December wrap-up

Has it really come down to this for me? Updating my blog once a month? I guess I join the ranks of mother's who despite beautiful, witty children - only find the time at 9 at night between answering emails and toting a reluctant toddler back to bed - to quickly recap the month with a few hastily taken pictures and some memorable captions meant to jog our memory for the time when we add the pictures to their scrapbooks and journal it "for real."

We started the Holiday season with a wonderful trip to California to spend Thanksgiving with my Grammy Ginny. The odd part of that trip is that we left Jordan here to have Turkey dinner with his parents and sister and grandparents. We couldn't think of any other way to be able to spend time with his family, and also my sister who was in town for a short amount of time and Grammy at the same time. So we figured since we eat dinner with each other and are (usually) grateful for the other person on a daily basis - the best plan would be to devide and conquer. And conquer we did! It was so fun to see my sister and her girls and Grammy and cousins - and when I came home, I came home to a husband who missed me, a sink full of dishes and a HUGE flat screen, high tech, fancy futureistic tv and blu-ray player - FUN!!! We still won't buy cable, but our netflix viewing has increased significantly - especially since we can stream them directly to the tv now!!

In December bot my girls were sick with colds, but it mostly affected Heidi. She had to have breathing treatments, every mother's worst nightmare right? Not mine! Heidi just sat on the counter while I made breakfast/lunch/dinner and gave them to herself! So easy :) She is really starting to talk a lot, and man is she fast! Her temper is comical, so its hard to take them seriously, when you have a tiny baby laying on the ground, moaning and growling, kicking and beating her fists on the floor! We sure do love her though!

Michaela is loving her preschool, and is learning very quickly. Her teacher's called her a spirited leader....DUH! We have entered into a stage of backtalking and I am NOT A FAN. I honestly feel like I can say that to everything I say, she counter's with something. EVERYTIME. We are getting through it, and she is such a wonderful friend. The other day I dropped them both off at the gym babysitting thing, and she took Heidi's hand and said, "It's ok baby Heidi, I am your sister and I will take care of you." So sweet! She also needs her "Private-sy," in the bathroom and when her clothes are dirty its time for me to do her "Laundirty!" We so enjoy our little girls.

Jordan is LOVING his new job. He enjoy's being important and making a difference.

I joined a gym - and I surprisingly love it! So far I have been everyday since I joined two weeks ago, minus the 4 days we were at my parent's cabin for Christmas. I don't have any specific weight loss goals, I just want to feel good.

Anyway, that is us! I hope to get back on the blogging train, mostly because I am counting this as my journal and hope that heaven counts it too!!!

Heidi loved Uncle Richie over Christmas Break :)

She loved all her new toys!

Opening her gifts like a big girl

Baby loving her baby :)

Family Christmas Eve Jammies

We went on a date! No KIDS! And if Jordan only takes these weird pictures...I am going to post them!

Preschool Christmas Program - I bawled the whole time - SHEESH!

First year in the history of Michaela that she hasn't cried! Heidi started about 1 second after this picture was taken...

She looked so cute and little when she gave herself the breathing treatments :)

I love that they are starting to play together more and more. In this picture they are playing bus driver. I don't think Heidi really cared what the game was, she was just happy to get in and out of the chair over and over again at the "stops!"

Thanksgiving 4 Generation. Don't mind that I look like poop - but what a wonderful opportunity :)

Grandpa Sam, Grammy Ginny and Michaela (And Emma) Taking a walk

Fife and Winn Girl SOUP :)

Hehe

Going Cold Turkey

No, this post is NOT about Thanksgiving leftovers. We did have a wonderful Thanksgiving though - the girls and I went to California with my sister's family and my parents, and visited with Grammy Ginny while Jordan headed up to his parents house and spent the day with his Grandparents. We didn't know how else to see everyone that we wanted to see other than to divide and conquor. We are so thankful for our families and the truth of the Gospel in our lives.

