Counting Seeds

Sunday Snapshot~ my favorite whitney song:)

2012-02-12T15:39:00.000-08:00

don't usually post about current events, politics or pop culture. this blog has always been for family and friends and of course it's become my scrapbook of memories. however, i couldn't help but think of my 7th grade self today, the one that knew the words to every song on that first album of hers. i used to sit in my room in front of that big stereo my dad bought me switching out my 45's and singin' along. she even has a spot on the kiddos ipods 20 years later. on a vacation we took a few years back "how will i know" came on the radio and of course only dad and i knew the words but the kids took an instant liking to it and requested it off of itunes when we got home. this is the one though that i would listen to during particular moments in my life; she sings it beautifully- and even though she shares it with Mariah, it was always my favorite:)

Many nights we've prayed

With no proof anyone could hear

In our hearts a hopeful song We barely understood

Now we are not afraid Although we know there's much to fear We were moving mountains Long before we knew we could

There can be miracles When you believe Though hope is frail It's hard to kill

Who knows what miracles You can achieve

When you believe, Somehow you will

You will when you believe

In this time of fear When prayer so often proves in vain

Hope seemed like the summer birds Too swiftly flown away

Yet now I'm standing here My heart's so full I can't explain

Seeking faith and speaking words I never thought I'd say

They don't always happen when you ask

And it's easy to give in to your fear

But when you're blinded by your pain Can't see your way safe through the rain

Thought of a still resilient voice Says love is very near

Thankful Thursday

2012-02-09T17:51:00.001-08:00

i am thankful for my little girl who even though she'll be 8 soon finds ways to stay my little girl
which is just the way i like it:)

Sunday Snapshot~Homework

2012-02-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

there are nights when i curse the ones who give it....especially some of those middle school teachers. but weekends? come on. that's our time....family time, and there's no better way to ruin a weekend than to throw some homework into it. so one particular saturday morning we got'em up early and bribed them with chocolate donuts, cinnamon rolls and sausage biscuits.and we got it all done before noon. take that 4th hour math and 6th hour history! you're no match for chocolate chip muffins! of course the lil' lady loves the homework and refuses to be left out. no bribes necessary

Sunday Snapshot~ Glasses

2012-01-21T18:55:00.001-08:00

60AD
the Roman Emperor Nero used an emerald as a lens to help him see better...

1495
Henry VIII had a helmet made with lenses built in so he could see whom he was fighting....

1784
Benjamin Franklin is wearing bifocals. as well as being a scientist he was a great writer and a great statesman - truly a man of vision
2012

lil' lady gets glasses. now she can see big bird from the couch

Through the Looking Glass

2012-01-20T12:02:00.001-08:00

so i had to get great grandpas magnifying glass outta the china closet to see if the spider mites had come back to destroy my yellow rose bush again and there was seemed to be quite the fascination with it

so i obviously grabbed the camera to catch a few shots

when it started to get this crazy i tracked down the rest of the kiddos too

some were more than happy to oblige

others merely tolerated me

hey buster, when you were 6 this would've been the highlight of your day

my favorite

hey, don't forget the My Memories Suite digital scrapbook software give away! totally free to enter folks and it's a $39 value! Ends Sunday the 22nd!

Sunday Snapshot~ Our Oldest and a GiveAway!

2012-01-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

our oldest has definitely grown in the last year. heck, in the last 6 months! new shoes at Christmastime were size 10.5 , a half size bigger than his dad. when i called home the other day i couldn't figure out why the hubs was home early and then i realized it wasn't the hubs...it was my oldest talking in his newly acquired bass voice. This collage spans only the last 3 years; going any further back would've made me cry.

i was finally able to create a photo collage like this (and others below) on my own using digital scrapbooking software. i've seen photos like this on other blogs but could never figure out how they were done. now i know and this week i will be giving away a free copy of My Memories Suite Software (a $39.95 value) to one winner so you can have fun creating wonderful memories with your photos too! it's free to enter and you can submit up to 4 entries. see details below

if you haven't tried digital scrapbooking yet, now's the time to experiment! digital is so simple; just design your pages, print them out and put them in a book! instead of your pictures languishing in your computer picture file (like mine) you can get them into a book or onto a DVD in minutes. i was surprised it was so easy to navigate this digital scrapbooking software especially for a beginner like me, everything is basically drag and drop!

you can create your own designs from scratch using thousands of background papers and embellishments as well as fonts and colors or use one of several templates already designed. you can also put the scrapbook pages you make on My Memories Suite on a DVD and add music and videos! This software can also be used for blog design, photo books and custom cards. Here's what I made this morning!

lil' lady waiting in Korea...

blue eyes...

and first trip to a MN outdoor rink!

right now they are offering a $10 discount off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software, plus another $10 off any products in the My Memories Store- that's $20 in savings! Use code STMMMS97074 (it's okay to use more than once and can be shared)

or, enter to win a copy for free (again, a $39.95 value)! there are four ways to enter, so more chances to win (Please Comment Once For Every Entry So Each One Counts!) I will use Random.org to select a winner and it will be announced on January 22.

Give Away has ended! WINNER IS KALA!

one of God's perfect works......

2012-01-03T06:53:00.001-08:00

okay, so I've been taking a blog break.

in the meantime, please continue to enjoy this portrait of a grizzly bear. isn't he grand?

i have had this portrait on my desk at school for the last 17 years. i love the direction of his gaze as if he is truly posing for the photographer. if i remember correctly i found this in a animal rescue magazine so i tore it out and framed it and have been taken with it ever since. the kids at school are always smitten with it as well. such a sweet guy despite those well manicured nails, huh?

