Christmas 2008

Big 1-0

We celebrated Chandler's 10th bday this weekend. Hard to believe he is in double digits now.

Introducing......

Pete!

Merry Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Thanksgiving 2008

I know this is late, but better late than never. My family surprised me by coming in from Arkansas a day early for Thanksgiving. (I do that kind of stuff to them all the time). The house wasn't as clean as I would have liked, but like Chandler says, "Why clean, it is just family."

Fingerprint Appointment

Tim and recieved our fingerprint appointment for USCIS. We head to Detroit on the 12th, EARLY. This should be an interesting drive as I am not familiar with the Detroit area. www.randmcnally.com has not let me down yet!

It's baaack!

The wonderful mail lady brought my home study today!! It has been stamped and it is good to go. Come on fingerprint appointment.

Confirmation

We got a confirmation letter from immigration Friday. Yes, they got our application and the next thing we get is an appointment for fingerprinting. Inching along......

Only in Ohio

Only in Ohio could the sun be shining so bright, my 3 orange pumpkins on the porch with scattered snowflurries!

YIKES, snow is coming......

Where is that home study?

I am getting a bit nervous, I am waiting for my home study to come back from the New York Consulate. Usually after 2 weeks it is back. We are pushing to week 3 now. I know not a big deal, but that is the last thing I need before the immigration slip. By the way USCIS did cash the check, so they got the application.

USCIS here we come!

So guess who gets to fill out her immigration paperwork? (This is the last piece to our dossier).
That's right me! I had to wait for the funding to fall into place and it is ready to rock!

Gotta go so I can fill out the application and write that check!

What Your Halloween Habits Say About You

You're a friendly person, but not the life of the party. You like making someone else's day - and you'll dress up if you think of a really fun costume. No one quite understands you, but everyone also sort of worships you. And that's exactly how you like it. Your inner child is bittersweet, thoughtful, and never too greedy. You fear people taking advantage for you. You are always worried about protecting your own interests. You're logical, rational, and not easily effected. Not a lot scares you... especially when it comes to the paranormal. You are a traditionalist with most aspects of your life. You like your Halloween costume to be basic, well made, and conventional enough to wear another year.

What's" Your Halloween Personality?

Early Halloween Pictures

My boys have gone trick or treating 2 times now, and will get 2 more times out of it by Saturday. Madness I tell you! Oh well, the costumes are getting a work out.

Just because

New Carpet

Today was the carpet install day. Now to just get the painting and the other millions things done!

Girl stuff

Not sure why the picture went all crazy side ways. Anyways, I pick up stuff here and there for our daughter. I found these little hairbows for only $1. The flowers are crocheted. They are cute.

I like to get stuff, so that this adoption still seems real to me. Does that make sense?

Look Ma, no training wheels!

We have been practicing with Carter on how to ride a bike for a couple of months off and on. He was always sooo close. Well last night he went to a neighbors and hopped on a smaller bike and nhtook off! He came home and told Tim to get mom, she has to see this. Here are a few pictures, it was almost dark, sorry about the quality. (Now all day he wants to get air outside and ride his bike).

During Shots

I finally took my camera over tonight when I went to work on the Genoa house. The "before" shots were to painful. So I have snapped these for the "during" shots. It is a work in progress.

Tim finished the floor in the living room. I think it looks nice. I have started painting the bedrooms that creamy color you see.

In the bathroom, I got most of the wallpaper off.

The kitchen has been primed. It is towards the end of my to do list.

Can I get an amen?!

Good news!!

We have renters for the Genoa house. They will move in December 1st. They are the grand daughter and grand son in law to the lady across the street. The husband will be serving in Afganistan for one year. So his wife is moving back home and will be having a baby in December while he is away. (It makes me sad to think of that. However, she has her mom, grandma, and aunt right across the street).

So I don't know who is more excited, us or them.

Still lots to do. They will be measuring for carpet on Thursday and I am still busy painting.

Soccer

These pictures are from Chandler's last soccer game. I am always telling him to be agressive, take all that frustration out on the field.

Moving right along

Yesterday Tim put the laminate floor in the living room in Genoa, it looks nice and CLEAN. I worked on stripping wall paper, did paint the ceilings in the hall/bedrooms/one bathroom, and I got one closet painted. I plan on going over today to keep painting. I try not to get overwhelmed and try to look at the positives. Doing this work is very theraputic and I tend not to eat so much if I am occupied.

I did get a fridge for the house, since our other one is MIA that we left there. H*me Depot is coming out to measure on Thursday for carpet. Not sure if we can make our November 1 deadline we set for ourselves.

Tim will also put up the fence pieces tonight. I will be purchasing an auger--I know we DID have one that worked. I won't even go there.

Progress....

We have been working like crazy on the other house. I have most of the rooms primed and ready for paint. Last night we bought some nice laminate floor for the living room and foyer. Tomorrow, at the crack I will go to H*me Depot and get carpet, paint, and a fridge; along with whatever else Tim adds to my list.

The power washer pooped out last night. I still need to do the rest of the house, the deck and the remaining fence pieces. The neighbors say it is looking better everyday.

We may have a lead on someone renting/buying it. Please pray that they buy it and I don't have to worry about the other house again.

No pictures, because I forgot the camera. I even put fresh batteries in it.

Adoption Update

A very minor update on the adoption front. I mailed out the home study for Columbus to be certified. I should get it back in a couple of weeks. Then it heads to New York to the Chinese Consolute. Progress....

