tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20114063949720952272024-03-12T21:07:44.769-04:00A Family of FiveKarlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.comBlogger143125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-70569981608749346582012-09-06T17:01:00.003-04:002012-09-06T17:01:19.720-04:00A Little More Than We Bargained ForWe decided to take one last camping trip of the summer for our Labor Day weekend. Right after school let out on Friday, we headed out to Tallulah Gorge State Park. <br />
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The gorge is 750 feet feet deep and has beautiful waterfalls and gorgeous scenery. One of the most exciting things to do once you hike into the inside of the gorge is to brave the very long and slippery sliding rock at the end of the trail.
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We decided to attempt this hike Saturday morning. They only issue 100 passes per day, so early in morning we showed up at the ranger's office at the beginning of the trail to get our permits. The rangers inspected our shoes to be sure we had proper hiking apparel and warned us to bring plenty of water. They also said that they did not recommend taking a 4 year old into the gorge, but we could turn around and head back if it became too difficult.<br />
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The beginning of the hike was quite deceiving. We started inside the air conditioned Interpretive Center where we wound our way down long ramps toward the bottom of the building. From there, we headed outside where we walked on a cushioned trail made of recycled tire material. We were feeling really good at this point! The views from the overlooks were gorgeous and the air felt cool as we looked down at the rushing water. <br />
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From there, we found the stairs- <b>1062 </b>of them to be exact!
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But, we were going down and it was not too bad. Anna Grace was a little slow, but we had all day to tackle this hike. The boys waited patiently every time they got too far ahead and Anna Grace did not complain.
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The kids loved this suspension bridge that we had to cross. It was very bouncy and was stretched high up in the air above the rushing water.
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Finally, after a series of more steps, we crossed through a gate and the really hard part began! We started by crossing over huge boulders at the base of the river and then we had to climb over more boulders to cross over the river. We crossed very slowly and carefully holding onto Anna Grace and sometimes we even had to carry her from rock to rock.
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We stopped half way across for a little rest and a drink of water.
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This is a picture of what we had to cross.
Now that we had made it to the river and crossed to the other side, we had to pick our way along the bank. The path was really rough and was covered in huge rocks.<br />
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At one point we had to crab crawl our way across this huge rock!
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The rock was way too slick and steep to try to walk across, so Mike and I kept Anna Grace close and held onto her tightly and she bravely crab crawled along with us. The boys loved every minute!
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Finally, after we had conquered the huge slanted rock, we thought that we had surely made it past the really rough parts. After all, how much harder could it get? We continued to pick our way along the edge of the river only to find that there really was no trail at all, but just large boulders that we had to crawl over and around.
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Just when we were thinking that we needed to turn around and head back the way we came, we rounded a bend to see the huge sliding rock that we had been searching for. The slick rock had a shallow pool at the top and another huge, deep pool at the bottom. There was a long nylon rope in the water at the bottom of the rock that people were using to climb back up towards the top. Alex wasted no time in changing to his water shoes and running off to slide.
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Cole took a while to get comfortable with the water, but he eventually started to slide too.
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Anna Grace was not too happy that I would not let her slide, so she and I headed to the top so that she could wade around in the shallow pool. However, what I did not realize was that there was a very slippery slime in the bottom of the top pool so when I went into the water to help her, I quickly fell on my rear! Unlike the kids, I was not wearing a swimsuit, so my clothes were soaked!<br />
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The kids had a blast sliding down the rocks and playing in the water. We had a picnic lunch from our backpack and then it was time to head back the way that we came. However, one of the other hikers told us about another trail that was on the other side of the river that was easier than the one that we had just traveled. The only tricky part would be getting to the other side of the river. I was already wet from my fall, so I figured I could just carry Anna on my hip through the deep parts and carefully pick my way across avoiding the slick parts of the rocks. Mike put my camera and his phone into one of the leftover sandwich bags from our lunch and tied all of our shoes onto the backpack. He lifted the backpack up over his head and waded across. Of course, the boys beat us across so they played while they waited for the rest of us to catch up. <br />
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We changed back into our shoes and started up the "easier" trail.
However, we very quickly realized that this trail was shorter because it went straight up the gorge and was made up of nothing but fallen rocks! Anna Grace was physically unable to stretch and climb up most of it! Whoever told us about this "easier" route was clearly playing some kind of joke!
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And to make matters worse, we had told others hikers about our new route and many others had decided to follow us out!
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Mike and I took turns carrying Anna Grace (mostly Mike). We reminded ourselves that we had the whole rest of the day and we could rest every few minutes. Thankfully, we still had plenty of water, so we just took our time.
After what seemed like an eternity, we made it to the top of the gorge! We still had a long walk back to our campground, but at least we were finally on even ground! <br />
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By the time we made it back to our camper, we were exhausted and our muscles were aching!
I think we will always remember our hike down into the Tallulah Gorge. We had a great time on our adventure, but had we known it was going to be such a difficult journey we would have waited until Anna Grace was older.
Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-60017923416510908342012-08-12T22:11:00.000-04:002012-08-12T22:17:51.096-04:00Saying GoodbyeYou know when all 3 cell phones in the house are ringing at 1:00 in the morning that something horrible has happened. In the middle of the hustle and bustle and excitement of the beginning of the new school year, we learned that our sweet 17 year old nephew had tragically taken his own life. Jeremy was a very troubled teenager and lost his will to live. Even though he had been having difficulties, it was still a shock to us all. Jeremy had such a sweet soul and just about every memory that I have of him involves him playing with or holding one of his little cousins. He loved little kids and even though he struggled so much, he had such a gentleness about him. <br />
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The funeral for Jeremy was yesterday and his 18th birthday was today. We knew that it would be yet another terrible day for the family. However, one of Jeremy's friends came up with the idea to gather friends and family together at the grave site to release balloons (Cole and Alex were both worried about the effect that releasing balloon would have on the environment but I assured them that this one time it would be ok and we would do extra recycling to make up for it :-) ) <br />
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Mike's brother who was grief striken just a day earlier found a renewed energy and a purpose to keep him busy. He brought banners and huge tanks of helium and one of the teenagers brought a birthday cake. </div>
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It was an amazing sight to see people coming from all corners of the graveyard towards Jeremy's grave with arms lifted high carrying balloons.<br />
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Family, friends, and people from all over the community gathered and wrote messages on the balloons. We celebrated Jeremy's life, and
finally, we all sang "Happy Birthday" to sweet Jeremy and released the balloons into the air. <br />
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Please pray for our family during the coming days and weeks- especially for Jeremy's parents and sister who have a very difficult road ahead of them as they have to learn to live without Jeremy in their lives. Please pray for God to give us the right words when Cole and Alex ask questions about their cousin's death. This is the first time that they have dealt with the death of a family member. We just hope that something good can come from this tragedy. God is amazing and we pray that He will use Jeremy's story to reach others. <br />
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<br />Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-27464744051009505092012-07-26T09:32:00.000-04:002012-07-26T09:39:53.069-04:00Sand and WavesNow that summer is winding down for us and the school year is quickly approaching, we took a beach vacation with my mom and step-dad. They rented a house just south of Myrtle Beach for us to spend the week. At first, the kids and I were the only ones to join them, but later in the week, Mike surprised the kids by showing up late one night.
