Already a New Year....Looking Forward...Pics Added!!!

I can't believe that it is already a new year. It seems like 2012 went by so fast. I wish I could bottle this time up and hold on to it forever. I think age 5 has been the best one yet.

2012 was not without it's troubles but overall, we had a great year. Some notable events:

1) Colby lost his two bottom front teeth (and he wasn't even 5 when the first one came out).
2) We bought a new house and moved in August. The house is I think the perfect fit for us, or it will be. We have already redone the upstairs bathroom and Mike has plans to add on in the back to make a "great room".
3) Colby started Kindergarten. He's growing up way too fast!
4) Colby learned to ride his bike without training wheels! And boy is he fast. Now he has a skateboard, a Christmas present from my Uncle Louie. We'll see how that goes in the Spring.
5) Both Mike and I are doing well at work, and overall we have all stayed pretty healthy.
6) I finally got to see Washington, DC. It was amazing. We went after Christmas to visit Trisha and AJ. What a great trip. I can't wait to go back again!
7) And, we just had a great time together as a family.


I know that we have had some struggles, and we have seen some family and friends pass on, but I have made it my resolution this year, to look on to the future and focus on the good things in my life. I have a wonderful family and friends, many who I met through adoption. Colby is blessed to know all of his grandparents and to have them in his everyday life, along with a big extended family. For the future, who knows what it might bring? We will celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary in April, Colby will start first grade, hopefully we can expand our family to include a daughter (that it my deepest wish), and perhaps a trip to DisneyWorld to visit with our adoption family of friends. But for now, a few great pics of our family at Christmas and in DC.

Photo Update- Thanksgiving and Tree Decorating

 

Just some fun photos from our first snowfall right after Halloween, Thanksgiving, and our annual tree decorating. Time just seems to slip by and I can't seem to get the time to write a good post. But, thought you might like some cute photos!



 

 

 

National Adoption Awareness Month. Please Watch

A fellow adoptive mom, Mary Walters, put this video together for National Adoption Awareness Month. It is long, beautiful, and certain to make you cry. Many of these kids were born in Russia and all now have their forever families. To see the change in their eyes is remarkable. But, there are still so many more children out there. Will you take a risk and help there be just one less orphan? Consider it....ADOPT!!! It is the single most amazing thing I have ever done in my life.

P.S. Yes, our very own Colby and friends can be found towards the end of the video!!!

October Happenings...In Photos.

Just some great photos of our

busy but very fun October.

October Happenings

Ok. I'm terrible and haven't posted in a month. But, I have good reasons. We have been very busy with school, work, Fall stuff, and parties. I can't believe my last post still had us swimming and enjoying the lake. Now we are watching the leaves change so many brilliant colors and yes, even frost on the grass. I am so thankful that I now have a garage and my husband was so sweet and cleaned it up so my car sits in the garage at night! No waiting to defrost my car! Yippee!!!

Ok. Off topic. Lots of fun photos to post. I'm not sure where to start. Fall started with my mom, Aunt Doone, and I taking 3 little boys to a corn maze and pumpkin picking. Colby and Keith are both 5 and Jaden is 4. They had a great time and we didn't even lose my Aunt's phone in the maze this year! (2 years ago we actually were lost for a little while in the corn maze and when we finally made it out Aunt Doone went to make a phone call and noticed she lost her phone. The boys all looked upset and asked if we really had to go back in the maze to find it. So now every year the boys remind her to hold on to her phone. They are so funny!) We also enjoyed a horse drawn carriage ride and apple cider donuts. Yum!

The next few weekends have been full of parties. My Aunt Doone and Uncle Gordon celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with a surprise party given by their kids. Aunt Doone was so happy she actually cried. We had a luau with an actual pig (yes, head and all) and lots of goodies. Colby wasn't so sure about the pig, especially after my dad told him to check him out, that it was winking at him. Thanks Dad! Last weekend Colby went to a school friend's birthday party. It was a Halloween birthday party and the girl is in his afterschool program but a different Kindergarten class. This terrible mom totally didn't think and didn't dress him in his costume. But, easy-going Colby didn't seem to mind and most of the costumes came off as the kids started going on the swings and jumping in the jump house. It was nice for me to get out and meet some of the other moms though. It is tough trying to meet new friends when they all seem to know eachother so well. Hopefully we'll continue to meet more people. And this weeked coming up is another birthday party. This birthday party is for Sean, another little boy adopted from Russia. I can't believe the boys are 5 already.

As for me, work is going well. I am settling into a routine and enjoying working with my kids. I have also started taking yoga through the park and rec in town. It is really great. I'm not so sure about the restfulness and calmness part but the stretching and exercise feels great.

Ok. Long enough. Much more to say but this is getting long enough. Enjoy the pics!

Staying Busy

Well, we have begun that time of year. It is getting cooler out, the sun goes to sleep just a little earlier, there are apples and pumpkins everywhere, and the kids have returned to school. It must be FALL!! Yup, and those lazy days of summer that Colby and I enjoyed together are gone. Back to school for both of us. But we have many happy memories to hold on to.

This was a summer full of books, camping, two trips to New Hampshire, and lots of changes. Both Colby and I started new schools this year. Colby entered Kindergarten. And in the midst of it, we moved. Not too far away but just enough to change a few things. Colby won't be dropped off with his Grandma Laurie in the afternoon anymore and I kow both of them will miss their times together. We were lucky to find a great afterschool program and Colby has made friends there that are also in his Kindergarten class. He is settling in nicely to the new school routine although he is VERY tired everynight. Kindergarten is much tougher than PreK you know! We asked Colby if he told his teacher he could read and he said rather matter of factly, "No. Then she'll make me work." Oh boy! But thankfully he really likes school still and he keeps learning more and more everyday. I just love our conversations.

I am settling into my new job with all its new responsibilities. The teachers I work with are great and were very welcoming. The little kids are so cute and really starving for attention and love. I know I'll love opening up the world of reading and the many adventures we can take through books. However, I do miss my reading partner from last year. We worked well together. Thankfully she lives nearby and we can get together soon.

Ok. Photos. Here are a few great photos from our last summer trip to New Hampshire over Labor Day Weekend. It was nice to have my parents, my sister Kristin, Steve, and her son Teddy, my sister Karin and her boys Max and Alex, and Mike, Colby, and I all together. We don't get together often so it was nice to have the 4 boys together. I know they missed their cousin Keith though. It was a beautiful weekend of boats, tubing, shopping, and just relaxing. And now we look forward to fall and the many local fairs, apple picking, and more parties.