The McGreevy Family

Sweet Butterfly & Perfect Peacock!

2012-02-16T14:46:00.001-06:00

Trunk or Treating/ Costume Contest

2011-10-29T14:37:00.000-05:00

Pony Rides

2011-10-29T13:36:00.000-05:00

Windgate Ranch Fall Festival

2011-10-29T12:12:00.001-05:00

We absolutely LOVE our new neighborhood! We have an awesome activities coordinator that plans all sorts of fun events. The Fall Festival was so much FUN. Baby Jim & Lor Lor joined us for the day! We enjoyed a blow up bouncy train, petting zoo, pony rides, games, obstacle course, pumpkin patch, hayrides and costume contest! Emma was a little upset that she and Ava did not win. You know they DEFINITELY had the best costumes! Mom & Dad joined in for the Trunk or Treating and decorated dad's Mini Cooper like a big mouth with a Red tongue! You had to put your hand in the mouth to grab your candy!

Ava's BFF Cameron turns 3!

2011-10-15T11:44:00.002-05:00

Our sweet friend Cameron had a fun Tinkerbell party for her 3rd Birthday! She had face painting, balloon creation making and even the AZ Cardinals mascot Big Red made an appearance! WOW! What a great time we had! Happy Birthday Cam!

Gma Nancy in Arizona

2011-10-10T11:31:00.001-05:00

We were so happy Gma Nancy was the first to visit us in our new house! It was so wonderful to have her here for an entire week :) We decorated....ordered new furniture (thanks for our new headboard mom & dad)....went hiking and even took her to our favorite spot in Cave Creek....the Buffalo Chip for some bull riding!!! My favorite time was getting up in the morning when Gma was already awake and enjoying a cup of coffee with her outside! The weather was finally cool and we loved relaxing, talking and taking in the breathtaking views of the McDowell Mountains from our backyard! We love you G-ma Nancy....come visit us again soon!

Fall soccer is here!

2011-10-01T10:59:00.002-05:00

Ava & Emma are both so excited Fall soccer has begun! Especially Ava since this is her first season and she's FINALLY old enough to play. She's so cute on the soccer field as she is eager to get after the ball and will play the entire game (i mean doesn't want to sit out) with a HUGE smile on her face :) Big sister Emma's having fun this season too. She's getting more ball contact and seems a little more into the game! Go Superheros!!!

Mouse in Mexico!

2011-09-25T17:49:00.000-05:00

Emma had a school project for mouse to spend some time with her......so we smuggled him south of the border for some Mexican Fun!

Banana Boat & Sailing in Mexico!

2011-09-24T12:13:00.000-05:00

What a perfect day we had with Gma Lor Lor & Baby Jim! Doesn't get much better than this family fun!!!

Baby Jim and his "Girls"

2011-09-23T12:02:00.000-05:00

You can just see the look on Baby Jim's face to know how much he LOVES being with his girls! Enjoying the pool and gorgeous ocean views!

Hola Rocky Point!

2011-09-22T11:57:00.000-05:00

We were so lucky to get to take another Mexican getaway with Baby Jim & Lor Lor! We always have so much fun together under the mexican sun! Here we are just arriving and enjoying a little beach time before sunset!

Colby's 3rd Birthday

2011-09-20T17:26:00.002-05:00

Reid....Colby's big brother & a lefty like Emma (I think they're sweet on each other)....although he did pick out a rainbow & heart for his face so who know's who he likes....ha ha!

We had a great time at our friend Colby's Birthday party! She lives very close to us and had her party at a cool park. We even got our faces painted for the first time there.....don't we look cute!

Soccer practice with DAD :)

2011-09-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

We are so excited to have grass in our new backyard and both girls are signed up for Fall Soccer on the same team! Should be lots of FUN!

Home Sweet Home!

2011-09-12T11:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some yard pics, courtyard and the front.....we are LOVING our new home!

"Arizona Girls are Unforgettable"

2011-09-10T17:02:00.000-05:00

This is just too funny not to post! As Ava's version goes..."arizona girls are unforgettable, tea soup bikinis on top".....just LOVE that girl. She keeps us laughing that's for sure!

Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool- Orientation

2011-09-07T16:56:00.000-05:00

Ava's sweet teacher " Miss Taylor"
Emma's sweet teacher "Miss Garrett"

Emma G off to Preschool....again!

2011-09-07T16:51:00.001-05:00

Thank goodness Big Sister Emma will be close by to keep an eye on her little sister at Preschool. Even though Emma turned 5 in August, we made the easy decision to wait to send her to Kindergarten next year so she can mature a little and be the oldest in her class instead of the youngest. I won't lie.....I'm happy to keep her with me another year! She's growing up way to fast anyway :)

Ava starts Preschool!!

2011-09-07T16:44:00.001-05:00

Wow! Where did the last few years go? Can't believe our baby that I've been home with since the day she was born if now off to start Preschool! She will only be going one day a week but I sure will miss her (tear)! We know she's more than ready and will have so much fun! GO AVA GO!!

Closing Day!!!

2011-08-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

CHEERS! It's finally closing day on our new home in Scottsdale and we are so EXCITED!!! Dad now has a fabulous kitchen to cook his gourmet meals! More pics coming soon....

SWEET SISTERS!

