diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 01b33e0..e7b30e0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
+### Added
+- **Avante.nvim AI Assistant**: Added Avante.nvim with local LLM support to README documentation
+- **Bash Treesitter Parser**: Installed bash parser for noice.nvim cmdline highlighting
+
+### Fixed
+- **Auto-session Lazy Loading**: Changed from `event = "VeryLazy"` to `lazy = false` to enable session auto-restore on startup
+- **Alpha Dashboard Config**: Fixed `enable` to `enabled` (correct lazy.nvim spec key)
+- **Snacks vs Alpha Conflict**: Disabled `Snacks.dashboard` in favor of `alpha-nvim` for CARGDEV branding
+
 ### Added
 - **Java Debug & Run Keymaps**: New keybindings for Java development
   - `<leader>jd` - Debug Class (DAP)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 23b6cd8..e15fda0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ nvim
 - **File Navigation**: Snacks.nvim (modern) + Telescope (git features)
 - **File Explorer**: nvim-tree
 - **Git Integration**: LazyGit, Gitsigns
-- **AI Assistant**: GitHub Copilot with Copilot Chat
+- **AI Assistants**: GitHub Copilot + [Avante.nvim](https://github.com/yetone/avante.nvim) (local LLM support)
 - **Debugging**: DAP with UI
 - **Formatting**: Conform.nvim with auto-format on save
 - **Diagnostics**: Trouble.nvim for organized diagnostics view
diff --git a/lua/cargdev/plugins/alpha.lua b/lua/cargdev/plugins/alpha.lua
index 34b57f9..67d7e7c 100644
--- a/lua/cargdev/plugins/alpha.lua
+++ b/lua/cargdev/plugins/alpha.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 return {
   "goolord/alpha-nvim",
   event = "VimEnter",
-  enable = true,
+  enabled = true,
   config = function()
     local alpha = require("alpha")
     local dashboard = require("alpha.themes.dashboard")
diff --git a/lua/cargdev/plugins/auto-session.lua b/lua/cargdev/plugins/auto-session.lua
index 25d2039..374f266 100644
--- a/lua/cargdev/plugins/auto-session.lua
+++ b/lua/cargdev/plugins/auto-session.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 return {
   "rmagatti/auto-session",
-  event = "VeryLazy",
+  lazy = false,
   opts = {
     log_level = "error",
     auto_session_suppress_dirs = { "~/", "~/Dev/", "~/Downloads", "~/Documents", "~/Desktop/" },
diff --git a/lua/cargdev/plugins/avante.lua b/lua/cargdev/plugins/avante.lua
index 52a4f5e..8e13a80 100644
--- a/lua/cargdev/plugins/avante.lua
+++ b/lua/cargdev/plugins/avante.lua
@@ -50,10 +50,7 @@ return {
             -- Enable all snacks modules
             bigfile = { enabled = true },
             dashboard = { 
-              enabled = true,
-              autostart = true,
-              -- Ensure dashboard setup runs
-              auto_open = false,
+              enabled = false, -- Disabled: using alpha-nvim for CARGDEV branding
             },
             explorer = { enabled = true },
             image = { 
@@ -82,19 +79,7 @@ return {
               hl = { enabled = true },
             },
           })
-          
-          -- Force dashboard module initialization
-          -- Access the dashboard module to ensure its setup function runs
-          vim.defer_fn(function()
-            pcall(function()
-              local dashboard = require("snacks.dashboard")
-              -- Access the module to trigger lazy initialization if needed
-              if dashboard and type(dashboard) == "table" then
-                -- Module loaded successfully
-              end
-            end)
-          end, 100)
-          
+
           -- Set up vim.ui.input and vim.ui.select for snacks
           -- Use vim.schedule to ensure this runs after all plugins are loaded
           vim.schedule(function()