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We spent most of the time playing in the sand and the water. <br />
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The kids got new boogie boards and even Anna Grace learned to ride the waves with the help of her big brother and Daddy.<br />
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We had a really relaxing week of just spending time at the beach and then playing in the pool whenever we needed a change of scenery. There were lots of games of "Monkey in the Middle" that even my mom and step-dad joined in on. <br />
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We ate most of our meals at the beach house, but we did eat out a few times. We loved this really great place to eat at Myrles Inlet that had a long boardwalk connecting lots of fun restaurants. <br />
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The kids and I have been working on putting together a box of gifts to send to Anna Grace's orphanage. Last summer, I decided that each summer we will send some things to the children in the orphanage along with some pictures and an update on Anna Grace. We had fun gathering together new clothing and toys for the little babies and Cole gathered some of his little Bakugon toys for the older boys in the orphanage.
We are really hoping to be able to go back to visit Anna Grace's province and orphanage someday, and we hope to keep a relationship open in the meantime.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-56272941958302547982012-07-09T17:01:00.000-04:002012-07-09T17:01:15.337-04:00Camping, 4th of July, and More CampingWe have been enjoying summer in our camper during the last few weekends. We have to come home during the week so that Mike can go to work, but when the weekend comes around, we are back off in our camper. The weather has been so hot, that we have been looking for cooler weather in the mountains. The kids have enjoyed splashing in the cool mountain streams and we have found some really amazing waterfalls.
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Alex is the most adventurous of our kids (though Anna Grace would do more if I would let her) and he is the first to try a new sliding rock, rope swing, or swimming hole.
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Once Cole gets brave enough to join in the fun, he has a great time, but he typically watches the fun for a while before he gets up the nerve to join in.
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Both boys really had a great time swinging from this long rope into the cold mountain river water.
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Our campsite was right next to a little stream stocked with rainbow trout. Mike thought that it was really cool that he could throw little bits of hashbrowns or whatever he was cooking and the trout would come right up to the edge of the stream to eat.
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We had to leave our camper at the campground to go home for the week so that Mike could go to work, but we still had a good time during the week celebrating the 4th of July.
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A local business in our town hosted a 4th of July celebration at the park, so we packed a picnic supper and a big blanket to eat and watch the parade and fireworks.
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At first, Anna Grace was scared of the fireworks. She has a fear of all loud noises including the flushing of public toilets. Last year, we skipped fireworks with her all togther. But, after a few minutes, she came around and decided that the fireworks were not so scary.
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Finally, when the work week was over for Mike, we headed back to our camper in the mountains. This time, Mike's parents joined us at our campground. We were able to spend time with them and eat meals together in between our adventures. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We started the weekend off with a hike to a 100 foot waterfall. The hike was really long and very hilly, but the views and the cold mountain water at the end made it worth the trip!
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Anna Grace had fun trying to catch the little minnows swimming along the edge of the river while the boys climbed on the rocks and played in the deeper holes at the base of the waterfalls.
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One of the falls that we went to was supposed to be a sliding rock. It turned out to be a short slide followed by a huge drop off into a deep water hole! Alex took one look at the waterfall and said, "I'm doing it!"
In order to get to the top of the water fall, he had to scale the side of it hanging onto a long rope. Mike had to climb behind Alex and give him directions, but it did not deter him.
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He was so proud of himself when he made it to the top!
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As soon as he landed, he wanted to go again!
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On Saturday, we took the kids on a little tubing trip down the more calm part of the river. I don't have any pictures of that trip since I don't have a waterproof camera, but all 3 kids had fun and it was much more relaxing than our Friday hike!
These are just a few pictures of the kids playing in the creek around our camper.
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Mike and I really hope that our kids will remember the fun times that we are having in our camper and enjoying the beautiful world that God gave us.
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We just got home from a weekend camping trip at the lake.
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Our campsite was right on the water so the kids spent most of their time playing in the lake and on the sandy shore.
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We met another family from our church, so Friday night we all made a campfire beside the lake and roasted marshmallows while the men did a little fishing.
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On Saturday, the kids played in the water at our campsite in the morning and then we went out in the other family's boat for the afternoon.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZmBuNRIev0/T-eXdhuD1KI/AAAAAAAACNA/ptamt3lcJo0/s1600/camping%2Bat%2BLake%2BHartwell%2B018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7ZmBuNRIev0/T-eXdhuD1KI/AAAAAAAACNA/ptamt3lcJo0/s400/camping%2Bat%2BLake%2BHartwell%2B018.JPG" width="268" /></a>
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I think this is a great picture of Mike. We are about to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary and he is just as handsome as the day we met. :-)
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Alex was so excited to get to take a ride behind the boat. He first rode with our friends' 9 year old girl. Then he rode with Mike and had a blast trying to jump waves and go airborne!
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Anna Grace was not very happy that she was too young to ride behind the boat, but she did have a good time jumping into the water and trying to learn to dive from the back of the boat. It is hard to believe that this is the same little girl who was terrified of the bathtub just 2 years ago! <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_aNuuMPCCS8/T-easDuvXFI/AAAAAAAACOw/sDYt4eSmnxo/s1600/camping%2Bat%2BLake%2BHartwell%2B033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_aNuuMPCCS8/T-easDuvXFI/AAAAAAAACOw/sDYt4eSmnxo/s400/camping%2Bat%2BLake%2BHartwell%2B033.JPG" width="268" /></a>
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Finally, after some convincing, Cole took a ride too. By the time his ride was over, he was bouncing and having a blast with Alex.
