Side Of Fries

If it's not snow...

2012-01-31T16:05:00.000-05:00

at least it's warm! The kids played outside for hours (collecting sticks, digging in the mud, blowing bubbles) and then rode bikes for the rest of the afternoon! Now, they are taking an early bath (see previous point about mud). Thank you 56 degrees in January!

Coffee Break

2012-01-27T13:38:00.001-05:00

I had on the news this morning as I was getting breakfast ready and organizing backpacks. Grant, who never gets to see commercials thanks to Netflix and Tivo, was impressed with one commercial in particular--Folgers coffee.

Actual conversation:

Grant: Mommy, you need to switch coffees.

Mommy: Why, Grant?

Grant: Because those people are happy.

Ouch!

I Spy

2012-01-23T20:44:00.005-05:00

Erin went to a meeting for those who volunteer in the 3-5 year old class at our church last weekend. (You can immediately pick these people out in a crowd because they look tired, are mumbling "The wheels on the bus..." over and over, and they are covered in a slight stench of pee.)

One of the other volunteers, upon discovering that Erin was Grant's mother, told her that a few weeks ago in Sunday school, they were playing "I Spy," a favorite game of Grant's. In the course of the game, the teacher said, "I spy with my little eye something...brown."

Grant threw his hand in the air, leaped to his feet and shouted, "I've got this one!"

Birthday Fun

2012-01-18T16:40:00.003-05:00

I know it goes against most parental practice, but we have yet to have a big birthday party for Grant or for Grace. I know I'll have to cross that bridge someday, but until I have to do so, Grant (and I) are both okay with small family parties. We make sure Grant gets lots of special birthday love all week (from picking the weeks' dinner menus, to decorated chairs, to special trips to the frozen yogurt shop), but I'm just not down--yet--with the big, invite a ton of friends, spend a ton of money party. My mom used to tell me that I could have friends over for a meager party... or, I could invite one friend to Disneyland, and we'd blow the day out! She was smart--I took Disneyland (or Magic Mountain, back in the day) almost every single time. Even when Grant and Grace are school-aged, I think we'll allow the kids a big birthday party every other year. Go ahead, blast me now.

But, for now, it was presents in the morning, dinner at the restaurant of his choice for dinner (he picked the Mayberry Cafe where the food is super mediocre but kids get a toy upon exiting), and a small family Star Wars party the next day!

We might have some adoption related news to share with you soon; we're just busy sorting out some details!

Happy Birthday, Grant

2012-01-13T07:26:00.000-05:00

It's so very hard to believe that my little man is five-years-old today. I couldn't be more proud of my loving, tender-hearted, loyal, affectionate, silly, wild, weapon-wielding little boy.

He is one of God's greatest gifts to me, and there isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank God for giving me Grant. I don't deserve him, and I know that I make many a mistake in being a parent, but I couldn't love him any more than I do. He is one of my greatest joys.

Five years ago today...

His first birthday...

His second birthday...

His third birthday...

His forth birthday...

And, today, Grant's firth birthday...

Happy Birthday, my sweet son.

Say Hello to the Newest Member of our Family

2012-01-10T13:28:00.001-05:00

When the FedEx guy knocked on the door (no, we don't even have a doorbell at our new [very outdated] house), I sprang up from my seat very excited to meet the newest member of our family: The Dyson DC33.

Our vacuum has been less than pleasing the last few months, so when Woot ran a special on refurbished Dysons, I didn't even blink. It might have been hard to pay full price, but it wasn't hard to pay $200. I cleaned one room (had just vacuumed the day before), and the canister was so full that I had to empty it before moving on to room #2. I've never been simultaneously so excited and so grossed out in my life.

Needless to say, this one is a keeper!!!!!!!!

A Visit from Family

2012-01-08T21:57:00.002-05:00

Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Richiepoo: We love you, and we're still talking about you daily. We are so thankful that you came to visit! Please come again soon because we all miss you too much. California is just too far away... Love, Grant and Grace

Make it Stop

2012-01-04T08:41:00.002-05:00

Please make the little Chinese girl stop talking in Yoda voice... all day long. Cute at first... kind of crazy now. "Eat these apples, I will!"

Only One Good Day of Snow... but No Complaints

2011-12-30T11:39:00.005-05:00

It wasn't much snow, but it was enough to get decked out in snow gear, make angels, throw snowballs, and use our front hill for some wonderful sledding! Bring on more snow!

