Tea Time in Iowa

Our first two days of Spring Break were filled with "tea parties".   Kennedy showed Quinn the ropes on how to have a water tea party!  She caught on quickly that you just stir your water and pour it down your front!!!

The second day there cousin Marin joined us!!!!

Marin and Kennedy had fun throwing water in the air and yelling "Meeeee!!"

Quinn was soaking wet - but still played in the yard!

And how sweet is this photo?!  My grandma, my mom, my daughter and my niece...LOVE IT!

I hope to have more Spring Break photos up soon!

Spring Break Mini Show

The girls and I went north to Iowa for Spring Break, which has pretty much been our Spring Break tradition the last 5 years or so!  We got lots of quality family time in!!!

I have yet to upload the photos of our trip. :(  But my Uncle Paul did catch some video of Kennedy!  She recently had a school musical about nuts!  While at Gigi and Grandpa Keith's for dinner, Kennedy gave a performance in their backyard!  With her own one person stage too!   You will notice little sister and little cousin Marin watching and joining in as well!

Enjoy!!!

Family Weekend

 Awwww......cousins!
We had a houseful this weekend!  My Uncle Tom from Texas came to visit along with my mom, her husband, my brother, his wife and their sweet girl, Marin. Oh, and Mom brought their dog, Roxie, too!

 There was quite a bit of time spent lounging (and quite a few naps - babies and adults alike).....

 But most of the time it was us watching the kids play and play and play!  There were toys strewn everywhere, sippy cups all around, snack cups dumped here and there, dogs jumping and sneaking in for attention and lots of smiles and giggles!

 Thank you to Tom for all these photos....I am too tired to upload and sort through  mine!  So another post may be coming !

 It is so fun now that both Marin and Quinn are old enough to walk/run and play together.  Marin is completely taken with Kennedy, or "Key" as she calls her! 

Thanks to all my family that made the trip to KC for a visit!  We love you bunches!!!!

Christmas Recap #2

You can find the first half of our Christmas celebrations at this post!   After our Christmas morning in our jammies, we headed to Mema's house for our traditional Cornish Hen Feast!!!!   YUM!! Aren't you jealous?!

The kids did a great job of eating and then playing before the present opening began!

And isn't my elf a cutie?!

And of course Miss Q and Miss Z were adorable in their holiday outfits!    But now it is on to the GIFTS!

I just LOVE these photos!  Mema gave each family a Wii for Christmas!  Check out the look on EVERYONE'S faces!!!

Yeah, HUGE HIT FOR SURE!  We have been playing Wii a ton over the break!  I think once school begins again we may need to put a time limit in place!  

Christmas Recap #1

Christmas was pretty low key this year....I guess that is what the sickies will do.  Jeff, Quinn and I all passed around a flu bug.  So, the pictures are pretty ho-hum and I didn't take many.  Bummer.  Just felt too yucky.  


Christmas Eve was at our home with Jeff's sisters' family, Papa Lou, Aunt Barb, Cousin Michael and Great Papa Henry.  This was the night I felt the worst...I didn't even eat dinner.   
Here is Great Papa with Barbe and Zia...sleeping.

Jeff and Quinn watching others open gifts.

Lou got a photo of his mom and aunt...such a treasure.

Both Jeff and Lou got Cotton Bowl t-shirts. Go Cats!

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The next morning was just the four of us at home.   It was such a change from last year for Quinn.  She wasn't sitting up alone yet but this year she actually opened her own gifts!

This series of photos reminds me so much of Kennedy when she had her 2nd Christmas.  Papa Doug and Grandma Jodie got them ride on toys and both girls were thrilled!

Pretty cute, huh?

This is Kennedy opening her BIG gift from Santa.  A Nintendo DS!  Wonder if she liked it?

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas!   The rest of our Christmas photos will be in the next post!

A Wedding in September

What a beautiful bride.  My cousin, Gretchen, was married last weekend.  It was a joyous occasion with a tinge of sadness.  We all missed her sister Jennifer.  But you could feel the love all night!

After checking into the hotel and getting dressed in our wedding garb, the girls rode the luggage cart back downstairs!!!

It was wonderful to be around so much family!  Here is Miss Marin!  This is the look I usually get from her!  She is the sweetest thing - I wish we lived closer.

The wedding ceremony was outdoors and just beautiful!  But the two little girls didn't enjoy just sitting still!  Thanks to Jeff and Lindsay for walking them around during the ceremony!

