Blog catch up - September

The best toys are still empty boxes

Talk like a pirate day at Krispy Kreme.  Jeff can be super creative with costuming when free doughnuts are involved.  Simon cracks us up with his "Arrgh. maybes!" 

Bye, bye crib...Loving the big boy bed

Happy 4th birthday blueberry girl!

Blog catch up - month by month - August

(this series by request - JMJ!- I needed the kick in the pants)

First day of school- Madeline is in first grade this year! 

Sara is in her second year of preschool and Simon joined her for his first year

I have exactly 7 1/2 hours to myself per week

except for the days that I sub, or volunteer at school....

Summer so far...

Double cousins on the cabin couch...

These are my cousins kids and our kids; age range eight to two.  The bunch in the middle are separated by just a few months and they all played together wonderfully. 

Simon as a real live action doll- the girls love to dress him up and 

as you can tell, he doesn't mind a bit. 

Breakfast in bed on Daddy day.. the munchkins three thought this was super cool. 

Lots of swim lessons at UT this summer.  Madeline and Sara have both come so far!!  

Madeline's crowing achievement last summer was being lowered by one lifeguard off the diving board into another lifeguards arms in the water.  No hesitation this year!  

She even jumped off the high dive- 14 feet ish? 

Blueberry picking over the 4th of July... Farm...

to mouth.

Frozen for the winter months- 

I want that big one in the middle and no one will have to know. 

11,000 Adoptions!!!

Our adoption agency celebrated 11,000 adoptions today!  They e-mailed all of us last week and asked that we send in pictures of our kids with an 11,000 sign to celebrate and place in their scrapbook.  Guess whose daddy is an engineer???

Visit their website for an amazing glimpse into GOTCHA day!

Birthdays ; recent and really not so recent...

Our happy little dude turned two on the first of January.

Since he's a Chinese Southerner, it only seemed appropriate that his birthday cake be a red velvet.  This is my grandmother's recipe, and my first attempt at it.  I was nervous to try it out, because this is one of those childhood memories that is very vivid in my mind.  I remember hers being so moist and luscious, I never expected to be able to replicate it in the least.  It was EXACTLY as I remembered and I was so glad to carry on the tradition of it.  And I know many of you are not fans of red dye #40, so know that Wilton carries a "Christmas Red" that is red of a different number.  But, for once a year, caution to the wind eh? 

I love this look Simon is giving Sara- it's like 

"Hey girl, I 'm two, I think I can rip a package without help now.. really!"

 Madeline celebrating her 6th birthday at home with sweet little girls

The labor behind the cupcake.  Don't let the height fool you, they are quite accomplished.  

End of year

Hi folks, yes, you three.....thanks to the wonder of e-subscriptions...

I thought I'd update those of you in blog land on what has happened, oh, since September....

Appointments, appointments, appointments... Simon has had weekly teaching appointments, alongside of some PT, Speech therapy, and a quickie surgery to make him "special" biblically.  Madeline is loving kindergarten and Sara has her first BFF and hallelujah!  the feeling is mutual.

We've nicknamed the girls the "puppies", they are always curled up together.  

Sweet Henry, our original puppy, is dealing with what we think is a second round of skin cancer. You find these things out when you have a vet for a friend.  I've preferred to pretend everything is okay, but we've had him for 10 years now, and such is life. He has been AMAZING with all of our kids and I love him dearly. 

Our fall break weekend consisted of a amazing stay in Flat Rock, NC at the foot of this unbelievable apple orchard.  We downed 3 dozen apple cider doughnuts and felt no guilt.  Madeline thought this sign was the coolest and insisted on having a photo op. 

Talley ho!  

My sweet, like-minded, "tornado in the kitchen" aunt spent a solid 10 hours in the kitchen with me to process about 3 bushels of apples into sauce.  We ended up with 24 quart jars that I am unashamedly rationing.  I love my stainless steel countertops.  

Madeline lost her first tooth at school- "a lot of blood, mama, a lot of blood" 

Halloween- Nancy Drew, Dorothy, and the Bee

All of my kids have been the bee, generations of friends before us have been the bee, and now the bee has been passed down the line to new friends. Simon did not like the bee. 

Elves in the kitchen, clearly having too much fun.  Holly Jolly, get to work slackers! 

The men in my life; oh, they make me swoon.  

The girls wanted to be burritos and I used Simon as a very effective toothpick.  No real bites were taken.  

