Pool Party

Brad's cousin Cassandra recently emailed me some photos from a pool party earlier in July. Jilli is a little fish and always loves the water. Mia Kate was spreading her wings, water wings that is, and trying out her skills sans the life jacket or zero depth entry. She was really brave and we were very proud of her. This also marked the twins first time swimming, they were really cute in their little hats.

I really do love that hat, too bad it now dyes my hair.
Jilli & Ava
Bran and Mia Kate
Love this one.........actually Cassandra entered a photo from this day of Jilli splashing (don't think it was this one) in the Cooper County Fair in Missouri. Miss Jilli's photo won and was the only photo from that county entered in the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia. Maybe Cass will bring home the winning ribbon!
Jilli and her Great Uncle Terry.

To be honest, both of my girls have always loved him! It is no lie, that both girls have never been the kids who just go to anyone.............BUT, they always go to Terry. Especially Jilli, who for pretty much her first year wouldn't even go to her grandmothers, went with him. Not sure what it is, but they have always hit it off!

Aaaahhhh..............smells like oranges!

By far the most exciting event in the Reuter house this week was getting our KU football season tickets! We are so excited and can't wait for the season to begin. Obviously, last season was awesome for the Jayhawks, and we hope it continues. I love taking the girls to the games and letting them experience our favorite Jayhawk traditions, the band, the hill, the Rock Chalk chant, oh I just can't wait.

My goal is to take something orange flavored to each tailgate in honor of our Orange Bowl victory. Orange cookies, candy orange slices, mimosas for the morning games, maybe some oj & g.g. (grey goose for those Chels fans out there) and to be healthy, I guess I could just actually take some oranges (the g.g. sounds A LOT more fun!)

By far though I am most looking forward to NOT WEARING A BABY to the game. I know, you are all thinking that I was crazy to take her anyway, but you have to start them early. We never took her in bad or cold weather, we left if she got too fussy, and I always covered her ears when it was really loud (oh, except for when the jet planes flew over and I was so in awe that I didn't get them covered until they were on top of me, she was fine) Trust me, she was NOT the youngest baby at the game, I saw plenty.

I can only imagine how much Jilli will like the games this year...............imagine the freedom she will feel. This is going to be like a dream for her.............

1. Stairs, she loves to climb stairs, she can hike all the way to our seats.
   
2. Food on the ground, yep, her specialty. Does anyone really care if she throws some goldfish on the ground?
3. Yum, food on the ground, she LOVES to eat food off of the ground.
4. Yelling, she is loud, nobody will care if she yells out the whole game.
5. The band, she loves to clap her hands, she is going love the band.

My favorite photo from last season.

Sweet baby jay.

You didn't know I was part marsupial. Ha Ha.

Her big day is almost here!

Blast from the Past 2007
The Bride & Groom........Derek & Brandy
Happy Birthday Bran & Brad!
Bran sacrifices Jilli in her first time wearing a Snugli.
Bran plays Mary in the Twenter family Nativity story.

(I thought this picture was more appropriate than the ones I took on Saturday! Ha Ha Ha!)

Brad's cousin Brandy Lea is getting married on Saturday! Everyone in the family has been busy getting ready and we can't believe that the big day is almost here! I am sure that it will be a good time, everyone that I met at the bachelorette party from her groom's family seems to be quite a bit of fun!

Speaking of the bachelorette party, I wore my beloved blue sun hat, and now have blue hair. Same thing happened at my teacher's weekend, blue hair, but it came out. I think that it was meant to be because my bridesmaid dress is red, and now my hair is blue. I have to show those Tiger fans whose boss..................the red dress/blue haired Jayhawk! Seriously, I am going to have to get it fixed by my hairdresser. Also, next year I might invest in a higher quality hat than my Wal-Mart special.

Anyways, we wish Miss Bran the day of her dreams!

She is always plenty of fun and she is CRAZY in love!

Hairbows

A friend of mine from my mom's group makes these really cute hairbows. Anyways, I saw these two on her website (which is listed on the right of this blog) and thought they were really cute. I know many people will mock me for this post (she is writing about hairbows.........) but I know some people with little girls will appreciate it!

Look at the little waddle, how funny is that!

Jilli's First Haircut

The back............