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We are tired from our fun weekend at the lake, but we have a busy week ahead with swim lessons, an orthodontist appointment for Cole, a dentist appointment for Anna Grace, and several evening meetings. Plus, Mike and I are hoping to have a date night for our anniversary.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-71386949565362297512012-06-18T22:13:00.001-04:002012-06-18T22:13:21.540-04:00Anna Grace's Dance RecitalAnna Grace had her dance recital several weeks ago- actually just before we left for our Disney trip. I have been so busy with the kids that I have not had a chance to post any pictures, but after frequent requests from my mom I am finally making the time to post. The pictures really did not turn out as cute as I would have liked. Still, for better or for worse, here they are...
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Anna Grace was beyond excited that she was going to get to dance on stage. At the rehersals (there were 2) she kept asking to go on stage to dance with all of the other groups of dancers. It did not matter to her that she did not know the routines; she wanted to do them all!!
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These are some back stage shots before her performance. The little girls were excited that one of the moms brought glitter makeup.
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Anna Grace's partner in the performance dropped out of the class just a few weeks before the recital, so one of her little friends filled in as Anna Grace's partner. We were actually pretty happy that she got a new partner because her previous one was a good bit older and larger than Anna Grace and liked to pick her up when they were supposed to hug during the routine. There were quite a few times during dance practice that Anna Grace got dropped and slammed to the ground by her previous partner. We were very happy that we did not have to worry about her falling during the performance! <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-0UZtUhRgE/T9_awc7LilI/AAAAAAAACJo/xkiHxE2EiSo/s1600/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-0UZtUhRgE/T9_awc7LilI/AAAAAAAACJo/xkiHxE2EiSo/s400/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B018.JPG" /></a>
Anna Grace had a Friday night performance and then a Saturday afternoon performace. I was the backstage mom during the Saturday afternoon performance. I brought lots of snacks and movies to keep the girls happy as they waited to go on stage. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yxpcqPDltY/T9_b_qrlSGI/AAAAAAAACJ0/p5Nxuqj75fI/s1600/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9yxpcqPDltY/T9_b_qrlSGI/AAAAAAAACJ0/p5Nxuqj75fI/s400/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B030.JPG" /></a>
I think she was a little distracted by the huge audience and lights during the Friday performance and she did not do as well. However, by Saturday, she was confident and did not miss a step of the routine! <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kV6QBeoX-OY/T9_cl7FQj0I/AAAAAAAACKA/bQtPioeKqcs/s1600/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kV6QBeoX-OY/T9_cl7FQj0I/AAAAAAAACKA/bQtPioeKqcs/s400/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B029.JPG" /></a>
I wish my pictures of her on stage had turned out better, but we were not allowed to have flash photography. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeDypEjtT_Q/T9_dG1Kb3OI/AAAAAAAACKM/_XjgZNJZTw0/s1600/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="268" width="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeDypEjtT_Q/T9_dG1Kb3OI/AAAAAAAACKM/_XjgZNJZTw0/s400/AG%2527s%2Bdance%2Brecital%252C%2BVBS%2B036.JPG" /></a>
I am not sure if Anna Grace will take dance again in the fall. She wants to continue dancing, but she asks me almost every day if she can please, please be a soccer player like her brother Alex. With 3 kids and a full time job, we only have enough hours in the day for each kid to pick one activity plus church after school. She will have to decide in the next month or so if she is going to dance or play soccer during the next school year. I must admit that if she decides that she wants to play soccer, I am going to be a little heart broken. I love seeing my sweet little girl shine on stage, but I want her to have chance to explore new activities.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-53186949307422775102012-06-03T22:16:00.000-04:002012-06-03T22:16:02.179-04:00Animal KingdomWe spent our final day at Disney at the Animal Kingdom. The temperature was a lot hotter than the previous days of the trip and there was no afternoon rain to cool us off. Still, we had a really great time watching the animals and shows. The boys had a great time riding Expedition Everest and even Anna Grace got to ride on Kali River Rapids. <br />
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Our first ride of the morning was on the safari through the African Serengeti. We had all kinds of animals, including giraffes come very close to our jeep. <br />
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All 3 kids enjoyed the dinosaur themed playground in Dinoland where they got to "dig" for dinosaur bones. Mike and I also enjoyed it because we got to sit in the shade for a bit! <br />
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One of the highlights of the day was when we ate lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. It is a huge jungle themed restaurant that is decorated like the inside of a rain forest. The kids loved the monkeys swinging from vines in the ceiling, the huge tanks filled with tropical fish, and the gorillas that randomly beat their chests and made gorilla noises from time to time. Every once in a while the whole restaurant thundered like there was a storm and flashes of light filled the sky like lightning. Our dessert was a huge volcano cake! <br />
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After a long day of driving, we have made it home. We are exhausted, but we had a great trip. We loved staying in our camper at the Fort Wilderness Campground right across the lake from the Magic Kingdom. Because we stayed in our camper and saved a ton of money, we were able to use the Disney Dining plan for our meals. <br />
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I budget our meals and clip coupons all year long, so it was really nice to have everything paid for in advance and not worry about getting the kids to split an order of fries or skip dessert. We are sad that the trip is over, but because we went into the parks early each day, we were able to ride all of the rides that we wanted without long lines. Now that we are home, we are gearing up for vacation bible school and swim lessons!Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-19650312941518965242012-06-02T22:55:00.000-04:002012-06-03T22:22:57.534-04:00Magic Kingdom Day 2 and Hollywood StudiosWe are finishing up our trip to Disney, so I will try to get as many days of pictures as I can before I am too tired. We went back to the Magic Kingdom Thursday to finish the rides and attractions that we did not get to see earlier in the week. <br />
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Look closely at this picture to see Alex behind Mike and Anna Grace on Goofy's Barnstormer roller coaster. <br />
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We have been able to meet lots of characters including Peter Pan. However, Anna Grace has asked almost every day when the princesses would come out of the castle to meet her After lunch, we headed back for nap time. Anna Grace had a surprise visit from Cinderella who left a special invitation under her pillow to eat supper at the castle. She was so excited that we had packed her Cinderella dress that we gave her as a birthday gift a few weeks ago. After we got her all dressed with her crown, princess shoes, and sparkles in her hair, we headed back across the lake so that we could meet the princesses. <br />
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The boys headed out to ride more roller coasters while Anna Grace and I went to the castle for our reservation. <br />
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In this picture, Anna Grace is showing the "real Cinderella" her little Cinderella toy that she carried with her to all of the parks each day this week. <br />
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After we met Cinderella, we climbed the spiral staircase to the royal ballroom for supper. Anna Grace is usually a super eater, but she was not interested in all of the delicious food as princess after princess came by our table to sign autographs and chat. <br />
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I loved watching her face light up with each princess and the way that she used her best manners to greet each one. <br />
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Finally, we finished off the evening by meeting back up with the boys for the evening parade. We staked out our spot on Main Street early and ordered huge homemade ice cream sandwiches from the Main Street Bakery. <br />
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The boys enjoyed the parade, but Anna Grace was thrilled with all of the music, floats, and characters. The highlight of the evening was when Prince Charming picked her our of the crowd from Cinderella's carriage to blow her kisses.<br />
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We spent Friday at Hollywood Studios. <br />
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Cole and Alex were especially excited about this park because it was a Star Wars weekend.