2011-08-15T16:11:00.000-05:00

I captured these sweet pics of the girls just playing together in their room. I wonder how they will do when they have their own rooms in the new house? I bet they will miss each other :) :)

Zoo FUN with Paige & Chloe!

2011-08-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

The Phoenix Zoo is so much fun and we couldn't wait to take our sweet cousins Chloe & Paige! We loved the carousel rides and playing in the awesome water caves!!! Hope they come back to see us again soon!

"Fairytale Ballet"

2011-08-09T01:01:00.002-05:00

Emma's 5th Princess Party!!!

2011-08-09T00:33:00.002-05:00

Emma Grace absolutely LOVED her "Fairytale Ballet" 5th Birthday party this year!!! The Sadie Jane Boutique in Scottsdale was amazing and Princess Emma along with all her princess friends enjoyed every minute of it all. They were adorable dancing to Disney Princess music & showing us their new skills after their ballet lesson! Emma was very serious (as she usually get's on her Bday or doing a craft) at getting the moves just right :) We were so lucky that Aunt Carrie, Chelsea, Paige & Chloe flew all the way from OK to celebrate with us! Emma looked beautiful in her wedding Cinderella gown (thanks Gma Lor Lor), Ava in her blue Cinderella gown (thanks Lor Lor) Paige as Sleeping Beauty & even little Chloe as Tiana!!! Thanks to all our friends and family for making Emma's princess party truly magical!

The "cabin" with Baby Jim & Lor Lor

2011-07-30T00:15:00.002-05:00

Finally we were able to escape for a weekend of fun with Baby Jim & Lor Lor to their sweet cabin in Strawberry, AZ. It's such a relaxing place to be and more & more fun each time we visit! We arrived first and were welcomed with a monsoon of rain....ahh! It was refreshing to sit under the covered porch...watch the rain and smell the pine trees :) Ava & Emma loved walking Poco with Baby Jim & helping him water the trees he named after them and their cousins Paige & Chloe. Mom & Gma Lor Lor loved antique shopping and found an adorable dresser & vintage birdcage for Ava's new room. Dad just enjoyed a relaxing break from work and the joy of reading. Hopefully next time we can see the havalina's that decided to show up right after we left!

Super Silly Sisters!

2011-07-27T23:57:00.001-05:00

Our girls are so silly together and have loved sharing a room! Here they are hoping mom won't notice the bed jumping...ha ha!

Happy 60th Gma Lor Lor!

2011-07-12T23:07:00.003-05:00

We enjoyed such a wonderful day celebrating G-ma Lor's Lor's 60th Bday! Let me just say, she is looking fabulous at 60! Laurie is the BEST at throwing B-day parties and any celebration for that matter, so it was very important that she felt special on her day and I know she did! There is nothing better than being with the ones you love the most....FAMILY!! We love you Lor Lor!!!

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-04T17:19:00.001-05:00

We had a fun 4th this year with our new friends the King family. They came to our place for a pool party then the next day we lit fireworks at their new home! We tried to go see fireworks but got rained out....yes....rained out in Arizona. The monsoon's have arrived! Mom lost almost all her pics from the weekend but here are a few we still had.

FAMILY....

2011-06-23T17:06:00.002-05:00

Durango, CO - Wills Family Vacation

2011-06-22T16:08:00.000-05:00

We had a blast this year in Durango, CO with G-ma Nancy, Papa Charles, our Aunts, Uncles and all our cousins! We loved Durango & the beautiful house we stayed in too! Our week was filled with fun adventures....alpine slide, white water rafting, Bar D Chuckwagon dinner/concert, a train ride to Silverton....and lots of fun exploring the town! Ooh yeah, we loved the hot tub too!! Everyone took turns cooking each day and the meals were fantastic! Thanks G-ma Nancy & Papa Charles for a wonderful week.....the best part was our whole family being together! Love you!

Four Corners

2011-06-21T00:41:00.002-05:00

on our way to the Wills family vacation in Durango, we had to make a stop at Four corners.....it's not everyday we can be in 4 states at once! it was pretty cool and check out the gorgeous sky that day.

happy fAtHeRs day!!!

2011-06-20T00:36:00.002-05:00

happy fathers day to the sweetest....smartest....and silliest dad in the world! wE LoVe YoU up to 2900 (& you know that's a LOT)!!!

We can SWIM!!

2011-06-19T16:52:00.000-05:00

So our little fishes have been taking once a week swim lessons at Aqua Safe since February and we are so proud at how far they have come! Emma can swim across the pool independently, float on her back and is now diving to the bottom to pick up any treasure she can find. Ava can swim halfway across the pool and is getting really good at floating on her back too! Both love to wear their goggles and are in the water any chance they can get! We are ready to have our own pool though....hopefully soon!

Silly Sisters!

2011-06-15T17:43:00.001-05:00

Having some fun in our daddy's shoes.....ava picking her nose as usual...ha ha!

Summer Movie Fun!

2011-06-10T16:48:00.001-05:00

We are taking full advantage of the Harkins Theatres summer movie fun! Every Wednesday morning we're enjoying a new movie and a break from the Phoenix HEAT!! We LOVE going with our BFF's Grace & Cameron too!!

Goofing off with Daddy

2011-06-06T16:41:00.002-05:00

Here we are being silly with daddy after enjoying a little Mexican feast at Fuego Tacos....thanks Groupon!