Oh Quinn!  She just wanted to "walk" during most of the reception!  Various family members took turns walking her around the barn!  This time it was Great Grandma Phyllis, aka Gigi's turn!

Kennedy had been looking forward to this wedding for months!  She had planned to dance the night away with her boy cousins.  But alas, none of them could come.  So....she danced the night away by herself!  It was truly a joy watching her dance!  I could just feel my heart bursting - she looked so happy and was so very carefree.  I know those feelings of freedom won't be around much longer.

More dancing!

I just love this photo!  There were a few little boys there that we didn't know.  For a while they really weren't sure what to think of Kennedy's dancing!   LOL!

 

Finally, toward the end of our evening, Kennedy "let" Daddy dance with her!!!!

And Quinn finally fell asleep!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for a wonderful evening Lewis family.  Gretchen and Aaron, we wish you a lifetime of love and adventures!

Quinn's Party - AGAIN!

Quinn's 1st Birthday Party - Take 3

As I was editing photos from the party, I realized I didn't take many. :(  I only snapped Quinn with a few guests and only have a few of her opening gifts.  Bummer.  Thankfully some family members have sent me the photos they took at the party!  Phew!  But I am sharing the few I do have. 

Quinn's Grandpa & Grandma Janke made the trip down from Iowa!  Yippee!!!  (Doesn't she look tired in this photo?!)

 

Great Papa Henry came to help her celebrate!!!  Doesn't he look great for 96?!

Also in attendance were Grandma Lori, Great Grandpa Keith & Great Grandma Phyllis, Mema, Papa Lou, Aunt Kate, Uncle Jason and cousins Logan, Elijah and Zia. 

Kennedy and the boys were great help when it came time to open gifts!!!!  Quinn was actually quite interested in the presents!

 

This doll was a favorite of Quinn's - she was soooo taken with it!  She rocked it and rocked it and her face just lit up!!!  The doll has a magnetic soft binkie that she loves!

 

 

Finally it was cake time.  She was NOT interested. AT. ALL.  Jeff kept trying to put some in her mouth but she would spit it out!  He put her hands in the cake and she didn't like that either!  Oh well!!!  Maybe this will mean she won't have a sweet tooth like Kennedy and me!  *wink*

Thanks to all the family who came out to celebrate Miss Quinn's big day!  We still can't believe a full year has already come and gone since she entered our lives!  We love you to the moon and back sweet girl!!!

July Photo a Day

July 12th
The long drive back to KC. It rained off and on the entire drive home. But a rainbow greated us on the northern edge of the city!!!



July 11th
We were in Fort Dodge now visiting my Dad and his wife! Cousin Maxx came to "visit" with Quinn! He is about 2 months younger than Quinn. He was pretty unsure of her at first, but slowly warmed up to her. Unfortunately she then put him in a head lock and that was about the end of that!

July 10th
Today was Minnesota Aquarium and Mall of America Day. This photo was at the end of our time there. We saw a crowd of kiddos and saw they were having a dance party!!! Of course Kay jumped right in there with Kennedy! Owen later joined too!


July 9th
We all went to Como Park Zoo today! It was HOT but super fun. Some seals were swimming in this tank so we parked Quinn's stroller in front of it while most everyone else looked at different tank. This particular seal swam right up to the window (which was disgustingly dirty) and just stared right at Quinn for almost a minute! Pretty cute!!!


July 8th
We went to Mpls today!!!! We stayed with Kay and Kevin and Owen - sooo fun! For dinner we met Pam, Deb and Rich and ate at a fun Greek restaurant! I am bummed this was the only group shot I took and it didn't turn out the best. :(


July 7th
This was the day we spent in Red Wing. We have many fun photos to share, but this is photo a day, not photoS a day! We started our morning at this park with THE BEST playground I have ever seen!


July 6th
First leg of our vacation. We left KC at 4pm and arrive in Red Wing, MN at midnight. LONG LONG drive. But the girls were awesome passengers! Quinn took a cat nap before dinner and then crashed for good at 9pm. Kennedy held out until 10pm and Jeff was close behind her!

July 5th
It was the last t-ball game of the season - a make up game. Only problem - the other team didn't show! So our girls played each other and it worked wonderfully!!! Seriously, how cute is she?! And look at those big girl teeth coming in!!!