October 21, 2007

This is Ms. Kara McTriplet (ok, so that's not her real name, but she is the mom of triplet boys, so that's how she is known around these parts!) We've *known* eachother for around 2 years through our work on the Share website, we've met once before, last year at this wonderful gathering...but this year...Oh my Goodness...I really think I have found my long lost twin! We connected on so many levels and she is just so awesome to be around! She is truly one of those people who make you happy just to be around! We were partners in crime and had A LOT of fun! We're already planning a girls weekend sometime soon! So thanks for the great time Kara...you are awesome!!!

October 20, 2007

Tonight was our beautiful Remembrance Ceremony where we remember what has brought us all together through Share and the March of Dimes. I got the honor to make a beautiful video tribute to our preemie survivors and angels. I think the night was very touching...sometimes it is so nice to be in a room full of people who *just get you!*

SuperFantabulous Friends -- Denise and Shonda

Another SuperFantabulous Friend and Mentor Ms. Darcy

October 19, 2007

After a day of meetings and conferences we got treated to another yummy dinner and then Kara and I and supervolunteer from KC, Ed Hale (he raised $70,000 for babies last year) got to meet Sherri Shepherd, comic and c0-host of The View. She is the MOD's Celebrity Spokesperson this year and I think she is going to do a great job! Her son was born 16 weeks too early (at 24 weeks) and spent over 3 months in the NICU!

Then we all decided that it was time to hit a DC bar...and boy did we have a good time...This is Todd from Georgia and Denise from Missouri, great people, both of them!!!
Another two amazing preemie moms Karen from Colorado and Jaclyn from Texas!!!

October 18, 2007

Today kicked off the March of Dimes Volunteer Leadership Conference with some very exciting stuff!! And for those of you who know me, you know that I am about the least *political* person around, but today was pretty darn cool!

This was our wonderful Iowa group heading to the Hill! We were lobbying to our Representatives and Senators about the CHIP bill, funding for the Preemie Act and funding for newborn screening tests in all 50 states.

Stacey, Me and Shonda
Before heading out to talk to the Representatives and Senators we had the honor to hear Anne Roosevelt speak. She is the granddaughter of Franklin D. Roosevelt and is still very involved in the March of Dimes, which her Grandfather founded! We also got our picture taken with her!!!This was also the room where JFK announced his run for presidency and where the Watergate trials took place.

This is Representative Latham from Iowa. He really made us feel welcome and was extremely nice and helpful!
After all the walking on The Hill...it was good to sit down to a yummy dinner with good friends Kara and Stacey!

October 17, 2007

Well my day started off bright and early! Shonda picked me up at 5 am and off to the airport we went! Things looked up quickly when we got bumped to 1st class! This was a first for both of us and pretty sweet if I do say so myself! So much more comfy...and drinking OJ out of real glasses just made my day!! After we got checked into our hotel we set off for some sightseeing in DC!
Our first stop was at the Arlington National Cemetery. This is a very powerful place. If you've never been here, it is something that is worth seeing...it really reminds you how many people have given their life so that we can live our lives! I thought this tree was so beautiful amongst the head stones.

The same message from the Korean War Memorial

Shonda and I on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument in the background.

That night Melanie took about 10 of us out for drinks and dinner and I got to order my very first lobster...it was pretty yummy and came with the cutest bib ;)

October 16, 2007

Meena came tonight and Braden couldn't have been happier!!! He's been waiting for 2 days for her to come (since we left her house on Sunday!) She will be staying with Braden and Chris while I'm in Washington, D.C. I'm sure he won't even know I'm gone!

October 15, 2007

Awww...the first cup of Hot Chocolate for the season!

Got Milk?

October 14, 2007

Shame on me, I forgot to take a picture today...but I have something to make up for it...Braden's very first school picture...Oh how stinking cute!!!

October 13, 2007

October 12, 2007

The day started out with smiles from Keegan, does it get any better?

Then we headed off to play in the pumpkins! It's just that time of the year! There was this cute little place not too far away from Mom and Dad's and both Braden and Keegan (and ok, me, Emily and Nathan) had a great time!

There were horses to ride...
...and boats to row...
...and all the sunshine wore me and Keegan out!!!