Christmas Morning

2011-12-28T08:42:00.003-05:00

Grace and Grant had a blast over Christmas. They were able to see family, to open presents, and to grasp--a little bit more--the amazing power of God at work!

Here are some picture highlights...

Opening stockings in Mommy and Daddy's bed... a new tradition.

Stair pictures before going downstairs (in their new jammies)... a yearly tradition.

Gifts from Santa (Grant received a Skylander video game thingy, and Grace received a baby deer). Guess they were both on the nice list! (And, yes, before you get on my case, our kids only receive one present from Santa!)

Random presents from grandparents...

Bret's most unusual gift...

Thank you all who participated to help make this Christmas so very special!!

xoxoxoxo

Some Pre-Christmas Water Fun

2011-12-26T21:11:00.000-05:00

For Grant's birthday, he wanted to go to an indoor water park. And even though his birthday is still three weeks away, we scored a great deal on the day before Christmas Eve, and we headed to southern Indiana for some 83 degree fun on the big slides (Grant was finally tall enough!).

Simply put, we had a blast!! Grant and Grace spent more time on the lily pads than they did the slides... just watching them jump and swim for hours made us tired! The place was empty (hence, the good deal), and we might just have to make this a yearly tradition!

Jolly Fun

2011-12-22T08:01:00.008-05:00

Yesterday, we headed to the Children's Museum for our last trip in 2012, and even though we had just been there the week prior, we didn't have a chance to visit Santa or any of the Jolly Day exhibits. So, the kids and Mommy had some morning fun!

At the top of the Yule Slide!

Grace helped with Santa's reindeer! That's a PERFECT Grace activity! She asked for a baby (stuffed) deer (not to big, she tells me) from Santa for Christmas.

Grant was WAY in to the snowball fight!

Meeting Santa (thank you Children's Museum for letting us take pictures without buying a package!)

Merry Christmas, all! We hope you have a blessed Christmas!

Photo Girl

2011-12-16T15:40:00.009-05:00

Grace wants to take pictures constantly. Had I known this would have become such a fascination, I might have planned Christmas differently.

But, she uses our old camera and takes picture after picture after picture. Here are some recent shots (just a few; the girl is prolific, to say the least). And, don't bother suggesting one of those kid friendly cameras. I have one in my goodwill box if anyone is interested.

Name Game

2011-12-14T07:14:00.003-05:00

Grace loves to sing, so you can imagine how much she loves Christmas time. Grace's favorite carol is "Joy to the World." It took me a second, but I realized it is her favorite because the second verse starts out with "He rules the world with Truth and Grace." I'm pretty sure--based on recent bossy behavior--that she thinks she is ruling he world with Christ and some unmet girl named Truth. Not joking.

Grant, on the other hand, thinks he is responsible for the show Curious George being on PBS. If you listen closely, it says that the show is brought to you by "a ready-to-learn Grant and from viewers like you." Grant considers himself quite "ready-to-learn," so he's pretty sure that he is the sole reason Curious George comes on day after day.

Pretty cute.

Christmas Time

2011-12-11T19:52:00.008-05:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas day is two short weeks away! We are so jazzed here, and we have many a tradition to fulfill!

First on our agenda: baking (cookies, pies and a few quiche) and homemade hot chocolate!

My Little Sponges

2011-12-09T16:57:00.007-05:00

Grant has always been a quick learner. Because he has always been super verbal, he was quick to pick up letters and sounds and reading. Don't misunderstand this post to think that I think Grant is super special for being an early reader; I believe that most kids catch up somewhere around the second grade, leveling the field. So, Grant's just early.

But, his reading skills are out of control; he's reading words like "balloon," "paralyzed," and "their"--complete sentences (if he wants to do so; he's often reluctant to sit down and to work on reading--there won't be any homeschooling going on here!). But, Gracie. Well, she was a bit of a different story. I remember thinking (several times over several months) that she was going to be the only kid who entered kindergarten not knowing her colors. We'd walk around the house finding everything red, and then, a minute later, after pulling out an apple, I'd ask for the color, and she'd tell me yellow. Same with shapes. Letters. You name it.

