Snow, Snow, and more Snow...and a random memory

In retrospect, we were lucky with what part of the snow storm went through our area.  We got a foot of snow.  Some got 20" or more.  It was an old fashion blizzard, and as long as you didn't have to be out in it, it was quit fun to watch.  The second picture is the snow drift at our front door.  Snow was blown into every window frame and Dejan was up e.a.r.l.y. to start shoveling his way out of the driveway.  It was still snowing at 7am, but the sun did make an appearance and has been shining since.

heading out to put food for the birds and squirrels. snow almost to my knees. ava would have
nothing to do with going out in that white stuff, BUT she wanted to take pictures.  haha

My random memory came after taking this picture of Ava and Dejan sharing a cookie last night.  I remembered taking a picture of them when Ava was four weeks old.  Quiet, sweet, and under control.  Not so at (almost) 3 years.  :-)

Five minutes to myself

Ava stopped taking afternoon naps three months ago, so I have almost completely forgotten what it's like to be left alone.  My afternoon workout no longer exists, a couple extra pounds have crept in because of it.  My reading, computer, and TV times no longer coexists from 1-3pm, showers, bathroom trips, and phone conversations generally occur with an audience, and now I have to watch what I say for a whole 12 hours a day.   One good thing about an almost 3 toddler, they like to play more often by themselves, hence the current five minutes to myself. 

Ava and I have had some really great days and some really bad days together.  The bad days generally end in lots of whining, on both our parts, and patience runs thin.  I have to work on this and make sure we stay busy.  Ava likes it and I like it.  Her little mind is in warp speed and every experience, however mundane to me, is important to her. 

She is taller (just about half of me), talks in sentences I didn't even think she would know how to put together, has regressed a little with her potty usage for no apparent reason, has said to me: "don't touch me" which actually made me laugh out loud, "uh oh, me go potty...that's ok...me 'member next time", "mommy, me tell you secret...no.body. take your eye" (?), every morning when she wakes up I hear her say "mommy, sun is out!", the hugs and kisses are still free of charge, preschool is on the horizon this coming fall (which I am only semi-excited about), and my mind has started wondering towards another kid in the house.  I'm still not all the way there, but it does creep in every once and awhile, and only if my husband signs a legal form on what kind of help will be required from him.  ;-)

January is almost over (thank goodness) and I am hopeful the sun will shine a little more each day.  Not only in the sky but in our household.  We need help in the happy department lately.  I am smiling at the same time as typing right now though.  Ava is playing with her Toy Story loot.  She is so funny with creative play and that does make me happy...see the sunshine helped a little today.  :-)

I loved this and wanted to share

FRIENDSHIP...  

"Don't flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become. Except in cases of necessity, which are rare, leave your friend to learn unpleasant things from his enemies; they are ready enough to tell them."

Oliver Wendell Holmes

http://wideopenspaces.squarespace.com/

That's right, Ava and I made these!

No Sew Snuggle Pillows
I'm not a crafter, nor do I like crafts, but this was so much fun.
For those without young kids, and the blessing of Nick Jr. (we are way too plugged in),
these guys are Moose and Zee. 

Winter can really be a drag, but when it snows we seem to find our inner child and memories are always made.  One of my favorite things about this past holiday was the snow fall we got Christmas Eve.  We took a walk around my husband's parent's land, and had a morning of sledding and snow ball fights with my family, all where I grew up doing the same thing as a kid. Of course this time we parents had to have a beer on the porch after the snow ball fight to regroup.  ha  We are getting older you know.



I clearly won this snow ball fight



Snow, Sun, and a cold beer.  Isn't this what living in Iowa is all about!

A New Year

Happy New Year to everyone and what a year we had in 2010.  I am looking forward to 2011 and all the great memories yet to be made.  The beginning of the year started out with a bang with a New Year's party at our house.  I say bang because I swear someone set off a bomb in my house with the amount of dirt, trash, toys, cards, and liquor bottles I cleaned up the next day...not to mention the ridiculous pictures I found on my camera (sorry, those will never be posted).  It really was fun and the clean up was well worth it. 

Christmas was great this year.  Almost perfect really.  It snowed Christmas Eve and we had a memorable drive home with the back of the truck looking like Santa's sleigh.  Fourteen people in the Djordjevich house was a lot of people at one time. It just seems to jive, and after being around for almost 16 years, it's my new normal and I enjoy every bit of it.  It's hard to hold a conversation, and I'm the soft talker in the family, so I generally get talked over.  :-)  Don't worry, I enjoy the noise and was in shock when the entire studio was quiet when we got family pictures taken.  That was just weird!    We miss you guys!  Hurry back!

When we finally made it back to Mom and Dad's it was the usual flurry to get to Church (it wouldn't be Christmas Eve without hearing my Mom sing), a beautiful 10pm walk in the snow with my parents, and a late night sitting by the fire talking about nonsense.  You see, everything was just perfect.  That is what Christmas is about.  The only thing missing was my sister Jenn. They were not coming back this year.  Work!  I really missed them.  For 35 year's my sisters have always been there for Christmas.  :-(  We texted a lot and settled for some private laughs.

Christmas day is more of a blur, but I do remember Ava's face when Uncle Mark gave her those light up shoes, Auntie Danica's artwork to Ava, and the late night Dance Party with Yammi and Ava while Harris and Nick rolled their eyes at us and the ridiculous music we blared, then another late night sitting by the fire talking more nonsense until 1 in the morning.  I still laugh about the direction our conversations took. 

A fun night out with Dejan and his family was a good way to finally talk to everyone without any kids around.  Funny how I appreciate going out again after having a baby.  Little sleep made the 5 days go by fast and blurry, but I have to say this was one of the better Christmases in a long time.  My final thought is about the feeling I had watching Ava experience Christmas.  It was like watching myself as a child! There is something so special about this girl. 

Christmas is much better with a kid around...much messier, but way more fun.

Tis the Season...

For a messy house, lots of errands, dirty kitchen from cooking and baking with a 2 year old, a closet full of wrapped (and some still unwrapped--gasp) presents, live Christmas tree pieces all over the place with no broken ornaments this year, for teaching Ava her first Christmas songs...she loves jingle bells, fun Christmas cards dropped in the mail slot everyday to Ava's delight, a little Christmas cheer mixed in with a little grumpiness all around. You all know you get a little grumpy at some point during the holiday season, so don't deny it, just be sure to get over it. Ava gets what Christmas is all about and has asked for three things. Not bad. Santa can take of that; dragon, two pink balls, and a super why shirt. I wish I was two again!

We came home from Thanksgiving and it just seems time has gotten away from me. I wish I could find more time to write about our daily lives, it really is quit amusing. Ava keeps talking, going potty without pull ups, stopped taking naps *sigh*, but does sleep 12 hours a night, loves to eat out and go places..."mommy, where go now?" She continues to make us laugh most days, but 2.5 has been H.A.R.D. She has had many milestones, so I am hopeful we have made it through the worst. My fingers won't come out of that crossed formation...my brain tells me to never let my guard down.

I wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. I'm sure I won't be back until 2011, so love to all and I am looking forward to making my cranberry cocktail for my sisters.