Sunday Snapshot~ Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T11:35:00.000-08:00

3rd New Years Eve in Minnesota and we easterners are still missing watching the ball actually drop at midnight. just not the same anymore.

doesn't stop us from gettin' our boogie on, especially the First Lady.

no matter what the holiday she definitely celebrates in her own

fashionable

way.

others prefer to play it low key

or just text about it. sheesh.
dad's homemade chicken wings. i promised I'd feature them.
resolutions? well, this New Years day the Lil' Lady has decided to improve her muscle tone.....
....on her own.
you go girl.

December Odds 'N Ends

2011-12-31T15:17:00.000-08:00

headed in to see big brother play his trumpet in concert
{he's the soloist about 17sec in}

another family tradition is to get in our pj's, grab a blanket, swing through the DQ drive-thru and drive around to check out neighborhood Christmas displays

these two were early getting ready and camped out in the hall eager to get going

added this pic just to prove our second was with us but just a bit grumpy that night. the oreo blizzard pepped him up real quick however.

we weren't expecting to get this lucky and even went back a second night to see this house!

this was our second helping to serve dinner during the church Christmas musical. i was nervous, but neither brother dropped anything and they are psyched to do it again next year!

and then here's our First Lady singing her part during the musical. unfortunately i was taking the video and it's blurry:( you can still hear her sing though!

this concludes our December, stay tuned for a Happy New Year!

Christmas Eve

2011-12-29T17:48:00.000-08:00

milk and cookies for santa is not the only Christmas Eve tradition in this house. Before we get to bed we make sure we find the pickles in the tree. Each kiddo has a hidden pickle to find which allows them to open one gift if they find it.

every year, this one is the last to find a pickle

still looking
ah-ha!
texting someone that he found the pickle. sheesh.
and every year they pretend to forget that it's new jammies they will open.
and a certain someone every year is so excited he changes into them right there under the tree.
i love this picture! peeking outside to catch a glimpse of santa.
another tradition is throwing corn out for the reindeer.
luckily it wasn't so cold this year

So this was Christmas morning on the steps.
and this, well, this was the excitement of seeing what was left under the tree overnight.

yikes. the elves must've been pretty tired when they wrapped this. i don't think the boys noticed
the following is simply fun and frenzy!

truly the best part of Christmas

is celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus

and gathering as a family to sing happy birthday to Him.

we hope you enjoyed spending time with your family

this Christmas season and wish you a healthy and happy New Year.

"the very purpose of Christ's coming into the world,

was that He might offer up His life as a sacrifice for the sins of men.

He came to die. This is the heart of Christmas." - Rev. Billy Graham

Sunday Snapshot~ Not a creature was stirring.....

2011-12-26T18:23:00.000-08:00

well, maybe a few.

More Christmas to come

In the meantime, Merry Christmas to all!

This is home~ Sunday Snapshot

2011-12-05T12:35:00.001-08:00

i've been watching my Lil' Lady lately and i'm struck by how content she is. last year at Christmas with 4 months under our belt i thought we were there, but no.

looking back i see a happy baby but now it's different, because this is home

she knows she is our daughter
and she knows she is their sister.
she doesn't hold back or wait for an invitation,
she just jumps right in. that's how it was from the very start

we didn't accept her, she accepted us.

and we're so glad she did.

it amazes me how much she tries to be like her brothers and sister

to be able to do what they are doing.

she is so smart- while watching her big sister make a cinnamon sleigh

she couldn't be outdone

she made her own little piece of dough and used not one but two cookie cutters on top.

so big sister showed her how it was done

watching the two of them together it's like she's been with us forever

and we wouldn't know what to do without her

I really think she knows...that this is home

and she's finally where she belongs

{her final creation}

Her favorite..."petta"

2011-12-02T17:45:00.000-08:00

going
going
gone.
no
more
petta

{pizza}

Sunday Snapshot~ This is embarassing.....

2011-11-19T06:40:00.000-08:00

so i've been a little lazy and haven't been the greatest at keepin' up with the blog
but i gotta get these in or i just won't be a happy mama. because this has become my scrapbook ya know and there's no leavin' out fall of 2011. since turkey day is fast approaching i'm just about outta time-
so here goes
we made "acorns"
then at some point we went to the renaissance festival where the boys got to throw tomatoes at some peasant in the stocks

then they shot some arrows.

the only thing the First Lady wanted to do was ride the elephant...

so she did.

{isn't she beautiful?}

with her two brothers in tow

than some other weekend we did our annual pumpkin patch tour....4 in one day that is

i realize this is a random shot but what you have to know is that our Second hiding there in the middle was at the apple sampling table so many times that I think they were ready to tell him to buy a bag already. every time we turned around there he was, reveling in his honeycrisp heaven

then it was off to pick some pumpkins and gourds

here we are inside an old silo renovated into a theater with a big ol' flat screen and a movie about spookly the pumpkin

throwing in a picture of dad....why there you are honey! always nice to see you. where is he this time you ask? Australia again, and this time hobnobbing with john travolta and his illegally parked airplane that was blocking the plane he was due to inspect. in the last 6 months his work travels have allowed a few exciting encounters- like staying in the same hotel as justin beiber, talking to ed asner at the baggage claim, and watching taylor swift shoot a video in the airport as he's waiting to board. me? well i got to see the UPS guy yesterday. no sarcasm intended.

the straw maze. Lil' Lady couldn't quite figure out why this was considered entertainment

so big brother rescued her

the older ones seemed to enjoy it though

back at the farm we carved those pumpkins while the Lil' Lady took notes on the circumference of each one
remember, a pen and pad are her comfort objects

mmmmm, i wish this one was scratch and sniff. i love the smell of pumpkin guts

halloween night and an extra child who happens to not be ours, for once

this is what you see while trick or treating in minnesota. i mean come on, it's only october. sheesh
Lil' Lady did an entire street before succumbing to the stroller and some treat sampling
please don't let the following photos frighten you....