La Playa.....

2011-05-30T16:28:00.000-05:00

One of favorite things to do in Mexico is walk the beach, collect seashells and just explore. Dad spotted a little octopus on the beach this trip!

"Pirate Princess"

2011-05-29T10:22:00.003-05:00

"Yo ho....let's go" it's off to Mexico again for the McGreevy's! This time it was just our little family of four that set off for another Mexican Adventure in Rocky Point. What a relaxing week it was......mom enjoyed a massage on the beach on her actual Birthday.....dad enjoyed sipping tasty drinks under the palapas and spending time with his "girls"....emma & ava loved the banana boat ride the best, but the most exciting part was a Pirate Ship cruise at sunset! Once we boarded the ship and saw Captain Hook all the fun started....dancing, pretending to row the ship, meeting new friends and playing games. Miss Emma Grace was the star of the show and was eager to enter the kids dance contest. Little Sister Ava was a little timid and chose to cheer her big sister on. It was such a fun moment watching our big girl have fun, show off her dancing skills and truly SHINE!! She was awesome, had no fear onstage and by the biggest applause made it to the dance off with another little guy and they were both winners!! Way to go Emma G....we are so proud of you!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

2011-05-23T21:38:00.002-05:00

We celebrated mom's official Birthday in Mexico this year but G-ma Lor Lor had a special party at her house before we left! Thank you to everyone for a wonderful day!! (ps...if you're wondering about Ava's forehead....just a fall against the coffee table that dad was able to Dermabond back together. Thank goodness it was dad's specialty & she didn't need stitches!)

Emma's Preschool Graduation

2011-05-11T21:22:00.002-05:00

Sweet little Emma has graduated from Preschool!! We are so very proud of her and will be next year too when she graduates again....ha ha! Since Emma has an August birthday we have decided to wait until she's 6 to start her in kindergarten and plan to make the most of this extra year we get with her! A trip to Disneyland is already in the works! We LOVE you EG!!

Sweet Little Ava!

2011-05-08T20:57:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to post a pic of our sweet little Ava....is she adorable or what? She definitely brings a fun spark to our family and we are so lucky to have her! LOVE you baby Ava!

Congratulations Chelsea!!

2011-05-08T13:04:00.002-05:00

I am so proud of my niece Chelsea who just graduated from Oklahoma State University!! It was an honor to be able to fly home and celebrate with my family. The trip was a quick 48hrs by myself which gave me the quality time I needed to just catch up with everyone! So nice to just visit & not worry about 2 little girls :) :). We are all so proud of you Chelsea and wish you the very best career life has to offer! We LOVE You!!

Mother's Day Tea

2011-05-07T20:47:00.001-05:00

Emma's preschool hosted the sweetest Mother's Day Tea for us! After singing "i love mommy, yes i do" & "i love her & she loves me & mommy is her name oh" we enjoyed Pink Lemonade and delicious cupcakes made by the kids! It was a wonderful morning and we were so glad G-ma Lor Lor could join us too!

Emma's first Trophy!

2011-05-05T01:02:00.001-05:00

Emma's first season of soccer has been such a fun experience for everyone. We have made wonderful new friends, learned the joy of being on a team and gained some super soccer skills too! Coach Brian could not have been a sweeter person, teacher and friend to us all. He played soccer for the Air Force Academy and brags about being such a competitive person, but you would never know it from his interactions with the kids. The SCORPIONS had a winning season this year but I can't tell you how many times coach Brian would have our team play with less kids just so the other team could score some goals and experience that joy as well. He has such a kind heart! We were lucky to have Reed on our team who was our "ace in the hole". He is such an adorable little boy who is a lefty like Emma and lives for soccer. Emma said when we have girls princess movie night she want's to invite Reed over to be the prince.....so sweet! Yes, it has been an awesome season and Emma would like to play again but the BEST was seeing her eyes light up when she was given her first Trophy.....PRICELESS! We LOVE you EG....especially that you are sharing your precious trophy with your little sis!

Princessa De Penasco with the Princesses!

2011-04-30T00:41:00.002-05:00

We were finally able to coordinate daddy's work schedule with Baby Jim & Lor Lor's and headed south of the border for some Mexican FUN!! We had been dying to go with them since we moved this winter and were so excited it finally worked out! We had a blast to say the least! The girls LOVED dancing at Max's, a jet ski ride, fresh churros, shopping for new mexican dresses, playing in the pool with baby Jim, crafting with Lor Lor and digging in the sand. It was a relaxing weekend and we can't wait to go back together again! We absolutely LOVE the new place even more than the last (can't believe I'm saying that)! Thanks for all the FUN!

Easter in Arizona

2011-04-25T17:32:00.005-05:00

We had such a fun Easter this year and it was wonderful to get to celebrate the holiday with family!! I always felt such a void in St. Louis when it was a holiday and we didn't get to spend it with family since my childhood memories are full of holidays surrounded by family. It was so nice to go to church with Baby Jim, Lor Lor & Uncle Mike. Emma & Ava looked adorable in their mom made colorful Easter dresses! G-ma Lor Lor served an amazingly yummy brunch with the most beautiful table setting! I told her it should be on the front cover of Phoenix Home & Garden. The girls had a great time hunting eggs hidden in the house, playing with their new bubble guns and swimming in their new adorable pink pakini's! Happy Easter everyone......so thankful for family this year and for GOD giving us his only SON!!