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Star Wars characters roamed the park and special Star Wars events were planned (although many of the events were cancelled because of the rain). <br />
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The also loved riding the 3-D Toy Story ride where they got to play arcade games while riding in a little cart. <br />
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Once again, we had a lot of rain and Anna Grace napped in the stroller while the boys enjoyed the rides. <br />
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One of the highlights of the day was the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" playground. All 3 kids had a blast climbing around on the gigantic playground made up of huge bugs, blades of grass, spider webs. <br />
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I still have pictures to post from today's trip to the Animal Kingdom, but I need to get some sleep. We are all exhausted from our week and we have a lot of driving a head of us tomorrow.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-14738343262927015432012-06-01T22:00:00.001-04:002012-06-01T22:00:04.193-04:00Epcot, Downtown Disney, and LuauWow! We are having soooo much fun at Disney World. Between the spotty internet and the late nights, I am really behind in posting pictures. The pictures in this post are from Tuesday and Wednesday.
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We spent Tuesday at Epcot. We started the day really early, took a midday break for naps, and then went back late into the evening for dinner and the fireworks/ light show. There was no way that we could stay all day and then make our late evening dinner reservations without a nap! <br />
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The kids loved all of the rides and exploring the different countries and ocean areas. <br />
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Alex loves finding funny poses for pictures! He is such a funny kid! <br />
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Getting ready to ride Soarin. Even Anna Grace could ride this one (she has been mad that she is 1 inch too short for many of the rides!). <br />
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The boys thought it would be funny to pose like these characters from Beauty and the Beast... <br />
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...and so Anna Grace decided to pose like Mrs. Pots. <br />
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The kids enjoyed the exhibits in the China area of the World Showcase. <br />
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We had lunch in England and dinner in Japan. <br />
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Sorry for the blurry picture on this one, but we had fun trying on Viking hats after our Viking ship broke down when we were in Norway. <br />
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After our big day at Epcot, we took the day on Wednesday to relax and explore Downtown Disney. <br />
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The boys got to shop at Lego Land with the money that they got from Mike's parents for their birthdays. Thanks, Nana and Pop! .<br />
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Leave it to Alex to decide to run through one of the fountains and fall straight down on his bottom! He decided that since he was wet, he may as well run through them some more! <br />
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Supper Wednesday night was a luau dinner show at the Polynesian Hotel. <br />
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Anna Grace was excited to wear her fish outfit. <br />
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And, of course, it had a matching fish hair bow! <br />
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The dinner was yummy and was finished with dessert served with a smoking volcano! <br />
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Anna Grace was excited that she was allowed to go on stage during part of the performance to dance. <br />
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Alex had fun playing around on the stage after the show. <br />
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All 3 kids had fun playing around in the hotel gift shop. First, they thought it would be funny to try on the Mickey feet. And then they had a great time posing with the puppets. I still have more pictures to post from Thursday and Friday, but that will have to wait for another time. <br />
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We have another early morning planned for tomorrow as we finish out our trip.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-6497116252035576912012-05-30T15:23:00.000-04:002012-05-30T15:23:21.028-04:00Disney Days 1 & 2We are having a great time this week at Disney World. Today is sunny, but we have had several days of off and on rain due to the tropical storm. That has not stopped us from having a great time though. We just put on our ponchos and keep going. Afterall, we are the family who vacationed in the Costa Rican rainforest during the rainy season! A little Florida tropical storm has not stopped us!! I don't have much time to do a long post, so I am mostly going to include pictures this time. I know my mom wants to see what a great time her grandkids are having! <br />
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Anna Grace loves her Minnie Princess ears! <br />
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waiting on the bus to take us to the Magic Kingdom <br />
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an evening bike ride to eat supper <br />
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fun on the water slides <br />
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We were the first to ride Dumbo for the day (yes, I am the crazy mom running with a stroller, 3 kids, and a hubby in tow to beat the crowds for the first rides!) <br />
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"It's a Small World" <br />
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"Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin" <br />
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The teacups <br />
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Lunch at the Crystal Palace with Winnie the Pooh and friends (Anna Grace was not too thrilled with the characters) <br />
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Poor Anna Grace was exhausted from all of the excitement! <br />
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When I get a chance, I will post about yesterday's trip to Epcot and today's trip to Down Town Disney and the luau supper at the Polynesian.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-19506702804437087122012-05-23T21:08:00.002-04:002012-05-23T21:08:49.067-04:00How to have a perfect playdate...according to Anna GraceAnna Grace has perfected the art of the perfect play date.
<b>Step One:</b> Invite your best friend (in her case it is Carly) to come over and get out ALL of the dress up clothes. You must spread them all out all over the floor to find the right outfit. The outfit must have a princess dress, crown, high heeled shoes, jewelry, and most certainly a pair of wings. <br />
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<b>Step Two:</b> Get into the princess castle and pretend to be a princess. <br />
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<b>Step Three: </b>Cook up some yummy pretend snacks. <br />
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<b>Step Four:</b> Get out of the dress-up outfits (so that they won't get too messy) and do some crafts. <br />
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<b>***Helpful tip***</b> Watch out for annoying big brothers who might be spying with walkie talkies!! <br />
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<b>Step Five:</b> Get back into more dress-up clothes (this might mean you have to get them all out again if your mommy has cleaned them up) and have a tea party. You will probably need to pick a new outfit this time because a girl can never wear the same thing twice!! </div>
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<b>Step Six:</b> All that changing of outfits gets exhausting so you might need to take a break and watch some cartoons!! <br />
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<b>***Last helpful tip*** </b>Your mommy will probably freak out if she overhears you say to your friend, "Hey, you can cut my hair and then I will cut yours." <br />
<a name='more'></a>Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-15971462974375812912012-05-13T19:35:00.001-04:002012-05-13T19:35:15.697-04:00Celebrating 2 Years!Two years ago today, we were united with our precious little girl. She was scared, hungry, and in need of a good bath. It was her birthday, but she was not in the mood to celebrate.