This morning I took Jilli to Salon Mamma for her first haircut. Yep, right down the hallway to my vanity mirror and dug out Brad's "hair cutting" scissors (that he uses to "correct" his super fancy haircuts from Super Cuts). Anyways, Mia Kate had her first haircut in February (yes, a month before her 3rd birthday) but there was no way Jilli could ever make it that long. You see, MK had sweet curls and even though it was many lengths, it always was cooperative. Jilli, as noted in previous posts, has ca-razy hair, and it just isn't cooperative. (Shall I say their hair is metaphorical for their personalities?)

Her bangs were in her eyes and the back was all stringy. Driving me nuts............so I just took charge, even though my grandma is a hairdresser, I just couldn't take it anymore.

Brad always wanted Mia Kate to have long hair, so she does. I have always wanted one to have a little bob like mine, so Jilli is on her way. Aren't we good at compromising? Plus, knowing Jilli, it will just be easier to manage that way.

A little snip here, cut there, voila, now she looks like Jim Carrey in Dumb & Dumber. Ha Ha. Most of you will not notice much, but I did manage to make it look less straggely. Brad thinks she looks like a boy, silly him, he must have forgot that I can whip a bow out to match any outfit.

As I am typing a thought came into my head. I SHOULD NOT have let them see me get the hair cutting scissors out, as I forsee a future post about one of them cutting the others hair.....................

Oh, and Jilli found this diva paci in a toy basket....bling bling.

Ah, much better and yes, it is getting blonder too!

Teacher Lake Trip

I had the best time at our annual teacher's lake trip recently. One of my favorite parts of my old job was my co-workers. They were always so fun, that work never seemed like work. Sometimes I miss those lunchroom and recess duty chats. Anyways, it was really nice to catch up while swimming and hanging out at the lake.

Apparently, I had a lot of making up to do because I missed last year's lake trip (I think I should have been excused due to the fact that I had an 8 week baby who seemed to cry 23 hours a day, but they said I had a "strike.") Lots of sun, too many drinks, and a tummy hurting from laughing so hard..............thanks for the fun girls, I needed that!

Kathleen
Sunrise Cantina.......yummy
Pam & Allison
Sue
Ann, Kathleen & Sue

Carol, Lisa, & Sally (my teaching partner the year I had Jilli)
Alyssa & Pat
Our fearless leader..........Ann
Katie & Rachelle
Myself & Sarah Kennedy

(my teaching partner for 3 years was it? It seemed like longer, but I think that was it.....)

Wheat Festival

Two weeks ago the girls and I traveled to Wellington for their annual Wheat Festival. Mia is quite a carni lover so we actually went three nights in a row. She was a little freaked out by the loud noise of some crazy adult flying ride, but she survived! Jilli was a big fan of her only ride, the carousel. But, you should have seen her at the parade (where her big sis was holding her ears for some other random loud noises!) she stood by the curb and waved her cutest chubby hand at all of the parade people. Baby Jay (GO JAYHAWKS) was in the parade and of course was our favorite! Jilli's cuteness scored me a new tee shirt from some alumni chairman. We enjoyed all of the festivities and especially time with my mom, dad, brother, sister, and nieces Camryn & Ava.

Grandma Jan & Jilli

The Carousel Pros ride again!
Grampie Ron & Jilli

vroom vroom
Cousin Cam looks on as Mia Kate holds her ears. Yes, she walked around the carnival like this the entire time!

Golf

This post is for Brad & Justin who are playing in a golf tournament this weekend. Good luck guys! I saw this joke and thought it was a good clean one..........



Stevie and Tiger
Stevie Wonder and Tiger Woods are in a bar. Tiger turns toStevie and says, "How's the singing career going?"Stevie replies, "Not too bad... How's the golf?"Woods replies, "Not too bad, I've had some problems with myswing, but I think I've got that right now".Stevie says, "I always find that when my swing goes wrong, I needto stop playing for a while and not think about it. Then, the next time Iplay, it seems to be all right."Tiger says, "You play golf?"Stevie says, "Yes, I've been playing for years".

Tiger says, "But, you're blind. How can you play golf if you can'tsee?"Stevie Wonder replies, "I get my caddy to stand in the middle of the fairway and call to me. I listen for the sound of his voice and play the ball towards him. Then, when I get to where the ball lands,the caddy moves to the green or farther down the fairway and again I play the ball towards his voice.""But, how do you putt?" asks Tiger."Well", says Stevie, "I get my caddy to lean down in front of the hole and call to me with his head on the ground and I just play the ball towards his voice."Tiger asks, "What's your handicap?"Stevie says, "Well, I'm a scratch golfer."

