Oldies but Goodies

 

These are from our vacation this summer. I keep forgetting about videos. I'm too happy to finally get pictures up, that I don't even think about the videos. So here are a couple from when we were in Madison visiting Chris, Amanda, and Wesley. Chelsea is shaking her groove thing, and Brie is having trouble staying conscious. So different, but so funny!

Brie's Birthday Party!

This is my first cake decorating experience/experiment. At first I had a terrible time with it and I was really frustrated. But in the end I think it turned out alright. There are things I would like to fix, looking back at it now, but I'm still satisfied with it. There seems to be a little bit of a margin for error with frosting stars.

We chose Winnie the Pooh as her theme because she really likes Tigger and Darby, two of her favorite stuffed toys. And secondly, all Winnie the Pooh birthday decorations have a big fat number one on them, so if I ever want to use Winnie as a theme, the first birthday is the one to do it on. I may not have many other chances to use Winnie as a theme, that being the case, hehe.

The LOOT!

Rolling around on the floor before official festivities begin.

Another mysteriously turned photo...but in this case, it works! Ha!

It looks like she's doing cartwheels! Whee! Hooray for birthdays!You'll also notice the nice big sticker on her shirt. She had her one year check up and shots/flu shot this day. If her pants were off, you'd see a couple brightly colored bandaids on her legs. (She did very well. She was more upset when the doctor picked her up from my lap than getting poked a few minutes later)

Among the guests attending we had Grandma and Grandpa Heit...

Auntie Jennifer....

Grandma and Grandpa Kelly...

Uncle Randy, Big sister Chelsea, Auntie Beth...

and mommy and Daddy of course. But I didn't take too many of us two. 

This is the first present unwrapping. It was a book from Mommy called Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You Hear? You'll notice who is holding it and checking it out and who's got the bag it came in...

Here are some blocks from G & G Kelly. The box was pretty fun to carry around. Once the blocks and little bucket came out, she had an even better time!

Here is a little pony to ride from G Kelly. It makes noise and music when you push the button on the side. It didn't take Brie long to figure it out. You can also see a cute new little dress hanging on the chair in the background. Brie put it around her shoulders immediately. It didn't fit quite right, but she knew what to do with it!

This little guy was also adopted by big sister. It's a little cheetah that moves across the floor when you push the button on his back. His name is Cheetie.

Here are those little blocks. They've been quite popular as well as that red bucket. Both girls like carrying various things around in it.

You can also see the neat present from G & G Heit in this photo. (Along with a big box of diapers, woo hoo!) It is a book with a string of cube beads on it and you can measure each picture to see how many beads tall it is. It's way cute. It has been a very popular choice for car rides for both girls. Not pictured is Roo, the gift from Auntie Beth. Both girls love him as well. Chelsea took him over for a couple days too. She's learning to share...sort of...It was a gift specifically for Brie after all...

And let there be cake!

I totally forgot to give her ice cream. I was too involved in documenting the traditionally expected first birthday big frosting mess. She was fairly neat. Mostly.

Happy Birthday to my sweet baby girl! I can't believe one year is done already. Seventeen more to go. But I'm not actually counting down. Yet. Tee hee!

Pumpkin Patch and Other Tidbits

Brie and Grandma Kelly playing. They get along so well!

Here's what the other folks were doing while Brie and Gr. K. played. I was attempting to get my scrapbooking done. Well, not done, because it's technically never going to be DONE, but you know what I mean. All my scrappin junk has been at Gr. K.'s for many weeks since I have no place to do it at my own what with the basement being all torn up still. Someday. Someday. Oh, and Chelsea was around, in and out of the playroom and checking in with all the other folks here and there.

Nice hair, Big Sister!

I was trying to catch a good shot of her while walking to show how independent she is nowadays. She doesn't look independent here, but she is! Really!

Here is Chelsea's ballet outfit that was mentioned in the previous post. She did SO well! She actually did the moves the teacher was doing instead of just her own bum shaking routine. (I have a video of that from our family vacation-you'll get a good laugh hahaha!)

 Chels and Cheyanne are being stop signs, if you were wondering.

And here begins Papa's Pumpkin Patch!

King and queen of the haystack!

 And a little Brie on the bottom.

It kinda looks like Brie is eating the hay, but she's much smarter than that. She was very good about not eating the leaves and grass and hay and whatnot from the ground. I'm not saying she's never tried that junk before, but just not here at the patch.

I made Chelsea stand by this cornstalk horse because I thought it was pretty cool. I don't think she was overly impressed.

They had all sorts of cute displays and things.