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She cried for the foster mom who had cared for her for the last few months and our hearts broke for her as she stood in at the door to our hotel room calling "Mama, mama!" We were her new Mama and Daddy, but she did not understand the change that was happening to her. <br />
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Today, we happily celebrate Anna Grace's adoption. She is 4 years old today and has come so far. The delayed, tiny little girl who was placed in our arms is now spunky and active. She loves her preschool, finds new friends wherever we go, and always has a song to sing. Anna Grace has bonded with our family and we can hardly remember what it was like without her. Not only has she overcome her delays, but she is already learning to read!! Everyday we are amazed by the change that has taken place.
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Today on this Family Day, Birthday, and Mother's Day we are also reminded of the family that Anna Grace lost- her biological family. We may never know them to express our appreciation for the sacrific that they made, but we pray that they have peace in their hearts and may somehow know that their precious little girl is loved, healthy, and thriving.
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Anna Grace was so excited yesterday when my mom and I took her on a trip to Babyland General, the "hospital" where the Cabbage Patch Kids are "born." We watched the "birth" of a baby and Anna Grace chose a baby of her own.
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She proudly named the baby "Anna Grace" and gave her the same birthday and adoption day as the real Anna Grace. This is the picture of her taking the "oath" to love her new baby always.
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On this Mother's Day, I am so thankful for the 3 precious children that God has given us, and I remember to mother in China who gave birth to our precious little girl 4 years ago.
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEBAHMAxBQs/T7BEKTRYszI/AAAAAAAAB3w/UvlaMVkbKTs/s1600/Anna%2BGrace%2BBabyland%2B062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEBAHMAxBQs/T7BEKTRYszI/AAAAAAAAB3w/UvlaMVkbKTs/s400/Anna%2BGrace%2BBabyland%2B062.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-37975914625765764532012-05-05T22:15:00.000-04:002012-05-06T16:28:49.031-04:00Anna Grace's Art PartyToday we celebrated Anna Grace's 4th birthday with an art party. We invited her friends with this card that I created asking everyone to help her "create a masterpiece." We cut holes in the cards and attached real paint brushes so that it would look like she was holding a giant paintbrush in her picture. I thought the invitations turned out really cute.
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We decorated the patio and the rest of the backyard using pink, green, and yellow tissue paper pom poms and homemade pin wheels.
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I used a piece of pink and white polka dot fabric on the food and present tables. Lots of ribbon and scrap booking paper were used to decorate. I made paper cones and Mike made pink and green colored popcorn to fill them. We also had fruit on a little sticks and spinach dip with flower-shaped bread. The kids cooled off with pink lemonade from a jug labeled with scrap booking paper and little water bottles covered with more of same the scrap booking paper. <br />
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We set up two white tents for shade so that the kids could work on their craft projects. We painted "bubble fish" and assembled Styrofoam spiders under one tent and made felt cupcakes and birds decorated with feathers under the other tent.
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Alex had a table set up to with play dough and Cole had another table to help the kids slide beads onto pipe cleaners to make bracelets.
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Of course, we also had the trampoline (or, "jumpoline" as one little girl called it)and play scape for the children to play on.
Mike used a piece of ribbon to make a drying line for the art projects. We also had bags labeled with each child's name (I used more scrap booking paper to decorate them) so that we could keep up with everyone's projects. <br />
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Anna Grace's dress was made out of fabric that coordinated with the party colors. It was a pink polka dot pillow case dress with a cute little bird appliqued on the side of it and her name monogrammed across the bottom. I ordered it from very sweet lady off Etsy. <br />
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My mom and I (well mostly my mom) made the cake. It was made up of two round cakes and covered with a smooth buttercream icing. We made cookies to look like paint palettes to decorate the sides. We also used little candies and more polka dots to give more color. I made a little banner for the top with Anna Grace's name on it that was a smaller version of the banner hanging from the covered patio. Of course, both banners were created from the same scrap booking paper that I used on all of the other projects.
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After the children had their fill of cake, it was time for presents.
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All of the children took home their bags filled with their art projects. They were also given little bags with homemade crayons and little tubs filled with homemade play dough (of course labeled with more scrap booking paper, hee hee...)
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Anna Grace's actual birthday is not until next weekend, but we celebrated early so that it would not interfere with Mother's Day plans. I think her little party was a hit. All of the kids enjoyed the projects, and they had a great time getting to play. The weather was hot, but we had plenty of cool drinks and several shady spots in the yard for the adults to relax. We are all tired tonight, but we had a great time celebrating Anna Grace's birthday.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-36201717576743943642012-04-24T20:43:00.002-04:002012-04-24T20:43:08.462-04:00Happy Birthday, Alex!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I can hardly believe that my sweet Alex has turned 9 years old. We celebrated his birthday over the weekend with a group of boys at the park. His party was a "Geochaching Adventure." If you are not familiar with Geochaching, it is sort like a treasure hunt using a GPS. "Caches" are hidden all over the United States (and maybe all over the world) just waiting for someone with a GPS to find them. You probably pass by several throughout your day without even knowing it. My boys love to hunt for these hidden boxes and there are several located in a nearby park. Alex decided that he wanted to invite some friends to go Geochaching and roast hot dogs in the fireplace at the park. <br />
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Alex chose green camouflage invitations and decorations for his party. We kept the decorations simple with just streamers and balloons because the pavilion that we rented already had an "outdoorsy" rustic look to it.
