Mimi & Grant visit Princess Ariel

Mimi & Grant came to visit us this weekend & they brought Lily a new Ariel wedding dress & an Ariel ballerina dress, which transformed Lily into "Princess Ariel" for the rest of the weekend (and every day since).

Here comes the bride...
Even Vader got in on the fun!

Note to Mimi: "Some princesses have to go potty"

Pretty ballerina.
We also went to a going away party for one of Daddy's Sgt's who is being transferred to Hawaii.
We all got together to take a picture to send to Daddy so he won't forget about all his favorite Sgt's. :o)
We'll miss you Sgt Fair!

Punkin Pickin 2006

Lily, Mimi, Grant & Mommy went "punkin picking" (as Lily says) while they were visiting us this weekend. Lily had Grant carry "the most humongous punkin" Mommy would let her take home, even though she found some that were even more humongous - like the one below she's sitting on! We had a great time seeing the farm animals, going on the hayride, having (rubber) "duck races", & bouncing in the bounce castle. Lily loved listening to the live band & her & Mimi danced along to the music. Lily & Mimi got their faces painted together too.

Lily, Mimi & Grant on the hayride

Lily & the "humongous" punkin

One more pic of the cutest punkin in the patch

Math Lesson

Tonight at dinner Lily asked me how many bites of vegetables she had to have in order to get dessert, so I told her 4. She held up 4 fingers & asked "This many?" - I said yes. (She always holds up her fingers to show how many bites she has to take.) She took one bite & then asked how many more bites she had to take. I thought I would be smart & make this situation into a little math lesson for her, so I held up four fingers & asked her if she had taken one bite (and I put one finger down), then what did she get? ...She said "Dessert!!" :o) So much for that math lesson...

Disney on Ice

When I heard that the Disney on Ice show this year was called "Princess Wishes", I knew I had to take Lily. She had an amazing time & the excitement & joy in her eyes as she watched was priceless. When I asked her what her favorite part was, she said "the show!" (I guess waiting in line & going to the bathroom were not the highlights. :o)) I asked her what part of the show, but she just started talking about anything she could remember (which was almost everything, to my surprise!). Here is a picture of her before the show started & a few of her "favorite parts".
(Sorry the picture quality isn't great - I think it might have been the lighting.)

Snow White & Prince Charming

(never knew Cinderella's prince & Snow White's prince were both Prince Charming...)
Ariel & Prince Eric
Cinderella & Prince Charming

An Unusual Pool Party

This afternoon Lily asked me if she could play "dress up" in her room. I said "sure" thinking that she was just going to put on one of her princess dresses & apply pretend make-up at her vanity, like she usually does. When I went to check on her a little while later, I found this unusual "pool party" going on. She had put on her bathing suit & then put bathing suits on a number of her stuffed animals. They were all having a big time swimming in the "pool" (the blanket).

Princess Correspondence

Tonight, Princess Lily decided to "write letters" to her friends.

Some excerpts from her letters:

"Dear Paige, I love you very much. Your supposed to be nice to your friends all the time"

"Dear Lexi, I don't know what to tell you, but it is VERY important"

"Dear Kylie, I know you. You are one of my best friends"

Then she decided to draw all her friends birthday cards...This one is for Skylar.

Our friend Karen

One of my good friends, Karen, who recently reenlisted in the Army, just found out that she is being deployed to Iraq for a year. She is an amazing soldier& I am glad to have someone like her protecting our country. Her son Chase & Lily were great friends when we lived in Texas, and they still get along great when we get to visit.

Please keep her & her family in your thoughts & prayers! Karen & Wendy this summer in Texas

Missing Daddy

There it is night. Here it is day.
While you are sleeping, I am at play
Running and laughing, but stopping to say
I miss you Daddy, when you are away

We may be mountains and oceans apart
So high and wide, but that's okay
My love can find you wherever you are
I tell my heart, "Don't be lonely" but it won't obey
I miss you, Daddy, when you are away

At breakfast and dinner and bedtime we pray
For God to protect you and help you be brave
I smile & remember why you are so great...

Tickles & wrestling at the end of the day
Teaching me, Listening to the things that I say
Hugging me, Kissing all over my face
Fighting so bravely for the United States...
Oh, I miss you, Daddy, when you are away

We may be mountains and oceans apart
So high and wide, but that's okay
My love can find you wherever you are
I tell my heart, "Don't be lonely" but it won't obey
I miss you, Daddy, when you are away

I miss you so badly when you are away
Keep fighting bravely for the United States


2 months down, 4 more left
until Daddy can come home
where he is loved best

Virginia Zoo

Lily & I took a day trip to the Virginia Zoo recently.

We brought her best friend Paige with us. The girls had a lot of fun - we even got to see one of the elephants go for a swim! The giraffes were nearly close enough to touch & the girls thought it was so funny to be able to stick their heads up in a protected hole & see the meerkats up close. But they had the most fun playing in the water fountains - they ran through the water that sprayed up out of the ground & splashed each other until they were soaking wet! They were having so much fun I didn't have the heart to make them stop - it was a good thing I had a change of clothes for them!

Meerkats
Playing in the fountains
Giraffes
Elephants
Friends Forever...

Lily tries to go to Kuwait

Lily tried to pack herself in the box we were sending to Daddy. She said she wanted to give him a real kiss instead of sending them over the phone. Sweet baby!