The girls got to be pulled around in this little train. They both thought it was pretty fun.

This was an accident. I pushed the shutter while giving it to a lady to take our picture.

Yep here I am, unflattering straight on shot and all. You'll notice Chelsea's expression. I didn't realize it right away, but I was squishing her hand between the ladder and my leg. This was the best of like, five shots. Kids and posing don't mix well.

I was tired of standing while waiting in line for Chelsea's turn to ride a pony, and the girls decided to join me on the ground. Do you like our fall/Halloweenish outfits? We did that on purpose, hehe.

This was a great way to end the pumpkin patch experience. They had much more to do, but our kiddos were tired and hungry and getting ready to move on. So we did. We did walk through a rather sad corn maze, watched them launch a couple pumpkins into a field, climb, slide, ride, walk, pose, take pictures, and even pick out some pumpkins. Chelsea chose a white pumpkin

Chels couldn't wait to decorate her pumpkin.

This is how Brie helps unload the dishwasher.

And this is how Chelsea puts on mommy's knee highs.

Remnants of September

 I forgot about the last few pictures I took in September. This was right after Daddy got home from Brazil. When I first walked in the room to "find" the hiders, Everyone was was still as stones except I could hear a little giggle coming from under the bed. By the time I got the camera Chelsea was kicking and moving, but still being way cute.

You FOUND me!

 Here is Chelsea's official dance uniform. This is what she will wear for all her performances this year. No, she doesn't wear it to dance class every week. Though she was so excited to dance once she put this outfit on that I went shopping with Grandma and we got her a little ballet outfit to wear to class. (pictures later)

She's a natural. We just have to work on that expression...

Brazil

 So I've done my part. I've uploaded the Brazil photos. Since Rick is the one that went, he will come and write about them when he has a chance. In the meantime, enjoy the images!

Chelsea started and finished my trip with Candy. I don't know what was more exciting, getting rid of Daddy and getting candy or begrudgingly having him back and getting authentic Brazilian candy.

Erin spent the time in the airport daydreaming about all the freedom she would have without my oppressive influence.

My hotel was right on one of the most famous beaches in Brazil, Copacabana Beach. I can see why it's so famous, they had sand and water. Well actually quite a bit of it, the beach is 7 km long.

They even had a street along side the beach that I even walked on every single day. Sometimes I just stood there and let my fans take pictures of me.

The front of my hotel, I was a cheapy and we went for one that was half the cost of where the recruiting fair was taking place.

Look, it really is Brasil! See the flag? I was impressed by the sand castles, but disappointed that I never saw pirates attack the cargo ships that cruised past the beach.

Our team included two people from The Language Company, an English as a second language school (They also financed the booth fees for us); a lady who was the International Coordinator for Truman University; and some big shot star player for the Brazilian national soccer team. I have no idea what anybody's name is.

A picture of a Formula 1 track.

A picture that looks like it came off of a postcard, but I actually took. Our beach is just to the right of the mountain sticking out of the bay on the left. Now look to the left, now the right, look at your self, now back to me.

There was a statue on top of a mountain that's famous for something. Everybody decided to pretend to be an airplane for some reason and so did I.

Lots of picky poos from on top of a steep mountain that we drove to the top of. We passed a car with a smashed front end that had been going down the mountain. That made us nervous, then we survived the descent and were no longer nervous.

An old hotel used in a previous World Cup, now it's being renovated, possibly for a future World Cup? More on that later.

Some nice resort that looked pretty so I took a picture.

The LDS chapel in the area I was staying in.

The outside of the Maracana soccer stadium, they wouldn't let us in the inside. Jerks!

A famous soccer player for Flamengo, it's not Pele or Alexi Lalas. I don't know who it is.

The Brazilian version of the Hollywood Walk of Stars (or whatever that thing is called) star Flamegistas have their feet prints here.

The guys and I liked to run around screaming every time we thought we saw Greg. It always turned out to be someone else. I'm pretty sure we saw X's family though.

This is the later. The World Cup will be in Rio in 2014, oh and the Olympics will be there in 2016.

The famous, dangerous drug lord slums on the mountain. They actually take people on paid tours of these, crazy!

The street where Carnival's parade occurs.

The inside of a Catholic cathedral.

Saint Bernard riding in his Cinderella carriage.

A baptismal font, I can't imagine trying to fit anyone inside this on my mission. It's not very big.

We had a very popular booth that usually had a few peeps waiting in line.

Look I did some work in Brasil too!

Our team at work, well actually this was after the last day of the fair.

Chelsea was excited for her candy, but Brie was beside herself with excitement to see Daddy!