Desert Foothills Preschool Easter Egg Hunt

2011-04-21T17:28:00.002-05:00

We enjoyed lots of fun hunting for Easter eggs at Emma's preschool. They even let the "mommy & me kids" (ie: ava and her bff cameron) hunt too! Emma's preschool has been a wonderful place not only for Emma but for mom as well meeting new friends too!

Decorating Easter Eggs.....

2011-04-20T12:17:00.001-05:00

Here we are having some afternoon fun decorating eggs.....we tried to marble them this year. They turned out pretty cute but most importantly the girls had lots of FUN!!

Camel Rides at the Zoo!

2011-04-15T09:20:00.000-05:00

Just enjoying another fun daddy day off at the Phoenix Zoo!! This time the highlight was the Camel Ride!! It was awesome :):)

little "amigas"

2011-04-12T02:11:00.000-05:00

beach beauties....

2011-04-11T01:45:00.000-05:00

Mexico with the Martins!!

2011-04-11T01:20:00.001-05:00

We were so EXCITED for Josh, Krisha & Shepherd Grace to visit us that we scooped them up and headed south of the border for some real FUN!!! The girls were awesome on the 3.5 hr car ride down with the help of their "dads" up front. The mom's scored the best seats in the back, unable to hear or help...ha ha! Perfect for girl chat and catching up like old times :):)

It was our first time to Jim & Laurie's new resort vacation home and we LOVED it!! We knew it would be perfect since it is named "La Princessa"......and boy did our little princesses love it too! They were screaming "Best Day Ever" from the movie Tangled while running through the green grass with the ocean steps away minutes after arriving. They loved swimming, playing and getting burried in the sand, flying kites, blowing bubbles and a fun favorite was the nightly talent shows!!

The grown ups enjoyed relaxing on the beach, sipping margarita's, shopping for lanterns...ha ha but most of all just being together!! Can't wait for next year's trip!!!

The Grand Canyon

2011-03-25T11:03:00.004-05:00

One of the highlights of G-ma Nancy & Papa Charles visit was seeing the Grand Canyon together. It was their first time and Emma & Ava's too. It was a cold day with a few flurries but even more spectacular seeing the Grand Canyon with snow in it! It was just as breathtaking and magical as my first time seeing it many years ago....... Papa Charles said he was glad he lived to see it! It really is so BEAUTIFUL.....check out our photos!

Padres Spring Training with G-ma Nancy & Papa Charles!

2011-03-21T00:02:00.002-05:00

Yay.....G-ma Nancy & Papa Charles are here for some Spring Break fun!! So happy Papa Charles decided he could endure getting on an airplane to see his granddaughters because they were so happy to see him!! They were also so excited to take the big sports fan G-ma Nancy to see the Padres in Spring Training. Thanks to Baby Jim for the awesome seats (1st row behind the Padres dugout)!! We sure had a great time!!

"take me out to the Ballgame"

2011-03-16T23:23:00.002-05:00

Our great friend Vip or "Uncle Zip" flew back from San Fran to spend a few days with us and see a Cubs Spring training game! The girls had a blast playing, showing off their swimming skills and getting spoiled even more by Uncle Zip! I think they were on a sugar high the whole time.....cotton candy....twizzlers (or"fizzlers" per Ava). He was also able to enjoy Ava singing "Raise your Glass" by Pink. Check out the photos of all the FUN!! We hope he comes back to visit us again soon!

Hotel Triton

2011-03-14T22:25:00.002-05:00

So I can't forget to blog about our hip, trendy San Francisco "Hotel Triton". It was super fab, amazing location and the girls scored some new digs from Chinatown that was right around the corner from us! If you are ever in the area....i highly recommend this hotel!

Napa Valley.....

2011-03-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

the Golden Gate.....

2011-03-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

We were so lucky that my sweet friend Donna and her daughter Allison happened to be in San Francisco at the same time for a conference so we decided to plan a Napa Valley wine tour together! The day was a little foggy & rainy but that didn't stop us from enjoying our guided tour! We enjoyed a stop at the Golden Gate bridge for photos, some amazing champagne tasting, a surprisingly sunny lunch at one of my favorite wineries V. Sattui , some yummy Chardonnay from Whitehall Vineyard and ended the tour with a relaxing ferry ride back to the city! Hope to see you again soon San Francisco......

San Francisco.....

2011-03-12T21:22:00.002-06:00

We were so excited to be invited to our sweet friends Dennis & Leslie's wedding in San Francisco! It was wonderful to celebrate one of the most amazing days in their life and also get to catch up with all our Dallas friends! Our sweet girls were left in Phoenix being spoiled by G-ma Lor Lor & Baby Jim so we were more than thrilled to have a kid free getaway!

Soccer Girl Emma!

2011-03-01T20:54:00.001-06:00

Emma Grace is now playing soccer and I'm officially a "soccer mom". North Scottsdale soccer club is awesome and we are having so much fun being a part of it all! Emma is enjoying learning the game, being part of a team, making new friends and most importantly having FUN!!! Emma's sweet friend Grace from preschool is also on her team and Emma said that is what she loves most about soccer!

