Announcing Avery's Garden

After several months of talking about it, Avery's Garden got started today. If you are interested in following along you can see her very own blog here at Avery's Garden. As we get further into the process I plan on interviewing her and getting her point of view on the way things are growing!!



As you can see...she is very excited to work on her gardening project!!

Pittsburgh Trip-Carnegie Science Center and Primanti Brothers

We stayed an extra day. We blamed the snow, even though there was hardly any on the ground. But we wanted more fun, and the hotel night was free!!! Can you blame us?

Headed out to the Carnegie Science Center for some fun. Apparently all of the schools in the greater Pittsburgh area had the same idea. The place was freaking packed!!

Joni and Delaney had some fun wheeling around:


We all had fun with the thermal imaging camera (I think Jenn was searching for ghosts):


We made shadow pictures:


Avery became a jumping bean:


Jenn's favorite part was the model train:


And playing with Delaney:


Then we walked around on a submarine, Avery and I were not thrilled with the tight quarters:


After that we headed to Primanti Brothers for lunch. It is a place that has been on the Travel Channel and Food Network and Chris had been there when he was young.

Messy sandwich with burger, french fries, and coleslaw:


But everyone really enjoyed them:




On our way out of town we drove past the viewing for the three police officers that were shot last week in Pittsburgh. It was very moving, and especially so when you are traveling with a police officer. We worry about Chris every day, and are thankful for men like him who are willing to put their lives on the line every day to protect us.





And then...we went home :) Everyone was tired out:

Pittsburgh Trip-Carnegie Natural History Museum

I really wish I would have caught on video Avery's reaction of seeing the first dinosaur. This girl LOVES her some dinosaur. She was so excited to go to the dinosaur museum!!!

Avery and her first dinosaur:


Teaching us something:


A LONG NECK!!!!:


Chris took this from the third floor:


Jenn and Avery:


The T-Rex's


Delaney was rather bored by the whole thing:


Interestingly enough, when Avery was asked afterwards what her favorite part of the dinosaur museum was...the bears:


(My favorite part...the elevator system)

For dinner we went to Smokey Bones and I thought it was pretty darn yummy. After dinner we again hung out in the room (after a huge fight with the hotel who hadn't cleaned the Landii room after we specifically asked for a throughall cleaning due to Avery's vomiting. This did result in a free night for all of us.)

Chris, Jenn and Avery were thrilled by a set of magnetic marbles:


Avery and I read the googly dinosaur book:


And then it was bedtime again!

Pittsburgh Trip-The Pittsburgh Zoo

You will be so proud!! There are pictures of me!!

Yeah! The zoooooo!! Avery was so excited. When she woke up she turned to Joni and asked "Are we still in Pittsburgh?" It was so much fun to watch her.

Lyz, Delaney and I:


Avery and I dancing to the California Sea Lion song:


Chris making out with the California Sea Lion:


Jenn seeing how far she can jump:


Avery and her adopted camel!!!:


Jenn and a polar bear (Jenn's second favorite, after penguins):


We were quite the caravan:


Even more sea lion:


After the zoo we went to Quaker Steak and Lube for dinner...it was yummy!!
Here we are at dinner:


Then we went shopping at Ikea. Chris was bored by it so him and Delaney took a nap in one of the sales areas:


After all the shopping we hung out in our room watching the final game of the NCAA basketball tournament. My team lost, which means that I lost some money, but it was still fun!!!

Then we went to bed. For a very long night for all. I had a rough Blue night. How would things have been different if he had been with us. Would he have liked all the animals? Would he have smiled and giggled and kicked his feet and loved every minute of it? Would we have had the look in our eyes that Lyz and Chris had watching Avery take it all in? That look of pride that you could show your children things they want to see and love?

This was followed by a lot of physical pain, I have no idea what it was all from. Since I was already in a crying jag from the Blue pain, I spent four hours crying about the physical pain. Once Jenn finally got me calmed down (and drugged) I started to relax, but then my phone rang. Here poor Avery was having a rough night too. She was vomiting and they wanted to know if we had a spare Sprite for her. Poor thing.

Thankfully both of us woke up happier the next morning :)

Pittsburgh Trip-First Night

As you know our trip started off awesome with my little brother, Marshall, surprising me! We went out to dinner that night and then hung out in the hotel room laughing.
Marshall and Delaney at dinner:

This was also good for Chris. See poor Chris is the only guy. Joni, Lyz, Jenn, Avery, Delaney, two dogs, 3 cats and me, outnumber him. He claims that the fish are all guys so that he isn't alone. With Marshall around, Chris had a guy to gabber with.


I happen to really like this picture of Marshall (aka small fry) and I:


Jenn and Marshall take a pretty good picture too:


Thank you for coming Marshall!!! Thank you Jenn, Chris, Lyz, Joni and Avery for surprising me!! They caught it on camera...I was really clueless!!

Mingo Monday

I have mentioned the flamingo curse before right? Once you know that I am addicted to flamingos you are forever forced to think of me when you see them. Sorry!! You must now always think of me!! {insert evil laugh here}

The other day I got an email from Teaberry. She was struck with the curse. She sent me a beautiful picture that is totally right up my tackilicious flamingo alley.



Not only is it a flamingo. It is a flamingo to wipe your bum with. Not only is it a flamingo to wipe your bum with. It is a flamingo that is shaped like a toilet!! How totally perfect!!

Thank you Teaberry for thinking of me!!

Surprise!!

So we check in to the hotel here in Pittsburgh tonight and change to get ready for dinner. Avery calls and asks us to go downstairs to meet them in her room. Their room is different than ours and Lyz asked me to go into the kitchen to see if it is different than ours...

SURPRISE!!!



That is my little brother! He came and met us here to stay the night and hang out! Jenn surprised me! (Chris and Lyz were in on it too)

Yeah!!!