Back to the title. For a while now, my leg has been killing me. I limp all the time and it is soooooo time for some kind of surgery to fix it. My back hurts from limping and I feel like it consumes my daily activities - like if I have been up and doing laundry a lot then I wouldn't be able to do grocery shopping because of all the walking. It also makes exercising really difficult and I feel gross about how fat I look/feel. ANYWAY. I feel like all I ever do is complain. If Jordan asks me how I am that day - 90% of the time I say, "My leg hurts today," as if that is all the explanation he needs, or as an excuse for the dishes in the sink or kids in jammies at 2pm. Well today is December 1, 2010, and I will never say those words again! SERIOUSLY. I don't want to be a complainer - so I simply won't do it. Nothing but sunshine and daisy's over here - and I mean it! I am grateful that I still have my leg - so if it hurts, I will look at it as the subtle reminder that it is simply attached to by body. I am not really a gradual person - when I do something I usually do it all the way, like giving up fast food in 2010. So it's easier for me to quit complaining 100% rather than limiting myself to one or two a day. Thus, the title. So, if you ask me how I am or what we are doing or how I am feeling - you will get a positive response :)

Day One: Thankful that I have both legs, and that I can walk, and run and jump.

A Sampler

There is no way to catch up. We have only been here for a few weeks and already Michaela has started Preschool, I have had a birthday, Aunt Shawnie had her birthday, we have driven to Boise and back in ONE DAY, had a 3 day sleepover with the Winn girls and Grandma and Grandpa Kresge, spent Halloween with Grandma Marti and Papa John and - oh yeah - unpacked a few boxes! Did I mention that Heidi started walking and we are planning another road trip to Napa Valley CA for Thanksgiving, I started my own business and my sister is Pregnant? Or that Christmas is coming but even before that BLACK FRIDAY?!?!?!?! Yes, my avid blog followers, we have been so busy that I have failed to mention the above events, especially in chronological order. For those of you glued to the screen and constantly hitting the refresh button, just in case we have posted, here you go. The above events happened, and below are a few pictures to prove it and jog my memory when I am journaling the physical scrapbooks.

See how excited she is about walking? I have the cutest video of her actual first steps, but it won't load. If we are FB friends, it's on there.

Visit to Grandma and Grandpa Kresge's house is always full of more than a few bedtime stories!

Happy 15th Birthday to the beautiful Aunt Shawnie!

The most delicious Strawberry Shortcake EVER! She is so stinkin cute!

My girls and I woke up at 4am and drove all the way to Boise (7Hrs) making only ONE stop. We picked up the Winn girls and drove all the way home in the same day. What troopers! Not a single tantrum.....Heidi and Lucy whined at the end, but overall it was a great trip!

Here!

We made it! We were on the road for seven days exactly - almost to the hour :) We made lots of stops, our favorite was at the Culley's house for a triple birthday party! I have tons of pictures, but lets face it, I probably won't post any because by the time I actually get moved into my own house, (not until the 9th) with my own internet (That's not coming until the 15th) these pictures will be old news. So, I will say, we did the Culley's in WI, and Mt. Rushmore in SD. Now we are here, living between the Best Western, My parents and Jordan's parents house. LOVING Washington.

Happy Halloween!

From Strawberry Shortcake, her little sister (in real life AND in the movies) Apple Dumplin, and Daddy :)

(as the mover's were loading my truck, I was finishing these costumes. Don't remind me that I knew since August that Michaela wanted to be Strawberry Shortcake, or that Heidi would be Apple Dumpling, BUT let me remind you that I found out about the move two short weeks before it took place.) I think that they turned out wonderfully and the girls got compliments all night long!

Happy Birthday!

Dear Heidi,

You rock my world. Going from one kid to two was really hard for me. You cried a lot during your first three months and it really did rock my world. Now, you are just so sweet and easy going that sometimes we wonder if we made up those first three months in our heads! On a daily basis, I am speechless due to something you are doing, screaming, or giggling. Your laugh is honestly the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I love it when you make your sad little pouty face, and truly, I am sory when I do something to provoke it, but it's so darn cute that sometimes I just gotta see it. I have never heard anyone, or anything, screech like you do. I love, LOVE, how tiny and petite you are, you are my little monkey baby. I have loved every minute of having a baby with hair - tons of long beautiful hair! It is so fun for me to have my two little girls, I love to dress you in cute, matching outfits and show you off at Church. You are growing and learning so fast, I imagine at this time next year, I will be even more shocked at how much you've changed.

