Heart for Africa Banquet

Jason and I just recently attended the Heart for Africa banquet with lots of other Cape G residents (most of which are our friends) that are passionate about the need to help the orphans and people of Swaziland.  We got a table with some of our closest buds and had a really fun night, all the while, supporting the cause.  We ate REAL good, got out our funky dance moves, had some fun convos, and bid on a few items from the silent auction.  Win, win!

Jason and I before heading out for the night

The girls at our table (Heather, Andrea, me, and Whit).  Somehow I look like a giant up against them!

The boys (Mark, J, Ryan, and Chris).  Never a dull moment.

Looking forward to next year!

Brynn's Tutu and Bowtie Birthday Party!

Brynn's 2nd birthday party was Saturday and it was seriously so cute!  Whitney made tutu's for the girls and bowtie's for the boys and it couldn't have been any more adorable.    

 

Here's the birthday girl looking very stoic. I love that she's rockin' the princess crown.  

Ryan with his super small bowtie on and Ansley was "butting" in on Brynn's birthday presents apparently.  I'm hoping she was just "helping" show Brynn the present her and Charli brought!

She was so excited to wear her own tutu to the party.

Marlee being a good little friend and tying Ansley's bow :)

Little Scarlet with her party tutu on.

Charli and daddy.  He insisted on buying a bowtie for the party

Aunt Whitney was pretty excited about the mermaid towel :)

After the party, Heather, Marlee, my mom, Ansley, and I headed for St. Louis to see Disney on Ice.  We have gone for 2 years in a row and EVERY year it ends up being the exact day of Brynn's party (last year we went before the party).  It's such a fun day for the girls, but it's soooo exhausting!  We always feel like we need a day of re-cooperation afterwards.

Beauty and the Beast, Rapunzel, Brave, Little Mermaid, and all the Disney characters were there.  The show was fantastic and the girls couldn't be more excited to be there.  Ansley just about ate a whole tub of popcorn and then her and Marlee both got snowcones. Let me just say there's some MAJOR price gouging going on at those events.  $12 dollars for a tub of popcorn?!  Ouch.  Next time, my mom insisted we're smuggling some in and unfortunately, I don't put it past her.  :/  

The girls

Saturday was packed, but so so fun.  Can't wait for the next festivities, but in the meantime, I'll be on the couch. :)

Charli Suttyn: 9 Months!

Our little sis keeps on getting BIG!  It's unbelievable really.  The days and months just sneak away it seems!  Charli's milestones have definitely been keeping us on our toes and we can't believe how fun life is right now with our sweet and sassy girl.  Getting a picture of you sitting still is getting to be quite the challenge these days!

*You are an official CRAWLER!  Right now, you are at turtle speed until that baby gate is left unlatched....then somehow the pedal hits the metal.  It'll be a miracle if we keep you from rolling down the stairs!  Just last week, I caught you on the second stair in a Superman position grunting for some help.  Thankfully, you were stuck and I was able to come to the rescue.  Hoping there's no more of those little instances!

*You are still scratching and grabbing our faces.  We need a mask on with you around! Nothing says, I love you like a scratch to your cornea! :)

*You weighed 19 lbs and measured 28.5 inches long.  That makes you in the 80% in height and 45% in weight.  You are healthy and happy!

*You LOVE to play with your Disney princess house and also the bigger playhouse now.  While I'm cooking, picking up, etc., you usually bang/play right alongside Ansley. :)

*You have mimicked the sound, "bye, bye" and "pappaw" a few times (I'm sure you didn't realize what you were doing, but it sounds perfect!)!

*We have 4 teefers!!  2 fangs (which came in first) and 2 bottom teeth.  One of the top front teeth are about to pop through, but it's still hiding out for now.  You look so cute...even with fangs!

*You are in to EVERYTHING. Your curiosities at this point are so different than Ansley's.  You open drawers, practically crawl into any baskets I have sitting around, and all my breakable items on shelves are now out of reach!  You love to check things out, that's for sure!  Ansley has been such a great help in this department....she's my little watchdog! :)

*I've never mentioned this before, but you do this cute little toe curl with your big toe on both feet.  It's just a little quirk that you have and I never want to forget it. 

Charli, you are such a joy!  We couldn't even imagine life without you and we pray that you continue to grow and learn just as you have.  Sweet, sweet Charli, we love you to the moon and back!!!    

Giddy Up!

I mean it....this girl is getting TOO big!  This little rocking horse is her new favorite toy these days.  Don't mind the nakedness....she rolls around without clothes on most days, just a diaper.  She doesn't seem to mind though! :/ 

Here she looks like she's trying to ride for 8 seconds single-handed!  She kept doing this and we got so tickled (she kept waving with excitement).  

And then Ansley insisted on strolling her around.  No complaints from Charli! 

Notice her fangs (she is about to pop the top front teeth, but as of right now, she's rockin' the fangs!

Ansley and Charli will usually stay busy rocking for quite awhile.  Charli screams with excitement and Ansley LOVES it!  

It's the simplest things that I will treasure the most.  May I NEVER forget them!

Our Newest Furry Addition

We got a little kitten!  If you read this post, you understand why.  We had an unfortunate event with the first barn kitten, so we felt like if there was an opportunity to get another one....we HAD to take it (even though I'm highly allergic!  What crazy person signs up for that?!).  My cousin's kitten just had a small litter and there was one that looked similar to the one we found in the barn.  So similar, in fact, that when we surprised Ansley with her on Saturday she said..."Daddy, you found her?!" (Meaning....you found the kitten that passed away?!)  Oh my, even though we only had the kitten for an evening...she still remembered it (and then my heart broke a little. She thought we had revived her little kitty).  I don't know why I was surprised...she had been telling me last week "mommy, when I get another kitty, I want her to sleep in my bed".  Sure.  Bring a ball of fuzz in and kick mommy out.  No problem!  She clearly was not giving up on a kitty, so we took the plunge!  

            This was her, "I can't believe that's a real kitty stare"       

                       Embracing her ball of fuzz for the first time  

                          

      She was so happy (notice little Piper is already trying to run off)

                              

                            How could I say no to a smile like that?!                       

                      Charli loves our new little kitty too.  She even lets her nibble on her toes and fingers when we're not watching.  :) She just giggles.                     

Everyone seems really attached to Piper, except me.  I'll be in the next room trying to stop the sneezing, keep my eyes from gouging out, and find something to do a tracheostomy with (I know this sounds awful, but it really gets that bad).  Oh the things we do for our children!  

Little Piper will soon be enjoying her home outside once it gets a little warmer.  

We have a crawler!!!

Charli is on the move! Oh, how our lives are about to get even busier now!! :)

Jason's Indoor Tri

Jason had his annual St. Francis indoor triathlon 2 Saturday's ago.  Unfortunately, we didn't quite make it to see all the action (big fail!).  We should've been there at 8 am, but Charli slept until 8:30, so needless to say....we were LATE! :)  Jason did well, but Ryan beat him by 2 seconds.  Whoa!  Sibling competition is hilarious.

Our triathlete with his baby girls 

Ansley was so proud of her daddy!

She wanted to show everyone his medal

The boys after the race

Ansley wanted to wear daddy's goggles

We love cheering Jason on and Ansley even told me exactly how she was going to yell for her daddy.  It was so precious, but unfortunately, she'll have to cheer him on next time (Lord knows there will be more!)