~~she~~ i was in control the entire time

so there you go.

Fall 2011!

Sunday Snapshot~Our Fourth Lately

2011-11-12T13:20:00.000-08:00

home 15 months and our little girl is like a butterfly emerging from her cocoon. where there was silence we now have words- too many to count now and we actually understand some of them. she still has a speech therapist come to visit once a week and will probably continue to do so at least until spring when they will re-evaluate again. of course by then she will be hosting her own radio talk show so I doubt they'll continue services.
she's lovin' her sister and brothers and her powers of manipulation over them. she so wants to be like them and to do everything they do. no toddler stuff for this lil' lady. she wants the homework too and can be seen at the table most afternoons with her workbook and pencils trying to copy them. instead of her puppy or monkey she prefers to sleep with her notepad and pen. seriously. it's her comfort object. it really wasn't a problem until she woke up early one morning and did her math equations on the wall beside her bed. dad still doesn't know about that yet. and then there was that morning that she woke up with blue hands and sheets because her pen leaked. gosh, where can a mom find a plush stuffed pen for bedtime?
we're still learning a bit about low muscle tone and hyper mobility. so despite the fact that she's required to wear an eye patch and be fitted for ankle braces soon and wears kinesio tape to strengthen her abdominal muscles round the clock it doesn't hold her back. believe me, she can keep up.
which is good because on some days we can have up to 2 therapy appointments and that's tough when you also have to try to work a nap in there somewhere. this girl likes her sleep. she's happy to go to bed and sleeps through the entire night. she also prefers a 3.5 hour nap every day. she's slept more in her two years than our first three slept in 12! okay i am exaggerating a bit, but the Lord must of thought we could use a sleeper for once and He provided one. He also provided time for mama to take her to all of her appointments this school year. you see our enrollment at school went down and i was taken to a .8 position teaching only 4 days a week. without that day i don't know how i could be doing it- but He knew and He provided it before we knew she even needed all of this therapy. God is Good and isn't this just the best little smile?

Sunday Snapshot~ The Light

2011-10-28T13:20:00.001-07:00

second grade, and lovin' it. she has a teacher who wears fashion boots and silver painted nails so they're practically separated at birth the way she tells it.

but don't let the sparkles fool ya. she's every bit a tomboy and doesn't mind getting her nails dirty- I had to clean them out one morning before school when she snuck outside after a bath the night before to plant the seeds from her apple in the backyard.

this year we're The Lady Raven. who is that you ask? well, I'm so glad you did because her costume this year was totally pieced together bit by bit from about 3 different thrift stores...all based upon the mask that grandma brought home from Cracker Barrel. the name is as made up as her costume. she wanted to be something totally unique and believe me, this get up is so her.

she is definitely the light. aside from a bit of sassy that has turned up since starting second grade she is still her big hearted self looking to save the world, or at least all of the creatures living in it. she's still loves to make things. just this morning she took all the toilet paper rolls and stacked them together putting a green pom pom on top and called it a toilet paper tree. she insisted we keep it in the bathroom as a much more aesthetically pleasing way to store toilet paper than in the cabinet.

here she is defacing my new People magazine before I can get a chance to crack the cover. it comes on Fridays and is my guilty pleasure. now i have to wonder when Beyonce' grew a mustache and freakishly long armpit hair.
this was summer at the county fair getting a brain freeze from a spaghetti sundae

our First Lady is something else i tell ya. sometimes i wonder what it will be like when she's 16 because i swear i can't keep up with her now at just 7. she speaks her mind and stands her ground... nothing gets passed her. of course, that's the way her daddy and i like it-

any future boyfriends had better look out.

Sunday Snapshot~ All eyes ...

2011-10-23T14:00:00.000-07:00

sixth grade, but still my baby boy. all he has to do is look at me with those eyes and i find myself saying things like "yeah, you can have a second cupcake before dinner"

{which is what i heard myself saying about 15 minutes ago}

really. i'm not that big of a pushover

this boys loves to flaunt his abs, especially in front of his dad who claims he's still gott'em......somewhere when he was 3 his little sister was born and they had this bond like no other. he would always reach for her little hand almost as if it was a comfort object. Now with Lil' Lady its the same deal. he can't stand to see her cry and will give in to her every time. that's why she hangs with him most of the time

found these two jammin' when they were supposed to be getting ready for bed

yeah, those eyes. he says they scored him a "girlfriend" week 2 of sixth grade.
whatever

during our annual pumpkin patch tour he came up missing when we were waiting for him to bring his pick to the counter.

dad found him sitting in the car seat sneakin' the last bit of kettle corn.

those of you who know him know that food comes first. he'll probably be rushing through the line at the China buffet minutes before he's to be standing at the altar

i have faith that this boy will do great things someday- he wants to play professional baseball and own his own restaurant. if anything i know for certain that someday he will be an amazing husband and father. i can't wait to see that.

