Family Beach Weekend

Your Grandma and Grandpa are so generous. They organize and fund our annual family beach weekend in St. Pete. What could be better than hanging out in our bathing suits all weekend with all of your cousins?

Building sand castles with Vaughan and Kianna

All the Kids

Colin, Xander, Vaughan, You, Kianna, Bryce and Ryan.

Mity Tots Swim

I am really happy that we found this swim program, TAPS Aquatics, for the summer. Coach Duncan has really been great and has taught you how to swim free style, back stroke, how to dive in properly and has even introduced the butterfly and breast stroke as well. He says that you have a natural movement in the water and that you have figured out when to exert energy and when not to. A skill that some teens have not yet been able to master. This is definitely a skill from your Daddy.

Backstroke

Freestyle

Leg work

You Did It!!! You went down the slide by yourself.


Picture of your first Swim Team

July 4, 2010

This year we decided to head over to Aunt Alyson's and Uncle Jeff's for some swimming, eating and fireworks.

At one point, you could barely see the pool because it contained so many rafts.

Hanging out with your buddy Kianna while watching the fireworks that Daddy, Uncle Jeff and his neighbors set off.

TGD 2010 Recital

Just before your recital, all dressed up in your ballet costume.
A picture with Mommy.

Bravo Ava!!!

Dressed in your tap costume.

A picture with Grandma and Grandpa.

And Uncle Jim too!

First Trip to Thailand

You were so well behaved on the all the legs of the flights. You slept for the majority of the distance and for the other you either read, played with your DSi or watched movies. I have to admit that I was completely impressed with how well you traveled.

We began our trip celebrating Daddy's birthday. You and Khun Tha went and picked out a little cake for daddy. Such a sweet little girl who always is thinking about her family.

Royal Thai Palace

Bang San Beach, where Khun Tha and Khun Yai went to college.

Stopped to eat SEVERAL skewers of sate'

Fed the fish at the Wat

Spent 2 days in Hua Hin. How often do you get to ride a horse on a beautiful beach.

Let alone, ride an elephant through a creek and the mountains.

But the main reason we traveled 27 hours was for you and Vaughan to meet your great grandmothers.

and to have a 4 generation family photo.

But when asked, what part you liked most.... you say the live in "massage" therapist.

Then as a finale, we met Tony Bennett in the sky club in JFK Airport.

End of the Year Party

The end of the year has come and to celebrate the homeroom moms collaborated to throw an "End of the Year" party.

Boy was this an adventure. What was suppose to be a pizza party ended up being quesadillas, which at last minute turned into McDonald Happy Meals. The night before the party, we found out that the pizza place did not open until 11am and that was going to be too late seeing that we needed the food to arrive at 10:30am. So we decided to go with Moe's Southwest Grill. However, unfortunately the another homeroom mom made a mistake and ordered the quesadillas at the South Tampa location which was too far for me to drive and pick up on time. Soooo, McDonald's drive through it was. Who doesn't love a cheeseburger and fries anyway?? Like any mom, you have to learn to think on your toes. Regardless of cost, moms have to find a way to save the day.

During the party, we presented the teachers with a scrapbook that I compiled. I requested each family to write a Thank you note to each teacher, include a picture of their little one and have each student draw a picture for each teacher. At the end of the scrapbook we included an American Express Gift Card. This seemed to be hit for the second year in a row.

Pirate Program

That is a great pirate impersonation.

Today was your "Pirate Program" at school. We were told to dress you in a white shirt and jeans and when we arrived you were all dressed up as a pirate. I have the video of it but I think that it is too long to include in this blog.