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I've been very bad about updating during March. Instead of writing, we'll just do a bit of a photo parade of the highlights.
Good bye to our Emma. Too bad she was a gas sucker and fuel prices are through the roof. I just loved that car! Now we have a little Corolla. For now her name is Bunny because we got her Easter weekend and she is white like my old Shadow. 3/28/05
Bethany, Emily and Grandpa Dellane blowing bubbles at the farm on Easter 3/27/05. They got plenty of experience hunting eggs this year. Emily is quite a pro and knows to grab them up quickly before the other kids would get there. Bethany was more interested in roaming around and would pick up a few every now and then.
Dorothy Emily with Toto dressed up in her whole costume. 3/21/05 She is still stuck on Wizard of Oz. She knows the lines from the movie. If I ask her "are you a good witch or a bad witch?" she says, "I'm Dorothy, I'm from Kansas". She often claims to be Dorothy, not Emily. She says 'ruby red slippers' as if it's a single word. Notice she has two Dorothy dresses (see here and the one above). Aunt Jennifer found this one and Grandma Carolyn made her the one above. Emily has pointed out to grandma that she forgot the buttons on that one though. oh my...
Grandpa Dellane, Grandma Carolyn, Bethany and Emily at the bank Easter hunt 3/19/05 They came down to see the first hunt of the season. The girls ended up having one at the church and at both grandparents houses. They have several Easter baskets and lots of plastic eggs to show for it too. The girls colored eggs and made cookies at GG Oetken's house this year too.
Jaimee and Jeridy held a baby shower for Joni and Jennifer 3/12/05 Lots of family and friends came to the shower. Both sisters are supposed to have girls, one in April and the other in July.
Princess Emily- Daddy couldn't resist buying this little costume. I really wish he would have though. We eventually just hid it because she was so stuck on it. 3/11/05 Notice her ruby red slippers peeking out from beneath the dress.
The girls are just hanging out with Aunt Jaimee 3/7/05 Jaimee went on Spring Break to Padre Island, TX this year. We're all glad she survived. We'll keep our eye out for the 'Girls Gone Wild' commercials though, because she came back with a ton of beads for the girls.
MARCH 5, 2005 Michael turned 28 today. Man, he's getting old! We went home to Otis and out to his parent's farm. Emily was excited to chase the kitties, play with the dog, and climb on the farm implements. Bethany just likes running around and playing with the toys at Otis and at the farm. Carolyn made Michael a Darth Vader cake from one of those character cake tins from when Michael was 5. Dellane got out the old picture of Michael holding his first cake for his 5th b-day and then took another one of him with the new one, with his babies alongside him. Silly.
Cool-Cat 'Dora' Cowgirls 3-3-05
Same kid, cowgirl theme continued 3-1-05
FEBRUARY 28, 2005 The Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer took off from Salina today. Michael and Dellane saw it take off from the VIP section at the runway by K-State Salina. The flight returned with a new record for speed for a trip around the world without refueling on Thursday, March 3rd. Michael, Dellane, and Jaimee were all there for the return. That evening Virgin Atlantic held a party in Salina with all the ritz. Michael and I went and felt somewhat out of place. The Kansas Governor was there to speak as well. We stayed through the presentations of honors, then headed back home to our babies.
Global flyer take off at dusk 2-28-05
Mommy holding Bethany and Emily 2-27-05 FEBRUARY 26, 2005 Mommy, Daddy, Bethie, Emily and G&G Oetken all loaded up in the family van and went to see the "..Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of Oz" Museum in Wamego, KS. We captured the tour on video and Michael made a nice movie of it for the girls to remember. On our way back, we stopped back through Manhattan since we hadn't been there in awhile. FEBRUARY 23, 2005 Aunt Jaimee chopped Bethany's bangs off so that we could see her eyes again. There's not much to the back yet, so she didn't trim there. She looks a lot like cousin Jordyn with her new hairdo.