But, then, in the last few months, something has happened. The colors and shapes were first. Then counting... she's up to 50. Then, letters: The Letter Factory strikes again (thank you, Kathy--those DVDs are amazing!). And, then this week, she read her first word: BED! I couldn't believe it!

In the end, I don't put much stock in any of this early adoption of letters and numbers. Like I said, they all (for the most part) catch up in the early grades. But, it's so amazing to watch as a parent, especially when little Gracie struggled so much to get it all nailed down!

I would love it if my kids were successful in school; it sure opens up a lot of possibilities, but--ultimately--I want to make sure that I raise kids of faith and sincerity and generosity. Now, does anyone have a DVD I can use for those?

You've got to be kidding me...

2011-12-08T12:01:00.002-05:00

Orthodontia is supposed to be reserved for puberty-ridden middle schoolers. Even adults.

But, while we've long been told that little Gracie will most definitely need braces (and, yes, we've already started saving for that--kind of [as long as we don't need a new car in the next ten years] :)), we were always told that Grant's mouth, being so large, would probably be able to bypass those nasty braces.

But, while that is still true, no one mentioned (until yesterday) that Grant has a life long (started day 1) swallow reflex that leads to incorrect swallowing... that leads to him pushing out his front teeth (potentially forever) with his tongue. Needless to say, we are seeing an orthodontist this afternoon. So, while he might not need braces, he might need a plate placed in the top of his mouth. Poor guy!

I just didn't think we'd have to cross this bridge for at least 10 more years!!

We promise more regular posts, even heading in to the holidays. Thanks for your patience in the season of blog slow down, but we're gearing back up to make 2012 (and the last few weeks of 2011) the best blog season yet!

Nice boots...

2011-12-04T16:45:00.002-05:00

Grace preparing for an illegal street race...

School Pics

2011-11-27T11:17:00.005-05:00

These aren't my favorite pics of the kids (what's up with Grace's smile?), but they're my kids, and they're always cute.

Epcot

2011-11-18T18:17:00.013-05:00

Most kids aren't into Epcot. It's kind of the Carousel of Progress of the four Disney parks. It's old. It's dated. They show Captain EO (yes, the 1980s Michael Jackson flic) like it's a headliner. But, there's a charm to Epcot too.

Grant loves Epcot. He likes it because he can ride a few of the big rides and because Mulan lives there. Last year, Grace was a tad bit shy when we stumbled upon Mulan while touring "China," so Grant got all the love, including a big kiss right on the forehead. His whole goal in going back to Disney was to meet back up with Mulan. As fate would have it, our little Miss Grace is now a social butterfly (she met Santa today at the mall and was all smiles--very different from year #1). She ran to Mulan, hugged her, talked to her and Grant had to play second fiddle. Mulan was exceptionally gracious; she asked the kids to wait for her, and then, she spent a very long time with just with them down at the pond. I always knew I liked that Mulan girl; there's nothing foo-foo about her.

She asked Grant if she could give him another kiss, but he wasn't fooled. He knew he wasn't the favorite any longer, so he hid behind our legs, only later to break down into sobs that he had missed his big chance.

Here are some Epcot pics.

Grace riding Test Track, which she loved. She wasn't too sure about Soarin'.

The Mulan Experience--Grace looks so excited!

Having Random Fun

Random Pictures

2011-11-14T18:33:00.000-05:00

Here are some random pictures from our relaxation days at Disney. Most people like to head to the parks non-stop with their young children. This is what Bret and I call the anti-vacation. So, we plan lots of swimming, wandering, eating days into the mix. It's how we stay sane.

Here are some pics from those lazy days.

We wandered around Downtown Disney (we skipped T-Rex this year in favor of the cheaper [and better] Earl of Sandwich). The Lego store was the biggest hit.

This time down we rented a four bedroom house, five minutes from Disney, with a private pool. We've stayed on Disney property, at a great condo complex, and now a house. Again, we proved to ourselves that we'd rather be off property than on, and it's a toss up between the house and the condo... Even Papoo, got into the relaxation action.

We headed out to dinner at Ohana, one of Disney's best restaurants. It did not disappoint. In fact, this trip accounted for some of the best food we have ever eaten on a vacation. Thank you, Trip Advisor! Grant ate his weight in shrimp, chicken and steak, and Grace drank a lot of chocolate milk, but the one thing they both agreed upon: coconut races with brooms are the best!