October 11, 2007

Braden and I headed to Nebraska today because I was having serious Keegan withdrawl! It had been way too long! And look at those chubby cheeks, isn't he just about the most precious thing! Awww...being an Auntie is just awesome!

October 10, 2007

Oh boy there was excitement at our house tonight! It was pretty chilly outside, but Braden convinced Chris to go outside to play for a bit after dinner. After awhile we heard the tornado sirens going off only to see clear skies up above. We were clueless as to what was happening, but it turns out that the siren was supposed to be a citywide *fire drill* and we were supposed to be planning our fire escape routes..oops missed that memo! But...the cool thing was that the fire truck picked our street to come down, sirens going and all! They let the kids go inside the fire engine and see how everything worked, they loved it! I did feel bad when a few neighbors ran outside not knowing what was going on and thought the worst when a fire truck was parked outside our house and were coming to find out what was wrong (but it does remind me what cool neighbors we have!).

Braden thought this was about the coolest thing especially since a fireman had come to talk at preschool and that's all he could talk about...notice the boots in the picture...those are his *fireman boots* how fitting that he happened to have them on!!

After we came inside..surprise, surprise, look what he wanted to play with!

October 09, 2007

Well I'll admit it, this actually didn't happen today, but 2 days from now! I had so many pictures from the weekend in Lincoln...but I just had to include these because it was a huge event :)

This was the first time that I've been in a meat locker :):):) My dad warned me that it was freezing in this little place, but I didn't really think it would be that cold! Those are earmuffs I have on :) and my cheeks were pretty rosy red after only 10 minutes in the locker!

October 08, 2007

Today Braden and 4 of his little friends took part in a photo shoot for Prematurity Awareness! They did so well! The combined birth weights of these kids (these 4 and one little girl!) is exactly 8.0 pounds which is the average weight for a full-term newborn! We're hoping to use the pictures in newspaper articles and other eduational information! I can't wait to see the final projects! So don't forget November is National Prematurity Awareness Month (I'm sure you'll be hearing from me soon!!)

October 07, 2007

Already time to say goodbye? The weekend went by too fast! It was so great to see Angie and her family, especially my Godson Ethan! We just don't get to see them enough!! Each time we are together we have to take a version of this shot! It's neat to see how we've all changed! Take a peek

And I just had to include this shot because I found it so silly! He thought this *drum* was such a great helmet and said he was an astronaut...what a goofball!

October 06, 2007

Well we had a great day hanging out with our friends Angie, Josh and Ethan and are so thankful that we got the chance to see them and they were so gracious and let us stay in their house! Angie and I were college roommates for one year in college and have stayed close for almost 10 years now! Today was also the big MISSOURI vs. NEBRASKA game and we were all ready!!!

First Braden had to wear his Mizzou gear to make the Missouri family happy ;)

Then Mommy got her hands on him and he was decked out in Red...also it was practical...it was an unusual 90 degrees today (in October???) and we were going to be running around in a corn maze before the game, so he just couldn't wear his long sleeve Mizzou shirt ;) The game had a crazy start time of 8:15 pm so we had time to run around in some corn, see some big fist at Bass Pro Shop (thank God for air conditioning!) meet PopPop Dirk, Bapaw, Aunt Sarah, Cousin Leah (and her friend) for a little dinner before the big showdown.
Braden and Ethan hiding in the corn

Is there anything better than running around like a crazy person in a maze of corn?

Well we finally made it to the game and got great seats on the hill! The place was absolutely packed and it was a fun atmosphere...plus I didn't get cussed out this year for wearing red by random, drunk frat boys...so that's always a plus! In this picture we're both still happy (10 minutes to kick off...)

Chris, still smiling!!!

Let's just say that that was where the smiles ended for this Big Red Fan...Mizzou played an awesome game, and I think the Cornhuskers were tailgating all day with the general population of Columbia...that is how they played! Oh well...maybe next year! We just like to let them feel good at home!!! The game was fun though and we didn't get back to Angie and Josh's house until 1:30am!

October 05, 2007

A beautiful Midwest sunset! I didn't know they could be so pretty ;) On our drive down to see our good friends (and attend the Mizzou vs. Nebraska game) I witnessed this outside our car window! I couldn't help but grab the camera and start snapping away! I think the pics came out pretty good considering they were taken through a window and traveling 70 miles down the road.