Skiing Snow Bowl!!

2011-02-22T21:20:00.005-06:00

It is incredible to me that only a 2 hour scenic drive north from Phoenix will take you up 10,000 feet to the beautiful mountain town of Flagstaff and a surprisingly really nice ski resort Snow Bowl!! I must say I was hesitant at first.....who thinks about skiing when you live in Arizona? But, I was amazed!!

We decided to take the girls on Ava's actual 3rd Birthday and it was PERFECT!! It was their first time to ski. Emma spent the day in Ski School and Ava took on the slopes for the first time with mommy & daddy!! Both girls were amazing.....Emma's instructor said she was a natural and could ski the first hour of class!! Ava had no fear and like any independent 3 year old just wanted us to let her go so she could "do it by herself"!! She loved to go fast and only had a couple of near tree encounters....ha ha!

We had so much fun and were happy when both girls didn't want to leave!! Ava has been asking every day when we can go "ice skiing" again!! We hope soon! Such fun to watch our little girls learn to ski and we're looking forward to many more family ski trips in the future!!

Happy 3rd Birthday "baby" Ava!!!

2011-02-05T21:23:00.002-06:00

Ava can't believe she is 3 already.....and we can't either! I keep telling her I want her to still be my baby.....her response..."mom, if you'll just let me be 3 and have my birthday party at the zoo, i'll be 2 again and be your baby"....so sweet!! We had a fun party at the Phoenix Zoo with G-ma Lor Lor, Baby Jim, Steve & Stephanie and our new wonderful friends from Omaha Grace and Cameron.
Ava was thrilled to get a new "big girl" bike like Emma's! Thanks to everyone for making her day special!! So fun to have a February birthday outside at the zoo....only in Arizona!

Hiking Pinnacle Peak

2011-02-04T16:47:00.004-06:00

We took full advantage of one of dad's days off last week and hiked Pinnacle Peak Mountain! It was really fun and the girls did great! Ava did fall asleep just as we arrived and Jon had to carry her 3/4 of the way up while she napped. Emma got a little tired but nothing the words "i think i can" couldn't help motivate her with! What a view when we finally made it to the top!!

Our new Life in the Desert SUN!!

2011-01-10T21:30:00.003-06:00

It has been an amazing January for us. Moving into our new loft (or hotel as Ava says), Emma starting a new Preschool, Ava starting her "school" (mommy & me) and Jon starting his Peds EM career.

We are enjoying every minute of it all especially the sunny 70 degree weather!! It feels like spring here and the girls are loving the parks, riding their bikes and making new friends. Emma said on a bike ride the other day "Mom I just love Arizona don't you? But there is only one think I don't like.....the SUN" too funny! Let's just say we will be investing in many pairs of shades for our sun sensitive blond hair, blue eyed babies!!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T21:40:00.002-06:00

Cheers to an amazing 2011!!!!

Riding in style to look at Christmas lights.....

2010-12-30T21:50:00.002-06:00

G-ma Lor Lor & Baby Jim rented a Limo for us to check out Christmas lights this year!! We had so much fun and really felt like BIG GIRLS that night!!!

Alamo Bowl......Oklahoma State vs Arizona!!

2010-12-29T21:19:00.002-06:00

(36-10 Cowboys WIN!!!)

What are the odds that our 2 teams would match up in the Alamo Bowl this year??? We enjoyed watching the game in Phoenix with G-ma Lor Lor & Baby Jim!! Mom was happy with the outcome.....dad not so much! But, unlike the last time our teams played against each other in the sweet sixteen.....no one slept on the couch this year...ha ha!

Ooh well, they will get a chance to meet again the next two years.....in Stillwater next year and Tucson the following. We're hoping to make both games!! We printed these pics of the girls on a canvas and framed them for part of our parents Christmas gifts this year. I think they were a hit!!

Arizona Christmas!

2010-12-28T20:49:00.003-06:00

We finally made it to Arizona and were so excited to celebrate Christmas with G-ma Lor Lor, Baby Jim and Uncle Mike. Santa even came to see us.....although Emma kept saying Santa was really baby Jim dressed up.....silly girl:) Check out all the fun gifts we received.....thank you for all our awesome presents.....i think the stand up microphone was the favorite!!!

"road trippin" to Arizona!!

2010-12-27T22:50:00.004-06:00

After 2 months of being homeless and a fun Christmas celebration in Oklahoma, it was finally time to make our way to our new home out west!! Destination day 1.....Albuquerque....and day 2....PHOENIX!!

After driving 12+ hours in the car, we made it to adorable Albuquerque, checked into our quaint hotel in Old Town and were all enjoying a fabulous mexican dinner until Emma vomited all over mom!! Poor baby, she had been complaining that her stomach hurt all evening. We were quite a sight and had to leave immediately but laughed it off as my mom's saying goes "parenting is not for wimps" but an hour later Jon was ill.....uggh!!

Luckily Ava & Mom escaped the illness....here were are in Old Town Albuquerque before Emma & Dad got sick.....

Christmas 2010!

2010-12-26T14:18:00.003-06:00

Here we are before church the day after Christmas having fun with uncle Bob!

Fancy Nancy's Girls...