Cocoa Beach

2011-11-13T18:21:00.006-05:00

Well, we're back from vacation, but for our own sake, here's a recap of the remaining days.

To get away from Orlando for a bit, we headed about an hour away to Cocoa Beach. The day started out cold, so I didn't bother to bring any swimsuits or sand toys (silly, Mommy), as I expected some light walking (dare I say: just a drive?) along the coast. It ended up being a bit warmer than expected, and the kids had a blast despite the fact they were in street clothes, didn't have a shovel... or for that matter--a towel. They didn't even complain as they drove in their underpants, nearly naked, to the local Walmart for some new digs.

Next time, I'll be prepared.

The Magic Kingdom

2011-11-07T19:56:00.004-05:00

Ah, Disney. You lure us in with your promises of childlike wonder and tales of pirates, princesses, and talking animals. But when we get here, it's the tattoos, screaming toddlers, and "we flew all the way from (insert home country here) to see 1950's caricatures of our homeland!" that keeps us interested. Well, at least that's what keeps ME interested.

Today was a great day at the Magic Kingdom, and the two big stories were that Grace was tall enough to ride Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain, while Grant was able to ride Space Mountain.

I thought Space Mountain might do Grant in, but he LOVED it. LOVED. IT. We ended up riding it twice, and he declared it his new favorite ride. Overall we had a wonderful day, with cool weather, relatively slim crowds, and two great kids who lasted the whole day without melting down. Who could ask for more?

Vacation with the Gators

2011-11-06T07:45:00.004-05:00

Yes, we're on vacation with the inlaws. But seriously...

We arrived in Orlando Friday afternoon and by Saturday morning, we were hanging out at Gatorland.

I'll be honest, my expectations were low. I envisioned a handful of meager alligators staring glumly at me from behind Plexiglass, but the reality was much different. This place had gators everywhere, and they were huge.

The highlight of Gatorland was Grant and Grace getting their picture taken holding an albino Burmese python. I was pretty shocked that they held the snake without fear.

Later in the day they visited the aviary, and that actually did terrify Grant. My mother-in-law, on the other hand, handled it with Hitchcockian aplomb. Should be a good week.

End of Month... in Pictures

2011-11-01T20:22:00.034-04:00

We're sorry. We know there are only two (maybe three) readers out there, but this blog--while in some ways intended for a wider audience--is a labor of love for our own family, a family journal of sorts for our kids. We use it often, and if not for you (at least for ourselves), we are sorry that we've been so very noticeably absent. But with Disney on the horizon (T minus two days and counting), we'll have tons of pictures coming your way!

For now, we'll play catch up for the month of October; it was a fabulous month!

Dunes and Wedding Fun
In early October, we headed up to a wedding in southern Michigan. Pre-wedding, we headed to Indiana Dunes for some fun. The kids loved it, and it made me sad that we hadn't been there before! The wedding was gorgeous, and Grant had the time of his life dancing the night away. I don't have a pic from the wedding itself, but I don't need one to remember: I will never forget my baby asking girls to dance (his idea... not mine) and break dancing! To die for! We also headed to a local pumpkin patch on the way home (Mommy's idea of fun), looked at some homes in Beverly Shores (Daddy's idea of fun), and stopped at Ivanhoe's (Grant's idea of fun).

Grant's field trip to the apple orchard

Smurfs 3D at the dollar movies
(We just saw Puss-N-Boots with cousin Brakston, and after both of these movies, I've got an issue with today's PG movies, but that's a rant for another day.)

Hung out with Grant's birth mom and family... always so very special

Played lots and lots (and LOTS) outside
Grant and I have been watching a lot of Survivorman, and we're hooked. Grant spent three hours building fall traps and a lean-to. It was pretty amazing for a four-year-old.

Lots of rest
(Daddy has been on the road A LOT, so Sunday afternoon naps have become a Wei Wei and Daddy special.)

Carving time
Grace--always the surgeon--was eager to pull out the guts, to cut open its skin, and to pronounce it done.

Halloween 2011
Grant was Robin Hood; Grace was Minnie Mouse. Too cute! Thankfully, between school parties, two parties at the library and a local church's harvest party, the kids got LOTS of use out of their costumes. And this year, our little confident Wei Wei was all about the trick-or-treating.

Okay, next post: sunny Florida.