Busy Week!

We had a very busy week. As always- whenever I go a week or so without posting, I tend to have a lot of pictures! Here's what we have been up to. Unfortunately- when I posted, I put the most current activities first.

Today we had my family over to visit. It just so happened to be that today was the 4th of July. Here's my 85 year old grandfather playing Baseball on the Wii. He was so darned cute!!!

Ryan changed the settings on the camera, and so this pic is fuzzy, but I loved it too much not to post. Here's Aveya in her festive dress!!

My JELLO recipe book and I are no longer friends. No matter what recipe I try, the times are wrong on it, and nothing turns out quite right. Here is my dilapidated version of a Red, White, and Blue jello loaf. It got a little melted, but at least it tasted yummy!

On July 3rd, we went to the LeMasters' for their annual Fireworks party. Ryan's aunt and uncle have just tons of people over to their lake home to watch the fireworks set off on Idle Isle. Ryan's uncle also sets off his own fireworks that are phenomenal!! Grandpa Knoll and Andrew are looking out at the lake from the pontoon.


Oh, BOY!! Alex and Andrew are sure a handful when they are together (they only LOOK sweet and innocent here). Common denominator: Ziegler Genes. Sorry, Papa, the craziness must come from YOUR side of the family. Teehee.



Cousins: Pictured here is Ryan's cousin Joe, his daughter-Lola, and Aveya. Lola is only 1.5 months younger than Aveya, and she's Aveya's ONLY girl cousin!! (Well Lola is her second cousin OR maybe it's a cousin once removed....Help me out here, Aunt Elaine!)

I love how Andrew clasps his hands together when he's really interested in watching something. He did this too at Disney on Ice (my avid blog followers will remember this- if not- look back in my archives).

Aveya's first fireworks. She was amazed by them! Love this laid back little one!

Family on the Fourth (well technically the Third) of July!

Cali Heltemes finally came to Wisconsin for a visit. Aveya could hardly keep her hands off of her. John and Cheyenne have some scary photos of Aveya clocking Cali in the face. I swear, she did it out of love. And Cali didn't mind.....really....she didn't! I think she may even have smiled on Aveya.

Blast from the Past: Cracker Jacks!!! Get this- Ryan SMELLED them in aisle when we were shopping- did a doubletake- and backtracked down the aisle to get them for Andrew. They have peanuts- so they are off limits for Ryan, Mr. Allergy. So......I know you're all DYING to know what Andrew's prize was inside this package.....Wait for it, wait for it......It was......a picture of Susan B. Anthony. No- don't go back and reread that. You were right the first time- SUSAN. B. ANTHONY. Yeppers. If you take her YOUNG picture and fold it along the fold lines- she becomes OLD. Somebody is sniffing glue at the Cracker Jack factory because that isn't a fun prize for ANYONE let alone a 4 year old boy. My kid got ripped off.

Here are the boys playing in our toy room- AKA- Andrew's Personal MESS Room.

Aveya's Spicy Side... She looks evil- doesn't she?! Her newest thing is to wrinkle up her nose and make a crazy smile. Gotta love it!

I just like her ponytail in this picture. I'm so tired of her long front hair getting in her face- so I improvised and tied it up. :o)

We've started Tough Love in our house. BOTH kids are to go to bed without snuggling. That means- you lay in your bed and go to sleep alone. Andrew is going to struggle with this because we spoiled him. We're determined not to make the same mistake with Aveya as we did with Andrew. So- now that Andrew knows that his baby sister goes to sleep without snuggling- here is how our nap times go......Andrew- asleep.

And this is how we found Aveya-asleep- little nose pushed up. I have to stay nearby while she goes to sleep on her own so I can fix problems like this. Bumper pads are a must at this point because she gets her legs stuck in them. I just leave the front one free so she isn't tempted to mess with it trying to see us.

Here's our blue-green-brown eyed girl. Her eyes are like the feathers on a peacock- all different colors.

Finally- there is this. "I'm going to be it all- a Doctor AND a Princess!"