Sunday, December 28, 2008

Snow in Phoenix!!


Since everyone else in the country has TONS of snow, we didn't want to be left out. Lucky for us, we can make our own!! All it takes is one 100 pound yellow/white lab and a good brush. Yep, this is why I try and vacuum my house at least once a day and the family room at least twice a day! Our next dog will be a goldendoodle (half golden retriever/half standard poodle) because they are little to no shed. We are hoping to find one fairly soon so that Jake can train the new puppy. Jake is a wonderful dog and is a great companion, not to mention the way he scares solicitors!! I could live without his hair though!!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

The Aftermath!!


The Loot!

Do you remember the post I wrote about the babies breaking one of the doors off the entertainment center? Well a few weeks after that, they broke the other one!! Pretty huh?
I have no pictures of my kids opening presents. I am so busy with the chaos, that I never seem to grab the camera. Does anyone else have that problem? I only take about 3 pictures each Christmas!!


Christmas Eve




Opening their gifts from Aunt Steph! Thank you Aunt Steph!!



Landon's rash

Landon has had a viral rash the past week. Kendall had it a couple of weeks ago. My kids had never had anything like that before so I took her to the doctor. The doctor thought it might be scarlet fever. Did you know that scarlet fever is strep throat with the presence of a rash? And sometimes you can get the rash without getting the strep throat symptoms. So she swabbed her throat and it was negative. I think Carson might have had a milder version of the rash during Thanksgiving. Now it's Presley's turn!!




Detour home from Vegas

We packed up the car last Sunday morning to head home from Vegas. Derek had started getting sick the night before at the football game, so we wanted to make it home so he could sleep. Unfortunately, all of those fans from Arizona were also trying to head home. Trying to cross the Hoover dam can be a nightmare when there is a lot of traffic. We were in traffic for about 45 minutes when we finally got to the hotel right there at the dam, I think it is called The Hacienda? We still had 4 miles to go and the traffic was going just 5 miles an hour. We also figured that all that traffic would make the whole drive home, even after the dam, no fun! The hotel was advertising rooms for $19.95! We got a large room with 2 queen beds and a couch for that price. We had just paid $18 to eat at McDonalds....go figure!! So we traveled a whole 20 miles that day. The hotel was old, but clean. It had ugly red carpet and a funky wallpaper border, but it didn't stink so that was a plus! The first picture is the traffic taken from our hotel room. It didn't clear out until after dark (we got to the hotel at 2 pm). The second picture is of our room for those of you who travel that route often and may find yourself in the same predicament!!







Sunday, December 21, 2008

Vegas!!


Presley eats ice cream cones really well. She never makes a mess. Amazing for a 20-month-old!!





Carson and Sam

Kendall and Sadie

The Greenhalgh's!!


Taylor wearing his BYU hair. Too bad we lost!! Oh well, you can't win them all!!
We stayed at a great family friendly hotel. It is the Hyatt Place. It is a couple of blocks off the strip. It doesn't have a casino in it, which we love! It has a 52" plasma tv and we brought our DVD player that plugs right in. It has a sectional couch with a pull out bed for the kids. Fridge, continental breakfast, heated pool etc. Perfect! It is our second year staying here and we love it!!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

She Loves Me!!

This was taken on our way to Las Vegas. We are in Vegas for the BYU football. It is COLD here!!! We are having a great time with our friends the Greenhalgh's from Utah!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Pigtails!!

I have seen others with kids recently home from China in these two little pigtails and thought I would try it on Presley. Yep, they stuck straight up!! At least she definitely looks like a girl with them and I thought they were very cute!! Splashing in the puddles!
Landon actually wanted me to take a picture of him!

Playing with a baby cricket


Yep! I'm cute!




I've got my helmet on. Now can I ride the scooter??

I LOVE those lashes!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Girl's Club

I noticed a piece of paper that Kendall was writing on that said "Girls Club" on the top. It read like this:
Boss Kendall
Age 7
1. Do not cry.
2. Be helpful.
3. Be caring.
4. Be good.
5. Do not say the s word.

Hmmmm.......S word? So I asked Kendall what the S word was. Her eyes got really big and she whispered "stupid." Yep, that's right Kendall. We do not say stupid!!

Carson said a funny thing this week too. We were watching a video of a little girl that was playing with her play kitchen. The little girl said she was making pasta and the mom said "Oh, you are making pasta too!!" Carson turned to me and asked "Mom, what's a pasta-toot??" (You might have to say it out loud to get it) I couldn't stop laughing so he started saying over and over "Pasta-toot, pasta-toot!!!"

Sorry I haven't updated my blog lately. I have been SOOOO busy!! I haven't even taken any pictures of my kids. That is very unusual for me since I average about 300-500 pictures a month of my kiddos!!!

I will update soon though I promise!!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Presley's Adoption Timeline

  • 8/15/2007 - Received referral for Geneva!
  • 9/13/2007 - Sent LOI (letter of intent) to our agency
  • 9/29/2007 - LOI was sent to China!
  • 10/08/2007 - LOI was delivered to the CCAA in China
  • 10/29/2007 - PA (pre-approval) was issued!!
  • 1/15/2008 - DTC (dossier to China)
  • 1/18/2008 - Dossier delivered to CCAA
  • 1/25/2008 - LID (log-in date)
  • 4/1/2008 - LOA (letter of acceptance)
  • 4/25/2008 - CCAA issues TA (travel approval)
  • 5/22/2008 - Leave for China!!!
  • 5/25/2008 - Met our sweet Lexi!
  • 5/26/2008 - Discovered Lexi had brain damage
  • 5/30/2008 - Met precious Presley!
  • 6/7/2008 - Arrived home

My Family

My Family
My favorite people!!