Sunday Snapshot~ Lasts

2011-10-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

seventh grade. wow. i remember being surprised i had a kid in kindergarten.

now look at him
5.5 and three quarter inches and 113 pounds already. thanks to fracturing a big toe about a week ago we've been to the doctor a few times - so now i know his stats we used to get by on two gallons of milk a week. lately he's been having a ~~jug~~ glass
with his cookies after school; now i find myself calling the hubs to pick up a third gallon on his way home from work every now and then.
i'm starting to get the sense that he'd rather spend more time with his friends than with us, and i've found myself missing the little guy he used to be so many years ago. There's a book I bought years ago when he was just a toddler titled " Let Me Hold You Longer" by Karen Kingsbury. Another teacher recommended it and I used to get teary just reading it then. It's a lesson on not just remembering their firsts, but their lasts as well. I wish I remembered that last night that I carried him up to bed. Because there was one ya know, and I just don't remember it. If I knew it was going to be the last time I certainly would have tucked that memory way back in my brain. Or even the last bath I gave him or the last time he snuggled on my lap. I told myself when I got that book that I would pay attention and try to take note of those lasts but they slipped by me so quiet and fast that I missed them. I mean, how can you really catch them? When do you know it's going to be "the last"?
i don't know, but I may have caught one a few nights ago when I convinced him to go with me through the haunted cemetary and he grabbed my hand and held it tight the entire way through.

i'm thinking I better remember that one.

More baseball??

2011-10-03T07:11:00.000-07:00

yep. the season was not quite over yet. the brothers vounteered to be Miracle League buddies for a few special players so two more games it was,
and even though we hadn't cleared them with the Lil' Lady, she was fine with it. after all, she did sit through every game of the season...what's two more?

Our oldest was assigned his buddy right away and they were off to practice in the outfield

and have a little conversation during the game.

our second with his buddy who loved to run

brothers and buddies met up on third
after the first of two innings, all players gathered to sing "take me out to the ball game"

{Li'l Lady loved that}

at the end both teams lined up and shook hands

you could tell that these players couldn't wait to get on that field and play the game.

for the the next game the following weekend, we had warmer weather

and new buddies

if those two boys were nervous about helping out they certainly didn't show it. they took their responsibilities of assisting and protecting the players seriously.

i'm so proud of these guyswhat better end to a baseball season could you have?

Food

2011-09-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

now that i've been two for quite some time- my eating habits have changed. instead of noshin' on my vegetables

i like a bit o' cake every now and then it sure tastes better than those carrots and peas. i can't quite describe it, you've got your cake and then you've got your frosting. whoever put those two together was a genuius I tell ya.

hey, I've heard my great grandmother lived to be 97 years old eatin' this stuff

it can't be that bad for you.

just ask these folks!

of course i do like a tray of pasta every once in awhile.

iv'e heard it's not good for your waistline either
and i do want to keep my girlish figure

i may have to cut back
but what's life without cake and pasta?
i just don't think i can give it up!
i've had enough, there's only so much a girl can take!

Sunday Snapshot~ 11? No way...

2011-09-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

So now our second is another year older and for some reason the speed that he is growing shocks me more than any of the others.
He's really starting to come into his own....instead of always relying on his big brother who is really only 17 months older. He's our clothes horse...the one who is very particular about what he wears and will go through several outfits on a school morning to get just the right one. I wish this pic was scratch and sniff because then you would also notice how good he smells. I can never tell if he's swipin' dad's cologne or if dad is swipin' his. He sure loves his shoes and will probably have a closetful someday that rivals a Kardashian's. He has certain pairs he'll wear with certain outfits.
{picture taken by our second}

This was the start of his birthday party. His dad and Uncle putting together the soccer goal he wanted.... with a little help

It was kind of hard to plan a birthday bash for an 11 year old, but in the end we invited a few friends, served up a lot of food and made sure we ~~wore them out~~ kept'em busy
Like having them search for a piece of bubblegum in a mound of whipped cream

Now that was fun

We really did wear those boys out, and between the candy buffet and campfire with s'mores I think they pepped up just in time to head home to bed

eleven years old...yikes

I'm really wishin' I could find that pause button about now.

Sunday Snapshot~ Manicure

2011-09-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

She wanted them done, trust me.
She's watched me paint her big sisters nails, but when I ever attempted to paint hers it ended up everywhere
So after I had finished with the First Lady these two moved in determined to get the job done.
She was extremely still for them, almost mesmerized by the whole deal

Both toes and fingers were done, but when the experience was over and the brush was put away, there were tears
But with nothing left to paint, what could they do???

First day of school 2011

2011-09-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

Second Grade..... and a little sad because no brothers on the bus this year. This could be a good thing, I told her.
Sixth grade.....
and stoked to be on the middle school bus with his brother

Seventh grade.....
and well, let's just say he was ready to go back weeks ago

I was instructed the night before that I could not take pictures on the front porch like I'd planned. So on the deck at 6:40am at 42 degrees with a hint of skunk it was
It was a great summer
God is Good {Lil' Lady was still snuggled in bed...after all, it wasn't her first day!}

This song is killin' me...sniff

Where did the time go?

Sunday Snapshot~ Missing her grillin' buddy

2011-09-03T06:59:00.000-07:00

Once again in Australia

Not due home yet for quite awhile

What ever will we do?

Missin' Daddy......Better Days ahead!

Back to the grind...

2011-09-02T13:55:00.001-07:00

Gotta help mom get this art room ready for about 600+ students coming in a few days

clean floor...check! scissors and tissues.....check!

Let's see, what should their first art lesson be.....

I got it. How to draw pink bendy lines..they'll love it!

Class lists and seating charts.....wait!

Emma and Kayla should never sit together. They're too chatty. I'll fix that!

Bulletin boards up.............check!

Okay mom, here's your chair. You're ready to go!

