Christmas Vacation

K and I had a wonderful Christmas eve. We went to the children's mass and then had Sheila and her family over for dinner. K is lucky to have Sheila and Elliott as godparents because I have decided that K got an entire "god family." We had Sheila's mother, her sister Helen and Helen's husband Michael. They have 3 children who all came. One of their daughters (Katie) is adopted so Katie and K have a special bond. And One of Katie's friends, Rebecca, came. So we had a great crowd and a wonderful dinner.
On Christmas day we went to John and Kathryn's for brunch. We came home and put our jammies on and hung out all
day. We did not go to any of the usual Christmas day and Christmas night parties that we usually attend. It was so nice to be relaxing at home!

The day after Christmas we piled in the car and drove to Orlando. We relaxed by the pool for two days. We went to Margaritaville (K's favorite) for dinner-that was the only time we left the hotel. K lost a tooth while we were at Margaritaville-she thought that was the best thing that had ever happened. And the tooth fairy found her way to the Ritz Carlton.

Yesterday we continued our trip and drove down to Palm Beach. When we got here we went out to the beach to look for shells and there was an incredible rainbow. Last night we had dinner with Uncle Mark and the gang. This morning I have our door open and K is still sleeping. I love listening to the sound of the waves.

Christmas Tree

Our tree was just the right size this year!

Mr. Boo just loves to hang out under the tree.

K actually posed in front of the tree because she wanted me to take a picture of her in this shirt I made. More of the Liberty fabric from my trip to London last summer.

K was more interested in checking our her loose teeth

A Holiday Program With Something For Everyone!

A rapping Santa



The fifth graders did the Twelve Days of Christmas with a green theme. Two turbines turning, 3 bikers biking, etc.. It was in French so I hope that is what they were singing.

K's class did a song in French about a penguin who did not like the North Pole so he moved to Hawaii. He didn't like the food and weather in Hawaii so he moved back to the North Pole. At least I think that is what the song was about!

A Little Christmas Party

We had a little party last night-actually I think there were around 50 people here. All of the kids were from Kazakhstan-most of them from the same town K is from and most of them were adopted as older children. It is amazing to see how all of the kids are thriving!

Sweet Alla. Alla was our translator for three years when the kids came for the summer program. I don't think there are many teenage girls who would give up their summers to translate and work as hard as she did. The kids all loved her. Alla is in college now-majoring in finance and minoring in Russian. What an amazing girl!

Annalisa, Charlotte, K and Tawnie

Anya and Tawnie-home for one year. What a difference a year makes!


K loves these little girls and is so ready for her little sister!


Finally got every one to calm down and watch a movie

Anna

Irena

Leanna

Anna and Andrei-the families who adopted Andrei and Anna were in Karaganda at the same time I was adopting K.

Vitaley

Ruslan-we let him join in the fun even though he is from Uralsk.

Gingerbread House

K and I made this funny little gingerbread house on Saturday morning in our jammies. I got the kit at Trader Joe's. Someday maybe we will make a really fancy gingerbread house. I saw some great gingerbread houses and a book about gingerbread houses on one of my favorite blogs, Coterie.

Ho, ho, ho

I can't believe this is K's third Christmas! The first year we went to see Santa, she had a huge list, but when she got off his lap she told me that she only asked him for a book. Poor Santa lost his voice this year so they did not do a lot of talking. He is so sweet, he remembered us. K told me that she didn't really sit on his lap, she just kind of squatted. She cracks me up. We go to Santa at our favorite baby store, B. It is great because it is in a small shopping center and is by appointment. We park right in front, walk right in and are out in 10 minutes. A little chatting with the store owner-trying to convince her to carry older kid clothes. She says there are none to be found. And then next door to Taqueria Del Sol for yummy Mexican food with a family who was in Kazakhstan adopting thier daughter at the same time I was adopting K.

Cake Walk

Maybe this post should be titled donut walk. I am still catching up on some fall posts. These pictures were taken at the Fall Fair where I was working the cake walk. It was interesting to see that there are a lot of other slacker moms out there-lot of moms brought donuts for their donation to the cake walk. The kids loved the donuts and they were the first to go. Maybe next year they should just make it a donut walk!

Lunch in a Hummer

Last year at the beginning of the school year K came home and said she wanted to go to lunch in a Hummer. I thought that surely something had been lost in translation. She kept insisting that she was going to lunch in a Hummer. Turns out that was the prize for selling the most wrapping paper. I had a broken arm last fall so I was not much help with the wrapping paper. Plus several years ago I bought a life time supply of wrapping paper from the daughter of a friend (you know who you are, you best friend you). So every afternoon Winston (our driver/errand runner/wrapping paper sales helper, etc....) and K would head out and sell wrapping paper. She won the contest but unfortunately was at Lindamood Bell so did not get to collect her prize. With Winston's help she won again this year! So off we went today to lunch at Willy's in a hummer. Not so sure about the value system this is teaching my child!

Go Jaguars!

K is playing basketball for Christ the King. She loves it and she is really a good player! I think that the way the light shines in the windows of the gym makes the children look very angelic.

The Amazing Ginkos

There are two amazing ginko trees close to our house-they never fail to take my breath away every fall. I think that I was in LA the weekend they were at their peak. A week after these pictures were taken there would have been a blanket of yellow leaves under the trees. K had a great time romping in the leaves and was very patient while I took these photos.