We've Got ANNIE!!

Saturday night we took Ansley to see Annie at the Bedell Performance Hall on the River Campus and we're STILL singing the songs!  In fact, everyone would get a kick out of the Bandermann family rendition of "Easy Street" (this song is not on the movie that I can remember, but we will always remember it because of the humor and funny dancing).  Seeing Jason play the part of Rooster, me as Miss Hanigan, and Ansley as Miss St. Regis is a sight to behold!  Charli just thinks she's in a house full of loons.  Ha!  
Annie is one of Ansley's favorite movies (right behind all the Disney Princess movies), so we decided to take her.  She loved it.  What was so funny is that in some of the final scenes Annie gets "gussied" up for the adoption party that Mr. Warbucks plans for her.  Annie came out with curly hair in these scenes and Ansley just couldn't understand why they had 2 Annies.  She kept saying, "mommy, one had curly hair and the other one didn't.  How come, mommy?".  After explaining it a few times, we just gave up. Ha!  (I'll give her some credit, they looked like totally different kids.)

Usually Beatrice is our only friend that comes along, but Dawson made the show too because "Annie had a dog too"

She just kept saying "Mommy, I'm soo cited!"

Daddy and Ans (notice the head tilt and hands clasped.  We're in trouble)

This play brings back so many memories for me.  I can remember watching it as a kid, but more than that, a flood of skating memories rush back in.  My friend, Ashlee and I made up MANY ice skating programs to the songs of Annie with some of our favorite group of skaters.  And I can't help but think about the many families at Lynwood that are waiting on their "Annie's" in other countries (Mayhew's, Underwood's, Moran's, and Dodge's).  My heart goes out to them.  I can't imagine the anticipation and other emotions that goes into waiting for your child thousands of miles away.  Whew!  

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after the orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to be polluted by the world.  James 1:27

Charli Suttyn: 8 Months

*You waved!!! You actually opened and closed your sweet little hand and waved to your daddy!! And wouldn't you know it....I missed it.  Ugh!! Can't wait to see your little waves happen more frequently now. :)

*Everyone, but myself has heard you say....ma ma!  :(  I've tried to get you to say it for me and thought it would be the perfect Valentine's present, but you just smile and say da da! One of these days you will make my heart skip a beat when you say it for the first time :)

*You are quite the demanding little turkey.  When you want something, you grunt until you get it.  Sassy already!!

*You are loving your dollhouse at Pamaw's and your newly opened Disney castle!  You are so content just playing and putting the pieces in and out of the dollhouse with the little people.  Ansley is so excited to have a playing buddy!

*Our newest food attempts have been avocado, kiwi, prunes (because we have poop issues :) ), and bananas.  You have liked each of them, especially the kiwi!  That's my girl!

*You have said or mimicked me saying....uh oh!  I was shocked when it happened the first time.  I went to pick up one of your socks (we can never find both socks, you love to kick them off constantly) and of course, I said...."uh oh" as I was picking it up.  Shockingly, you mimicked it!  You were so smiley and proud of yourself when you did!

*You're not much of a snuggler and I'm trying to change that.  Ha!  We like our snuggle time in this family and you will hopefully learn to love it.  :)  Recently, before bedtime after I have you all swaddled up, I'll sing and hold you tight for about 10 minutes before letting you lie down.  At first, you sing and coo along with me (your legs usually kick constantly) and then you settle in and groan the rest of the time without one little movement made.  I can usually feel your whole body relax.  These little moments we've been sharing together are priceless.

*This Valentine's Day you stole your Daddy's heart all over again.  He's so blessed to have 2 precious little Valentines.

*You are standing steadier and steadier with help these days.  You think you're sooo big when you do!

*You've recently been clapping your hands together and sometimes giving the "more" sign. We love to sing paddy cake with you too!

Oh Charli....we've witnessed some big changes in such a short amount of time.  You're as spunky as ever and we can't wait to see your sweet personality bloom.  We love you silly!

Evy Kate's Birthday!

Little Evy Kate had her big birthday bash at Le Bounce a couple of weeks ago and the kid's had so much fun together!  We had the whole place to ourselves (Ashley got one stellar deal!) and the kid's rocked in the bounce houses for a solid hour before we started the food and festivities.  She had Chick-fil-a for us and cute little cupcakes.  It was so yummy!  Ansley was seriously beside herself with giddiness.  To have all her favorite friends in one place laughing, jumping, and running around is a perfect day for her.

Be prepared for some really bad pics.  The combination of poor lighting, wiggly girls, and my awful iphone camera.  I've taken better pics that's for sure.  

How about these beauts??

Charli and Scarlett were having a moment.  Precious.

Bounce house fun

I love this.  Charli was enjoying her bounce time too

Sonya had to rescue Ellie

I mean...how cute is this?!  I can't wait to look back on this in the years to come.  What a treasure.  

It was a fun day with our buddies!         

Charli chowing down!

