Sunday Snapshot-

So, it's Sunday again, and I'd like to feature our second- our snack-lovin', fourth grade girl crushin', cursive writin' kid. Don't forget to check out other Sunday Snapshots right here!

First off, I gotta show these. I'm not the kind of mom to be flaunting my kids grades. Never have before. But for those of you who know this kid (and I'm hoping his second and third grade teachers are checkin' in) you know that math has been an issue, as well as deciphering his handwriting. So feast your eyes on these math assessments and tests Grandparents......

....and this awesome handwriting that you can read! More time is spent on cursive here than back home which has worked to his advantage, slowing him down enough to take his time. Plus kids looove to write in cursive so he's been practicing at home a lot. Isn't it beautiful?

The following are a glimpse into his personality.

Number one, he's a cut-up. This is something he just whipped up the other day.

Number two, he's hungry. This is how he prefers for his food to be offered to him. Buffet style, with many, many options to choose from. This is not every night, mind you. This would be an example of a Sunday football game meal.

This was his attempt to "put on some weight" a few days ago. Apparently thinking he was too skinny he bulked up with 8 different layers. He was proud of that.

Number three, he's an outdoor man. He can't sit inside for too long; it eats at him. While others are perfectly happy to while away winter drawing, playing dolls, watching movies or playing the Wii. He wants to go out. It could be windy and 0 degrees, he doesn't care. I can always tell when it's time; he'll go and stand and stare out the window.

Check Out......

........my new classroom blog- "Pipe Cleaners, Paper Cuts and Picasso".

Designed to keep in touch with all of my 640+ students and parents; you can see what each grade (K-5) is currently making in my art room!

A House Divided

At least some of us in this family know who to root for

Ten Things I've learned about Minnesota Winters....So Far

This Sunday's Snapshot is about me....and what I've learned from my move to Minnesota. Don't get me wrong, I'm no stranger to snow- grew up in north eastern Ohio and even experienced a few 30 inchers back home in Maryland. This is just the list of things I didn't expect. Make sure you click here to see little miss Vivi over at Ni Hao Y'all. They just made it home from China!!

Ten Things I've Learned About Minnesota Winters

1. I can no longer wear my socks. Man socks are required.
2. That for the first time since I was five, the frozen snot dripped onto the front of my winter coat is unfortunately my own. You see, when it's 18 below your nose hairs surrender and no longer do their duty.
   
3. That strange thumping noise following my truck every morning on the way to work is the moisture in my tires that has created an ice ball overnight.
4. That maneuvering a shopping cart full of groceries in a parking lot up here should be a winter Olympic sport.
5. As a mom of three you can never have too many pairs of gloves; they never stick around for too long.
6. There is a plastic made to cover windows in your house....and if a football is thrown at that bulging plastic covering the window- a cold air mass the size of Texas will take up residence in your little living room and stay.
7. That even when you take the dog out in the morning, and you've prepared for it to be icy- it doesn't help a darn bit- You're still goin' down......and your dog will stand there and do nothing to help you.
8. There can be moguls in a school parking lot.
9. Freezing Fog is real, look it up.
10. Road salt is a clothing accessory
    
    
    

Never thought I'd see the day.........

....that this kid would have a pair of cross country skis strapped onto his feet.

See that guy in the background? That's the phy. ed. teacher, and quite possibly the bravest man in the world to allow this. Having a cross country ski unit in gym class is totally foreign to these kids of mine.

He started off alright, and made it around the first few cones before losing a ski that he couldn't get back on.

So he carried it.

Probably safer that way.

Those of you who know my first born, know that the word "coordinated" is not in his vocabulary. People just passing him on the sidewalk have been known to be bulldozed in some manner or another. What I didn't get on camera were the select few that found themselves at the wrong end of his poles as he was flailing and trying to get his balance.

"This was my favorite part"-he told me later.

51 Million Dollars and a 9 Year Old

On 35 south there is a huge billboard that boasts the amount of this weeks power ball. I see it every weekend on my way back from Walmart, my favorite place in the world. I always say, where else can you buy bananas and underwear all in one place? Of course the answer to that is SuperTarget way up here in MN, but I prefer Walmart.

So getting back to 51 million smackers. My second accompanied me on the trip this time, even though it was the weekend and 7:30am. I think the allure of being able to pick out the snackies for a Sunday Vikings football game was enough to rouse him out of bed, without any coercing. He happened to see the sign this time and the rest of our ride home was one of those daydream fantasies of what you would use 51 million for. So...... I present to you the list. Created mostly by a nine year old boy with a few add ons by his 37 year old mom.