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Once all of the boys arrived at the party, Mike took them all into the woods to look for the hidden boxes. Before the party we secretly hid one special box full of kites for each boy.</div>
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Finally it was time to roast hot dogs. The park has a great 2 sided stone fireplace in the pavilion that we rented, so the boys were able to crowd around both sides of the fire to cook their supper.</div>
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Mike decorated Alex's cake to look like the trails, swamp, and creek in the woods. He even added a special spot on the cake for the location of the hidden cache!</div>
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At the end of the party, each boy was given a bag of trail mix with a paper compass tag that said "Thanks for helping me hunt for some fun!"
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Alex had a great time at his party this year. It was simple and easy to plan, but I think all of the boys enjoyed trying something new! </div>Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-16600478564345536862012-04-19T22:42:00.002-04:002012-04-19T22:47:55.489-04:00A Weekend of Camping and Hiking on the Appalachian TrailLast weekend we took a camping trip to the mountains and took a family hike along the Appalachian Trail. <br />
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The kids had a great time playing in the creek by our camper and riding bikes around the campground.
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On Saturday, both of my brothers and their families met us at the entrance to the Appalachian Trail for a family hike.
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We planned this hike in order to find the shelter that was built in honor of my dad when he died at the age of 47. He was able to give me away at my wedding, but he did not get to meet any of his 6 beautiful grandchildren or either of my brothers' wives.
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My dad loved to hike and take the family backpacking on weekends when my brothers and I were growing up; so our family and friends built a shelter in his honor on the Appalachian Trail. The shelter is an open building with 3 sides and a loft. It has no electricity and no running water, but it is said to be the nicest shelter from here to Maine. It is especially important to our family because my aunt (my dad's sister) was the architect and she also passed away unexpectedly within the last few years. Volunteers worked countless hours to re-route the Appalachian Trail so that it would pass the new shelter and they broke ground for the shelter and airlifted in the building supplies on the day that Cole was born.
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My brothers and I decided that we should all take a day hike together to show the children what was done in honor of their grandfather.
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We were so excited to see that the shelter is still in really good shape and is used each day by hikers along the trail.
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In fact, two hikers were napping in the shelter when our very noisy pack of 6 adults and 6 kids arrived!
We were excited to see that the plaque honoring my dad is still hanging on the wall!
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This is a picture of the whole gang...
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...and one just of the kids.
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I think this picture of my little nephew trying on my brother's backpack is adorable. I snapped the picture just as he was about the fall backward from all of the weight!
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We were all a little sad to leave. This spot in the middle of the trail is special to our whole family and just looking at my dad's picture on the wall made me miss him even more. I could almost feel him watching over all of us and enjoying his grandchildrens' laughter as they climbed up into the loft and explored around the shelter. He is missing out on so much and I wish he could be with us.
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After our hike, we headed back to our campground for a little fishing and supper.
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(and yes, this large pole that Cole decided to climb is used to hang food so that the bears do not get into it...a little scary, huh??)Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-68609939104177432062012-04-16T19:15:00.003-04:002012-04-16T19:29:45.148-04:00Easter PicturesI am behind in posting (again) and I am in the middle of planning for Alex's birthday party this weekend so I will just post some pictures from our Easter weekend. As you will see, we had lots of fun with family and enjoyed Easter Sunday at church...
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNyjOEFNQio/T4yjxYuKkgI/AAAAAAAABrc/VjANVRgjoh0/s1600/soccer,+birthday+card,+Easter+141.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNyjOEFNQio/T4yjxYuKkgI/AAAAAAAABrc/VjANVRgjoh0/s320/soccer,+birthday+card,+Easter+141.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-75292191488434507802012-03-29T22:25:00.000-04:002012-03-29T22:43:42.004-04:00Busy<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/CXgoJ0f5EsQ?rel=0" width="420"></iframe>
I love this song because the beginning if it reminds me of what our schedule is like with 3 kids. If you want to listen to it, you will need to click on the "pause" button on my music in the right side bar. I feel like I don't get a chance to even sit down for a minute some days unless it is behind the wheel of the car or sitting with one of the boys working on a project or other homework assignment. Don't get me wrong, I love our crazy busy life and everything that goes into it, but I am more than ready for spring break and the chance to spend some time at home- oh wait...we already have dentists appointments, 2 family Easters, church, preparations for Alex's and Anna Grace's upcoming birthdays, and a camping trip during spring break. So, maybe spring break will not be relaxing, but at least I don't have to go to work.
So hear is a glimpse of our week:
<b>Sunday</b> is church, housework, and grocery shopping. I do a lot of couponing so Sunday is usually my day to try and save money.
<b>Monday</b> is soccer with Alex. He has either a practice or a game on Monday nights.
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<b>Tuesday</b> is preschool in the mornings and dance in the afternoons for Anna Grace. Sorry I don't have pictures of ballet, but I will try and post some soon. She looks forward to her dance class all week and looks adorable in her tutu!
<b>Wednesday </b>is Awanas at church. All 3 kids go and they have to learn bible verses and complete activities
throughout the week to prepare.
These pictures are of "Crazy Sun Glasses Night" at Awanas.
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...and these pictures are of "Twins Night" at Awanas. Anna Grace was excited to get to dress alike with her friend, Omi.
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<b>Thursday</b> is preschool for Anna Grace in the morning again and then tennis in the afternoon for Cole. Cole just started taking tennis a few months ago and he is really enjoying it.
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<b>Friday</b> is.....nothing!!! A night to relax or run errands.
<b>Saturday</b> is soccer for Alex and then yard work, projects with the kids, and housework. We try to find a fun family activity that we can all do together.
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Throw in a doctor appointment, birthday party, or school event and we are running all week. Plus, the boys usually have quite a bit of homework to complete each night.
Alex won an award at school for showing leadership in the classroom.
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While I was at the school watching Alex get his award, I caught Cole outside taking down the flag as part of his duties as one of the Patrols.