I want you to be happy. I hope that I can teach you or show you what you need to learn to know how much we, your family loves you. I hope you always remember you are a Daughter of God. I hope you always feel safe and loved, wherever you go. Daddy and I pray every night that you girls will keep close to us, each other and most importantly, Heavenly Father. We love you Heidi Baby, more than I can ever tell you. Happy, Happy Birthday my little love.

We should be packing but....

Sounds like a familiar title to me!We have had such a fun week, our last here in Ohio! We've been busy with Apple Orchards, Birthday Parties and Niagara Falls. And of course, some everyday fun here and there.

My sweet baby - stuck- in the playhouse!

A little quality time with Ericka

Another one of her stuck because I think it's funny :)

Niagara Falls- did I mention that Ericka came out here for Heidi's birthday?! We are so lucky!

Family Shot

Ericka's birthday was on the 7th, so we sang to her too :)

Heidi was pretty anxious to have her first cupcake!

She loved it!!!

See? This is what happened when it was gone :(

Michaela;s visit to the Apple Orchard. She was pretty excited to pick her own apples.

Finding just the right apples for her snack time that day!

Just us girls that day

My Pumpkins!

Just because it makes me giggle :)

So does this :)

What is so Cool about Brush Prairie WA?

Well besides all this..... Brush Prairie Washington is Beautiful, as you will see below. It is located right outside of Portland Oregon. A person or family who lived there could possibly work in Washington State and pay no income taxes...and shop in Portland Oregon and pay no sales tax! A different or same person or family could also visit either set of parents or grandparents, and a few cousins and high school buddies. A particular couple I know could go back to the Temple they were sealed in. So, I ask again, what is so darn cool about Brush Prairie Washington?

She is :)

And so is she.

We will be moving...AGAIN....Jordan accepted a position to get us closer to family :) We head out of Cleveland on the 25th of this month (gulp!) and he starts on the 8th of November. Here we come small town life we have dreamed of :)

Memories, brought to you, in part, by Ericka Lindy

Today is a very special birthday in our family! Heidi's sweet birthmother, Ericka is 19! In the year and a half that I have known her, I have constantly been amazed at her wit, her flare, her maturity and her baking. She has such a wonderful, giving spirit, that I do hope is as genetic as dramaticness seems to be! Ericka, we are so glad you are in our family, and so glad that you are all the wonderful things that make you - YOU! We love you ever so much :)

I have included some of my favorite pictures of Heidi, because Ericka's largest contribution to our life is her precious gift of our baby. Without Ericka and her selfless act of maturity, grace and compassion, our family would not be what it is today. We love our little Heidi Doll!

Look at this little burrito :) - she is 3 days old here

My two favorite heads - I wonder what each is thinking?!

Adoption isn't only about the birthmother and the adoptive family. It's hard for everyone. Heidi's birth grandparents had a really hard time with the feeling of a lost grandchild. I'm not gonna lie - it was HARD for us to get a long for a few. We persisted however, because with all that passion we knew there was an equal amount of love for Heidi, and we wanted her to have it, and them, forever. I am happy to say that they are very much her grandparents, and she will always know of them as that. We love you Grandma and Grandpa McClure :)

Sister's by Chance - Friends by Choice

Our adoption stories are so unique in adoptionland! Not too common for my best babysitter to also be one of my girls' birthmothers! Ericka has been able to be a big part of Heidi's life and the memories and photo's are priceless.

Happy Adoption Day sweet baby

4 Biological Generations

Sealed to us for Time and Eternity

I Fear (and hope) that things will always be as hectic as this crazy, wonderful day was!

Ericka, we are so proud of you. In this last year you have become such a beautiful woman. I smile with peace and delight to know that you are working, and in college and that your friends and family have embraced your adoption decision so well. I want your life to contain exactly what I want for my own daughters - peace, happiness, success(however you choose to find it), travel, friendship and love. You deserve nothing but the best, and I hope and pray each day that we are doing that for you - raising this sweet baby the best we can so you can be at peace each day with your decision. We love her, and you more than you can ever know!