Referral!

Today we got our referral for our China adoption. We will be adopting a little one year old girl (younger than we had anticipated) with cleft lip and palate. Her lip has been repaired already. As soon as I can I will post pics. Just know that she is adorable. We still need to decide on a name!

Yesterday, we were outside in short sleeves enjoying blowing bubbles with Mia's birth grandparents.

And typical Colorado, today it looks like this:

Ever notice that it's a lot more fun to go about your day dressed as an octopus?

The Last Few Days

Our 2011 Christmas cards are here. I'm a Type A, obviously. Got my cards in early October for the 20% discount!

I got our first gift for the new grandbaby. It's the softest ever little giraffe that plays a lullaby. Mia DID NOT want to put it in the box to send to Joey. I think Daddy might just get her one for Christmas.

We got this in the mail Friday. Isn't it beautiful? I accepted on Mia's behalf.

Yesterday we went to the preschool pumpkin festival at our church. Mia wore the Red Riding Hood outfit I forgot that I bought at a Halloween sale last year.

Such competition!

How amazing that she won the Cake Walk!















Today we went to Monkey Business. We haven't been there since the spring. It's our cool weather playground. Even though it was warm today, we met Lesley and Logan there. Forgot to get their pictures!

Little Bit of Literal:

Me: Don't walk on the carpet with your shoes on.

Mia: Why? (Even though I tell her every day.)

Me: Because you'll get the carpet dirty.

Mia then runs across her bedroom carpet to the bathroom, with her shoes on. I'm upset because she has outright defied me.

Me: Mia, I told you to take your shoes off.

Mia: Mommy I didn't walk on the carpet. Yea! I RUN so the carpet is clean.

Wedding and Grandbaby Updates

Beth and Greg have a wedding photographer: Barbie Hull She was more reasonably priced than they thought considering her caliber.

Joey and Brittany have a boys name: Benjamin

Things are moving right along on both fronts.

Grandma or Mom or Both?

Dan and I had quite a surprise Thursday night. We found out we are to be grandparents in May! Joey and his girlfriend, Brittany, are expecting. They hope to get married after the baby is born. We are beyond excited!

Today is the second anniversary of a very special day. It was two years ago that a little six month old beautiful baby was given to me to care for and nurture until she could hopefully go back home. She wore a pink Harley Davidson cap that I still have. She had the widest little face I had ever seen. All day I waited for her to fuss so I would know when she needed to sleep. But she never did. In the afternoon I looked over at her on the rug and she was fast asleep. This is the actual picture I took at that time.

Schooltime!

Since the middle of August I have been doing "school" with Mia for about an hour twice a week. She now knows all her colors (occasionally struggles with red), recognizes the numbers 1-4 (usually), eight shapes, and knows M i and a. She tells me that spells Mama, not Mia!

Our schedule is as follows:

Color a number page while I read aloud.
Count aloud to 20.
Number puzzle or game.
Shape game or book.
Craft or paint.
Sing ABC's.
Recite some nursery rhymes.
Work with patterns or classifying.
Storytime with picture books.

We Have a Court Date!

Only 27 days until this little one is home for good. And today we go to USCIS to get our fingerprints for the China adoption. Then we just wait for our I-797.

Wedding Update

They have a venue! And a date! Beth and Greg will be married at Arctic Club Hotel Dome Room in Seattle on September 22, 2012. Is 2 a lucky number? I sure hope so!

Daddy Date

Dan went to Mesquite for a golf trip while Mia and I were in Palm Desert. She was asleep when he got home. Yesterday he had a business dinner. He leaves on a business trip today and doesn't get home again until she will be asleep tomorrow night. So he asked us to meet him at McDonald's before the dinner for a Daddy Date. He pretty much ignored the sign that said the climbing structure was for 3-12 year olds. Come to think of it, neither of them was in the labeled age range. :)

Palm Desert

This past weekend Mia and I spent three sun-filled days in Palm Desert with Dar.

Thank you, thank you , thank you God for Ipads on airplanes. Mia played Tally Tots and Shape-O the entire plane ride.











After swimming in the pool, we took Mia to Chuck E. Cheese. She is doing great at the potty training, but all the rides were just too exciting for her and she forgot she had to go! She liked the little merry-go-round best.

