Travel Group Reunion 2007

I have a very good reason for not posting last week--we were getting ready for our vacation to Chicago for a reunion with our travel group. Three families in the Windy City planned a wonderful weekend for us. We left Thursday and stayed in Lafayette, Indiana overnight and started early Friday for the city. We got a little lost on some horrible road with tolls (Only missed paying one--oops), but Kevin read the atlas and got us to the hotel without any problems. Well, no problems if you don't count the traffic and the number of lanes and the semis zooming on this road.

We stayed in Oak Park, a beautiful suburb of the city.



Waiting for us in our room (By the way, it was awesome!!) was a great welcome to Chicago supply basket that had treats, crayons, a coloring book, and drinks. What an amazing welcome.



Friday night, the Paynes had a Welcome BBQ at their house. It was so fun seeing the families. We have only talked on the Yahoo Group for 2 years. Most of us have not seen each other since we left China, plus we got to meet the Guangdong families. What wonderful chaos!!



On Saturday, we drove to Chinatown and had Dim Sum at Won Kow restaurant. The food was so good and Brynn ate with chopsticks. She didn't want her fork. Too funny.






That night, we went to the Tolman's. What a host and hostess they are!! The food was amazing and they rented a carousel jumpy thingy. The kids had so much fun. I think the adults did too after we left!!




We tried to take a picture of all the girls. Everyone thought that Brynn was such a perfect child because she just sat down and smiled. We actually bribed her with a Barbie if she let people take the pictures. It worked. She isn't a perfect child. We just know how to make her look like one!!




Aren't the tees cute? Chris Payne designed them for us.



Two FengCheng cuties!!

On Sunday, we went back to the Paynes. Fran and Bob made a great farewell brunch for us. It was delicious! It was so sad to know that the weekend was over. We enjoyed seeing everyone so much. Hopefully, we will have another one in a couple of years. By that time, there should be more siblings since many of us are going back for our second!!!



Thank you to all of our hosts. It was a tremendous weekend.

Fudgesicle Face!

"Look Mommy. I can put it on my nose too!"

Wearing Daddy's Socks

Daddy's socks and a cheesy smile. And yes, she dressed herself.

If we didn't have rumors...

we wouldn't have anything!!! I know that much of this blog is about Brynn and our life with an almost 3 year old. But, we are waiting for our second child from China and I love (ok-addicted) reading the Rumor Queen. (Her link is on the left hand side of the page under adoption.) She is stating that 2 different agencies have posted that late November-early December LIDS are in the next batch of referrals. What a nice dream, but so unlikely. I can only hope that it is true. I would love for our friends who have a LID of 12/19/05 to get their referral soon.

Weekend Round-Up

Another day of swimming at Melissa's house. They are at the beach, so we just borrowed the pool for a couple of hours. I can not believe how much Brynn loves the water. She put her head under the water and came back out spitting the water out. Just unbelieveable!

Sunday, we went to visit Kevin's grandma. His cousin (and family) met us there. It was such a nice, relaxing couple of hours. They brought a toy for the girls to play with called Stomp Rocket. Brynn did pretty good once she understood how it worked. They also pretended the table was a tent and they used the cooler as a refrigerator. They imaginations were wonderful. Aren't they gorgeous girls? Too bad I forgot to get picture with them and Grandma.

A Brynn funny for the day

We went to a farm sale last weekend and Kevin was in his truck ahead of us while we were in my XTerra. I told Brynn that daddy looked like a bum. She said that she had a bum and daddy didn't look like it. I think I need to start choosing my words a little better!!

How can you not love this face?

Happy Family Day!!

Today is the 2nd anniversary of our "Gotcha Day". This is the day that 15 babies became daughters and 15 families became more complete. I can't even begin to describe the emotions of the moment our daughter was given to us. This pictures was taken right after that.

Happy Family Day, baby girl. We love you with every part of our beings.

Mommy and Daddy

Water Baby!!

We went swimming last night at Chris and Melissa's. Brynn loved the water. She rode in her "jet ski" for a while then out of that and into her life jacket. She did so well putting her mouth in the water. I was very impressed considering she hates water anywhere near her face when she gets a bath!! Kirsten and CJ are so good with her. Kirsten loved holding her while she was in her life jacket. Brynn loved being out of her jet ski just so that she could spray us with a water gun. What a stinker.





This picture is of a bunny that Kevin found in our yard last night while he was watering the plants. It is so tiny. We also have a set of twin fawns on the farm. We love seeing them. They are still young enough to have their spots. We also saw a skunk in the field--far enough away that we didn't have to worry about him. Kevin saw him on the road a little later and did everything possible to avoid hitting him. Thank goodness or his truck would have been parked outside for a long, long time.

How blessed are we that we get to see this type of stuff just outside our window all the time?