2010-12-26T12:07:00.001-06:00

Having fun with G-ma Nancy in our new "Fancy Nancy" dress up clothes she bought us for Christmas......don't we look "stupendous (that's a fancy word for fabulous)!!! Oooh la la!!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T21:08:00.005-06:00

We want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas this year!!! We are so blessed....wonderful family.....wonderful friends....good health.....a fun adventure ahead of us! It was a fun day celebrating with the G-ma Nancy, Papa Charles and all our Aunts, Uncles and Cousins!! We Love You all soo much!!

Santa was so good to us this year.....pillow pets....zu zu pets....a fun baking stand with lots of goodies to sell and much more!! We are lucky little girls:):) G-ma Nancy had a fun surprise present of "Fancy Nancy" dress up clothes.....our favorite thing to do these days....play dress up! Thank you, thank you, thank you.....we are enjoying each and every present we received!

Merry Christmas and "Happy Birthday Jesus"!!!
XOXOXO
Emma & Ava

Santa Clause is coming to town......and Dad is finally home!!

2010-12-24T20:55:00.002-06:00

What a wonderful day.....Christmas Eve.....Santa is coming to town....and Dad made it out of the snow storm in St. Louis and is officially finished with fellowship!! Yay.....time to celebrate Christmas together!!! We were so excited to see dad again (after 3 weeks apart) and to get our milk and cookies ready for Santa!

Krisha & Shepherd visit the Farm!!

2010-12-20T20:42:00.003-06:00

Krisha & Shepherd drove all the way from Sherman, TX to Pawnee, OK just to visit us!! We were so excited and lucky to get to spend the weekend together. We met up at our friends the Wilson's house in Jenks for some play time and lunch at our favorite....Chick fil A. Then we traveled back to G-ma and G-Pa's farm for some new adventures......checking out Aunt Lori's chickens.....a dead raccoon.....feeding the birds.....the Pawnee Bill's wild west Buffalo and Papa Charles herd of cows!!! What a fun weekend we had......can't wait for our next adventure together!!

Fun with the Wilson girls!!

2010-12-18T20:36:00.003-06:00

We always have so much fun with our friends.....Ella, Kate and Sophie Wilson!! The mom's love it because we just play together all day and they get to sit around chat, talk about decorating and other stuff they love......

Happy Birthday/ Happy Graduation/ Happy Finishing Fellowship to DAD!!!

2010-12-13T20:12:00.002-06:00

I was so lucky to be able to fly back to St. Louis to celebrate Jon's MPH Graduation from SLU, his 35th Birthday and his completing Peds EM Fellowship brunch! G-ma Nancy and Papa Charles watched the girls for us and we enjoyed a wonderful weekend in the Lou! It was sad to say goodbye to good friends, but we were also so happy to be able to celebrate all Jon's accomplishments!! Finishing fellowship early, getting his MPH with a 4.0, all the while working full time and keeping up with his house full of girls!! We are so proud of him!!

Christmas Program!

2010-12-10T20:01:00.001-06:00

The girls were so lucky to be able to join in the Christmas Program at the First Baptist Church in Pawnee. They had so much fun holding their "baby Jesus" baby dolls, singing and loved every minute of performing......so sweet! So proud of our girls!! It's so wonderful to see them involved and beginning to learn that Jesus is the real reason we celebrate Christmas!!

Happy Thanksgiving from South Dakota!!

2010-11-25T19:49:00.002-06:00

Since Jon had 3 weeks off, we took full advantage and decided to go visit GG and all our family in South Dakota!! GG was so excited to see us and had so many delicious and wonderful meals! Aunt Liz and Uncle Chuck hosted a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner at their home and even had a "special table" for the girls!! The food was beyond amazing.....just thinking about the brussel sprouts makes my mouth water. It was the girls first time to meet Cousin Ann and they were pals right away! They even snuggled to watch a classic "Beauty & the Beast". We enjoyed visiting with Jon & Pat too. Cousin Charlie and Emma went to work building with blocks.....just like old times :) We even went to a Christmas Parade with Liz, Chuck & Charlie which was a little cold, but so much fun! We saw Santa...and the Grinch!! No trip is complete without going to the Falls and this time was extra special as it was lit up with "ooh my goodness, these are the most beautiful lights in the whole world" per Ava. Thanks for a wonderful trip!! We miss you all!!

Hello Sunny Arizona!!

2010-11-17T13:49:00.002-06:00

We are so lucky Jon has 3 weeks off and we were able to meet him in Phoenix to visit G-ma Lor Lor & Baby Jim and check out some rentals for our new home. We have decided to rent for a few months while we search for the perfect house with the perfect pool with lots of "water features" per Emma! The girls were so good while we were out apt hunting all day, we decided to bring them home some new "princess" dresses and I don't think they took them off the rest of the trip!!

Spending time on the farm....

2010-11-10T14:08:00.003-06:00

We were so lucky G-ma Nancy came to stay with us our last week in St. Louis to help with moving and watching the girls while we officially got our house SOLD!! She was a lifesaver and the girls had lots of fun with G-ma. The fun continued as we moved into G-ma Nancy & Papa Charles house for a couple of months while Jon finishes work (official last day is Christmas Eve). We had so much fun spending quality time with family!! A special Thank You to G-ma Nancy for all the delicious meals and "Aunt Chelsea" for all the help with the girls!!!

Goodbye 6644 Nottingham Avenue.....

