Random (boring?)

Don't have much to post from this week so I just selected a few random pictures to prevent blog boredom. Luckily since I didn't pack warm enough clothes for Connecticut Oma had this sweatshirt for Ava to wear. She wasn't so sure about the hood part.

my mom would say: "oy vey"

Uncle Kev making Ava laugh, my poor sister got a little cut out of the shot. Doesn't she have a beautiful smile though? :) (Ava AND Melinda)

Remember the part I told you where Ava will sleep NOWHERE but a bed? This was on our way home from the lake during about hour two. We figured we would document our misery. What you cannot see is the mountain of toys, tire gauges, lip gloss, cell phones, goldfish, sippy cups, blankets and pacifiers strewn about around her because she threw them in anger. When you can't beat em, take a picture.

Glen Lake

We are so blessed to be able to go to the lake with Mark's family...one of our big considerations when we moved to Michigan! We had a fabulous Memorial Day--
I noticed Ava was missing from all these pictures, the nice thing about being with family is that Ava is constantly cared for by lots of loving people! Makes me kind of useless, which is a-ok!

Mark is a little chilly after a dip in the 45 degree water. There are a lot of things about boys I don't understand.

Mark, Heidi, and the orange.

SO BEAUTIFUL! It's like the caribbean of the north. :)

Ava enjoyed tubing at the lake. :)

The Biggest Loser-DeKorne Style started this weekend. (Thank you GOD that I am pregnant!) Anyway, the goal is by Labor Day for Mark to have a smaller stomach than I do. :)

John and Ava holding hands. :)

Memorial Day cookout.

more trip pictures...

I have to do these collages bc Picasa only lets you put 4 pictures on at a time. I have way too many for that. :)

Long Island Sound

Got to see Virgil and Kate again! Yippee! Although I don't know how hard and long I laughed at all these messed up family pictures. A few of them are kind of disturbing! :) (my two dads and mom and mom) The family picture of them is sure cute though! We need a baby Hughes!

Daddy pushing Ava around the house WAY over the speed limit.

Poor Kate crammed in a chair with the big pregnant lady.

No sleep, no shoes, no problem

Having a great time anyway! Here are a few pictures from our trip so far...



Dad came to see us!!! Yippee! Peek-a-boo! :)

The "in case there is no update" Update

We are at Mark's parents in Connecticut for a week. We are glad to be here. I will tell you why. First let me preface by giving you some background on my child. She is MY child..and sleeps like you wouldn't believe. At least 13 hours a night. Goes to bed at 7, wakes up usually between 8 and 8:30-(yesterday 9:20!!)-then takes two naps during the day that are 1-2 hours a piece. We love our sleep. Yesterday, we had to drive to Detroit, fly to Laguardia, drive to Connecticut. This lasted from 11:45 am until 9:00 pm. NO SLEEP. Not a wink. "Oh surely she'll sleep on the way to Detroit". Nope. "She will probably fall asleep right as I pull into the airport." Nope. "Maybe it's good because she'll sleep the whole flight." Nope. "The 2 hour drive to Connecticut???" Nope. So, we are glad to be here. She is sleeping. And thankfully all 3 flight attendants on our flight took turns and passed her back and forth and held her and walked her around and showed her lights and barf bags and water bottles. Anyway, once she catches up on her missing 12 hours of sleep maybe she will smile for the camera. And then I will update with some pictures. :)

It's A Girl!!!

So I'm technologically challenged and this is the best I could do with the picture...but isn't she pretty?! :) I was so thankful to see this sweet girl and that she finally quit moving enough for us to see her face. Even though this is blurry, you can see that her spine and nose and mouth and head are all normal. Thank you God for another healthy baby!!

Two a Days...

Yes, there will be two posts today...first this one which I've been meaning to put up, and then later I will post about what the gender of our baby is!! Yippee! Can't wait!


