Five on Friday

 

Happy Friday!

Today I'm linking up with Christina, April and Natasha for Five on Friday!

One

We started working on Potty Training Avery this past Saturday. We've been letting her go with nothing on the bottom half when she's at home and she's been doing GREAT! She only has had 1 accident when we first started and she even goes #2 on the potty. The only problem is, as soon as she has a diaper or pull-up on, she goes right back to going in them and doesn't say a word if she needs to go. So we still have some work to do, but she's been doing great when she's been home all this week. Yay Avery!

Two

On September 11th, I took the kids to see the Flags of Valor display at Art Hill in Forest Park. It was spectacular and so very moving. They had placed 7,021 Flags on the hill to honor each of the fallen soldiers killed in the war on terror since 9/11. Each flag had a picture of a fallen soldier and a dog tag to represent them. It was quite the sight to see and I'm so very glad I was able to get down there to visit the stunning display. 

Three

This past Saturday, we had a lot of activity at our hummingbird feeder and I was able to capture it with my camera. This particular feeder is right outside our kitchen, attached to the hand-rail of our deck. You can see them right out the kitchen window and door. So I noticed them fluttering around and decided to grab my camera. Thankfully I did because we ended up seeing 3 hummingbirds at once at the feeder which we had never seen before. Two at the most was all we had seen at one time! I also captured our chunky little hummingbird that sits and guards the feeder throughout the day. He cracks me up with how chunky he is. Ha.

Four

We leave for Disney World a week from today and to say we're all excited would be quite the understatement! I can hardly contain my excitement. After scouring Pinterest for any and all Disney ideas for the kids, I came up with this fun little countdown idea for them and made my own.

They are having a lot of fun with it.

Five

Since starting school, Avery has become quite the little singer. She's come home singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and her ABC's. She does such a great job and it's just so cute, I have to share!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!!
I'll be a single parent this weekend. Jake is on a golf trip and my parents are going out of town as well so it's just me and the kiddos. I have some fun things planned for us so it should be a good weekend!

Family Get-To-Gether at Rend Lake

For the past few years, my Dad's side of the family has gotten together the Saturday before Labor Day at Rend Lake in southern Illinois. It's about 2 hours away from St. Louis. My grandparents love to camp and they are often camping in one of Rend Lake's campgrounds that weekend. My grandma rents a pavilion for us and my Dad, his brother and two sisters and all the kids and grandkids come together for a fun family BBQ. We always have such a good time!

In the past, it's been SO hot on our little family reunion of sorts, but this year the weather was absolutely perfect. It was in the upper 70's and there was a wonderful breeze blowing off the lake. It really couldn't have been better.

   

My Grandpa Stoffel with my nephew Emerson!

The 2 newest babies of the family.

My dad with my nephew Emerson. ♥

This particular pavilion is nice and big and secluded. There is plenty of room for the kids to run and play! 

My Aunt and Uncle always make homemade vanilla ice-cream for everyone, which is always a fun treat!

My cousin Dallas. He's so cute!

Emerson loved the ice-cream too. Just look at that smile. :-)

I also took a few pictures of Avery down by the lake. She's a stinker and wouldn't really sit still for a picture, but I tried my hardest to get a few cute shots.

Avery also enjoyed several other snacks throughout the day! I think almost every picture I took of her that day, she was eating something. Ha.

 My grandpa also made a fire in the fireplace of the pavilion for us to roast marshmallows and make smores. Yum!

It was such a fun day and so great to see everyone. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Painter Family | St.Louis Family Photographer

This was my second photo session with the Painter Family! I took their family pictures last year when little Leo was just turning one and it was so good to see them again. They are so sweet and very easy going and little Leo is just adorable!! Leo was turning two, so they wanted some 2 year pictures of him, some family pictures and a special picture to announce that they are expecting baby #2!

We met at a beautiful little park near their home and I think we got some really cute pictures!

This next little outfit that Leo is wearing, used to be his Daddy's outfit when he was a little boy. Such a cool idea!