was an excellent cook and loved feeding a group.  She would have been proud :)
Paxton pretty much spent the weekend in his favorite spot!
Literally "connected at the hip" :)
Love this picture of Aunt T and Big Bert
The hostess with the mostest!
PaJ taking some time out from cooking and
entertaining for a photo with his 2 gals!
 I wonder what they were talking about
We decided to have a white elephant gift exchange (an old Dougherty tradition) on Friday night.  The rules were that you couldn't buy your gifts.  They had to be something you already had or made.  The kids had a blast decorating the "wrappings" after our Thanksgiving dinner. 

Dillan and Ashlyn had a slumber party!
Friday evening was a bit more chilly,  but with the fire pit going it was perfect!  We had a fish fry and our white elephant exchange!
Ashlyn was first in line for fish
He had no problem staying warm
PaJ and Uncle Vernon cut down a Charlie Brown Christmas tree and the kids decorated it!  This used to be the job of all us cousins (25 years ago) but we passed it down to the next generation.  So cool!
Ashlyn opening her gift...she loved it!
A few of the "next generation" cousins!
It was an awesome weekend, enjoyed by all!  So glad we all were able to be together again.  Happy Thanksgiving!  We are truly blessed :)

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Where did November go???

November came and went and I was a terrible blogger!  It seems like I blinked and it was Thanksgiving!  I will sum up our November with pictures to bring us up to date!

We took a weekend trip to Abilene to celebrate Jules' birthday
We watched Crew play in a soccer tournament
We ate lots of yummy food
We celebrated Jules' 3rd birthday
"Hang on Pax, we're taking this thing for a spin"
And Ashlyn had a blast playing with Kellan!
Ashlyn turned 2 1/2
Paxton tried some solids, but then I changed my mind and decided to wait a few weeks longer...sorry about that Bud!

We celebrated Chance's 39th birthday
Birthday breakfast
We surprised him at work for lunch
We brought a cookie cake for the break room at work!
Ashlyn snuck a bite before we left
We went out for dinner as a family
Then we had dinner the next night with some friends
Wyatt and Ashlyn

We spent a lot of time outside enjoying the beautiful fall weather
Feeding the ducks
We went to Cash's Old MacDonald birthday party complete with a petting zoo!
"Hey goat, that's my dress!"
Ashlyn  and Paxton spent the day with Rah Rah and Gigi while Momma went to work!

That was pretty much our November that flew by!  Thanksgiving pictures to come!

Friday, November 9, 2012

2 1/2

Miss Mae at 2 1/2...weighs somewhere around 25 or 26 pounds.  I have no idea how tall she is, but I know she has had a few growth spurts recently because she can now hit her head on things she couldn't reach before and her clothes are getting too short!  She wears size 24 month clothing (2T is a little too big),  size 5 shoe and size 4 diaper.  Her hair is sandy blonde and her eyes are still blue, but are getting a darker, more hazel color.  Her bedtime is somewhere around 8 and she gets up between 7 and 8.  She usually takes about a 2 hour nap in the afternoons.  Her vocabulary is really picking up and there really isn't anything she can't get across.  If she can't say a word she uses associations, context clues or charades!  If we ever play charades, I want this chick on my team!  

Some of her favorites right now...the word of the day is "B"!  Most of her favorite things start with B...balls, bubbles, balloons, babies, her brother, Barbies, bananas, bread, the color blue, buses, "bites" (bugs), books, "BeBoat" (Big Red Boat...A Wiggles video), her boots and bath time.  

Other things she likes (that don't start with B)...Mazzy, being outside, the number 2, yogurt, skipping, jumping, running, playgrounds, airplanes, story time at the library, her doctor's kit, rocks, moving her stool around the apartment to turn lights on and off, helping do laundry, "eyes" (sunglasses), paper products (paper towels, kleenex, toilet paper, wipes), she loves stacking things, playing with water, her vitamins, apple juice, PB&J, helping cook dinner, ice, feeding the dogs, Minnie Mouse, phones...I could go on for days!  

A few other funny things about Ashlyn at this age:  She does roll call any time we go anywhere or talk about going anywhere...just to see who will be joining us.  When we get to our destination she always says "I walk".  If I say "no", then she says "I skip"... and I say "no", "I run".  She calls wine "mommy's milk" and beer "daddy's milk".  If she wants to do something or has done something she says "I do it" for both.  If she wants to find something (usually a bus while we are driving) she says "Wet's wook" (let's look)...also her cue to find her when she is hiding.  When she doesn't get her way or she is mad about something she quickly surveys her surroundings then jumps up and lands on her bottom with her legs bent underneath her.  She makes sure she has somewhere soft to land.  And on a few occasions she has purposely banged her head on the floor (when she is on carpet).  That is usually the extent of her temper tantrums.  We have been using time out for discipline lately and she stands in the entry way for 2 minutes.  She loves to say prayers at night and Aunt Rah Rah always tops the list!  When she wakes up in the morning, the first thing she asks is "baby up?" She is an awesome daughter and an amazing big sister!  
Ashlyn Mae, you are incredible!
We love you Peanut!