Weekend Round-up

What a great weekend we had. Friday was spent swinging on her swingset and swimming in her little pool. I have to give Kevin a big pat on the back for the swingset that he built. We didn't use a pattern, just a couple of ideas that we had. He did such an awesome job.



Our new swingset. The bottom is complete yet, but we love it. We just need to get the mulch around it now.



The back of the swingset. Don't you love the gangplank?









On Saturday, we went to a farm auction. Kevin bought a $35 bucket of tools, but didn't get his Stihl chainsaw. It went for so much. He pouted a little and then moved on. That night was Kirsten's 10th birthday party. Just imagine 12 10 year old girls screeching for hours in the pool. And they stayed over night. We left at 1 AM and they were going swimming again. I said a little pray for Melissa. Brynn and Kevin went swimming but I didn't get my camera out. I'm so bummed about this. Brynn rode in her little boat raft and had such a great time. She also "hung" with the "big girls" who were having a beauty salon party in the house. She got to watch all the 10 year olds putting make-up on, painting nails, and getting their hair done.

Sunday was a day for church and then home for a long nap. She wore one of her new skirts that Aunt Norma made. It is just too cute. I promise to take pictures of these soon. Brynn swam in her pool again last night. She loves the water, plus she got to wear her Ariel tankini. How much happier can an almost 3 year old be?

By the way, our garden is doing so well. We think the lettuce may be done for the year, but the spinach is still going strong. We have had broccoli and peppers so far, but the tomatoes are getting close to ripening. This has been Kevin's baby and he has taken such good care of it. I'll have to post a picture of it. Maybe tonight I'll get one, if it isn't too hot!! (In the 90s yesterday, today and tomorrow--eek)

Referrals for November 05 LIDs

The CCAA has finished the review of the adoption application documents registered with our office before May 31, 2006.

The CCAA has finished the placement of children for the families whose adoption application documents were registered with our office before November 14, 2005

This is the message that was on CCAA's website this morning. We still aren't through the review room yet.

The cut off date for referrals means no referrals for our agency, Harrah's. Luckily, Rumor Queen posts blogs that we can live thru while we wait. Congratulations to those who got their referral today. God bless the babies that will be matched with their forever families today.

It's a holiday!!

What a great 4th of July holiday we had. We went to Oglebay Tuesday night for the fireworks over the lake. They were awesome. We had to lay down on the blanket since they were right above us. Brynn didn't want her picture taken at all. She is such a stinker!!




Daddy and Brynn (with her cheesy smile)






Mommy and Brynn (I have to admit, I love this picture.)








Waiting for the fireworks. "It's getting dark." We heard this for about 2 hours before it actually starting getting dark.




This is a pictures of turkey eggs. There are 9 in the nest. Kevin found them when he was brush hogging.

They have invaded...

I posted this on our travel group's Yahoo group...

My mil bought Brynn Polly Pockets!! I can't believe it. I walked into
our house and there it was--a teeny tiny blue high heeled shoe and I
knew--they had come. There is no turning back now. She is here to
stay. Did I happen to mention in an earlier email that I really
dislike Polly Pockets and all of her accessories?

Drowning in little blue shoes,
Julie

Just in case you aren't sure about the size of Polly's shoes...



Our cat is going to love these. Someone suggested that they may have to just disappear. I don't see this as a problem since the sweeper is always hungry for little shoes!! Really, what brilliant mind thought that shoes this small were a good idea for a 3 year old?

Just me and Grammy

Yesterday, Jean was off work, so Brynn got to spend the day with her. Grammy is a lot of fun because she allows Brynn to play in water all the time. Plus, she get to "help" Grammy cook. Grammy is very special to Brynn.

Weekend Round-Up

Friday we went to a "Sundae Party" at Pat and Tom Michalko's new house. We had so much fun. Brynn loved have other people to pester. Larry and Nancy were there and they brought Sara and Justin. Kelley and Joel came too. Tricia is now home so she got to join the party too. The Wildthings were putting off fireworks so we went to the front yard and watched them. Brynn really does love fireworks. Maybe because they were invented in China:)

Saturday, Lucas and Jill got married at Linden Hall in Dawson, PA. The wedding was so nice. They had cocktail hour after the wedding in the mansion's solarium. The weather was perfect!! The reception was held in the hotel reception hall. Brynn was such a stinker. She had horrible table manners. I think it was because she just wanted to dance. We told her that we would dance at the reception and she just couldn't wait.

Sunday, we picked more berries. It is so nice having fresh berries to eat. Our garden is doing so great. We got more peppers and spinach yesterday. We'll probably have more today or tomorrow.

Here are some pictures from the weekend:



Brynn and her Daddy
















Some of Grandma Kinder's Family







Brynn and Mommy Dancing




Brynn boogeying!!