Halloween 2011

Halloween was a success!  The girls had a blast at their school parties, going to my work to trick or treat, and walking around the neighborhood with friends.  They each came home with 2 full plastic buckets each - one from my work and one from the neighborhood.  That is a lot of candy!  

Makenna dressed up as Elmo and Maya was My Little Pony. 

Happy Halloween everyone!

Family Weekend

Well we survived a 20 hour car drive weekend with both kids.  I have to say they both did pretty well considering.  Makenna actually did great except when she was beyond tired.  At that point she just had to cry until she feel asleep as there was nothing we could do for her. 

This weekend we visited Dave's family in Iowa. It was a short visit but we did manage to see Dave's two sisters, his mother, and their families.  I am so glad they got to meet Makenna again and see what a beautiful child she has grown into. 

 Maya with Grandma Linda in front of a scary bear!

 too cute if you ask me

 Thanks Linda for taking a great picture!  I love this one.

 Maya loved spending time with cousin Alicia

 Dave with his mother Linda

This picture might just be my favorite one from the weekend.  Maya is with her Aunt Judy at Judy's baby shower.



Finally a Nice Weekend!

Finally nice weather!  We enjoyed every minute of our weekend by being outside as much as possible.  We rode bike, took some walks, made two strawberry pies, had a 4 hour play date at the park with some wonderful friends, did some inside and outside chores, played outside in the sprinkler, watched an R rated movie without the kids, and even relaxed a little.  Glorious!  No we didn't spend the weekend at the lake like most of our co-workers and friends but we had fun.  I am so thankful for such a beautiful weekend.

WAAAY Behind!

Wow - where did this past week go?  I am really at a loss as my summer really hasn't begun and yet it is going by so fast.  Time, please slow down!

We have had a crazy week.  Here is a quick recap:

*Spent Memorial Day weekend at my sister's.  My nephew Andrew graduated from high school.
*Grandma Lyn from Georgia flew in for Andrew's graduation and to visit.  Loved seeing her!  
*Huge storm which caused us to be out of power for 24 hours (Monday late evening to Tuesday evening)
*Scrambled last minute finding a solution for my kids for yesterday and today.  Daycare lost power too so they had to close.  Thankfully our daycare runs two facilities and the other one had space for my two girls.  What a relief.  It is nice to know they are safe but hard to leave them especially Makenna has she clung to me screaming and crying both days.  Breaks this momma's heart.  Maya had a friend there today so she was super happy.  Hard two days.
*Watching the finales of Dancing With the Stars and American Idol.  I know I am the minority when I say I would have liked to have seen Hailey win.  I'm not much of a country fan.
*Battling a shoulder/neck injury which caused me not to be able to workout.  Hard to do anything really.  Thankfully I am feeling so much better and am getting a much needed massage tonight after work.

What have all of you been up to?  I am anxious to get updated on all the blogs.  Alicia, hope you are safe with all the flooding you are having!  We have been thinking of you.

Here is a picture of myself with my nephew Andrew.  He is moving in a few months to attend school in my town.  I am very excited to have him here (and hope he will watch my girls once in awhile so Dave and I can go out!).

If only Dave didn't have my camera...

If I had a camera and the camera could talk, it would tell you:

• Makenna is walking around on two feet versus crawling like she did all last week thanks to her new and "pink" cast on her leg.
• A sleeping bag sprawled over my family room floor with two girls in it watching Miss Spider
• A very tired mommy thanks to the lack of sleep due to both girls not going to bed and waking up multiple times per night :(
• Laundry baskets stacked up waiting to be folded and put away
• A huge snow drift in my driveway as well as all my neighbor's cars in our shared driveway preventing me from leaving my house (not to mention a big reason why all the snow is on  my side of the share driveway)
• Two healthy and relatively happy girls, two naughty puppies, and one mom who can't wait for her husband to return home

What would your camera say if it could talk?

Christmas, Hospital?

In case you didn't know, I am an open book.  I have always been and can't really help it.  We have had a very crazy and scary week.  I thought about not blogging about it but I need to as it helps me cope.  My blog's purpose is so many things and sharing the ups and not so great moments of parenting is one of them.