Here's to the 2011-2012 school year ...my 17th!!

{Actually these pics were taken in June when Grandma brought the Lil' Lady in to help take down the art room!}

Sunday Snapshot~ Freckles

2011-08-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

I've always noticed every freckle that turns up- on arms, backs, legs and especially on faces. Two out of my four are very fair skinned so they were like a white canvas when they were little and those freckles were easy to spot once they surfaced. Of course during the summer they loved to make their debut. Our oldest literally had a constellation appear on his forehead one August. The First Lady awoke one morning with this one about a month ago. I swear it wasn't there the night before and that the freckle fairy must've paid an overnight visit.

So it was to my great surprise when Lil' Lady came up with one of her own. In the same spot. {well almost}

Since we missed a good many of her"firsts" I'm glad I at least get the opportunity to catch that freckle.

and I'm especially glad that as sisters they get to share it:)

One morning.....

2011-08-26T15:46:00.001-07:00

Pop Pop decided he'd tackle our front door that was in dire need of a new color

It was long before help arrived, even bringing in her own chair

With a few more onlookers it began to get a little crowded
So I gave the assistant her own brush so she could hone her door painting skills

It wasn't long before she was on to my intentions to distract her and decided it was her new job to bring Pop Pop paper towels instead

A few more onloookers as they rolled out of bed....

and it soon became near impossible for poor Pop Pop to get the job done.

So while some went to eat breakfast, others were banished to the deck

which needed a nice new wet wash

Thanks for the new door Pop Pop!

Got it down....

2011-08-18T13:37:00.000-07:00

..the look, that is

The hair, the accessories......

Still workin' on the goatee though

Can you help this family?

2011-08-16T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have been watching Mandi's blog for the last two years. They are a faithful family trying to overcome many roadblocks in order to bring home Kalia.

They are so close, but could still use some help in getting to their goal. Mandi has created an awesome fundraiser with several Vera Bradley handbags to be won. Click on this link to see them and get the details- donating is easy peasy with a paypal link directly on her blog.

I remember hurdles we had to overcome in order to bring home our Lil'Lady and with God's help we made it by the skin of our teeth. Take a look at Mandi's blog , and who knows, maybe in the end you just might end up with a sweet VB purse:)

God is Good

A visit

2011-08-16T08:35:00.001-07:00

We had a visit from family last week and went to the fair!

Lil' Lady allowed her Uncle to take her on the carousel

She warmed up to it right 'bout the time the ride stopped

This was her first time meeting her Aunt, Uncle and cousin

First Lady enjoying a spaghetti sundae

Back at home the cousins bonded more than ever

and things got a little sad on their last night to visit

Brothers hung out on the computer

while Lil' Lady washed her Uncle's knees

The GrandKids on Daddy's side

the two best out of about 30 taken! and then of course the silly face photo

Becoming a family of 6

2011-08-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

These are never before posted pics of the day Lil' Lady was given to us. For more on our first day with her see here
Shortly after this photo we rode the elevator down to the lobby where a taxi was waiting to take us back to our hotel
I was told to get in the backseat and they literally handed her to me and we sped off. I took a moment to look out the back window as we pulled away to see our social worker leading our sobbing foster mother back into the building

She eventually cried herself to sleep- it was a strange feeling to hold a baby in a moving car

Our first attempt at dinner left us all frustrated

She finally took solace on dad's shoulder

Our first attempt at utilzing the carrier

And then when dad and big brother headed out to bring back dinner I saw a glimpse

of a personality

She loved the hallway mirror and the bathroom scale

and in the end her favorite was the walk in shower and the sounds of the toilet & bidet

Happy one year anniversary home baby- time has just flown

God is Good

Our second lately

2011-08-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

We were still in Korea on this day last year...just about ready to have our little girl handed to us forever. I have more of those moments for tomorrow but for today I'd like to feature our second. Our little league pitcher

Who also happens to adore his new little sister. In fact, when she's not happy and this guy happens to be in the room at the time- she goes to him. Definitely gonna have to step up my game a little. He has the patience of Job when it comes to her. Especially when she's buggin' him when he's trying to get his morning workbook done. He hates the workbook, but she loves it and finds it a roarin' good time.

some conversation

a little distraction
a bit of help
and some singin'

I tell him he's gonna make a great dad someday and he just smiles.

I can't wait for that day:)

We waited for these~ Sunday Snapshot

2011-08-08T08:06:00.000-07:00

We met Lil' Lady for the first time on a Friday
We were told at the end of our visit that there were pictures..

Pictures that were taken for her first birthday almost a month prior If we wanted those pictures we would have to wait an extra day, until Tuesday, to have our Lil' Lady in order for those pictures to get back from the photographer
We decided to wait the extra day, and I'm so glad we did

I am so grateful that her foster mother took the time and spent the money I'm sure she didn't have to have these taken

Was I really there?

2011-08-06T06:43:00.000-07:00

While browsing my files to find some never before posted pics from our South Korea trip a year ago it seemed so surreal. Did I really travel so far out of the US? I mean the hubs has done so many, many times but not me!

On our way to the adoption agency to meet our social worker in Seoul and then travel to Lil' Lady's foster home to meet her for the first time

This was her foster families apartment entrance. I remember this moment so well...hot and sticky and something more than butterflies in my stomach.

She met us in the doorway with a huge smile..after all we were just visitors for a little bit. Little did she know!!
Her foster mom was a bit sad already; you could tell Lil' Lady was going to be missed

We could only stay for an hour and through translation we learned a little bit about our new daughter. She loved baths and she loved to eat. Still true today!
For more on our first meeting go here

Our Korean agency at one point had worked with Korean celebrities in attempt to promote domestic adoption.

