Kissable Faces

This is why we get mobbed every time we're in public - everyone is drawn in by these two amazing girls.

"Big Girls" Day Out

Carrie and I decided to take the "big" girls to Disney on Ice this weekend. AnLi was VERY excited and needed to pick out just the right outfit. She was quite concerned that Mickey didn't know Tinkerbell, but I assured her they were friends. (I'm not sure exactly when it happened, but all of a sudden AnLi has an opinion about what she wears and how we put her hair up. Oy!)

I thought doing something special with just AnLi would be great, but I'm not sure who was more sad as we pulled out the driveway, AnLi or Carli. AnLi kept yelling out the window, "I love you, Ca-wee" and was pretty sad and quiet until we got to Maizie's house. Then she perked right up and was ready to see Mickey again.

Maizie and AnLi

Cinderella was a HUGE hit! And even "Pwince Chawming" was there.

Mickey and Minnie get captured and I think AnLi said at least 30 times, "Oh, no, we have to get Mickey and Minnie. Where are Mickey and Minnie? They have to rescue Mickey and Minnie!" Thank goodness they were saved and all was well!


As soon as we got home, AnLi ran up to wake Carli from her nap. They rode bikes together the rest of the afternoon.

In Loving Memory of Lauren

A year ago today we received a phone call no one ever wants to get - Lauren's been in an accident and being flown to Iowa City. At first you have panic, but then you reassure yourselves that everything will be all right, it has to be all right. We packed a bag, put AnLi in her jammies, and hit the road. For the first couple of hours of the drive we'd get phones calls updating Lauren's condition. For another two hours the drive was silent - AnLi was sleeping, Brian and I's minds were racing and the phone did not ring. We knew. The last hour of the drive were just tears. No, we hadn't made it in time to say good-bye to Lauren. We entered the PICU waiting area and saw a whole host of other family and friends who had made it in time, there supporting Beth, Greg and Steven, and surrounding Lauren with prayer as she was literally fighting for her life.

Lauren was just 15. A beautiful young girl who had so much going for her and a very bright future. Lauren had a beautiful demeanor and a huge heart. From the little girl who used to terrorize her kitty, she had become a huge animal lover. She was excited about the upcoming homecoming dance and especially excited about her new dress. But instead of being the beautiful dress she'd wear out on a night while dancing and enjoying her many friends, it would be the dress she'd be laid to rest in.

We all miss Lauren very much. AnLi especially loved her cousin Lauren. Our first month home they came to visit and AnLi warmed right up to her, something AnLi didn't do to a lot of people at first. At Christmas AnLi loved sitting with Steven and Lauren, and doing anything they did, especially pester them during the TV trivia game. :) We're sad to think that Carli never got the pleasure of meeting Lauren. Lauren was always thinking of Carli, though, and had even bought her a stuffed animal to give her when they finally got the chance to meet. That's just how Lauren was - always thinking of others. I can't even put into words what a sweet, loving, caring person she was. Just the week of her death she had told her family that she wanted to be an organ donor. We have been blessed to receive the updates of the five people's lives she saved because of her selfless act. Lauren lives through them.

We can only hope our two girls grow up with Lauren's amazing personality and her huge heart!

Please say a prayer for Brian's sister Beth, her husband Greg, and our nephew Steven, Grandpa and Grandma Gute and the many other family members and friends as they celebrate Lauren's life today. We miss you and love you so much, Lauren!

Pictures in the Park

Yesterday was picture day! They were so excited to wear their little tutus and dance and twirl around. But once we got there, Carli would NOT smile. She was so stone-faced throughout the whole thing, I thought maybe she was sick or something. The girls were chosen to be part of a statewide adoption campaign/fund-raiser and had gotten their head shots taken a couple weeks ago. Carli hammed it up for the photographer and was being her silly 'ol self, and the photographer was literally inches from her face. Yesterday, I'm not sure if being in the park was too overwhelming, she was hot or what was going on. I hope they at least got ONE of her smiling when AnLi was chasing her or I was tickling her. Whenever AnLi dresses up, she gets this "grin" and tries to be so prim and proper as she acts like a princess. I'm not sure they got one of her giving us her pearly whites either! Maybe I should have just had the photographers come to our house, where they run around naked and never stop smiling and laughing. Next time.

