Friday, December 29, 2006

Disney Fun!!!

We are having a blast!!! It is so much fun to see Disney at Christmas time!
Emma and Ellie are all set to go see Mickey!!!


Emma gets a perfect place for the best view

Ellie and Elise enjoy the Christmas parade!!!

Mom and Kyla have fun on Dumbo!

Hailey tries on a new look at the Mad Hatter, what do think?

The whole family at the Tarzan Treehouse

Ellie is WAY too excited to play with the Princess at the Fantasy Faire!!! Aren't they cute little princess'?

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Christmas Fun and Now we are off to see the Mouse!!!

We are leaving tomorrow to ring in 2007 at Disneyland!!! We are so excited to go with whole King family and it will the nieces, Emma and Ellie's, first time to Disney so it will be so much fun!!! I will try to post when we are there!!! Have a happy and safe New Year everyone!!!We had a busy but fun Christmas....
Santa Kyla
Kyla, Conner, Hailey and Emma at Nana and Papa's house
Ellie and Kyla
Hailey and Kyla with Gran Gran (Elise's grandmother)
All dressed up to celebrate the season!!!
...Now, I got to go pack!!!

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas!!!

Friday, December 22, 2006

Christmas Memories....

I have been a little sad lately that my girls are growing up so fast but looking at all these old pictures of the holidays in the past made feel so blessed to have the memories with them up til now. They have been so much fun in each sweet little stage of their lives and looking at the snapshots of different years during Christmas just gets me so excited to live these moments again with Gracie and her sibling. The holidays can be so stressful but enjoy each precious moment, it goes by so quickly!!!


Our 1st Christmas as new parents in 1993.

Kyla enjoying her 2nd Christmas in 1996

This one of my most favorite years at Christmas. Both girls really were understanding how fun and magical everything was! 1997

This is probably my most favorite Christmas memory so far. We got all dressed up to spread Christmas cheer at a nursing home, along with others from our church. Santa and his girls gave out teddy bears and big hugs to the residents and we wished them all a Merry Christmas! 1999

Celebrating an "Old World Christmas" in Leavenworth in 2003

The excitment of see New York City at Christmas time in 2004

The girls almost teens now but the holidays are still as magical as ever. Christmas 2005

Monday, December 18, 2006

C-R-A-Z-Y Weather in the Northwest!!!

I have been gone for about a week now but for good reason....we have had a bit of another weather storm here in the Northwest! So far my kids have had 5 weather related no-school days in the past month in a half. What the heck is going on???? First we had the flooding...

Then we had a snowstorm...

But the worst yet has been the wind... my goodness what will we get next??? We love our big beautiful trees here too but hey when the winds are whipping through at 70 miles an hour I just have to say I am very thankful that we no longer live behind a greenbelt of towering Cedars.

Another casualty of no power in 2/3 of the area... the gas lines at stations with power have two hours lines and a lot of cranky people!

Wouldn't want to be taking off at this airport!
When this family was singing Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...this is not exactly what they were counting on.

I am so thankful that we are one of the lucky ones who have the power back on now and the warm heater running to keep us warm. My parents, sister and many of my friends have been out of power since Friday night and they might not get power again until the end of the week. To make things worse the weather has turned to clear and cold so many people have been making mistakes by running their generators, barbecues and other carbon monoxide producing machines indoors with deadly consequences. Please pray that people will be safe and that the utility folks can get things up and running as soon as possible!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Christmas at the Hop!!!!


Phew, busy weekend, but full of fun!!! The girls have both been taking a Broadway dance class at a local dance studio and they had their Christmas recital this weekend. With a dress rehearsal on Friday night and two performances on Saturday, it meant our weekend was hectic!!! But proud mom wants to brag a little bit about how great they did in their performances! It was so fun to watch! They both did so great for their first time in dance class! I think I should have had them in dance a long time ago! I was able to purchase a DVD so if I can figure out how to post that when I get it I will, but for now enjoy the fun pictures I was able to snap of them while they were on stage!!!


The first dance they performed was to the song, "Straighten Up and Fly Right" (I have the song playing in the background).
Sorry, some of the pictures are a bit dark...

The finale was a medley done to 50's tunes like "Rock Around the Clock" with both the Broadway dancers and the Tap dancers, it was so cute!!!!

Friday, December 08, 2006

Nutcracker and other fun stuff!


Yesterday we got to take the girls to see the wonderful Pacific Northwest Ballet's version of the Nutcracker. Kyla's homeschool excursion class was going so we added on a few more tickets and made it a family excursion. It was truly magical and a great way to start off the season. We were kind of in the nose bleed section but it was still worth it! Hopefully we can go again when we bring Grace home and sit up a little closer to the stage.


Other fun stuff- My Secret Pal gifts which I received for November include this darling little ladybug tea set and cute little ladybug art clips to hand Gracie's wonderful creations someday! Thank you so much to my wonderful Firefly Secret Pal!

Also, I received this wonderful sterling silver red thread bracelet from my CCAI Secret Pal and I absolutely will cherish it forever! It came with this little card explaining the meaning and it just made me tear up thinking of what it represents. Here is what is says,

"As adoption is a process, a transition from here to there on the way to a 'distination': known as your new family- so, too, the red thread in your bracelet represents a process and isn't permenant. It's not meant to be. Over time, depending on your own usage, the red thread will begin to fray. Don't pull the remaining thread out. Don't force the process to move faster than when it's meant to. When the time is rirght, the thread will slip away as quietly and gently as a baby's whisper.

Know that it hasn't disappeared but has moved inward, deep inside your heart. Your physical red thread has become your invisible red thread and now connects you heart to heart to your new daughter or son. The silver chain and charm sill remain as a lasting reminder of your adoption journey to parenthood."

Isn't it just so special and something I truly need as a reminder to be patient through this process. Thank you so much!!!!

If anyone is interested it came from AdoptShoppe.com

Also, two of my online friends are either in China or on their way to China as I write this.

First, the Horner family left yesterday and have arrived safely in Bejing. They will be meeting their beautiful daughter, AnnaClaire, on Monday. I can't wait to watch their journey!!!

Finally, Gen, who I met last summer, is traveling today with her husband, Sean, to go meet their new daughter, XinMin. Amazingly, they will crossing paths along the way with the Horner family. I can't wait to watch both of their journeys and I will be praying and wishing them all a safe and wonderful time in China!!!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

More decorating....

Here are few more of my favorite Christmas decorations, although, David and Amy, met my challenge and I would have to say they are the King and Queen of Christmas! Check out their blog here and see the cool video David made of their gorgeous home holiday display!


This is my favorite sign, my sister got for us a few years ago. I think it fits in just perfect!

This is our other snow village but this one is just for the kids! It is the North Pole series and I love the little skating rink and the reindeer flying school. This is much cuter up close!
This is my little Mary Engelbreit Christmas display. Just a few things but.......

My favorite thing is this signed Christmas card that Mary Engelbreit sent me in 2001 when I was one of the employees at her cute little store in a mall nearby. Sadly, they closed that same Christmas but I will always have this card to remember the few months that I got to play (I mean work) at her store.
She even signed the front of the card so we could frame them. Thanks Mary!

Hailey and Kyla both have the cutest little fiber optic trees in their rooms too!
Here is the front door and of course the snowmen greet the visitors there too.

Finally, our front porch is all set for any of you to stop by for some warm cider or cocoa. We just need to get all the lights up on the house now that all the snow has melted off the roof and we are all set. Now....I must start my shopping...only 20 days until Christmas!!!