Keaton had some fun while we were away too! I guess you now know why we usually close the doors when we aren't home. He may be getting up there in dog years, but he plays like a puppy!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
A Visit with Santa
We visited Santa early this year as well. Last year we waited in a long line. This year we went on a week night just before Thanksgiving. We think Southpark Mall has the cutest Santa around, as long as you don't mind a little southern accent! (We don't!) He is the sweetest old man and he has been very good to the kids, even last year when he couldn't understand their English very well. He apparently has ties to the big guy too because those lucky kids did get their Christmas wishes, and it wasn't green beans!
Keaton had some fun while we were away too! I guess you now know why we usually close the doors when we aren't home. He may be getting up there in dog years, but he plays like a puppy!
Keaton had some fun while we were away too! I guess you now know why we usually close the doors when we aren't home. He may be getting up there in dog years, but he plays like a puppy!
2nd Annual Christmas Shopping Date
Last year Kevin and I had some friends watch the kids for us while we went Christmas shopping together. We had such a good time that we decided to make a day of it this year. Kevin took a day off while the kids were in school and we got the majority of their Christmas shopping done. We made a budget, had the cash in an envelope and off we went! It was a really fun date. We went to lunch, Target (2 Targets actually), a sporting goods store, the mall, Learning Express, and we got some online shopping done too. And home in time to pick the kids up from school at 2. Whew!
We did this the week before Thanksgiving because we wanted to beat the crowds.
The funniest part was that the kids knew we were doing this and it drove them crazy. We had already asked if they had any Christmas wishes. We kept telling them it didn't matter because we already knew what we would get them.... broccoli and green beans! So when we walked into Target and saw this display of canned green beans we had to take a picture.
When the kids were home from school we told them they could have one peek at the presents and told them they could see a picture. They were not amused! Ha, ha.
We did this the week before Thanksgiving because we wanted to beat the crowds.
The funniest part was that the kids knew we were doing this and it drove them crazy. We had already asked if they had any Christmas wishes. We kept telling them it didn't matter because we already knew what we would get them.... broccoli and green beans! So when we walked into Target and saw this display of canned green beans we had to take a picture.
When the kids were home from school we told them they could have one peek at the presents and told them they could see a picture. They were not amused! Ha, ha.
Keaton
We have 7 in our family. Call us crazy but we all adore our dog so much that we consider him as much of a family member as any of the rest of us. Kevin and I got him within a year of getting married and he is 9 now. He is the sweetest thing in the world. He makes us all very happy.
Cookies!
My great blogging catch up is still underway and it looks like we are rounding the corner to Thanksgiving! Okay, that still puts me ridiculously behind, but I need to stay focused and motivated. :)
Here's the story...
Our sweet little Tater Tot had a series of colds this winter that came with a side of ear infection. Poor guy. For this first one I took him up to the doctor we go to. We drive nearly an hour to see a pediatrician because I wanted someone who understood internationally adopted kids to check my kids over, test them for various issues, and understand what our family might be going through. We do love our doctor. He is the dad of 2 biological kids and 2 his family adopted from Russia, so he has been there and done that. He's terrific. I am stalling on finding a local doctor now that they are over all of the tests and shots they needed. He is terrific! But when a child has an ear infection I am thankful to the CVS minute clinic 5 minutes from my house! So easy and perfect for sniffles and sneezes.
My kids are definitely Ukrainians at heart. When they have an ear infection they like something wrapped around their heads at all times. Tate wears a beanie. Sophie had one last year and tied her head up with scarves in typical Ukrainian Babushka fashion. Her detsky dom mamas would have been proud!
Anyway, back to our story. One week night a bunch of our small group was sick so we cancelled and ended up having a family night at home. Tate was upstairs watching a movie on the couch (as is the custom for sick kids in our house). The other three and I decided to bake some cookies. I had found some Peppermint Hershey Kisses that I thought the kids would like and they had a sugar cookie recipe on the bag. The results were.... very sweet! The kids loved them, of course. What's not to love about the taste of sugar, bright colors, and something you made yourself when you are a kid? I think I will stick with chocolate next time. :D
Here's the story...