1. No, I am not one of these people that would keep my job even though I have millions in the bank. Sorry, but I have too many things I've been wanting to do with my life lately and if money can buy more time spent with my family than I'm spendin' it!
2. Fix that ugly wall in our old church he says. And pay it off and fix the roof I add. Throw in an extra million while we're at it!
3. Can't forget our new church here, they have been so supportive, hand over another million!
4. Give our house (that we're currently waiting to sell) away he says, to someone who doesn't have a house. "Just give it", he said.
5. Give Grammy and Poppy and Grandma and Pop Pop two million he says, and buy them a gift certificate for the airport so they can fly in to see us when ever they want.
6. Bask in the relief that financial concerns re. our adoption are no longer a worry. Bring on that referral!!!
7. And adopt a kid from Haiti, he says. And then a teenager from Peru.
8. Build the biggest gosh darn house on 100 acres to accommodate all of these children and the heated and air conditioned rescue shelter in the back for dogs and cats and what the heck, any other creature that needs it.
9. Buy dad a new car, he says.
10. But just fix up mine, I say, and give it a good wash because I like my truck and don't want to get rid of it.
11. Send Grandma and Pop Pop and Grammy and Poppy on a vacation to anywhere they want to go, he says. And give all my Aunts and Uncles some millions too.
12. Sock away enough for all of the kids to go to a four year college. Except for our second who would prefer a two year stint at a culinary school so he could be a chef.
13. Buy a decent computer, I say. And one for Pop Pop too.

Of course the key to winning the lottery is to actually play it. And around here lately, just selling our home back in Maryland would honestly be pretty darn close to winning the lottery. So I'll just keep praying for that!!

I do love it though when I get to have these one on ones in the car, I learn so much about what's in their head at any given moment. He went on to tell me that amid all of the dogs and the tarantula he said he would have when he grew up, that he would also adopt a baby boy someday. I asked him from where and he said Germany. I had to chuckle knowing that out of all of the countries in the world with an over abundance of orphans, Germany wasn't one of them, but who am I to crush my kids future dreams? All I know is that when we ventured into our adoption; one of things my husband and I hoped was that it would encourage our children to someday build their family through adoption too. It made me smile listening to him chatter on in the backseat thinking that it may actually happen!

Yeah, it gets a little boring come winter

Sunday Snapshot- Brothers

This Sundays Snapshot I devote to brothers, in particular the ones living under our roof. Not sure if there will be other Sunday Snapshots to checkout since our wonderful hostess Stefanie is currently in China getting ready to meet her daughter for the first time. Why not head on over there anyhow. You can follow her trip at Ni Hao Y'all.

Stay with me till the end of the post where I offer up my first video clip. A little long and boring for those who don't know us well, but great for the grandparents.

Here is where I'd love to begin posting all of the cute little pics we took 10 years ago when brothers were born- actually one had already been here for 17 months before the second one came along. Anyway, all of those photos are in a basement closet 987 miles away in our home that is currently waiting to sell so you will have to settle for the most recent ones I have.

Ya know, I was told early on that they would be the best of friends. I do see that every once in awhile, when they're not arguing.

I tell them all the time that they will never have a better best friend

I hope they will remember that

I found this video on the camera a few days ago. I remember letting them take the camera out to snap a few that day but I had no clue they made a video. Kinda nice to see the green grass again!

And then we have this handsome guy......

Two Years Old Today!

We love you little man!

See This Handsome Guy???

Seventy Years Today

but not lookin' a day over 55

Happy Birthday Poppy! We love you and miss you!

Sunday Snapshot- The Man of the House

I decided it was past due to feature the husband, the man of the house, the fixer of all things "unfixable", and the reason why we are all here in this great state of Minnesota. Hop on over to Ni Hao Y'all to browse other Sunday Snapshots from other bloggers like myself. Also, while your there, say a little prayer for Stefanie and her family. She's getting ready to travel to China in about a week to bring home little Vivi- how exciting!

This is the pose you will most often find him in. I realize it's his job, but if he could have it surgically attached I think he would.

Not afraid at all to tackle this mess and perfectly happy to spend an afternoon in it with his 5 year old daughter.....

...with only one condition. That he gets to bring some toys too.

I've reluctantly realized that this man has more patience than I do when it comes to sitting down and devoting an hour or two on the weekend to dressing Barbies.

And I mean hours. Every weekend.

Loves to battle those boys on the Wii.....

...and make sure that their "dress-up" is up to military standards.

And if it wasn't for him, this dog wouldn't be here. I mean, I had a different one picked out on that cold Saturday at the rescue shelter, but he insisted on this one....

.....and she won't let him forget it either.
I can't forget to mention that this man can cook too. Hates having his picture taken, but man can he cook. And I'm not just sayin' that so I don't have to.
And this, well, this is what happens when he just "messes around" with the camera for a couple seconds. Yes, I'm jealous, because I couldn't have taken one like this if I tried. In fact I did and it didn't work.

This was our Christmas tree.

So I'll post this pic of him just for spite. It's a repeat from many blogs ago.....

.....but he didn't know I posted it that time either :)