On Monday night we admitted Makenna into the hospital and she has been there every since.  We thought Makenna had a fractured ankle but the foot doctor on Monday confirmed otherwise.  With various doctors consulting, we were told she was being admitted to the hospital for an infection in her leg.  These past few days consisted of tests, blood work, a lot of poking, etc. to figure out the root of the issue.  We won't know the results for 48-72 hours but we are closer.

Unfortunately Makenna's first Christmas as part of our family will be spent in a hospital.  That saddens me greatly as I want her home with her family.  I am praying she will be released on Saturday at the very latest.

While hanging out in the hospital for 2+ days, I have observed and realized a few things that I thought I'd share.  Here are the ones I have discovery so far: 

• Doctors are not Mr. McDreamy
• It isn't possible to save on calories eating at the hospital cafeteria especially for Dave as he found the monster cookies
• Being in the hospital around Christmas is actually not so bad as Makenna has been spoiled with toys, Santa Claus visiting, carolers singing and we got a free meal from Granite City
• Absolutey nothing is on regular TV which confirms my life can not survive without TiVo
• The chair beds are very uncomfortable to sleep in
• Nurses can be "extra" nice once you get to know them on a personal level (they seem to pay more attention and will do little favors for you, wink)
• Important to get all the Christmas stuff done early as you never know what will happen

Please keep Makenna in your prayers and please pray she will be able to go home soon.  It has been hard juggling everything but we are very thankful to have a great support system.  Family begins to arrive today which will be wonderful.

Hard to Say Good-Bye

It is true.  My kids are growing and there isn't a thing I can do to stop it.  Sad but true. 

I have slowly been going through all the baby stuff in the house and trying to decide what to do with it all.  We decided to try to sell some of the good stuff on Craig's List in hopes to find it a good home and to get some extra cash in our wallet.  We have sold only a few things so far.  Although I am happy to see my house become less cluttered, I can't help but to be sadden by it.  I personally find it hard saying good-bye to something that both of my girls used due to all the memories.  I feel like I should call in the cluttered expert, you know the one that used to be on that show on TLC?  Well anyway, I know it is only a material object but it was my girl's material object. 

I can say good-bye to most of the baby stuff in my house even with all the memories except for one item.  This particular baby item brings back so many memories for both girls that I can not see it go.  I will probably hold onto this item for a long time. 

Do I need it?  No. Do I used it?  No.

Doesn't matter.

What is it?  My Baby Bjorn.

We bought this before we left for Ethiopia to bring Maya home.  It was our saving grace while in Ethiopia with both Maya and Makenna.  I actually carried both of my babies through the many airports as Dave's back could not support them.  I soathed Makenna in it countless times while home on maternity leave as she needed to be close to me. 

This Baby Bjorn means to much to me and brings back too many wonderful and heart ache moments with both of my precious daughters.  No way can I say good-bye to it.  Not now anyways.

Is there anything you have kept due to sentimental reasons?

Birthday Celebration

On Saturday we spent the day as a family celebrating Dave's birthday.  We didn't do anything too crazy as we all needed a day of rest.  Dave decided a birthday lunch out was in order so we enjoyed a Mexican meal.  The girls loved it and especially loved the free chips! 

Later in the evening, Dave made his own birthday meal (yes, I know I should have cooked but Dave is the cook and so he cooked) of yummy BBQ's full of veggies and homemade fries.  We finished the meal with a surprise Cold Stone Creamery ice cream cake.  Dave loved it as I had it especially made for him which meant pumpkin ice cream, Dave's favorite.

Thank you to all of you who wished Dave a happy birthday and who granted Dave's birthday wish of giving $37 for his 37th birthday.  Words can not express how thankful we are to have such wonderful friends and family. 

Holiday Traditions

Now that Halloween is behind us, I have shifted into planning for my favorite holiday, Christmas. I LOVE Christmas. I love the music, the baked goods, the church services, the lights, the decorations, and I love the buzz in the air. This year is especially meaningful as we will be celebrating our first Christmas as a family of four. On top of that, we will be hosting our extended family for the first time in our current house. I can not wait to celebrate with my family and to have them worship with us in our amazing church.

I realize Thanksgiving is the next holiday and I really do enjoy Thanksgiving. Who can't love spending an entire day feasting on delicious food, seeing family, and gearing up for the biggest shopping day of the year? I love it but I love Christmas even more.