I know this video will be very boring for most, but I want to always remember the little things that I love about the kiddos (that is really the reason I blog at all), even if that means others will have no interest in it. I hope that doesn't come across harshly! Charli is at the sweetest age right now and watching her learn new things is so exciting. She just recently has been feeding herself pretty good and I've been meaning to catch her smacking on camera, so I thought I would post a video of both. She's just too cute. I just had to!  Please disregard my annoying voice in the background!

Valentine's Day 💝

Valentine's Day was so good this year.  In preparation for the big V-day, Ansley and I made some special treats for her class. They were little heart and cupcake crayons (found in the Target dollar spot) that we attached to a little card that said "Valentine, you color my world". Simple and cute. Thank you pinterest.  She layed each one out and counted them to make sure we had enough (of course we were one short, so back to Target I went...story of my life).

She was especially fond of the cupcake crayons and purple was her pick.  She could NOT wait to pass them out to her friends!

On Valentine's day, it started out to be a pretty typical morning with the girls. Wake up time around 7:45, I fed Charli, got Ansley up (milk and the "T.D." on for her), and then I usually scurry around trying to get out the door and off to school with the girls. Jason and I had exchanged a few texts, but my biggest surprise came when I dropped Ansley at school. There was a beautiful bouquet of chocolate and fruit and a little box for the girls. It was seriously one of the sweetest surprises ever. Ansley was so so sweet when she found out that daddy had left her and Charli some sweets too. "Awwww, mom. Dat was so sweet of Daddy". Sometimes my heart feels as if it's going to explode because of her tenderness.

 

Ok...here's my surprise!  I'm in love with chocolate covered strawberries, ya'll.  For real!  This picture kind of makes my heart flutter :)

I snapped a quick picture of the girls after they found out Daddy left them a special treat.  They were clearly excited (matching outfits compliments of Pamaw and Pappaw). 

Later on, we ate at our favorite restaurant, Watami (in a mad rush to get to "nastics" as Ansley would say or gymnastics as most of us would call it). Ansley refused to miss her gymnastics for Watami, so Jason took her and my dad and I came later to watch after our dinner with my family was almost over. We got some MORE Valentine goodies from my parents and the Mayhews that evening. Clearly, our girls are spoiled rotten! :)
Overall, Valentine's Day was such a treat and apparently Jason has more planned for just the two of us. I can't wait!!! Tomorrow he has a St. Louis trip on the agenda with lots of shopping and dinner. Some of THIS girl's favorite things to do!! Woo hoo!!

Valentine's goodies

Rick and Pam had some Valentine's Day goodies for the girls so we headed over to their house last night to hang out and have pizza.  I think I was the most excited about their presents!  Pam got these adorable Target outfits (you can never go wrong with Target) with a super cute poncho/jacket that looks so cute and some other special things for the girls, including some strawberry puffs for Charli and heart suckers for Ansley.  She was most excited about her purple/pink long nightgown and Charli will love her puffs!  

We had a few crazy moments during the evening.  Ansley and Brynn are pretty good about playing together, but some nights we give them a little too much freedom.  This was one of those nights.  Brynn is quite the pooper and Ansley must have smelt her, so she took it upon herself to take her to the bathroom.  Once she got her in there, she proceeded to take her diaper off (poop and all) without any assistance.  Thankfully, cautious-Ryan went in to check on them and he found the poop-tastrophe just in time.  Ansley had only partially put her hands in the poop and then apparently decided it was time to brush her teeth.  Nice!  It's always a party around here.  Ryan and Whitney have proof of the incident on their phones and I'm going to try NOT to use it for blackmail later on in life. :)  We'll see. 

Here's Charli getting her goods.  I can't stand the cuteness.            

Goldilocks opening her card from Pamaw and Pappaw

This picture only took about 5 tries. Just about the time Charli smiles, Ansley is done and vice versa. Ha!   

We are so blessed to have family that continually loves on our girls. Thanks to Rick and Pam for some fun Valentine goodies (Jason and I even scored some fun!). Woo hoo!

The Woodland Homecoming

My mom's volleyball team was recognized at the Woodland Homecoming a couple of weeks ago.  They were undefeated her senior year and unfortunately at that time, there was no State volleyball championships.  Had there been a State tournament, they would have most likely made it with their record.  They were recognized for their record in one-hit volleyball (what was so interesting to me is that every hitter had a setter.  My mom happened to be a hitter.) and their daughters (me and a few of my teammates and some that were older) were recognized for actually GOING to State.  It was really interesting to see the daughters of this undefeated 1973 team, most of which, had made it to State.  Pretty cool, huh?!

The team in 1973

My mom is the top middle...unfortunately the quality of the picture is bad. :(

And here they are today....

Then we joined them and they announced our State volleyball years when Woodland was represented.

Jason also had a small part at half-time too.  He announced the amount that was raised for the Dig for Life campaign that St. Francis helps sponsor.  

My cousin, Shelby is the beauty in the back row, three from Jason.  She was also a candidate for Homecoming that night.    

My mom and I with her little certificate. :)

It was a fun evening and neat to see how we're all still tied into our little school we fondly remember as Woodland in the big town of Marble Hill. :) We all had some good years there!