Mia woke up at 5:30 A.M. and said, "Let's go simming!". Luckily, we got her back to sleep.

In this picture Mia is chasing one hand along the rim of the pool with her other hand. The first hand is saying, "You can't get me!" Who needs toys?

Our last day was spent at Palm Desert Civic Park. The best part of the trip: I spent my fiftieth birthday at Chuck E. Cheese and couldn't think of anywhere else I'd rather be!

Why Blog?

When I quit teaching six years ago, I went through all the pictures we had taken during our marriage. They were all just thrown in plastic boxes. I sorted them by year and put them in envelopes. Then I sorted them by month, as best I could. Next I put them in photo albums. For the first time we could look at and enjoy them whenever we wished in some sort of organized fashion. I didn't get them all exactly in the right place, but they're pretty close.

A few weeks ago I found out that you can have your blog made into a book. I thought that would sure beat a photo album! There would be so much more information, memories and details stored in a blog. And it would be so much easier to divide the pictures up for the kids as we get on in years...just get a book made for each of them. I haven't looked into the cost, but I'm sure it's worth it.

So that is the reason for starting this blog. If no one ever reads it, that is just fine with me. If anyone does read and enjoy it, I'm fine with that too.

First Dentist Appointment!

Today Mia went to the dentist for the first time. She was a trooper and let the dentist check all her teeth as well as brush them. We talked about her sucking her thumb and he said if she can stop before she is three then her jaw may reform to its original shape. I thought the changes were permanent, but now we have something to work on! Our little tomboy wanted two bouncy balls for her take-home toy.

And a Happy Day...

Tomorrow is my 50th birthday. I had a surprise family birthday party in Santa Barbara in July and I met up with my high school friends who were all turning 50 in August. Tomorrow I'm going to Palm Springs with my sister for the weekend for our birthdays (she turns 49 tomorrow). So I was quite surprised when hubby brought home Chinese food and ice cream for my birthday last night. He is so sweet to not tempt me with gluten!

Mia loved the mint n chip just like her mama.






And then I was even more surprised when I found this in the mailbox:

It was from Beth. I read this whole series to her and Joey when they were young. Becky was never too interested in it. Beth always thinks of such great gifts. I love that about her!

A Sad Day...

Doesn't this picture look like something is missing? Where are the cushions, the rug and the umbrella?

It's called winterizing. Something we never had to do in California. But with every loss there is a small gain.

Patio chair cushions make for great bouncing!

Corn Maze!

Sunday we went to the Pumpkin Festival and Corn Maze at Chatfield. We try to go every year, but it was fun to go with another family this time. We were able to navigate the large maze (we as in Dan and Greg). Mia had fun climbing on and trying to pick up the pumpkins. Afterwards we came home to a crockpot full of chicken tortilla soup. Yum.

I tried to take a picture, but I got the irritating message, battery dead.

Each year the maze is a little different. This was the 2011 maze.

Focus on the Family

When Focus on the Family moved from San Dimas to Colorado Springs (no we didn't follow them), they built a great indoor playground in the basement of their Welcome Center. Mia brought Lorelei to check it out with her. What fun!

Circus Time

The circus comes to Denver every October. So this year we decided it was time for Mia to go. She loved some of the acts and others she completely ignored. Apparently, she thought it was just normal every day stuff for people to walk up high on ropes and she paid them not one bit of attention. Of course, everything is a little more interesting when you are eating a s'more on a stick.

Casa Bonita!

Have you been there? Think Mexican food from the 70's: Velveeta, salt, horrible tasting. You have to buy food before they will even let you in. But it's a Denver landmark due to the "cliff divers" and you have to go there at least once while you're here. Why I've been there four times I don't know!!

Bill and Wade didn't know what a treat they were in for.

Mia didn't like the haunted house, but loved the arcade games.

Joey Has a New Job!

We just found out that Joey got the job he has interviewed for the last two days. A real 9-5 corporate type thing he's been looking for. We are so happy for him!

Beer Festival!

Dan has two hobbies: beer-making and golf. This past weekend it was time to celebrate the first. All the kids, significant others, and Beth's friend and her husband came out for the weekend of the Great American Brew Festival. There was food, football, and beer, but mostly just hanging out and talking. I don't drink too much beer, but even I had a blast!

We toasted Beth and Greg's engagement!