Woods, incredulous, says to Stevie, "We've got to play a roundsometime."Wonder replies, "Well, people don't take me seriously, so I only play for money, and never play for less than $10,000 a hole".Woods thinks about it and says, "OK, I'm game for that, - when would you like to play?"Stevie says, "Pick a night".

Happy Birthday America!

We spent the holiday weekend at the lake. Great weather and food was enjoyed by all! Brad's brother Aaron always cooks a mean barbeque and we had ribs & the juiciest chicken, yum. Firecrackers weren't such a hit with Mia Kate (I didn't push it...................I remember crying as a child too). Here is my favorite conversation (other than asking if God made fireworks)..........

MK: (walking in the house, almost to cry) Mom, I ONLY like quiet firecrackers.
Me: Quiet firecrackers? That is an oxymoron.
MK: A what??? (and then she walked away and quit crying)

See, throw a big word at her and she was distracted. Nice.

In other news, Brad took Jilli on her first Sea-doo ride. She seemed to like it, he says. I stood on the dock the entire time straining my eyes to see if she was surviving. They went idle speed pretty much the whole time. Brad and I also went on a ride together, as we say "Just like the g.o.d.'s" (gee-oh-deez...............not taking His name in vain) GOOD OLE DAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ahh, remember when we were crazy kids and would ride the waves for hours and Brad would try to jump the biggest waves and tip me in the water.

This guy can cook!

(I didn't take this photo, but found it on my camera and couldn't resist!)

My favorite part of the weekend was hearing some special patriotic songs. At church we sang "America the Beautiful" which always reminds me of my Grandma Ruby and Grandpa Jim, we sang this song at their funerals. I also heard "Proud to be an American" by Lee Greenwood, just another good one to sing along too.

Baptism

Over the holiday weekend we celebrated Dane & Ava's baptism. Dane is so endearing and looked quite handsome in his little knee socks. Sweet Ava Jane was very pretty in her family heirloom baptismal dress. (This dress was worn by many of Brad & Justin's family, including my two girls, so pretty). These little babes are growing, can't wait to see them again. Keep up the good work Justin & Sarah!

Dane has really cute curls!

Dane, Fr. Henry, & Ava
Dane, Ava, Parents & Godparents

Why did I not get action shots? I was outside with a certain one year old............

who wasn't really acting up, just talking very loudly.

Apparently I don't feed this child much, while traveling this weekend she attempted to eat: mulch at the church, dirt & daylilies at baptism reception, rocks at the lake, and tree bark at lake church.
Aren't the Reuter's patriotic? Nice bell in the background for our 4th of July photo! Look at that little one, fresh out of the mulch!

Welcome to my blog!

So, here it is, read on if you would like. I think it is more fun to include a picture, so here are some oldies, but goodies. To Brad, who is reading, I did clean the toilets and dust a little bit ago!

Time Out

The offender............

Evidence of the crime..............

Looks pretty happy for sitting in time out! Well............Miss Jilli found herself serving a little time yesterday for dumping a whole bowl of food on the floor. I know, she is only one, but she does this with every thing we give her. Just trying to see what happens I guess, but this mom is TIRED of cleaning the entire floor 5 times a day. So either we learn not to do this, or get a dog to clean it up (ha ha............never in Brad's life will this happen). She must think this was pretty cool because she sat there and clapped her hands the whole time until her one minute timer went off. I normally don't take pictures of kids in time out, but isn't she cute?

Lake Events

This past weekend we took our great friends Chris & Sarah Kennedy to the lake with us. Both girls really enjoyed playing with Sarah & Chris. It rained on Saturday, but stopped mid-afternoon so we went to Captain Ron's Bar & Grill. We were pleasantly surprised for a "Lake" restaraunt, sometimes they are sketchy. Mia LOVED the beach and we had to drag

her out to eat.

Brad taught Sarah and Chris his FAVORITE game, 4 point pitch, so that was fun for him. I discovered that Chris also shares my obsession(maybe his isn't quite as bad as mine) for reading the Lawrence Journal World Online. Yes, I should get a more productive hobby.

Chris, Sarah, & Jilli

Chris & Mia wonder why the boat won't start......

Happy to be at a "beach"

Testing the waters.

Yesterday our playgroup met at Lake Quivira, more beach, more sand everywhere!