During their visits to the orphanage they had left messages behind

I know they were heartfelt but unfortunately not even movie stars or pop singers can convince the people in country to adopt. There is still very much a stigma attached to orphans in South Korean culture and now with fewer and fewer babies being allowed to leave the country to international families it is creating a horrible situation. This article written recently will fill you in, but as of last May there were 1800 babies with no where to go. It is heart wrenching and so unfair when there are so many families here in the US more than willing to bring them home.

Our oldest lately

2011-08-04T07:24:00.001-07:00

Has been spending his summer stealing bases
{I call this his "jedi creep"}

and runnin' home

But on this day last year he was headed somewhere else

We knew a tremendously long flight, jet lag and foreign food wouldn't be too much for this guy so he accompanied us to South Korea to bring his new baby sister home

I look at these photos and I'm blown away not only by how fast this past year has gone but also by how much he has changed

Taller with muscles and a deeper voice.....
{lookin' like his dad from the back for sure}
and the inability to rise out of bed before 10am when last year at this time and every year prior since the day of his birth he has been a crack o' dawn type of kid

I can't keep this guy fed enough, when he's hungry look out

Still lovin' his military history, baseball of course and dare I say it.....texting

When he met his sister in Korea for the very first time, unlike mom and dad, there were no nerves just pure excitement

Where we had to worry about paperwork and asking the millions of questions we had about our new daughter to our social worker and foster mom - he could just play with her.

She took to him right away and they've been buds ever since

Stay tuned for lots of Lil' Lady updates as we celebrate the anniversary of her homecoming in the next week. I was hoping to have some updates on all of our seeds but since my camera is now broken I'm working off of pictures I've taken a while back and never posted before so it will at least be something until I can get a working camera!

These two.........

2011-08-02T05:22:00.000-07:00

....decided they were going to head out one night to catch some lightening bugs

{ this is Lil' Lady saying "cheeeeeeese"}

They've been pretty hard to find lately, but one had been spotted outside the window so it was a mad rush out to catch it

Big brother stopped to show off his second sister to the neighbor across the fence

"I'm lookin'!"

"Now what am I lookin' for again?"

It was the only one out there, but we found it and then of course set it free

Where have all the fireflies gone? Is it me, or are they harder and harder to see every summer?

A year ago today.....

2011-07-28T06:31:00.000-07:00

We got this

It was a bit earlier than expected, and no matter how long we had waited for that phone call we still weren't quite prepared to hear those words- your little girl is ready to come home
Now, just a few days ago we celebrated her second birthday with a monkey theme. You see, a few months ago she suddenly became attached to a little stuffed monkey and he now has become her bedtime buddy -so a monkey theme it was!
Her party was waiting for her when she woke up from her nap but the first thing she wanted to do was play with the party cups

Her sister and brothers helped out by loaning monkeys found in their bedrooms

After the cups she found the white cheddar Cheetos.....

and then browsed the gift table

Her sibs gave her sunglasses, monkeys in a barrel and her own hairbrush and mirror

This little guy is one of the many small tokens and trinkets we brought back from Korea. Our plan is to give her one for her birthday each year. This was actually an unwrapped Happy Meal toy that wiggles his ears when you wind him up. She wasn't all that impressed and loved the sunglasses more. Still, a keepsake someday

She's obviously seen this before, and knows the special power it holds

She also loved the bling

So glad I caught this look so others can witness it- I seem to be the only one that gets it lately

And then we brought out the tricycle and the festivities were pretty much over

since she promptly sat upon it and wouldn't get off for the rest of the party

Happy Birthday sweet girl, we are so happy to finally share your birthday with you:)

She's two

2011-07-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, today is the day. Time has gone unbelievably fast and even though we have not been able to share an entire year with her yet it seems as if she has been with us forever. Here are some of my favorite recent pics of our Lil' Lady.

Since her brothers have a whopper of a game tonight and two tomorrow we are celebrating on Sunday when there is plenty of time to monkey around and eat fistfuls of cake. Stay tuned....

Rain play

2011-07-21T10:39:00.000-07:00

Her first meet

2011-07-19T08:56:00.001-07:00

She wasn't really nervous at all when we were about to leave the house
But once we arrived at the gym those nerves kicked in a little

Her first event was the beam, you know, that thing that makes mama cringe whenever she sees those girls on TV jumpin' around on it

She was able to warm up first

and then this was her performance

Next it was the uneven bars, she seems to really love this one

The floor exercise; mama's favorite since she's, well, on the floor

Her coach...check out those muscles!

Her brothers anxiously waiting to see if and where she placed. Sweet, especially since she's attended 99% of their baseball games in the last several years!

She was quite relieved it was over
ya think?

Missing guest of honor~ Sunday Snapshot

2011-07-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Last year about this time we celebrated a birthday

Granted, we had yet to meet our birthday girl.... She was thousands of miles away, and she was turning one- But we were not about to let that happen without a celebration So dad fired up the grill

The First Lady made some decorations

and we had ourselves a birthday party

We even did the pinata

which some found another use for

It was strange and a bit sad to not have our guest of honor there with us, but we knew that soon she would be home and we could celebrate all of her birthdays together

Everyone had fun picking out her gifts.....

and then opening them for her!