When I think of Christmas, I think of traditions. I have always wanted to build my own family traditions that Maya and Makenna will continue when they have families. As a kid growing up, I recall my own family traditions such as attending church service on Christmas Eve and then driving around my small town looking at all the beautiful lights.  I also loved having my grandparents come to visit and knowing Santa didn't forget to put a big bag of chocolate Twizzlers in my stocking. 

Great memories.

As I think back to my childhood, I can't help but think "What are our traditions?"

I guess I don't feel we really have any at this point.  We usually spend Christmas with either my family or Dave's which means incorporating each families traditions into ours. With each family having their own traditions, how do we incorporate our own? 

I really feel my generation is used to spending each holiday with family whether it be Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter.  I also think my generation not only spends the holidays with family, we are also the ones driving and rarely hosting.  Spending each holiday with family is wonderful and precious but it does make it hard to find your own family tradition. 
 
Does anyone have this issue?  Has anyone overcome this?  Is it possible to have your own traditions as well as share in your extended family traditions?

Halloween 2010 Video

Make a digital slideshow

Trick or Treat

I have an confession. I really am not a Halloween fan. Growing up we never carved or painted pumpkins, decorated the house, or attended any fall harvest/pumpkin patch but we did go trick or treating. I remember each year my mother would buy us a costume, a plastic cape with ties on the back kind of like a hospital gown only made of plastic with a matching plastic mask. We wore them over our clothes and winter jackets. I remember going trick or treating all over my small town and hitting up as many houses as possible. Once we were back at home, the candy was poured out onto the living room floor to be sorted. I then would literally save my candy to the point where it has to be thrown away. Yes, much of it had to be thrown as it was months later and I'd still have candy left over. Crazy I know.

Although I am still not a fan of Halloween, I don't want my girls to know. I actually try very hard to ensure my girls love Halloween and enjoy all the fun activities. So far we have attended the fall festival, gone to the Pumpkin Patch, painted and carved pumpkins, and went trick or treating at daycare and my work. The girls (especially Maya) have really had a lot of fun. Each year it gets more and more fun for me as I get to see my girls enjoy the activities and see the smiles on their faces.

On Friday we attended a Halloween party at daycare and then enjoyed trick or treating at my work. It was an exhausting 2 hours for us parents but the girls had fun. Makenna really enjoyed walking around and grabbing as much candy as she could. They both looked adorable as well. Tonight we do it again by first spending time with friends and then going door to door trick or treating around our neighborhood.. It should be a really fun time for the girls and for me.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Picture

I tried taking a picture of Makenna this morning wearing an adorable dress which Maya also wore at the same age. I don't think Makenna was in the mood. What do you think?

Some of My Favorite Recent Pictures

We took Maya across the street from our house to ice skate last weekend and she actually really enjoyed it. Maya is very timid about this stuff and it helped that her good friend happened to be ice skating at the same time!

We bundled up Makenna and she enjoyed a casual sled ride around the ice as well as a few trips inside the warming house. She actually fell asleep in the sled.

Makenna loves her new jumping thing - what's the name again? Oh well...we got a great deal on it from Craig's List and she loves it.

Maya and I made "pink" cupcakes for Maya to take to sch0ol on her birthday. They were a big hit and all the kids in the 2 and 3 year old room enjoyed them. See everyone, I really did make the cupcakes!

A few weekends ago we took the kids sledding. Well Maya went sledding and Makenna hung out in the warming house. Maya is not an outdoor gal and doesn't like to take risks but she had a great time.

This one is just a sweet picture of Makenna. She is a tough cookie to make smile but we did get a few smiles out of her. I just love this one.

Makenna

Well it has been officially 3 weeks since we had met Makenna and 2 weeks since she has been home. Our transition has been going okay. It seems Makenna is adjusting better than Maya most days. Poor Maya is just having a hard time sharing our time and attention. It has been fun to get to know Makenna. She is mostly a happy child and only cries when hungry or feels she isn't being paid attention to. She also LOVES to be held considering she probably wasn't held all that much while in the orphanage. Makenna also has the best giggle and laugh ever especially when Maya is making her laugh! It is fun to watch Maya and Makenna interact as Makenna seems to adore her big sister. Hopefully they will grow up liking one another :)

Here are some pictures from the other day...