Forever Family Day, 2 Years Ago Today - Hannah & Hailey

2 Years ago today Ted and I walked into an orphanage in Vung Tau, Vietnam where 2 of the most precious little girls in the world were placed in our arms.

The time has flown by, the girls have brought us all so much joy that is so hard to put into words. They have become such happy, loving and beautiful little girls.

Here are the very first pictures we ever saw of the girls, our referral pictures.



This was taken at our adoption hearing in Vietnam just an hour after we had recieved the girls.



These were shortly after also.



Look at that face, it melts a mama's heart.



One year ago, last July 9, 2008.



August 2008. (I had bought these outfits in Vietnam and I just loved them on the girls)



September 2008.



October 2008.



November 2008.



December 2008. I posted 2 pictures as I couldn't decide which one, they were both soooooo cute!





January 2009.



February 2009 the girls welcomed their new sister home from China. This was taken 10 minutes off the plane with Taylor.



March 2009.



April 2009.



May 2009.



June 2009.



July 9, 2009. Today we had to wait for the phone company to come out and fix our phone so the girls and I just had a lazy, fun day.

They helped make chocolate chip cookies with me.



We made homemade play doh. You throw everything in a pot and cook on the stove, takes maybe 5 minutes!





Hannah & Hailey. These two are really close, they truly care and love each other and don't like to be apart much.



After dinner we went and fed the ducks then took the girls to Dairy Queen for ice cream sundaes. What a great day we had!

4th of July

We had a very busy 4th but the girls had so much fun!

We made sugar cookies one day.



They iced them the next day. They always seem to eat more than make.







On The 3rd we took the girls to the outlet mall where they were having the fireworks display, water ski show, bands, etc... and we tailgated.

I made the all the girls tee shirts and bows for the 3rd and the 4th.









Cutie girl!







The girls love the sparklers.





On the 4th we took the girls to the parade on Sanibel Island. They got a ridiculous amount of candy thrown out to them.

The start of the parade.



Taylor is so unsure about everything we go to and see.





The "loot" that they took in. (my setting was off on my camera and I didn't realize it till I looked at the photos later on)



Later that night, more sparklers!

Welcome home Gates!

We went to the airport yesterday to help welcome home little Gates home from China.

The girls waiting for his plane to come in.



Gates new mom, Karrie, is in the middle and big sister is telling mom that the plane has just landed.



Here's just some of the friends & family waiting.



Little Gates! The local NBC news was there to do a story on them so we had to stay somewhat out of the way.



Welcome home Gates!

Here's a clip form the local news station it was on.

Local NBC News Story

Dads 80th Birthday Paaartay!

We celebrated my dads 80th birthday this last weekend. My brother flew in from Indiana, and my other brothers who all live in Florida and a bunch of the grandkids and great grandkids all showed up to help celebrate. My mom threw a big bash at their country club for all their friends and family with a family dinner afterwards back at their house.

Just some random shots of the girls at the airport waiting for their Aunt & Uncle from Indiana.









And in case anyone is wondering, yes, I did make the girls dresses.

Here is my brother Bob and his wife just getting off the plane.



The open house at my parents country club was from 2-4.

Gotta have a picture of the buffet table!



I just have a few different pictures of the family, I was busy chatting, eating and chasing the girls.













The girls got to keep the balloons after the party, they were happy!






We got in a bunch of family pictures back at their house afterwards.







Hailey made good use of the balloons the next morning.




My neice April posted some photos on her site too, you can go on the left hand side of my blog under "family sites", it's Team Stutts, or you can just click the link below to her site.

Team Stutts

Father's Day

For Father's Day we took Ted to Sanibel for a day of fun fishing, kayaking and cooking out. And, for whatever reason, I am so slackin' on my picture taking. I also forgot that the girls life vests were in the boat so I didn't have them so the girls couldn't go out in the kayak. Bill was an advisor for a police career camp all weekend so he couldn't make it. Here's a few pictures of our day though.









The boys, "trying" to cook dinner, lol!



A seagull got wrapped up in Brandon's fishing line. They had to put a towel over the poor seagulls head, get him unwrapped and all was well.





The girls love to have daddy hold all three of them and jump up and down in the pool.

Keeping so busy, but not doing a whole lot!

Does that make sense? We are so super busy right now, or at least I am with a zillion things on my plate. We haven't been doing too much, but I've had so many errands to run and things to do around the house. Here's a few pictures from the last week.

I must be really slackin' lately on my picture taking, I think the girls are just now starting to really run in all different directions so I'm having to keep my eye on them more.

We took the girls to "Shark Fest" on Ft. Myers Beach last weekend. I didn't get any pictures of sharks as it was a "catch & release" sort of thing the night before.





We've been hanging out in the pool a lot too lately.



Jesse with Hailey.



There's no clean up or mess if popsicle's are eaten in the pool!



We went to the beach one day with Daddy!



We went to see Grandma & Grandpa's and thought it was so funny to stick stickers all over ourselves!



Jesse put his "Five Guys" work shirts on the girls one day.



And this is what happens when you have a teenager living in the house, Jesse thought it was funny to teach the girls "Rock On"! (Taylor told some guy in Walmart one day to "Rock On"). Thanks Jess!

The Lord's Prayer

I saw this on You Tube and just forgot to post it then our daughter just happened to send it to me in an e-mail.

Is she just about the cutest little one y'all have ever heard?????