It all ended when AnLi fell in a mud puddle. She was NOT happy! She kept crying, "I'll never wear my fancy dress again! Oh, my fancy dress!" I reassured her we'd get it cleaned, but at that moment that didn't matter.

You can see a couple shots the photographers put on their blog here. They take incredible pictures! And of course we think the girls are beautiful inside and out, with or without smiles, with or without mud!!

Weekend Fun

A Day at the Zoo

Time to jump the river rocks in the Rain Forest

Come on, Carli
Help, Ma!
Like this, Carli. 1, 2, 3...
JUMP!
WHOOOOAAAA!

Help, Ma!


Sisterly Love - AnLi comforting Carli after she fell in the jungle


Climbing the waterfall
Come on, Carli. --- Really, I'm going this time!
Really, I'm going! --- Well, I've been up and back!

Riding Bikes
(I think Carli's ready for her own "big girl" bike.)

Labor Day Parade

We met our family and friends for the annual Labor Day parade in Neola. The girls loved the marching bands and, of course, the candy. Jake, Angie and Greg's son, was so sweet. Every time he'd get candy, he'd put it in the girls' bags for them. Their bags were so heavy and completly full of candy! The candy was either bubblegum, taffy or Tootsie Rolls. AnLi doesn't like candy, unless it's chocolate, which she got none of. Carli would LOVE to eat the candy but can't yet master the chewing of sticky, gooey things yet. So guess who's been eating five pounds of candy this week?

Waiting for the parade to start

My nephew Jonathon drove a firetruck.

My niece Meghan and her boyfriend drove a firetruck.

My niece Jessica rode her horse.

A true family affair!

My sister Kim pointing out Meghan. The kids waiting for the parade.

Oh, here come those LOUD fire engines again!!

Where's the candy?

The BEST part of the whole day was Jessica giving the girls a ride on the horse. They were so happy!! (of course, my camera died, but Kim was nice enough to forward me some pics.) Thanks for letting the girls ride Misty, Jess! You know AnLi hasn't stopped talking about it.

Weekend Getaway

We decided to go to Adventureland for a little weekend getaway. The girls had a great time at the amusement park and an even better time at the hotel's swimming pools!

We made the mistake of telling AnLi we were going about two days before we were leaving. She ran and got her "purse" and filled it with money so she could pay to ride the ferris wheel and carousel. She carried that purse around nonstop for two days, ready to go to "Abentureland". Once there, every ride we'd get in line for, she made sure to have her purse with her. I kept explaining that she didn't have to pay for these rides. Finally, about the fifth time of me telling her that, she proclaimed, "Ah, I NEVER get to use my money!" Oh, her time will come!

Carli loved every single ride! She would give her big belly laugh on each ride. She was not scared one bit. AnLi was always excited to get on, but as soon as they started, that was a different story. She always looked like she was going to get sick.

The hotel pool/slide

CHEESE!

AnLi thought the swim-up bar was pretty cool.

Doing a handstand in shallow water doesn't work so well.

AnLi chasing Carli.

Carli going down the slide. She was a little shocked when her

face actually went under water. :)

Carli saw AnLi doing the backfloat and thought she'd try it out. She went over to the shallowest part of the pool to perfect her backfloat. :)

Okay, enough of the baby pool. Let's go back to the big pool again!

The Tea Cups

Carli LOVING the tea cups

AnLi...not so much!

The ladybugs started out great - when they weren't moving.

As soon as it started to go, AnLi looked like she was going to lose it.

Finding the next ride with Nana

High flying with mom and dad

Blowing kisses!

AnLi and mom got soaked on the Raging River!


And you can't leave Adventureland without a giant lollipop!