Sweet 16's

I was digging around some old photo files I have on our hard drive......I was interested to see what Grace looked like at the approximate age Alison is now......I can't believe Grace was ever this little....and I can't believe Alison will ever be the big girl that Grace is now.....

Compare these to the photos in the previous blog if you want to look for any resemblances....I think both of them are awfully cute in their own unique way.....we have a lot of people who think they look a lot alike but we never see it......but we maybe are looking at them too detailed.....

When Grace got this Jo Jo Circus sweatshirt it was a little too big....she got like 3 winters out of it....I can't believe how much hair she had.....
Grace was always twisting her tongue upside down.....it was the oddest thing.....we remember her doctor, Dr. Boe, stopping himself in the middle of one of her check ups and laughing, "Do you have your tongue upside down?"
The big cheesey grin.......I don't think she's ever gotten rid of it.....the sweatshirt was a personal favorite of mine.....
Ready to roll after her bath.....hope you didn't mind the stroll down amnesia lane.....

Orange Crush

Ashley went thru some of the clothes that she had saved from Grace and found this little play dress for Alison.....it was one of the first ones that we bought for her. We think Ali looks really good in orange.....Ashley did some pony tails and got her dressed......

Alison starts her own traveling band.....
Any requests?
I think she's studying her lyrics......
I think she's trying to stretch out the note......

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles

A little cloudy, a little rainy, and a little cool......plus a 16-month old little girl that's upset because you put her teddy in the wash.....you'll find anything to distract the kids at 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon....the best part of having a whirlpool tub is the bubbles the jets along with some Elmo bubble bath can make.......


Alison got a little soap in her mouth trying to find a plastic fish.....
Grace always did have her head in the clouds......
"Alison, I think you make a couple of great points there".......
Alison trying to sculpt the bubble shapes on Grace's head.....
Is that Alison or Beethoven in that white wig???

Oktoberfest in April

Our church celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, so they've been having different events throughout the year in honor of it. Last night, there was a Germanfest at a local mini-expo center. They had authentic German food (with some authentic German beer at the cash bar), music, and dancing. We took a few pictures before and during the 'fest.......sorry, but the pictures of me participating in the German folk dancing didn't turn out......I know I was crushed.....


Mommy and Alison are dressed and ready to go......
The dyanmic duo.........
I'm not sure how I photo-shopped Grace's neck out of the picture......
BIG smiles from these two.......
Grace wanted to take a picture too......so we told her to get both of us in the screen and snap the picture....we think she did pretty good....

Alison just needs to make a quick call before we go.....
Alison flirts with her little friend, Gage.....(don't worry, he's on Daddy's "approved list of boyfriends")
Alison takes a load off after some serious running around......
Grace and her friend Shae (Gage's big sister) take a break from dancing for some lemonade and chips.....

Piggly Wigglies

The girls got new little summer/4th of July t-shirts the other day and they wanted to pose for some more pictures.....

Smiling as they struggle for supremacy over the remote.....
a little more subdued....especially Ali.....
Grace poses in her new cupcake shirt....she's already for school......

Alison puckers up for the camera......
......I think she's been watching to much AmericanIdol.....she's going for the diva note.....
Alison and her best friend, Teddy......
a set of 20 painted toes......

Back and Cuter than ever

It's been a long time since the last post.....Alison was in the middle of the virus that you saw the pictures of......that virus was eventually given to Grace (who lost 6 lbs in like a week), and then on to Ashley.......it's been a looooong 2 weeks.......

Today marked the first day that everyone went to work and daycare all on the same day in the last 2 weeks I think......the girls celebrated by wearing coordinating play dresses....

Grace and Alison play a game of near/far on our bed....
Big hugs from the sisters......
Alison tries to read Grace a story.....
Alison thought the ending was pretty good.....

I don't feel so good.......

It's been a while since our last post.....it's been kind of crazy week.....Alison got some sort of virus overnight into Tuesday morning....she's been off and on with a fever, nauseous, eating/drinking off and on, and very, very, very tired....and emotional.......just when we think she's getting better she backtracks a little on us. She's been keeping things down and sleeping through the night the last couple days (13 hours last night!), so we're thankful for that even if the days are a little up and down. I took these pictures of her this afternoon -


This one makes her look worse than I think she is or looks......but it's such a sad little face.....
Still looking a little sleepy with Teddy at her side.....
a small hint of a smile in there......
she started to go through some books on the bookshelf for me to read to her....