So...

I know my posting has been sporadic lately, and I know my blog template needs some serious work. But no time for now. I'm on my way to visit my family!! SO, you'll have to live with this as is until I get back. See you then.

-Betsy

Happy Birthday Papa!

I am the luckiest girl. I really have been given the greatest parents. My dad is perfect....really. I would say he is a gentle man, very patient, kind, sentimental, and always has a twinkle in his eye. He is incredibly creative and is always coming up with new ideas of things he can do or ways he can do things. He has always let me know how much he loves me and how much he thinks of me. And I love him too. For his birthday Liv sent him an email. I am going to share the email chain, and then explain one of the best lessons I have learned from my dad.

November 4, 2008
email from Olivia to Papa Kent

hapee birthday popop (happy birthday papa). I luv yow. I can spel wrds: cat, dog, hat, frog, car, the, olivia, she, brd (bird), grl (girl), sun, pen, popo, mom, dad, gwen, book, zoo, food, iscreem (ice cream).

Luv Yow- Olivia

Happy Birthday Dad! We love you and wish we could be there with you. Liv has been talking about your birthday for the last 3 days. She doesn't understand why we can't be there. We really love you and can't wait to see you. Hope your birthday is perfect!

Love- Betsy

November 4th 2008
reply from Papa Kent to Olivia and me

Dearest Olivia,
Thank you for the birthday message. It is soooooooo gooooood to hear from you. I miss you and can't wait to see you soon!!!

All my Love,
Papa Kent

Hey Betsy,
Thank you for your email. People all the time ask me why I have that little grin on my face. I have to tell them that it is because of all the many blessings that I have. I just can't contain myself! Each time I think of my "little Betsy" and her special little family I grin even wider. I wish you were here. I am sooo looking forward to your visit. Please give the girls and Brad a big hug for me.

Love,
Dad

November 5, 2008
email from Olivia to Papa

I luv yoo popop

Liv

Reply from Papa

Liv,
I luv yoo too!!

Popop

I hope this email wasn't too personal to share, but I think it is the best description of my dad. As I was thinking about him on his birthday and this email that he sent to Liv and I, I was reminded about one great lesson that I see in my dad. "Count your blessings." My dad is so good at remembering how blessed he is. He really does walk around with a little smile on and a twinkle in his eye. So, I am going to try to do better at counting my many blessings too. Such a perfect reminder for this month. I love you dad and I hope your birthday was a perfect one. I can't wait to see you.....less than a week!!!

Happy Halloween

I finally got our computer to work for these pictures. YEAH. Liv and I had fun putting these costumes together Halloween day. Liv's Cheer bear is Sleeping Beauty, and Gwen's friendship bear is a bumble bee.
Liv posing with her bears.
A close up on the jewels Liv made and glued onto her bear's mask.Friendship bear's stinger was Liv's idea =0). I thought it was a great one!

I call him Buck

I can hardly look at him, especially with he has his mullet on. Gwen wouldn't go to him, she cried when he held her and carried her to the car, and then let out a very relieved giggle when he took his teeth out. Liv thinks he's pretty funny, and He said this is the best he has ever looked.

Brad went to his office Halloween day and came back with this hand made mouth guard/denture. Complete with rotting, dead teeth and gingivitis. He and his dad asked me the same question, "Would I have dated him if his teeth really looked like this." and my answer was the same both times, "No Way!" Do you blame me?? (by the way, Gwen dressed up as a China Doll for the Church trunk or treat and one other time, and then decided to be Pocahontas for Halloween Day.)

I have cute pictures of the FUN activity Liv and I did while Gwen napped. We made costumes for their Care Bears out of construction paper and rubber bands. They turned out adorable, and we had fun making them. My computer is giving me fits with saving them and uploading them on Photobucket. Does anyone else have a problem with this with a MAC?? I really hope I can figure it out...argh.

We also went to a friends house for a FUN Halloween dinner where we ate Vampires Delight, squirmy little worms, flaky skin, and eyeballs.....yum! Thanks Amy for such a Great time!

Finally a smile.

Sadly, the weather here is getting colder. I guess I've decided that I can't feel "not ready for winter" because I have no choice....right? These pictures are from one morning when Olivia was at school when it was too cold to go outside. I'm excited because I think they document the first time Gwen has ever smiled at the camera! She usually wants nothing to do with me and my camera and if she ever looks at me, it is with a blank little wide eyed stare. She is pictured with Brownie. The funny thing about Brownie is that he was Liv's favorite toy, she sleeps with him, plays with him constantly, etc. When Gwen was about a year old, she became attached to Brownie too. She wanted to sleep with him, play with him etc.... Other than their Care Bears, He is still both girls' favorite toy. We have a ton of other stuffed animals and believe me, I've tried to get either one of them attached to a different animal. I've been completely unsuccessful. I just think it is ironic that they both bonded with the same toy.....as if there aren't other things around to love.