Doggy Play Date in the Snow

We have had very little snow this season so when we do get a little we really try and take advantage of it! This afternoon we had a showing on our house so we were out of it for a couple hours but when we got home we invited Miss Volkman and her puppy Toby over to have a little doggy play date! They had a great time!

Matthias and Ava sought refuge from Toby's puppy love (aka jumping) in their "house"

Tucker is chasing a ball and Toby is of course chasing Tucker!

Matthias had a good time learning to walk in snow boots

Julia LOVED having two dogs to play catch and chase around our yard. Come and play again soon Toby!

The best its ever looked!

Last week we listed our house on the market in preparation for our move to seminary. It was a very emotional thing for me especially but also for Chris and Julia. Seeing that sign in our yard, watching people slow down to look or park in our driveway to write down information is a mixture of emotions. Of course I want it sold... that's the end goal but it is really strange to think about strangers living in our home. But that is where I have to correct myself, it is not our home, its just a house and our home is wherever we are together as a family!

So the house is listed and we got a phone call that we had our first showing... great news! But we also had a 3rd birthday party to host as well as my parents in town. Turned out is couldn't have worked out better because no one cleans with more focus then my mom!! She scrubbed and shined my kitchen like it ever has before (kinda makes me not want to leave! Thanks doesn't even cover it MOM!) Chris worked very hard in the basement decluttering and making trips to Goodwill and Habitat Re-Store to purge our home and lives of unneeded things. I mopped, cleaned baseboards, window, doorframes and doors and just about every surface you can think of! We did some de-personalizing and left it ready for the first showing on Sunday while we were at church!
(oh and Dad "farmer fixed" a curtain rod that broke late on Saturday night, I was about to send Chris out for a new one! Thanks DAD!!) These pictures are taken just as we were leaving and as I titled this its the best its ever looked!

Living from the front door


Matthias' bedroom

Girls' room

Our bedroom

Kitchen from the hallway

So if you've never seen our house before here it is! And if you have seen it then you know just how clean and uncluttered it is!! Please pray that God would send just the right buyers to us so that we can head to St. Louis out from under the burden of this house we have loved for many years but are ready to bid farewell to as we embark on a big adventure next fall!

one, two, THREE!!!

Ava Faith celebrated her 3rd birthday on January 9th and on that night we skipped cake and had Strawberry Shortcake because that is Ava's most favorite character these days!

A little cheese from the birthday girl!

The next weekend we had a very small party with the Leidecker crowd and Grandma and Grandpa Thanepohn. The Koschmann crew had to bow out due to an injuried neck for Rachael which also meant no cake!!

But alas Aunt Karla came to my rescue and baked a delicious cake that Grandma then decorated. It was no three day creation from Rachael but Ava loved it just the same!!

Grandma got everyone matching sweaters for Christmas and as a surprise we all wore them to show her. Missing from this picture are Leah, Marilyn and Kelsey... if you guys want to take your own picture together then we can photo shop the two togehter!!

Ava's birthay is always a little tough as it is just on the downside of the busyness of Christmas. Luckily she doesn't like much of a fuss and was happy with things a little on the low-key side. Such a little Ava Bean!!

Ava Faith Troxel 1/9/09

Ava Faith was born in at Port Huron Hospital on a snowy Friday afternoon. She was a very sleepy newborn and it took some waking up at the hospital even get her to eat. But luckily Trent and Rachel knew just what to do! Trent woke her right up and she has loved to eat ever since!

At three Ava loves to play with anything Strawberry Shortcake and Mickey or Minnie Mouse. These are also her favorite shows/ videos. She likes to pick and choose when she wants to be independent. If you ask her if she's big she'll say, "no... I a little big girl..."

She is the girl with many names, here are a few: Ava Bean, Beanery Goo, Bean Sprout, Sproutlet and really anything else that happens to be said!

This year she is showing me what a big girl she is and goes to school one day a week. She attends Kids Day Out at a local church. She loves to go and play with her friends. It is still alittle weird for her to be big even for that!

She loves books and has several memorized that she will read out loud.

Mostly this girl adores her big sister and wants to be where she is and doing whatever she is doing. She and Matthias are buddies as well and I see a good friendship developing there as he gets old enough to be a playmate. They are going to have fun driving their big sister crazy!

My sweet Ava Bean Sprout!!

I love you!

Happy Birthday!

Faith's Christmas Service

Ava and Julia participated in the Christmas service at Faith this year. Julia even sang a solo!

This is taken in the Friendship Room at church after the service

Ava knew all the songs and ran around the house singing them all month long! I couldn't see her from where I was sitting but Chris went over to take a picture for me. Isn't she just the cutest thing ever!

The back row was all the 1st grade girls. They all sang, but in between songs looked bored to be there. It was funny and cute!

As the exited the sanctuary the preschoolers and Kindergarteners looked in to the manger to see the baby. Ava was very serious about the whole affair. She was seriously the cutest thing!

After church to celebrate Julia's solo we went out for lunch at Applebee's. Matthias isn't sleeping but was very tired and kept putting his head on the table. Soon after this picture was taken the light above us got really bright and then burst spraying hot glass all over our table and leftover food. It was totally crazy! But Applebee's was awesome, paying for our meal, giving the kids oreos, and replacing Ava's lunch because she was the only one not yet done. It was definitely a dining experience that we will not soon forget!

Christmas Pajamas!

We give our kids their Christmas PJs for St. Nicholas Day on December 6th so that they can have them for the whole month and beyond (we've worn them into April!) These are just a few fun ones wearing our jams!

Ava and Tucker watching some Christmas movies.

Everyone in their Christmas PJs, eating popcorn and drinking hot cocoa. Just after this picture was taken Matthias pulled Ava's hot cocoa off the tray and ALL over her, Tucker, the couch and the floor. None on himself though!

Matthias was not interested in sitting for a picture...

I was a little nostalgic about taking pictures of our tree and fireplace with the kids this year knowing that it is our last in this house... So even though we weren't here for Christmas morning I wanted to get a few pictures of them by the tree and on the fireplace in their PJs.

Merry Christmas Pajamas!