Baby Balooga

I'm sitting here watching Weston, Leeann, Logan, Kajsa and Titus merrily dancing around to preschool silly-songs. It's amazing how much joy and energy silly songs can ignite in little ones. You can't have a song on for more than 3 seconds before their little bodies just get grooving. Titus throws his hands in the air and wiggles about. "A tooty-ta, a tooty-ta, a tooty ta ta! Thumbs up, elbows back, feet together, bottoms up, tongue out..."

But, my favorite song is Baby Balooga (how do you spell that?) I have very clear memories of Kindergarten, singing that very same song. I was just a tad-bit older than Leeann and my memories are crystal clear. That song takes me back to all sorts of sights, smells, people, and thoughts. Isn't it just crazy how a song can do that?

What a Beautiful Day!

Our summer solstice party was a blast! It's so great to have so much fun with friends and ice cream... and what a great excuse for a party!

The only rule for the summer solstice at our house is there is no limit to how much ice cream you can eat during the day, and homemade ice cream with fresh strawberries are a must!

This year, we decided to invite some friends along... 36 people took part in our tradition with us this year! I was able to get a picture of everyone other than Jenny, myself and Kajsa: see below.

Rob ate a fudgecicle for breakfast, a pina colada ice cream cone with Joel at 10 am, a frappacino from Starbucks in the afternoon, 3 bowls of ice cream at the party, and one more before bed!

I felt sick by the end of the night, and the kids went to down to sleep in about 2.2 seconds after they laid their heads down.

I had 2 bowls at the party, a coffee toffee milkshake with lunch and a bite of Rob's ice cream before bed... only because he refused to share any more! Great fun had by all. We're always talking about inviting people over and having more parties. No body seemed to mind that we'd have all you can eat ice cream! We went through two of the big tubs of ice cream, a canister of homemade ice cream (my favorite) and several portions of random 1/2 gallons. We had strawberries, nutter butters, oreos, butterfingers, sprinkles, skor, gummy bears, cookies, nuts, syrups and more! For those who came we're glad you could make it, and for those who couldn't, we wish you could have been here! Maybe next year!

Summer Solstice Part 1

This is Leeann, with her first of 3 bowls of ice cream!



Titus enjoyed his ice cream too, but he started shaking, so we had to move him inside!



Weston.




Logan. I'd say his face is a good indication of how much he enjoyed his bowls of ice cream. Don't worry, they all got baths!

Summer Solstice Part 2

Weston lost some of his ice cream, only after he dropped his bowl 3 times in a row!



Rob.



Deborah (belonging to Dean and Desiree) and Leanna.



Baby Kamden!

Summer Solstice Part 3

Leanna, Eric, Emily, Lindsay and Paige.



Bert, Sonia, Krista, Diane and Tony.



Byron.



Desiree, Lindsay, Emily and Paige (again)

Summer Solstice Part 4

Eroica.



Eric, Dean and Toby.



Brenna and Baby Claire.



Joel and Sarah.

Summer Solstice Part 5

This is Jeff and Tina.

This is their son, Brandon.

And their other son's, Dillon and Jacob.

This is Jennifer, Elisha and Dieter.

Learning from the best!

Rob likes to do yard work. I don't! Our kids seem to be facinated by being out in the yard helping daddy though. Frankly, I'm very happy to let them!

Titus is showing Daddy how it's done!

My two favorite men!

Leeann's Last Day of Preschool

These are some pictures from Leeann's last day of preschool. Her classmates and their families had a picnic in the park after their last day. It was lot's of fun, and this is her friend, Eli.

These are her teacher's, Mrs. Erin and Mrs. Tina.

She, uh, got a little messy, but had a lot of fun too!

You are Invited...

You are invited to a Summer Solstice Party at Our House on Thursday, June 21st (the Summer Solstice... the longest day of the year!) The only rule for this party is that you can eat as much ice cream as you want... no limits...

We will have an open house from 6-8. Need directions? Email me... my first and last name at yahoo.

Want to bring something? Ice cream, strawberries, oreos, toppings? Just leave a comment to let us know you'll be there and what you'll be bringing...

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THURSDAY!!!!

Leeann's Jelly Sandwhich

Leeann proudly made her first jelly sandwhich all by herself! It was cute, and she was so very proud!