My Mother's Day present was getting to go out of town with my sister to the Rascall Flatts concert. So. Much. Fun. We had great seats, and only acted like Grandma's a couple of times wishing we had brought ear plugs and trying to sit down in the middle of the concert. :)

Saturday night Mark and I went on a date. My stomach isn't as large as that dress makes it look. Or maybe it is. But I will believe it's the dress.

Sunday we went to hang out with Mark's good buddies and their wives in Kalamazoo. Below: Three men and the baby.

And then Dan singing: "Never, never, never shake a baby." She liked it. But we will probably keep the newborn away from him for a few months.

Makeover!

Thanks to Shauna for the awesome makeover! The title? Yeah, Shauna was really patient with that one. I liked "Children of DeKorne"...but Mark and I decided it was a little bit dark. The one we settled on is a reference to one of our most hilarious fights. The details will be spared to protect the innocent (me), but the end result was cheesy hashbrowns all over my kitchen counter and table. It's just one of those things that probably isn't funny to anyone else, but remains a weekly joke in our house. Anyway, hope you like the new look! (and random title)...Check out all of Shuana's cool stuff by clicking on the link at the right -------->

If you eat half a bag of Tostitos, with an avocado, is the avocado still healthy?

These are just some things I wonder about. Like what the heck Jewel is doing coming out with a country album. Here are a few new pictures. Not the most exciting pictures ever, but better than seeing the same old thing when you click on the blog. (Which really annoys Ryan Peterson...)

In the first picture it dawns on her what fun she has been missing out on. She then proceeded to climb in and out of the toy box at Aunt Lindy's. (Our home away from home, especially when Dad is gone!)

I realize this is not the cutest picture of Ava, and any advice on the rapidly approaching mullet is greatly appreciated, but I just thought I'd give a little shout out to bibs. I've never been too into them, since as most people know I'm about as NON anal as they come. I told my friend Kristy I'd like to try it for a couple days, though. I bet I'd get a lot done. Anyway, strawberries are one of the great loves of her life, and they show up beautifully on her white shirt! (sorry again, Aunt Jane!)

It was a GORGEOUS weekend so Mark and his cousin Jeff decided it was time to go tubing. There was snow one month ago. I just went for a jet ski ride where my feet got damp and I thought I had frostbite. They said it was because I'm not a "real" DeKorne. Whatever. I'm from Texas. Hence the bewilderment about Jewel.

In an attempt to be anal, or, I guess just somewhat productive, I emptied the dishwasher. I had to get the knives out of Ava's favorite climbing toy! She is quite the monkey. Climbs on or in everything! Pardon the casserole on her face and shirt, but now that I see it, I will have to remember to put that outfit on her next time she eats strawberries!

Spray and Wash with Resolve Power

That's really all I have to say about this post. These were the cupcakes my sweet friend Kelly provided to celebrate Ava's birthday. Thankfully, this was prior to her party and so I realized unless I wanted hot pink everywhere including the pack and play and my socks..I'd better stick with white. The rule was Kelly could give her what she wanted as long as she cleaned her up. Let me just say-you don't clean up from that for a good 24 hours. It infiltrates every part of your life. BUT-it was fun, and it was the icing experience every child should have. So thanks Kelly. And Spray and Wash. (Oxi Clean didn't cut it this time...)

Part II

I love how in the first picture it's like she realizes there is something missing from her cone :)-that only lasted a minute though! She chowed down that whole thing, including the crumbs from her dress!

Mark and Virgil got to play some, too. Fishing off our dock-and Mark two timing it with the Barbie rod Ava got for her birthday. (sorry Aunt Jane) It worked though! His two catches! You can't even tell which one came from the girl rod.

Virgil caught the biggest fish of the day!

Uncle Virgil!

I am not being a very punctual poster..you would think as a blog stalker who looks at people's blogs 10 times a day I would be a little better about my own. (have i mentioned the computer is in the basement?) Anyway...we were lucky to have Mark's good buddy Virgil visit last weekend. He was much fun to have around and Ava fell in love instantly. We miss you buddy!

I had to trade husbands because of a large fan on Mark's side of the table. :)

My Two Dads...