Make Your Cake and Eat It Too!

So my sister-in-law Elizabeth (my brothers wife), who has a baby girl, Anna WHO IS 1 TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL!!!!!!! and a little boy, Charlie, who is 3 1/2, has decided to bake and decorate cakes...I have no idea how she has time to do it but they are UN-FREAKIN REAL!!!! Check out her last post here
to see the cake she has made for Anna's birthday today, and this isn't even her birthday party cake! I cannot wait to see that!
As a side note, the last time we saw them was New Years Eve when we went down there for almost a week. We don't get to see them enough and it is too sad but the drive is just too long to go to for just a weekend when you are having to drive babies in the back which makes it so hard because we miss them so much! But the morning we left in January I was so so sad and it was even worse looking at Charlie and Hunter's faces as they heard the dreaded words "we have to go home now."
I always DREAD saying goodbye. I don't think I handle it well. I really wanted to burst into tears when we left but had to hold it together...for myself and my babies. They were so tired and i am sure if started crying they would have too.
I miss Anna's sweet toothless smile that melts your heart (though she has some teeth now and I cannot wait to see those in person!)
I miss Charlie's laugh and shy but extremely loving smile and hearing his voice calling me "Kiki" (it is what my brother called my growing up so naturally his little ones call me that too and I love it!)
I miss my brother who I do not get to see but a few times a year (which is what makes it so hard I think) AND who is the funniest person I know
I miss my sister in law, E, who I can talk to about anything and who is such a wonderful mommy (and fabulous writer...read "Stein Mart Mania" if you check out their blog!)
I miss hearing Hunter and Charlie running up and down the steps, playing trains, racing cars, obsessing over Lightning McQueen, and overhearing "conversations" they had over snacks at the counter
I miss watching Drake trying to keep up with the big boys and also trying to play with Anna (poor fella)
But, I laugh every time I think about the fun we had and smile thinking about getting to do it all over again hopefully soon!
So here are a few pictures from that trip...

This is Will tickling Hunter and Charlie (who you cannot see but they are laying on the ground) The 2 boys were entertained by this for quite some time and I think I was the only one in the room at the time watching but I was so entertained myself! How could you not be!

Uncle Kyle and baby Anna

The picture of the 4 adults on New Years Day (adult only pictures are quite rare these days!)