Princess Belle

This is princess Belle, she's Leeann's "prentend cake". I made her as a practice cake for Leeann's preschool party, since she has a summer birthday...she got to celebrate her birthday early. I've never made a doll cake before, so I welcomed the practice before the much anticipated Cinderella cake that Leeann will have on her actual birthday. I'm glad I did, because I learned a lot!

The doll is just a Belle barbie type doll, in case you are wondering!

Leeann loved the cake, but she was dissapointed that it wasn't Cinderella. She was also concerned about the fact that I took her legs off to stick her in the cake!

Two pretty little princess!

Slave Labor

This is Leeann and Logan doing the dishes the other day. They had so much fun and were entertained for a long time.
No fear, we made sure to rewash the dishes!

Seriously, do they get any cuter than this?

My Poor Little Princess!

A few weeks ago we discovered that Leeann has allergies, and apparently this is a really bad year for them. When she's outside her eyes get really red and itchy and puffy. Twice now she's started forming welts around her eyes. Both times we were at the McDonalds Play Place. Is she allergic to the play place itself, or is there just some sort of allergens hanging around close to the play place? I don't know, but I sure do hate to see such a sweet innocent little girl so miserable!

Last week I developed food poisoning after eating at McDonalds too... maybe we should just stay away from there for a while? Hmmm...

If time could stand still...

I gave Titus a bath this afternoon and I was drying him off all snuggled up my arms. He was looking at me, just giggling with that big ole grin of his! He took his hair brush and gently brushed my hair with it. He smelled like a just bathed bundle of joy and he just looked cute as can be in my arms. I know these moments are going to get more few and far between, and I just don't know if I'm ready for that! I sure wouldn't mind if time could stand still at times like these!

The Beginning of Questions

Monday morning Leeann hopped up onto my bed, just chattering away at me. After a few minutes she non-chalauntly asked me, "Who's my first mommy?"

The question took me a little off-guard. I knew these questions would come, but she isn't even 4 yet! Somehow I imagined I would have a little more time to figure out how to best answer questions about her adoption. We have vowed to be honest with her and answer her questions honestly though... so I briefly told her about how God had a special plan for her life and how Nai-Nai (Kyndall) raised her when she was a little baby and then she became part of our family and I became her mommy, and daddy became her daddy. She has known for a while now that she was in Nai-Nai's tummy when she was a baby just like Titus was in my tummy, and Kamden was in Mrs. Ro's tummy. That's as far as we've gotten though, and until yesterday she didn't seem to ask anymore questions.

Within the hour I was on the phone with our adoption agency, asking for any resources I could get my hands on that would help me to know how to be age appropriate with my explanations.

By lunch time we were getting ready for Kyndall to come over and I was telling Weston and Logan that she would be here soon. Leeann piped up, "Kyndall is my mommy", ever-so matter-of-factly. I gently reminded her that Kyndall is her birth mom (and she continues to confuse the words birth and first).

We had a great time with Kyndall here, and I let her know that questions might be coming. Sure enough, while Kyndall was on her cell phone Leeann was trying to get her attention by saying mama, mama. I took her aside and we had a little talk about how it makes mommy and Nai-Nai sad when she calls Nai-Nai mommy. Her special name is Nai-Nai, and that's what she would like Leeann to call her. Leeann seemed to readily accept that answer and she went on her merry way.

She's made a few other comments since then too, she's obviously getting for the first time that there's something a little bit different and/or special about being adopted and she wants to know more about what it's all about!

So... Monday was a little bit hard for me. It's hard to share the title mommy, but really, it's only by God's absolute grace that I even get to have that title for the world's most wonderful little girl! I'm excited for Leeann that she has such a big, unique family that loves her and that she gets to love. If you ask me, that's a pretty special thing!

Absolutely Irritated!

Today is one of those days where I am irritated beyond belief. I adore my kids... don't get me wrong... but there are days (like today, and all this week really!) where I wouldn't mind being on vacation. A really long vacation!

Leeann has mastered the fine art of whining, has learned that the question "Why?" is one that pushes mommy's buttons faster than anything else... and she's also mastering the art of delayed obedience. She's not being directly defiant (not usually anyway), but passively disobedient none-the-less. And me? I'm incredibly irritated!

Calgon, take me away!

Mud Volleyball!

Mud + Volleyball
= Apprehensive little girl who thinks all big people are crazy.
With a little bit of persuasion she agrees to join the fun...
But... she didn't really like it, though I'm sure she'll love these pictures some day!
What on Earth were my parents thinking?