2010-11-04T12:10:00.001-05:00

Although we are so happy and excited to be moving to Phoenix soon, we are still sad to say goodbye to our first house. It is filled with so many wonderful memories with the girls as babies....first steps...first birthdays....bringing baby ava home from the hospital....and so much more! Thanks for all the memories.....we will miss you sweet home!

Happy Halloween!!!

2010-10-31T22:52:00.001-05:00

We were so excited to celebrate Halloween in our fun neighborhood of St. Louis Hills again this year. We are set to close on our house on Nov 5th, so luckily we still get to join in the Halloween festivities!!! Our cowgirls Emma Grace and Ava Elizabeth were ready to go......yee haw!! In the St. Louis tradition, they also had their jokes ready for "trick or treating". Ava's joke "why does a ghost wear a bandaid?" "because he have a boo boo" (with the cutest laugh from her)....so cute and sweet! Emma's joke "what's a ghost favorite food?" "spookghetti" (with the sweetest smile :)....!
At one point someone said "you all are in big trouble with those cute girls".....yes we are....they are adorable and sweet too!! We might be in trouble, but we are very lucky to have these girls!!

Our sweet friend Maggie and her parents joined us this year which was a special treat!! Check out the photos of our fun!!

Carving Pumpkins with Dad......

2010-10-31T12:50:00.002-05:00

Dad is the BEST at helping us carve pumpkins!! It is a Halloween family tradition now and we love to roast the pumpkin seeds for a tasty snack too....yum yum!! Check out the fun we had with Dad!!

"Time Out"

2010-10-20T11:04:00.001-05:00

Sometimes a sassy 2 year old needs is a "time out".........such a sad face :( Poor little Ava baby!!

Picking the "perfect pumpkin"

2010-10-16T12:23:00.002-05:00

G-ma Nancy took us to a family farm in Pawnee to pick pumpkins. Paige, Aunt Carrie and Chelsea also came along. What a fun time we had!!

"BUBBLE GIRLS"....

2010-10-15T22:00:00.003-05:00

It was sweet to see the cousins passing out bubbles at Aunt Lisa's wedding. It was special too because they were using the baskets from Aunt Lori, Aunt Carrie and my wedding.....

Aunt Lisa says "I DO"!!!

2010-10-15T21:39:00.004-05:00

We are so excited for Aunt Lisa who married her prince Damon Myers!!! It was fun to share in their wedding celebration and get to be "bubble girls" with our cousin Paige. She was a beautiful blushing bride and we loved every minute of her wedding day!! We Love You Aunt Lisa!! CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Chloe Elizabeth Culver

2010-10-07T22:19:00.003-05:00

So happy to be an Aunt again!! Chloe Elizabeth Culver arrived on September 27th at 6:22pm weighing a sweet 6 pounds and 19 inches long. Emma & Ava were there to welcome their adorable new cousin and enjoyed some play time with Big sister Paige and the rest of the family! Welcome baby Chloe!! We Love You!!!

First Day at Union Preschool!

2010-10-07T22:05:00.004-05:00

Little sister is excited too!
Look at our sweet "Preschool Girl"
So BIG!

It was a rainy start to Emma's first day of Preschool but that was OK. She woke up early and ready to go!!! Emma was so EXCITED and it was fun for the whole family to be there for her first day! After dropping Emma off mom became a little overwhelmed with emotion of how quickly the past 4 years have gone by and the fact our little girl is growing up. Only a few tears were shed, but it was a powerful moment. One of mostly happiness but a little sadness too (just for mom). We're so proud of you Emma Grace McGreevy!!!

Emma's Preschool Orientation!

2010-10-07T21:25:00.003-05:00

It's so hard to believe Emma is already 4 and ready for Preschool. She has been talking about it for months and so EXCITED orientation day is finally here and she can meet her teacher Mrs. Fresta. Mrs. Fresta was also our sweet friend Maddie's teacher at Union Preschool and to this day is her favorite teacher. Emma walked right in and sat down in her homeroom the "Orange Room" no problem. She had fun meeting her new teacher and other classmates too! It was fun for mom to go with her just this once and what a wonderful feeling when Mrs. Fresta said "Emma seems very confident in a good way". So proud we have raised a beautiful, sweet and confident little girl!

Fun with Uncle Mike & Dan!

2010-10-07T20:40:00.002-05:00

Congrats to Uncle Mike!!

2010-08-29T20:48:00.003-05:00

Super BIG Congrats to Uncle Mike for graduating from Thomas Cooley School of Law!! We are so very proud of him and were so lucky he stopped and spent a few days with us on his way back to Phoenix. We had fun grilling pizza's, banh mi burgers, eating celebratory cupcakes, a trip to the Arch, Budweiser Brewery and Schlafly. Emma & Ava loved playing with Dan and Mike and especially liked it when to they read books to them before bed! Can't wait to see you both again soon in Arizona!!

OOH CHICAGO!!