Bethany's First Haircut 2-23-05 FEBRUARY 20, 2005 Mom came down and volunteered at the Kansas Mission of Mercy today. Carolyn and Dellane came to visit the girls and take Michael to a movie yesterday. I've been taking time to read books and I've started listening to books on tape while I drive all over covering all of the speech work I do for seven different companies. I'm reading the "Left Behind" series. It's pretty good, but lengthy. Jaimee, Michael, the girls and I all went swimming the other night at the YMCA. Bethany floated around in her little baby floatie. Emily had a blast splashing and exploring. She has a big thing with 'boobies' now though. I guess she noticed things more with us only wearing swimming suits? I'm not sure how she got that word, but she is really stuck on it for now. She's still doing the Dorothy/Wizard of Oz thing. She carries around her Toto stuffed animal in her big basket and wears her ruby red slippers. The other day she was in the car clicking her tennis shoes together as she was leaving to go to the sitter's house saying, "there's no place like home!". Bethany is the opposite. She isn't saying a word. She watches everything though. Actually, she'll slip out a little something now and then- a "momma" here, a "dada" there, even the occasional other word or approximation of something that may have possibly been a word. She has whole sentences of jargon, especially when she's 'scolding' or teasing Emily in some way. She's eating regular foods well. Whenever music is on, she is jamming and moving her whole body to the beat. Her hair is getting pretty long and curls upward like Daddy's is doing since he started growing his out. Those two bottom teeth sit lonely in her mouth, awaiting the day when the others will finally pop through. She loves to be held when she's sleepy and when she is getting a bottle. Our girls are growing up!
Bethany 13 months old 2/20/05
"There's no place like home!" Emily (2.5 years) clicks her ruby red slippers together as she sits next to Aunt Jai with Toto and her basket nearby 2/13/05 FEBRUARY 15, 2005 I had a terrible meeting. I saw a troubled girl that I had first met a few years back. When I had met her I knew at the time that she had been sexually abused. Now, as an older girl she is struggling so. She is an emotional mess and an academic failure.Seeing this girl reminds me of me while I was young. I was such a mess, but I hadn't dealt with nearly the things that she has. I wanted to hug her and tell her that it would all be fine, but it most likely won't be. I won't let my babies go through those terrible things if there's anything that I can do about it. FEBRUARY 13, 2005 Aunt Jaimee has arrived. She is Emily's favorite aunt and she's now living downstairs so that she can finish her schooling in Salina. Emily spent most of the day with her. In the morning, Michael, Bethany, Emily and I went to visit a new church in town. It was nice. The girls played in the church daycare. We liked the service and recognized some of the people there. FEBRUARY 6, 2005 It's party time! Today we had a party to celebrate Miss Bethany's birthday and Michael's Superbowl. Luckily the weather wasn't too bad.
Cowgirl Eagle Cheerleader Bethany at her 1st Birthday party 2-6-05 Guests: Uncle Chris, Aunt Jennifer, and Matthew Short Aunt Jaimee Aunt Joni, Uncle Greg, and Jordyn Stukey Grandma Jenny and Papa John Grandma Carolyn and Grandpa Dellane Pam, Edd, Halle, and Claire Great Grandma and Grandpa Landers Great Aunt Charlene Aunt Jessie Momma, Daddy, and Emily
Gifts included: Child's rocking chair, Dora toys, blanket, book, clothes, bib, doll house, pop-up tunnels, kid's glider rocker, savings bond, bath toys, musical bug, cookies, cakes, cards, money and of course a big birthday party!
Grandma Carolyn made cute cakes
Thanks to everyone for the gifts and for sharing in Bethany's special day. She woke up from her nap to a house full of people. That was a little overwhelming for her, so she stuck with mommy as her safety net most of the day. She did warm up after playing with the kids. She didn't eat much cake or other food, but everybody else did! Grandma Carolyn made the cakes. She even made a special Wizard of Oz one for Emily (since Emily is so into the Wizard of Oz right now). Emily was sure to carry around her big 'Dorothy' basket all day. She even stole Jordyn's stuffed dog to put into her basket as 'Toto'.
Emily, Bethany, Halle, Matthew, & Claire Michael was excited about his team making it to the super bowl. It was a very good game, but the Patriots won in the end by a few points. Michael was disappointed, but he survived. Chris and Michael even put together Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches for the game time entree.
Michael and Chris making Philly Cheesesteaks for the Super Bowl entree
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