So there you have it, our last quarter in pictures, and I hope to blog more regularly in the new year.  I have aspirations of doing at least a monthly family update, and to share a few of my putterings around the house, books worth reading, and tips worth sharing.  Hold me accountable, okay? 

Sweet Sara September

  I love three year old birthdays.  

For a month straight, "Blueberries" was the only word in response to "What do you want for your birthday?" 

Precious answer, terrible to wrap.  Thank heavens for Etsy and some friends with great book ideas.    

Blueberry hand pies for the girl who doesn't like sweets.  

The other love in this girl's life is the movie "Wizard of Oz", so my family bought her these peg dolls from Etsy.  You must visit this seller, she is FANTASTIC to work with! 

 I'm talking individually painted polka dots, people!!  

Her "something to read" was this book from the 1950's "The blueberry pie elf"  about an elf who is invisible to people but tries to get noticed by doing good deeds around the house.  His hope is that they will bake another blueberry pie as a reward.  Lovely illustrations.  

Blueberry note card art from a seller on Etsy.  

Our Sara is a little tenderheart.  She noticed her first football game this season being played on TV. After a tackle, she sucked in a huge breath and said "Are you okay orange?"  You will often find her holding Simon's hand as they walk around together.  He will reach for her and just giggle.  

Ahem... back to school.. back to blogging....

Back to school for us was something akin to Groundhog Day...here in Knox County they do something called "Staggered Start" where the kindergarten students go just two days the first two weeks (I have since learned that staggered varies by school). So Madeline goes consecutive Tuesdays- just half days- and then started full time the end of August.  It was weird because she began her official school journey, and then would be back home in the afternoons building pillow forts during rest time.

We have begun a tradition of toasted pound cake with homemade applesauce for the first day- a Southern favorite of my moms.

Our neighborhood is just a five minute walk to the elementary school.  

This is our 2nd first day of school and this is what life really looks like for us.  All hands on deck (or on the stroller stations).  School starts at 7:45 and I have learned to leave our house by 7:20 to allow for "I don't wanna wear those shoes!!!" or miscellaneous tantrums along the way.  Don't let the picture fool you.  This also allows me to enjoy the walk (somewhat), chat with the littles, and just be in the moment.   

The school is just beyond the "rainbow bridge", but you have to pass through "spider alley" to get there.  Well..... it's spider alley for those of us over five feet.  

Sweet Sara finally had her day in the preschool sun once elementary school was in full swing at the end of August. I LOVE our preschool.  They have a "meet your teacher" day before school officially starts and the sweet director met us at the door saying, "I have been waiting for you all to arrive so I could meet your son!"  Amazing.  She knew Sara's name already, and followed us in to the classroom to get us introduced to the new teachers.  

Sara was literally doing a dance of joy and once the doors opened at 9 am, she led the way in.  Before the parents- or any returning kids- before I could catch up to her, she had her bag and lunch put away.  That girl is so thrilled to finally be in school.  

Summer in Review

May 21, the day after we arrived home from China- our little munchkins playing together for the first time.  

Collapsing into a pile of books from the library

Time to get initiated boy...

Krispy Kreme, sweet tea, and biscuits within the first two weeks 

Many, many, many trips to the Doctor.

We headed to the Int'l Adoption Clinic at Vanderbilt, 

X-rays at ET Children's and um...other samples, 

evaluations at the pediatrician, 

early intervention services involving PT, ST, and teaching.  

a less than successful Father's Day photo shoot at UT gardens

catching up with dear friends who are no longer in town - boo hoo

You're never fully dressed without a smile Henry. 

A baptism seven years in the making, with our bonus chicks.  

A kitchen picnic sans mosquitoes

And.....

• putting up 8 gallons of strawberries for jam
• swim lessons for both girls at the UT aquatic center- wow, did I feel old as I walked into the locker room with 3 kids and a stroller.  I remember being there as a freshman and it is completely unchanged.
• Two rounds of antibiotics for me and Sara.  Sweet girl got her first ear infection on the 4th of July, which means a trip to the ER.  Yep.  Only thing that is open.  
• a killer recipe for peach popsicles- peaches, pineapple juice, and a spritz of lemon
• a petite attempt at gardening in the 1 foot wide strip of land between the drive and the fence.  We dropped in 5 roma tomato plants and another 3 basil plants.  Lots of pesto for the winter and tomato sauce.  
• a gentle facelift for an aging upstairs bath- more to come later
• my very favorite date- dinner and an old movie at the Tennessee Theatre- this time it was " Rear Window"
• a much needed break (though unplanned) from blogging