Someday I hope she'll see these pictures and realize how much we missed her even before we knew her:)

In just five days, however, we'll be able to share her 2nd birthday together

God is Good

The last of'em...I promise

2011-07-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

Lil' Lady's first trip out in the boat. She wasn't cold I promise you- those lips are the result of the resort owner slippin' her a berry blue ring pop
A storm was rollin' in so we didn't get much time out there but she enjoyed it...I think
This was the calm moment just before our oldest pulled out his trophy winning fish.Fifteen minutes before the tournament was to end he pulled out what was later identified as a muskie.

It was quite chaotic and mama wasn't prepared. We had no bucket or cooler to transport it over to the lodge to get weighed. Not really thinking, I had brought down the dish washing pan from the cabin for the "tiny" fish he might catch. As soon as he pulled that thing out I rushed down to the water's edge to fill the pan (my camera on my wrist dipping in the lake as I'm panicking) We tried to fit him inside the pan but his head hung out one side and his tail the other. The only thing the two of us could do was sprint up the hill as fast as we could to the lodge both of us holding on to either side of the pan while water sloshed out and the fish flopped out to the ground several times coating himself in sand. We were quite the scene, flopping fish, both of us screaming for Dad who was in the pool. I worried he wasn't going to survive, heck,I worried I wasn't going to survive. By the time we'd made it up the hill Dad heard us hollerin' and hopped out of the pool to take over.
The fish just weighed over a pound but it was heavy enough and long enough to get first place. We learned it was rare to pull a fish like that out of the lake so he was mighty proud. Mama was proud too but also thrilled we were able to release him and he survived. He wanted to be sure I got a shot of the lure he used to catch it, especially since in all the chaos I never got a picture of the fish itself.

Our second, spied at his favorite hangout. Our snack bar tab at the end of the week was over $50. Totally worth it though, it was a huge part of his vacation.

Last day at the lake

We hung around long enough for them to compete in the inflatable log rolling contest

This was not his first place run, unfortunately mama missed that too.

We arrived home late evening and when I was unpacking I caught this moment....all 4 glued to the TV. I guess they missed that view!

This is the one I miss though:(

Yet even more pictures from up north....

2011-07-14T13:19:00.000-07:00

Lil' Lady loved having her "tunes" at the beach

Headed to the campfire

for some of these

but she preferred her own snacks and a plain graham cracker

a rare moment, one I'm glad I caught

early mornin' fishing, unfortunately Dad didn't have the camera on board when our second caught several fish

Later in the day he had the camera and was able to catch this moment. This isn't the fish that won him the trophy however, that story will come later.

Couldn't get enough of the beach

2011-07-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

and before even noon arrived it would look like this

and then it was back out to break ground for the sandcastle contest

some weren't even interested in building

it was hard work

Dad couldn't stand to just watch and decided to dig a hole-

a big hole

and then some snuck away to the snack bar when no one was lookin'

This guy constructed this one

and the First Lady built this one which won first place for most unique

of course dinner every night had to be something on the grill

and I have to admit we did cheat a little with the no TV in the cabin situation.
We used the DVD players from the car to watch movies at night
Most of the time though, the view outside won.

First hike and first time in the boat

2011-07-12T14:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, the Lost Forty. Actually a National Forest with a unique history and not the moniker of the driver actually that age who got lost trying to get us there.

Lil' lady eager to be outta the car seat and on the trail. Her hike was short lived as she spent most of it on mama's back.

Just one of the 350 year old pines
and since she saw everyone else touching the bark she had to do the same

Gee, only 348 years between them

The hike was a mile long with a stop half way through at the river. It was here we heard some odd noises. Not sure if it was a bear, hoping it was a moose or deer we high tailed it out.

We thought this root looked like a bird's foot

This one barely made it out of the forest. I think I heard him mumbling the word McDonald's over and over. I didn't have the heart to tell him there wasn't one of those for over an hour away and we would not be going. Luckily I had cookies stowed in the car.

Back at the cabin it was all about the lake and who could get in what

Everyone got a ride in a kayak, some just not pictured

First trip out in the fishing boat

First day at the lake

2011-07-11T06:12:00.000-07:00

Lil' Lady had a minor meltdown when we arrived. Could've been the 4.5 car ride, but mostly she wondered where in the heck we brought her to. Once we brought her high chair into the cabin and set her up with her blankey, music and snacks she was "home" again, and it was all good.
View from the cabin

Our cabin is between those trees

First time in sand

Not the first time in sand

This guy had looked at the pictures of this water trampoline for weeks

He couldn't wait to get out there and get on it

Lake was a bit cold at first, and some weren't quite sure what the the excitement was all about

She decided early on the lake wasn't her thing and preferred to spend her time

in the sand
in the chairs, or in the heated pool up the hill
to everybody else though, swimmin' in a Minnesota lake was quite refreshing
stay tuned...even more up north pics to come

Sunday Snapshot- We're home

2011-07-09T21:00:00.001-07:00

But we miss the view already

{My favorite}

Stay tuned... more Up North to come

This morning we're headed 4 hours up north

2011-07-02T04:04:00.000-07:00

to stay in one of these

without one of these

so we can enjoy some of this

14 miles from the nearest laundromat, 30 miles from the nearest Walmart

We will survive; and a week from now hopefully pictures will prove what a good time they had:)

Mosquitos here we come......

They rocked it alright

2011-06-26T12:46:00.000-07:00

and even though they played harder than they ever had this season they lost by one run in the end, 10-9

Check out those downcast faces, I tell ya. Every single one of those boys should be proud of how they played today though, they didn't let up.

Coach gave them the pep talk and kept it positive asking them if they had fun trying. Of course they did.

He's a good one, that's for sure. Keeps it in perspective for them.