Our sweet little Tater Tot had a series of colds this winter that came with a side of ear infection. Poor guy. For this first one I took him up to the doctor we go to. We drive nearly an hour to see a pediatrician because I wanted someone who understood internationally adopted kids to check my kids over, test them for various issues, and understand what our family might be going through. We do love our doctor. He is the dad of 2 biological kids and 2 his family adopted from Russia, so he has been there and done that. He's terrific. I am stalling on finding a local doctor now that they are over all of the tests and shots they needed. He is terrific! But when a child has an ear infection I am thankful to the CVS minute clinic 5 minutes from my house! So easy and perfect for sniffles and sneezes.
My kids are definitely Ukrainians at heart. When they have an ear infection they like something wrapped around their heads at all times. Tate wears a beanie. Sophie had one last year and tied her head up with scarves in typical Ukrainian Babushka fashion. Her detsky dom mamas would have been proud!
Anyway, back to our story. One week night a bunch of our small group was sick so we cancelled and ended up having a family night at home. Tate was upstairs watching a movie on the couch (as is the custom for sick kids in our house). The other three and I decided to bake some cookies. I had found some Peppermint Hershey Kisses that I thought the kids would like and they had a sugar cookie recipe on the bag. The results were.... very sweet! The kids loved them, of course. What's not to love about the taste of sugar, bright colors, and something you made yourself when you are a kid? I think I will stick with chocolate next time. :D
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes
This year I had the kids get involved with the Samaritan's Purse OCC shoeboxes for a Christmas Project. Kevin and I have done shoeboxes for years and have even volunteered at the local headquarters, which was really cool! I thought this was a project the kids would understand. They were excited the boxes might even go to kids who are orphans like they were. They couldn't wait to help out!
I let them pick everything themselves. They had a blast! This is a good way to get your kids into a project they can relate too. They kept telling me that they wished they had received a shoebox when they were at detsky dom. :) I hope 4 kids somewhere around the world felt the love!
I let them pick everything themselves. They had a blast! This is a good way to get your kids into a project they can relate too. They kept telling me that they wished they had received a shoebox when they were at detsky dom. :) I hope 4 kids somewhere around the world felt the love!
Outtakes From Grandfather Mountain
Someday Julian might not appreciate this, but I think this whole series is hilarious. Kevin decided to take a picture of the kids and I sitting up on the rock. Keaton decided to be in the picture. The pictures tell the rest of the story!
Poor Juju!
Not quite sure why Kevin never put the camera down to help the poor boy, but what could he do? This is always how Kev takes pictures. If I ask him to take a few pictures he takes about 10 really quick and puts the camera down. Silly PAPArazzi! He is definitely not a photographer, but he tries to help out!
Poor Juju!
Not quite sure why Kevin never put the camera down to help the poor boy, but what could he do? This is always how Kev takes pictures. If I ask him to take a few pictures he takes about 10 really quick and puts the camera down. Silly PAPArazzi! He is definitely not a photographer, but he tries to help out!
Grandfather Mountain 2009 Part 2
Subtitled: I will never catch up to real time blogging, but I don't want to skip things like I did last year to catch up. (Seriously, I think I may have skipped blogging the kiddos birthdays last year! Their first American birthdays. Uh! Don't even ask if the girls birthday party pictures were backed up when our computer crashed either. I don't like to think about that.)
I really ought to just have a day for catching up on blogging. I can't decide the best way to do this. Devote a day to blogging, try to make a post a day, etc. I have a ridiculous amount of things on my plate and not enough time to do them all. But this is the scrapbook of our family life so I don't want to skip large chunks either. The real problem is that when you are this far behind on blogging you don't remember all the sweetest details you want to write. :( But I'm going to press on.
Great day that exhausted everyone! I am hoping we can make it up there a little earlier next year though.
I really ought to just have a day for catching up on blogging. I can't decide the best way to do this. Devote a day to blogging, try to make a post a day, etc. I have a ridiculous amount of things on my plate and not enough time to do them all. But this is the scrapbook of our family life so I don't want to skip large chunks either. The real problem is that when you are this far behind on blogging you don't remember all the sweetest details you want to write. :( But I'm going to press on.
Great day that exhausted everyone! I am hoping we can make it up there a little earlier next year though.
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