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Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the activities, homework, and everything that goes into raising 3 kids, but Mike and I feel that they each need an activity plus church in order to give them a chance to explore new skills and interests. We hope that we have balanced their time with structured activities and time to play in the yard with the neighbors.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-14291186869774346552012-03-18T22:09:00.002-04:002012-03-19T06:30:46.227-04:00On the mendI don't have any pictures to post this time; you probably would not want to see pictures of what we have been through anyways. It all started a week and a half ago when Cole got off the school bus on a Wednesday afternoon with a very pale face and a low grade fever. The first thing that he said to me was, "I feel awful." He then explained that multiple kids from his class had been to the nurse's office during the day and all of them had been sent home running a fever. He said that he did not want to get sent home because he wanted to take the social studies test. Ugh. I appreciate that he worries about his grades, but there is a time that you just need to go home. So, Cole ran a fever all the next day and the next day. I just thought that it was virus because the fever was low and he had a cough, headache, runny nose, and sore throat to go along with it. Over half of his class was out with the same symptoms. We kept Cole in his room watching movies on the portable DVD player so that he would stay away from Alex and Anna Grace. Finally, on Saturday evening, Alex and Anna Grace developed the same symptoms. I was supposed to substitute in Anna Grace's Sunday School class the next morning, but we planned a trip to a walk-in doctor's office instead. On Sunday morning, we found out that Cole and Alex had strep and Anna Grace had a sinus infection but was going to be treated for strep. After forking out over $300, we got antibiotics and a steriod for the coughs for all 3 kids.<br />
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I stayed home from work on Monday to be sure that the antibiotics would kick in, but by mid-afternoon, Mike came home also running a fever. The kids were still coughing like crazy and Mike's fever was high. Mike went to the doctor's office 2 times over the next few days and was finally diagnosed with the flu. The kids were well enough to go to school, but we did not want to have Anna Grace's nanny in the house taking care of Anna Grace with flu germs floating around. Thankfully, they were able to go to Megan's apartment for the week, but it meant that I had to get Anna Grace ready each morning on top of getting myself and the boys ready for school. This is a really busy time of the year for me at work because I have meetings and paperwork due on all of my special education students. I always work extra hours during this time of year. So, on top of doing all of the cooking, driving kids to nightly afterschool activities, homework, and housework, I was working either at home or in my classroom late into the night. I slept on the sofa and tried to keep Mike comfortable in the bedroom so that he would not spred flu germs throughout the rest of the house. He would laugh at me from the bed as I would reach my arm into the room wiping down the door frame and knob with Clorox wipes. I Cloroxed the whole kitchen each evening because he had to go in there to get food during the day when I was at work. <br />
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Finally, on Friday night, I was exhausted, but Mike seemed to be getting better. I had been sleeping on the sofa for 5 days and ached all over. I was having sinus problems from the pollen and had lost my voice several times during the week and was more than ready for everyone to get well. I was looking forward to a hair appointment Saturday morning. Mike thought he would be well enough to take all 3 kids to Alex's soccer practice and I was finally going to get some "Mommy-time." That was when Anna Grace woke me up at midnight sitting her bed covered in vomit. I stripped her pjs off her and put her on the potty because she was also having diarrhea. All that I could think of while I was Cloroxing her bed and walls was that we had made it through strep, sinus infection, cough, laryngitis, and the flu and now we were starting in with a stomach virus. I wanted to cry. After I got her cleaned up and back into clean sheets, I moved my blankets and pillow into the extra bed in her room and prepared for a night of battling vomit. Thankfully, she slept and was fine for rest of the night, but I woke up every time she moved thinking that she was going to be sick again. <br />
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The next morning, I was heartbroken when I had to call and cancel my hair appointment. All I could think of while I at least tried to shave my legs for the first time in a week was my disappointment over not getting to go to the salon. Then, I started to feel guilty. I don't know how families function when they are dealing with a long-term illness. That could have been us when we made the decision to adopt a child with a heart defect. I was feeling disappointed over not going to get my hair done and exhausted from just a week and a half of illness, but a lot of people are dealing with a lot worse. Just this week, one of the moms in my neighborhood lost her fight with a long-term illness and her precious children had to watch their mother lose all of her body functions. We could be dealing with a lot worse and I should feel grateful that everyone is finally on the mend in our family.<br />
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Now, it is Sunday night and all of the sheets are freshly washed, bath mats have been laundered, and the house is scrubbed. The week ahead will be incredibly busy with activities for the kids each night, but it will seem like a breeze compared to last week when I did not have Mike by my side to make decisions about the kids and deal with dinner. I am truly grateful to have healthy kids and a wonderful husband back by my side to tackle the week ahead.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-58666994523270419652012-03-10T08:25:00.002-05:002012-03-10T08:50:53.841-05:00Daddy's HelperI have not posted much about my sweet Alex lately, so I thought I would do a blogpost about how he always seems to be right by Mike's side whenever there is work to be done. <br />
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He was so excited about the new garden that Mike was planning that he spent most of an entire Saturday helping set up these new boxes for the raised garden that we are planning (Thanks Uncle Jerry for these great boxes!!) <br />
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Mike had a load of "fertilizer" delivered from a local dairy farm and Alex spent an evening outside with Mike filling the garden boxes shovel by shovel. (Just wanted to apologize to the neighbors about the bad odor!!) :-)<br />
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Another project that Mike has been working on is making pinwheels to use as decorations for Anna Grace's birthday party. Her birthday is not until May, but if you know me, you know that I am a "planner!" The weather was really yucky most of last weekend, so we decided to start working on the 2 dozen homemade pinwheels that will add a splash of color to the yard for the party. <br />
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Of course, Alex was right by Mike's side as he painted, drilled holes, and started to assemble the pinwheels. <br />
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Alex is a sweet, sometimes goofy, easy-going kind of kid that loves spending time with his family. </div>Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-32583516372195047152012-03-03T17:36:00.002-05:002012-03-03T17:36:13.790-05:00Happy Chinese New Year...again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last weekend we celebrated Chinese New Year with the Asian mentor students at the local university. We always look forward to this celebration because we get a chance to learn more about Chinese culture and visit with other families who have adopted from China.
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The students did a great job of planning activities to get the kids involved this year. They had tables set up with different art activities for the kids to do. The kids made paper flowers...
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origami (Cole's favorite)...
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paper dragons, Chinese caligraphy...
and they even got their faces painted.
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The students always plan performances for us to watch, and this year was no different. They danced, sang, played different Asian musical instruments, and even performed skits complete with a dragon!
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And since it was the Year of the Dragon, my mom and I made another dragon cake...only this one was bigger than the one my mom made for our family Chinese New Year celebration. The night ended with us lighting the candles to make the dragon "breathe fire" and all of the kids got to blow them out!
