For the Love of Shoes

That seemed an appropriate title, because that is what has been on my mind for the last 6 hours or so. Where does this "love" of shoes come from that girls posses, and how does it come so quickly?

We told Ava that she was going to get new shoes today and she was giddy most of the morning. I was tired of watching her trip over her flip flops now that she has learned how to run... well, we'll call it a limping, hopping, "A for Effort" type of running. And then on Friday night, she really took a bit of a face plant on the jungle gym with those sandals. I really wanted some cool Nike's or New Balance shoes... but Teressa's reasoning and the price tags swayed me to something more appropriate.

Man... this thing is dragging out... how does that happen? I write one sentence about something incredibly important and 4 paragraphs about nothing at all? Weird.

So we get to the shoe isle. And before I can even give Ava some "instruction," I look down and she already has 3 open shoe boxes strewn about and is lunging at the fourth. Ava thinks it is so much fun to try on shoes. I also ran up and down the isles with each pair of shoes so that I could see which ones was she more prone to trip in. She had a blast.

The laborers need rest too.

These were a couple of old trucks on the "family farm" in Maine.

Ava and her cousin, Eli, had a lot of fun playing in this barn!
When will Fisher Price develop the "Pile of Grain" toy?

Family Reunion Day

Seen Better Times

Madelyn is so alert now.
I love making her smile.

I asked her to make a "Serious Face."
Kids nowadays...

Joy

My beautiful wife and hidden daughter

Ava enjoyed picking "flowers."
I didn't have the heart to tell her they were just weeds.
But some lady who passed us a couple minutes later told her.
Ava looked at me perplexed.
Why had some lady pointed at her, said something, and laughed.
I told her that lady was jealous...

This is the "cheese face."
When Ava hears me ask for a smile, she says "Cheeeeese" and makes this face.
Love it.

Coming in for a landing

Teamwork

Teressa's Brother Tom and his son Daniel
How great is his hair?
Seriously.

Eli and his Papa Jim

Brother in law John

Sweet Times

Ava has started to "fake laugh" again
I can't get enough of it
She usually does it when:
1) Were laughing at a joke that is over her head.
2) Were talking about something serious and she thinks that is lame.

Ava's cousin Bonnie.
Such a sweet gal.