Easter 2010 - a whole bunch of pictures

Trying to get a few pictures for our first post placement report. We have our social worker coming out this week to check in on us. Glad to report that all is going well.


All dressed up for church. Our first time all going together. We took a break from our cocooning to celebrate our risen Saviour.

Such beautiful children. It is hard to catch them all looking at the camera and smiling. I just love how this catches the glimmer of happiness in their eyes.


Little man Tate had more fun dumping out his eggs instead of collecting them.


Once Tyce understood what was going on, he was pretty fast to fill up his basket. I wonder what he thinks of living in America ???
The big kids running to find the last few eggs. They did such a good job of sharing with the little ones.

Checking out all the loot in the eggs. Don't worry - it isn't all candy. Nuts, dry cereal, money, crackers...and some candy.

Tate is warming up to Grammy. He still stays pretty close to mama just to make sure (a good sign of bonding).



My girls are getting so big and growing up so fast. Still just as precious as can be.

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend. I was overcome with emotions this weekend as I prepared my heart for worship. God is so good and I am so unworthy of His grace.

Tissy's TENTH birthday HUNT

Staying in fashion of letting our 10 year old have a birthday shopping hunt, we spent the morning out with the kids opening envelopes filled with clues. These clues led Tristen (who turns 10 tomorrow) off on a birthday shopping hunt.

This was a big adventure for the whole family and we weren't sure how it would end up. We are deep into the cocooning stage of adjusting to our adoption, but we had to break the rules to celebrate this sweet girl of ours. (If you haven't heard, we just got home a week ago from Africa with our 2 newest Sweet Peas).
The morning started off with a hug from her little brother. Can't you just feel the love???
The clues took us to our local shopping strip plaza where Tristen got to pick out goodies from some select stores. First a treat from the store at Cracker Barrel (somehow my camera stopped working so all these pics are from my phone).

With her toy of choice (a sock monkey), we headed to the department store for some new clothes. She picked a new outfit (always a huge treat to get something NEW in stead of hand-me-downs) and quite fashionable I might add.
We stopped off at Ross where she picked out a new hand towel for her bathroom. And then off to the dollar store where all the kiddos got to spend some birthday cash. Little man Tate just stayed in the sling and didn't seem to care much for shopping. But big sister Tally and little brother Tyce were all about finding goodies too.

Then we headed to the book store for a new book and toy too. She had a limit to spend at each store and worked hard at finding things within her budget.


Our next stop was Target for a new bike helmet and a DVD to watch with the family.

Last stop, ice cream at the creamery. Yummy !!!! Dessert before lunch.
All in all, the kids did well. Even though it was lots of stimulation with stores, we didn't interact with friends or people so we felt like it was a pretty safe activity. We have asked the girls to sacrifice so much during this whole adoption, we need to make sure and meet their needs too.

Such SWEET girls. Oh how I love them and enjoy them every day. What a blessing to have such a beautiful family.

Saint Lucia invites you to breakfast

This morning we were greeted by our sweet girls in traditional fashion with breakfast in bed on Saint Lucia Day (December 13). Over the past 5 years this has become one of our favorite family traditions. The girls plan and prepare (with Grammy's help) to rise early while it is still dark and prepare breakfast for the family.

They enter our bedroom in the dark with only their lighted crowns shining to light the way (don't worry - battery tea lights make it safe). They dress in white gowns and a red sash and say "Saint Lucia invites you to breakfast". Each carrying a tray with breakfast goodies.

This year was extra special because they prepared the breakfast all themselves. They only needed Grammy's help fixing their crowns and setting the alarm. My, oh my, how our little girls are growing up.

Click here and here to see them in years past. Click here and here to read a little about the history of Saint Lucia. Just wondered if any other family out there celebrates Saint Lucia Day and how they do it?

preparing

Preparing for the holidays

I am sure you are all getting ready to prepare for the holidays. I am so thankful that we will not be moving, or trying to sell a home, or packing a truck or taking daddy back to the airport this holiday season. We were in such a transition period of our life last year and I am so very thankful that we can focus on the holiday and all that it really means. I am looking forward to our season of advent this year as we prepare our hearts for what Christmas is all about.

I am so thankful that we will be able to see my sister and her family for Thanksgiving. We will have a full house and I know the kids will really enjoy having the cousins around. It will be such a treat to celebrate Thanksgiving with them 2 years in a row.

I am so thankful that our paper chase part of the adoption is under our belt. We are now officially on a waiting list and we will use this time to enjoy our family as it is now and prayerfully prepare for what it will become. Our waiting list numbers are on the adoption blog - click on the peapod to get there.

We are leaning toward spending our Christmas shopping money on gifts for those that really need it. I know many families try and find something to do at Christmas to bless others. We will most likely buy gifts for native missionaries or families through GOSPEL FOR ASIA (HERE). We have done this before and I would love to encourage you to find something like this to spend part of your shopping budget on.

Also, just thought I would ask for ideas of your favorite holiday traditions that you enjoy with your family. I am looking into doing the Jesse Tree (HERE) this year and would also like to hear what ideas you would like to share.

her birthday was 2 months ago...

It has been busy around here and we have crammed about 9 months of activities into 2 and a half months. I am a total homebody and love to be home in my own nest. But, I have chosen to take advantage of different goings on to try and connect with more HS families and let my kids try and make some new friends. So we have done park days, nature center trips, watched bird banding, gone to the symphony, visited the zoo, checked out the science center, participated in the National Day of Prayer, signed up for summer camp, started tennis lessons, are finishing up a sewing class...the list goes on (plus throw in a trip to Disney and moving). If you know me, this is WAY more than we normally do. I embrace the SIMPLIFY way of life (HERE). But for this new season here, we need to get out and make friends and this is the best way to do it.

All that to say, Tristen's birthday was 2 months ago (HERE) and we finally had a party for her. I felt bad that we moved into our home just a few days before her birthday, so we never even had a cake. She wanted to invite some friends over for a party and since I have claimed this the YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS, we partied.

And this was actually a pretty easy party. Tissy loves pancakes (and doesn't like sleepovers) so we invited her guests to arrive on a Saturday morning in their jammies and we served pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast. 9 little girls all crammed around our table and full of giggles.After breakfast we had craft time in the basement. The girls made butterflies to hang on a mirror or a window. Instead of paint, we used colored sharpies, it was much easier.


Most kids just love to run around and play at parties, but to prevent too much silliness, we planned some games. I love the game where you have to look at a tray and try to remember what was on it. I put all kinds of things used to get ready in the morning.

All trying to see the tray. Trying to use those thinking skills to remember. They look so sweet in their jammies, but how nice that they got a good night sleep at home. =)We also played pictionary. Chuck had ideas for them to draw that had to do with morning or sunshine or breakfast. Here they are drawing on the dry erase board in the school room.
We also had music that Chuck had hunted down, just morning or sunshine songs. It created a fun atmosphere, along with sunshine cut outs and homemade posters. We figured out we have a good party house. Lots of room for both kids and adults to mingle and talk. Before we moved here, I had prayed that God would provide friends. And in just a few months, we were surprised that we could come up with a party list like this. I guess going to all those activities has been worth it.
And look, the birthday cake (made of of rice crispy cookie)...only 2 months late. =)

May Day

We were able to celebrate May Day with our normal tradition (last years post HERE). We make little baskets and leave them for friends and neighbors. Of course we leave them anonymously and ring the door bell and run away. This year we made cone baskets and hung them on the doorknobs. Just a little some thing that brightens someones day.