Ava Turns 3 & Dave Turns 23!!!

I could title this post "Six Birthdays, an Anniversary, and a Christmas!" Okay...so we only have two December birthdays in our immediate family. However, Dave shares a December 8th birthday with his Mom, Ava shares a December 12th birthday with her cousin, Natalie...and another cousin, Nicole, celebrates her big day on the 19th...and last but not least...our sister-in-law, Sherilyn, celebrates her birthday on the 29th! Oh, and my Mom and Dad celebrate their wedding anniversary on the 21st! Could this month possibly get any busier? 

But oh what fun we've had!

Ava helps Daddy open his presents!

Dave is thrilled to get a BYU colored bathrobe from his Mom and Dad!

Ava insists on "reading" her card to Daddy!

Dave couldn't wait to put on his new birthday sweater!

(Also just so happens to be BYU colors)

Ava's big day...the present opening begins!

Ava received several great books this year...unfortunately 

she is still enamored with "Thomas"!

Away we go!!! Ava has been wanting a new bike forever!

Ava luuuuuuuvs pink...so of course the cake had to have it!

She's just a little excited about the cake and candles!

Do we look tired or what? Too much sugar?

We loved having Grandma and PaPa Johnson in 

town for Ava's big day! (Especially since PaPa was so kind 

to put Ava's bike together for us...thanks again PaPa)

Santa even showed up for Ava's birthday! He was one day late...but we'll take it! Actually, it's such a cute thing...every year the local fire department rides through several neighborhoods with Santa on a fire truck! Dave, Ava, and Sheeba ran out to greet him!

To Cut...Or Not To Cut...That Is The Question?

Ok, Ok, Ok...so I've done everything possible to hold on to Ava's babyhood as much as I possibly can...including not (until very recently) letting a pair of scissors come anywhere near those beautiful blond curly locks. But alas...I finally decided it was time for a bit of a trim.

Before the cut...one last look at her long locks!

Oh no...this hair washing thing is scarry on this table!

Well maybe it's not so bad!

Mommy what is she doing?

I really don't think this is going very well mom!

Almost done!

All that's left of the baby locks!

Ta Da! The finished product! (a little too short for mommy's liking...but yes..I know it will grow back!)

Happy Thanksgiving...Well...Sort Of!

Happy Thanksgiving Day and weekend to you all! While we have many blessings to be grateful for this year...this may just be one Thanksgiving we choose not to remember! We had plans to travel to New York to visit with Nancy and her family for the holidays...and we were soooooooo looking forward to it. We love being with the Johnsons...Ava loves playing with her cousins...and Nancy is the most AWESOME cook! Dave's parents even flew in from Utah 

and we were looking forward to seeing them as well! 

HOWEVER....we got the sick bug BIG TIME just days before turkey day. Ava has pneumonia and Dave and Kelly have bronchitis!!!! To add to this lovliness...the congestion is irritaiting Kelly's pregnancy nausea and she's been vomiting...more than once a day...since becoming ill! 

Oh what fun we've been having!!!!!!!!!! 

Promise we'll have a much better posting next Thanksgiving! 

Hope all you other Neuenswanders had fun in St. George!

Ava's Big News!

Well, most of you who follow this blog have already heard the news...but Ava wanted to officially post the announcement about her newly expected little brother and sister...or brother and brother...or sister and sister...on our family blog! That's right...we are beyond thrilled to be expecting again and Ava can't wait for the babies to come out of her mommy's tummy!

When we got the news we went out to celebrate at our favorite Mexican restaurant, and it took a few shots to get Ava to stop holding the sign right in front of her face! We began the in-vitro process a little  over a year ago and feel overjoyed to have finally achieved success. Obviously we are doubly blessed to be expecting twins! We are so grateful to all of our family and friends for your love and support...your special prayers and fasting on our behalf...miracles really can happen! Thank you all...we love you!

Halloween Weekend on Long Island

We headed up to Nancy's (Dave's sister) on Long Island for Halloween. Nate (Nancy's husband) was out of town and we thought Ava would enjoy "Trick-or-Treating" with all of her cousins. Boy did she ever! Nancy's neighborhood starts at about 4:00 in the afternoon and it is quite the party! I've never seen so many kids and parents out having such a fun time going door to door. Ava had a blast!

Sleeping Beauty...Ava's favorite!

Ellie, Nick, Ava, and Jack

Post "trick-or-Treating" Nick and Ava check out all their loot!

While Nancy, myself, and the kids went "trick-or-treating" through the neighborhood, Dave stayed back to hand out "the goods" to all the boys and girls! He looked so cute in the rocking chair with his "Grandpa" glasses I just had to give him a hug and take a pic together!

The day after Halloween...Sarah...Nancy's next to oldest...
had a soccer game (She scored a goal...yeah!!!! )
Ava and Jack got the best seats in the house!


My birthday just so happened to take place on Halloween weekend as well! Dave treated us gals to dinner at "Lombardi's"...the most fabulous restaurant on Long Island...at least that I've experience so far! I also got treated to a gormet birthday cake which Dave and Katelin picked out...yum!!!!!!!!!!!!! And lest I forget...Dave and the Johnson fam sang a fabulous rendition of Happy Birthday to me shortly before we left for home Sunday afternoon! Thanks everyone for making my birthday such a nice one! 

Pumpkin Patch Day

Ava's first Pumpkin Patch experience! This is actually the very day that Dave and I were doing an in-vitro procedure and some friends of ours were kind enough to take Ava along with them to a Fall Festival/Pumpkin Patch!

Ava picked this quite large pumpkin, but thankfully came home with a much smaller one!

Pumpkin fun with Xander!

What fun! Ava's first pony ride...and mom and dad missed it! She had a fabulous time!