2010-08-22T19:49:00.001-05:00

We couldn't resist making one more trip to Chicago before our move out west!! Leave it to the "foodie mcgreevys" to plan our trip around food and it was so worth it! Our first stop was "Big Star" in Wicker Park and it was AMAZING to say the least! A very hip, loud, trendy street taco joint. Sorry, Rick Bayless but we now prefer Big Star! Can't wait to go back! We were blessed with beautiful warm sunny weather and enjoyed a concert at Navy Pier, an afternoon at the beach and a boat ride for the girls!! It was fun to take the girls to the American Girl doll store again and hit the famous "Gino's East" Pizza for lunch! We always love "Big Bowl" and could not help ourselves for some yummy Asian cuisine. It was so fun watching our girls eat with chopsticks. Dad found an awesome after dinner treat of frozen yogurt at "Berry Chill" and it was to die for!! Yes, our trip was A LOT about food, but mostly about having FUN as a FAMILY and that we did!! We will miss you Chicago, but don't worry the McGreevy's will be back to the Windy City for sure! Thanks for all the great memories!!!

Princess Emma turns 4!!!

2010-08-07T08:32:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful weekend we enjoyed celebrating Emma Grace's 4th Birthday!! G-ma Lor Lor and Baby Jim flew in for the "royal celebration" for our sweet Princess Emma! Everyone enjoyed a fun Fairy Tale afternoon at the Magic House. The princesses & princes loved making their own crowns and magic wands! Princess Emma was super excited to decorate her very own cupcake too!! After opening presents with her friends, everyone was able to explore and play throughout the Magic House. Thanks to all our amazing family and friends for making Emma's birthday so special!!

Sticker Chart = Motivation=Sister Gets New Scooter First= More Motivation = New Scooter!!!

2010-07-14T16:41:00.001-05:00

Yipee!!! Emma G has finally earned her scooter!! It did take baby Ava getting hers first to get Emma really motivated, but she has been awesome and we are so proud of her!! She has quickly become a scooter expert on her new hot pink Razor JR!! Check her out! Way to go Emma Grace!

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T20:36:00.003-05:00

Another great 4th of July for the McGreevy's. Emma & Ava were so excited to see the fireworks at the Arch again this year and mom & dad were too since John Legend was performing live!! It was a beautiful evening, the weather was perfect and John Legend sounded amazing! The girls enjoyed playing with their glow necklaces and bracelets and listening to the tunes! What a crowd of about 100K people and we were having a ball right in the middle of it!

We also decided to take the girls to a Cardinals game on the 4th and they loved it......especially the cotton candy and kettle corn! The parents loved having a cold beer on a hot afternoon and just enjoyed watching the game at the ballpark! Emma & Ava were good sports wearing their "mom made clothes" all weekend! Check them out!!

Beauty & the Beast

2010-06-29T16:28:00.000-05:00

We were so lucky to have awesome weather on our night at the Muny to see Beauty and the Beast! Emma was in awe seeing Belle and absolutely loved the performance! Ava was obsessed with the Beast and kept asking "where's the beast, i see the beast"!! It was a wonderful evening and an amazing show!!

Playa del Carmen

2010-06-27T19:30:00.001-05:00

Ooh Mexico, Ooh Mexico, your beach is faithful ever.....

So we decided it was time to take our girls to the beach and what better location than our favorite.....Mexico!! After 2 planes and 1 bus ride and 2 very excited girls we arrived at the beautiful Riviera Maya. The beach was beyond gorgeous with white sand and water 3 colors of blue!! The girls had to immediately get their feet in the sand and absolutely loved every minute of our trip! They are total beach bums.....wanting to swim in the ocean and pool as much as possible...loved riding the waves and building sand castles with dad. It was a wonderful week and definitely a place we will go back to......very Mexican chic....full of European travelers, Mexican nationals....yummy food and the fun 5th avenue! We love you Mexico.....thanks for another awesome adventure!!

THE POOL IS OPEN!!!

2010-06-14T15:00:00.002-05:00

We are so excited the Shrewsbury pool is open for the summer! I think we've only missed 3 days since it opened on Memorial Day! Thank goodness we have a summer pass! The girls just started swimming lessons and are much more confident in the water this year! They love their floaties and the "noisy river" per ava! So, if you're trying to get a hold of us this summer in the afternoon, sorry we're probably relaxing at the POOL!!!

Perfect little Princesses!!

2010-06-05T14:34:00.002-05:00

So Emma & Ava absolutely love to dress up like princesses!! It just might be their favorite thing to do. So when they heard g-ma Lor Lor and Baby Jim sent some princess dresses in the mail, they could hardly wait to get them.

It was a Saturday afternoon and the girls were dressed to go to the swimming pool, but we made a detour first to the post office to get the dresses. They had to open them immediately and put them on (over their swimsuits). They were beyond excited and happy :) :). The girls decided they didn't want to swim anymore but go home and play princess.

We decided to do something even more fun. With Emma dressed as Belle and Ava Sleeping Beauty, we went straight to Forest Park and bought tickets to see Beauty and the Beast at the Muny. The Muny is an outdoor theater in St. Louis and we will see the show in a couple of weeks. The girls are more than excited!! What a fun afternoon we had. I even broke one of my mommy rules and took them to Target in their dresses. Instead of Christmas in July, we decided it could be Halloween in June! Check out face painting we did later in the day too!

Happy Birthday MOM!!

2010-05-23T14:26:00.001-05:00

We celebrated mom's birthday with a picnic in Forest Park and some really BIG yummy cupcakes!! Ava & Emma loved singing "happy birthday" to mom and were big helpers opening presents! The day was PERFECT!!