It was hard for some of'em to smile even though they did earn a medal....

but the coach was able to get'em to laugh in the end reminding them of some of their amazing feats out there on the diamond

Two weeks off now and then the rest of the season begins....
...with another tournament, the final end of the year tournament, that is.
And even though Mama bit off off all of her nails, shed some tears, ate way to many peanuts and forgot to apply her sunscreen I think I can do it all over again.... because it was worth it:)

Holy cow....

2011-06-26T05:35:00.000-07:00

These boys are two games away from glory

I don't think even they could have predicted this

At 10 am this morning they will play and if they win this game they play for the championship
This one has made some amazing plays in the last few days. No one can believe how fast this kid is.

Remember Roadrunner and his swirly dust for feet? Yeah, it's like that.

And this guy has the power. When he gets a hit, it's waaaay out there

The two of them have played 5 games in the last week with one more this morning, possibly two.

I don't know how they do it, but all I know is that I have a filthy house, no laundry done and a 23 month old who is utterly amazing because she's attended every game without a single complaint and will also holler and clap for every player...even the ones not on our team.
I asked one of them if they were nervous this morning and his response was, "why should I be?" Of course those of you who are close know which kid that was

And even though their team has been undefeated so far, technically that's not true......
because last Monday during the Mother-Son game we moms kicked their butts.

They won't acknowledge it though.

I'm so proud of these guys and have loved every minute watching them play
This will probably be the last year they can play on the same team so we're all really enjoyin' this
especially these two

God is good

Mmm, mmmm.....good?

2011-06-23T12:12:00.001-07:00

Here we see dad returning from a 4 week trip to Australia

And here we see the Lil' Lady remembering who he was

Here we see a little souvenir he brought back and insisted we all try

And here we see their reaction

Here we see Lil' Lady inspecting the Vegemite on a cracker and handing it back

But here we see her changing her mind and giving it a taste

Here we see her ditching the cracker and digging right in

And here we see big brother shocked and disgusted by her obvious love for concentrated yeast extract.

Really, how do people eat this stuff?

6:45 am and ice cream sundaes?

2011-06-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

Why it must be the last day of school!

and even though the Lil' Lady didn't have school today, there was no denying this girl an ice cream sundae breakfast

Sigh.....we made it through another year:)

Summer, here we come!

...under construction

2011-05-31T06:21:00.000-07:00

No posts for the next several days as we wrap up with school, prep for summer vacation and do some tweaking around here. Be back in a little while:)

Sunday Snapshot~ Her donations

2011-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Remember her birthday party?

Well, it was now time to make her donations. Her party unfortunately did not have as many guests as she'd hoped but fortunately she was given some great things to donate- one of them being a pet store gift card that one friend thought she could use to pick out some donations on her own. Sweet.

As luck would have it, the day we chose to stop in and use the card was the same day a pit bull rescue had decided to set up with a few of their adoptees.

It didn't take long for that inevitable question to be asked, "mom, can we take one home?" That was a simple answer being that we already have a pit rescue of our own, one that has made it known that she doesn't care for other canines. So no, definitely not.

She kinda knew that already, but made it her goal to try to convince everyone else who dared to stop for a few seconds to take one home. In the end she asked the rescue ladies what their bullies liked the best and they were totally shocked when she went and bought them with her gift card and handed them over. Mission almost completed.

On her way out she proceded to tell others coming in that their were nice dogs to adopt in the back of the store. She's relentless I tell ya.

Next it was off to a different pet store to locate Last Hope, another local shelter that comes in on Saturdays to raise funds for their foster program.I love the determination on that face

They were quite amazed with this little girl who had given up presents for pet food that she could donate to dogs and cats, but if you knew her you wouldn't be surprised one bit. After all she does come from a long line of pet rescuers. Her great grandmother and great great aunt alone must've have taken in every stray in the state of Ohio.

We're so proud of you baby for making a difference

9 months home~ Sunday Snapshot

2011-05-14T15:59:00.001-07:00

Still lovin' my kitties

and my sibs Can't resist gettin' into things
and helpin' out the grown ups with their book keeping
Wishin' I had a purse, since I have a tendency to carry many things at once..... ..throughout the entire day. Here I am refusing to let go of the 8 things I insisted on carrying while also walking down the steps. My mom loves it when I do this. And I love to draw-

on my belly button, on the toilet, on the floor, in my books, and on my clothes.

Here I am at work.

I do my best drawings while

listening to the "Can can "

Sisters....

2011-05-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

I never had a sister, don't know that I really ever wished for one now that I think about it

It's been so fascinating to see their relationship blossom over the past 9 months

As the Lil' Lady becomes a wee bit more independent, the First Lady still wants to help her even more

which results in a clash at times, but it always ends well

And then there are those moments when we are annoyed with each other. Like when the First Lady set up her office in the middle of the living room to work and the Lil' Lady insisted on taking everything from her desk.

In my attempt to ~~get her out of her sister's hair~~ smooth things over I brought in another desk, chair and supplies but somehow it would all end up on the Lil' Lady's desk anyway. She's like that you see, she wants what you're having too and sometimes big sister isn't so keen on it. These are the moments when I get a glimpse of the future....when the 12 year old comes downstairs wearing the 16 year old's shirt and all h*ll breaks loose.

So for now I will treasure the moments where they are so infatuated with each other that they just lay on the floor together and laugh at nothing, or when they make laps around the main level just chasing a shoelace or jump rope that someone is dragging behind them. Sigh.

Equation

2011-05-03T07:34:00.001-07:00

Snow flurries plus one first baseman

plus one pitcher
plus one awesome coach

plus one bored little sister

equals the first baseball practice of the year

Here we go:)