Ava's 5th Bday!!!

With summer quickly winding to an end and the start of school approaching, we tried to really soak in Ava's birthday and our last weeks of summer.

Starting off her day with her favorite toast ever:  cinnamon chip bread from Great Harvest!

A friend of mine had made a banner of a different fun activity to do for every remaining day of summer until school started.  We thought it was a great idea to take advantage of these last lazy days and made one of our own.

Our last days of summer fun started with her birthday party at Grandpa and Grandma's house

The horse cake Ava had picked out - turned out SOO cute (and yummy!)

My big 5 yr old and her sisters

The crew

Quick family shot

Her new horse dress (and she got a horse lunch box!) from Gpa and Gma

Detect a theme?! : )

Ava's tennis racket from Mommy and Daddy - ready to hit the courts!!!

Thanks for the fun present Grandma Great and Papa Mel!

Aunt's Callie box FULL of coloring supplies.  Quite the fun present for my coloring princess.

Uncle David and Aunt Tara's present included the game "Twister."

Lots of laughs teaching the girls this one

A couple days later, we got to take advantage of a free hotel stay we'd won at our local Walk for Life this past summer and let Ava invite her sunday school friends to come swim with her and eat left over cake.

Elle, Ava and Catie

We were trying to decide if we needed to watch out for Gavin here, sneaking off into the hot tub with Kate.  Ryan let it slide this time . . .

Olivia and Briana

Olivia and mommy snuggling all dressed and warm back in our hotel room

Kate hard at "work"

Our happy birthday girl

Maybe it was the fact she was about to start school, but this birthday was a sentimental one for this momma.  It brought home, so much, just HOW fast the years fly.  Even as busy, exhausting and intense these past 5 years have been with the 3 girls so close, I am SO grateful and SO thankful I was able to be the main participant in their lives.  It's been a summer of God teaching me to let my little girl go as we got ready for school and God impressed on my heart more than ever, the privilege it is to be her momma.  Ava, I pray God will keep showing you the gifts He given you to glorify Him with, that God will continue to foster your soft heart for the things that break His, and that He will make Himself SO real to you in the years to come.  I'm so thankful to be your momma!!!