Tim will take care of his stuff next week so that I can send out my immigration paperwork.
Now to just get him on the stick with his passport......

Free Handbag!

Wanna try for a free handbag? FREE, no shipping and handling no credit card. Click this link for a chance to win. http://www.handbagplanet.com/ They have 24 to choose from. I won't tell you which one I picked, but it is black.

Fall

I really like most of the seasons, except winter (winter is very long and cold here). Today the boys and I dug out the Halloween/Fall decorations. I also took some pictures from our flower beds. The purple ones are Asters. I love these. The burgandy one is a Mum. I bought TONS at L*wes when they were $.98--CHEAP! And there is the Geranium. Christian had pulled all the blooms off in August, but they bloomed again, a nice surprise.

Genoa House

Well we were able to get in the "old" house yesterday. I will just say it was not pretty. We have our work cut out for us. We ripped up carpet and padding last night. It reeks.

Today I went to Menards and bought a few things to get us started.

If you are praying person, please pray that our house will sale by Christmas and not bankrupt us.

(I am pretty embarrassed of the inside. So once we start getting it in ship shape I will post pictures).

Couldn't resist

I thought this was cute.

Yipee I'm Three!

Birthday Eve

Christian will be three tomorrow. Yikes! Time flies.

Today Chandler and I took him to T*rget for his pictures to be taken. It was very painful for me. I kept telling the lady, we really only need one good picture. Out of the ones she took, 3 were pretty good. I did use my coupon and then broke down and bought a black and white one. I know black and whites are my weakness.

No big party tomorrow, just us. I will make him a chocolate chip cookie cake and ice cream. I like the coziness of just us once in awhile.

Our Weekend

This weekend was to by our date weekend. I had the boys staying at g'mas and it was to be Tim and Heather time.

Well slight change of plans. (We still went out for a nice dinner so it was ok).

We spent Saturday and Sunday doing yard work on our Genoa house. It was quite theraputic. I will be honest, it has been a LONG time since I have done manual labor. When I drive by there I am not as embarrassed as I was a few weeks ago. We still have a lot more to do on the just the outside.

I have not seen the inside yet. I am really dreading that. I know that I will need to paint every room and ceiling as well as carpet the hall, living room, and the 3 bedrooms. I am trying to see if Tim will bite on putting down a pergo floor in the hall and living room.

No pictures of this work in progress. (YET).

Poop

If any of you know Christian, he has his own way of doing things. To be honest, he kicks my butt daily. He is creeping up on the big 3. I was getting a bit discouraged with the fact he had no interest what so ever in the potty. However, this past week I have been putting underwear on him and he has done a decent job of going pee in the potty. We have bribed him for about 6 months with a truck that was in the closet if he pooped in the potty.

Well, behold he did last night!!! Yes, I did text and email people about my wonderful news. Sad I know, but it was a momentous occasion. I asked him today if he would do it again, he said yes. (Wonder if he thinks he will get a new truck again??)

Best news I heard all day.....

Let me first preface this by saying I do like my job.

However, when I got the email that the in service in Columbus was cancelled because there is no power in that area due to the remnants of Ike I was thrilled. I am not glad about the power thing, just not having to pay for that high gas, no paying for a babysitter, and no writing everything down for Tim so he doesn't forget a kid somewhere.

Crazy Squirrel

This is a squirrel that somehow got on top of the swing set and Honey the wonder dog would not let it down. Who knew that squirrel made a hissing, clicking sounds when distressed.

Makaela Jean!

We did go back to the hospital to see the new baby. Here's a picture of her and her mommy.

Not much going on.....

There really hasn't been a lot going on around here.

Hmmm, right not Extreme Home Makeover is in town--yes with hottie Ty Pennington. It could not have went to nicer people. They have 11 boys, some adopted. They were also an OHVA family for a while until the mom became sick. If you want to see what is going on www.13abc.com is really good. Also visit Fran's blog, she is visiting the work site daily! :) The show will air in November sometime.

Our good friends the Cuevas family just welcomed a new grandbaby into the world. Makayla Jean was born at 5 am this morning. I ran up there tonight and held her for a bit. She is so tiny, about 5 pounds and has TONS of black hair. She could have a hairbow! She is at the hospital where Carter has speech so we will sneak a visit tomorrow morning too. This time I will take my camera. Makes me think of how little my boys were and now they are so grown compared to her. sniff sniff

This should give Katie something more to read........

Good News and Yucky News

Ok so yesterday was a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Good news our home study has been approved by CCAI. YIPEE. That means immigration/homeland security here we come.

Now for the yuckiness. We never sold our house in Genoa, but we had a renter for 2 years that works with/for Tim. That renter has had some personal set backs and will be moving out by October 1. So what does that mean? It means Tim and Heather will have 2, TWO house payments to make. No stress there. Plus the house is not as we left it, if you know what I mean. Tim will start on the yard work this weekend. I cannot do anything to the inside until he leaves. I am expecting the worst, and hoping for the best. Lowes, Home Depot, and Menards are going to love us. I honestly just want the house out of our names and I am willing to take a loss. I have been praying about it and have faith that it will all work out soon. I have learned my lesson. I will not ever move until the home I am in sells first.

So if you know someone that would like a 3 bedroom, 1.5 bath with a deck, fenced yard and an above ground pool in Genoa, Ohio let me know, we can make a deal.

I hope I did not depress you too much.

Labor Day Fun

Just a few pictures from our 3 day weekend. The boys enjoyed the slip and slide and the pool on the deck. I cooked hot dogs for supper and we called it good. :)