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Thank you so much to all of the students in the Asian mentoring program for making this an exciting night for our family!!Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-6788148245479177502012-02-28T21:36:00.000-05:002012-02-28T21:36:01.364-05:00And the winner is....If you read my previous post, you know that Cole was involved with two projects - a 4-H project and a science fair project. I will not go into the details about the disappointment with his science fair project, but I will say that we really feel that he was not judged accurately and fairly. He was not upset that he did not win the science fair, but he was heartbroken that the judge did not seem to complete the scoring rubric accurately.
After the disappointment of the science fair, Cole was scheduled to spend a Saturday presenting his 4-H project on origami at the regional competition. He traveled on a bus (with Mike in the car following the bus)
to the 4-H camp to enjoy time with other 4-H kids and complete their presentations.
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(These are the kids presenting in the regional competetion from our county. Cole is towards the right side in a black jacket).<br />
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I stayed home with Alex and Anna Grace while Mike and Cole spent the morning playing basketball and hanging out with kids from all over the northern half of our state. <br />
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In the afternoon, just before Cole was scheduled to present, Mike called me on the phone to tell me that Cole had changed into his khaki pants, sweater, and dress shoes and was ready to present but then he accidentally kicked one of his dress shoes into the lake and they had to retrieve it with a long stick! His good Sperry was soaking wet!! Thankfully, he had a pair of old Nikes with him to wear, but he definately was not dressed as nicely as he had planned. Mike called me laughing to tell me that Cole kept saying, "It is a good thing that Mommy didn't come. She would not be very happy with me!"
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Cole did a great job with his presentation and it did not seem to matter that he was not wearing proper shoes.
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He was so excited that he won first place in his category!
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We are proud of him for taking the initiative to complete this project, practice it every night, and present it two different times. Public speaking is a life skill that will help him in his future, and he is excited that he won the county level and regional level competitions with his project.
Several nights later after the competition, his 4-H leaders hosted a skate night for all of the 5th graders. <br />
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Cole is growing up so quickly, but he has mixed feelings about finishing his last few months of elementary school. Even though he is excited to start middle school in the fall, I think he is a little sad to see the end of his elementary school years. He has become involved in producing the morning video announcements for his school and is involved in the safety patrols. We have been talking a lot about how he can be involved in clubs and activities at the middle school, but he is a little sad that he will be leaving elementary school behind soon.Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-67125517410754825082012-02-11T21:51:00.000-05:002012-02-11T21:51:49.989-05:00Origami and GenerositySo, what do origami and generosity have in common???
They are both the topics of Cole's recent projects.
Cole's first project that he completed for the local 4-H was on folding paper ninja stars. He created a backboard and presented a demonstration to a panel of judges in a county competition and won first place! Now he is headed to the regional competition with is project where he will compete against kids from all over our region of the state.
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Cole's other project that he recently completed was the science fair project for his school. This project was much more involved and time-consuming. We talked for a long time about what he wanted to do for his science fair project, and we finally decided that we wanted to do something that would benefit others. So, Cole tested the generosity of others by collecting food for the local food bank in 3 different income level neighborhoods.
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His project involved a lot of research and hours and hours of knocking on doors asking people to donate food. In the end, his prediction that the middle income level would be the most generous was wrong. The lowest income level was the most friendly, appreciative, and generous to others! We don't know if Cole has won an award for his project yet, but it does not really matter.
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Cole learned so much about giving to others, and he was able to see first-hand how some people who have far less than us with our fully stocked pantry will give until they have very little left to give. Cole will always remember the sweet old lady who only had 6 cans in her cabinet, but gave 3 of them away... and, the single mom who had 5 kids all line up in the grass with their arms full of food waiting for Cole as he pulled his red wagon down the street. He learned how to conduct an interview when he interviewed the director of the local food shelter, and he was so excited to deliver his cans that he collected.
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He wrote page after page of observations, research, and calculations in his log book and typed a report that was over 20 pages long. I believe Cole will always remember the lessons that he learned about generosity and helping others.
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Alex and I spent the afternoon making the homemade dumplings. As we sat together folding the dumplings one by one, he talked to me about how much he enjoys cooking new foods and learning about new holidays. I was reminded of how much my dad loved to cook big Chinese meals with my mom on a Sunday afternoon when I was a kid. He loved to be creative in the kitchen and I know if he was still with us, he would have embraced his little Chinese granddaughter and all of the Chinese customs that we are trying to learn.
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So, it was with great pride and love for my parents that I set the table with some of the dishware that my parents used for their big Chinese feasts when I was a child. I really love having the chance to embrace Anna Grace's heritage and intertwine it with our own family traditions.
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One of the most exciting parts of the evening was the cake that my mom brought.
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She and her friend, Maggie, spent the evening last night icing and decorating a dragon cake!
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The scales of the dragon were made of m & m's and orange candies. Alex colored the head of the dragon and we attached spiral candles to the dragon's mouth so that it could have real flames!
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We had a great time tonight celebrating the Year of the Dragon!Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2011406394972095227.post-16113247051426689732012-01-18T15:03:00.000-05:002012-01-18T15:03:35.289-05:00A quick updateOk- so I know that I have been slacking off on my blogging lately. The kid's schedules have been so busy that by the time I get everything accomplished in the day that needs to get done, I am ready to crash. The only reason that I have a few minutes of quiet right now is because I am home from work with Anna Grace who has a cold. She is napping and the boys are at school- they will be home in less that 30 minutes so I better hurry with my blogging. They will be busy working on homework, eating an early supper, and getting ready for church before I know it.
I am posting some pictures of the kids enjoying time with their Christmas presents. Cole has been on several rides with his new mountain bike. It has been a great activity for the boys and Mike to do together.
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Alex has not had as many opportunities to use the kayak that he got for Christmas because of the cold weather.
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He quickly found that his paddle tends to allow water to slide down into his lap while he is paddling around our cold little lake. After just a few minutes of paddling, his pants were soaked! I think he will wait for some warmer weather to fully enjoy time in his kayak!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Still, I got some great pictures of him out there paddling around the lake while Cole and Anna Grace watched from the shore.
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Anna Grace has been enjoying her art easel. She can paint on one side and use chalk on the other. Just yesterday she was painting dragons for Chinese New Year.
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Speaking of Chinese New Year, we are getting ready for a big family dinner Sunday night. Last Saturday, Anna Grace and I met my mom (while the boys were on a mountain biking trip) at the Asian grocery store to get the things that we need for Chinese New Year. We are getting ready to celebrate the year of the dragon! Karlahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09957568972725588234noreply@blogger.com0