Playing with my new camera.

SO,,, my girls came over last night, we ate and ate and ate, and then my girl, Mary gave me a run down on the SLR camera before my upcoming trip to meet my adorable baby.. WOOHOOO.  So I played for a bit today with my little twirps.  I like this one, Mina laughing at the silly faced kids. This is a photo that( for those of you who are photographically savvy, I am sure you are not impressed, but since I am a newbie) I love that Jack is all focused and adorable and Kobi & Mina are crawling around in the background all fuzzy like..  

Ok, I love these next photos, because I was just sitting in the back trying to figure out all the buttons on my new camera,,, and in the matter of 3 minutes I simply capture all of these smiles.. I have never seen a person or child that smiles with this much of their face,  I bet her toes are smiling.. and she was just playing with a simple beach ball and the dog..  Seriously, If you can look at these photos and not crack a smile... 

We have our dates!!

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Yippeeeee!!!, We just got word that we received our Travel Approval from China.  We are requesting our dates tonight, as soon as they are confirmed we can book our flights!  We are asking to leave in 2 weeks.  Hold on Baby, we are coming!  So stinkin' excited!!!! 

Happy Easter!

My baby requested Sushi for her B-day dinner, since her actual birthday fell on Easter we ended up making sushi for the family last night.. Quite the labor of love,  but my 7 year old daughter can make her own sushi roll from beginning to end.  We spend 3 hours yesterday rockin' out to Ta*lor Swift, her fave, and making California rolls, her 2nd fave.  I have so much fun with this kid!  As much as it pains me to be losing my baby girl, I can't wait to see what an awesome woman she is going to be.  

Yesterday

Kobi had her birthday party at the house yesterday,  we rented a bounce house for her and her friends,, but couldn't resist taking WAY too many photos of the kids before the party got started. 

The kids had a candy hunt, picking through the hay.. definitely an good party game, the kids loved it and it was super simple to pull off from a Mommy perspective too.

Anyone recognize this horrible contraption, you can read all about it HERE... definitely NOT worth the Mommy effort on this one.. Still the kids liked it, and I liked seeing it get demolished!

Right after her party we had to get to church, here we are looking a bit frazzled and rough for an Easter church service, but a photo of all of us together is priceless.. so here it is. It looks so incomplete to me.. I want my Finnnnnnnnnn!!!!!

Had to color our Easter Eggs, so fun.  I have to become inspired to make a bunch of deviled eggs or egg salad this afternoon.  I think it must be a sin to throw out that many eggs, but after watching this whole mess go down.. the last thing I want to do is consume these bad-boys... (The guy in the gray is James, he's our buddy that lives down the street.  I love this boy like one of my own... he loves getting in on our messes,,, he even showed up this morning 3o minutes after our egg hunt, what teenage boy wakes up and gets ready and is at your house at 8:00a.m. to look for eggs, ON A SUNDAY.  He about broke my heart, he thought for sure we wouldn't be out and done before 8:00a.m.  I almost called Mr. Easter Bunny and had him re-hide eggs so he could go and search for them.)  
Last year we were in Beijing on Easter Sunday,  we held Mina in our arms for the very first time the next day, on Monday.. This morning marked the last of the first's, as far as holidays go for Mina... bittersweet.  

I have been having fun with my new schmancy camera,  How handsome is my guy?  I had to throw random objects at him to get a genuine smile, otherwise he is a big cheeseball... He looks all growed up.. My baby... he's gonna kill me.
Kobi's birthday is this weekend, we got to paint the "spirit rock" in front of her school.  She has been waiting for this.  Girl is all about the process,  she is not one for surprises she much rather be in on it..  She is having more fun planning her party and getting things ready than she will have at the actual party.. That is just my girl, the process is the point.  

She is just a little proud of her masterpiece.. Note to self, next time bring paint and a brush,,, I think we all developed carpal tunnel and went through 15 cans of spray paint.. 

This has probably been a long time coming,, I have been coveting a new fancy pants camera, I know, I am ashamed to admit it. Now with our big upcoming trip to China to finally hold Finn for the first time, the trip where I am purposely selfishly rerouting our travel for the soul purpose of a photo op of both of my girls on the Great Wall of China. I went over to my girlfriends house today and messed with her fancy pants camera for all of 7 minutes.. I was SOLD!  So I finally caved and my new camera should be here in 5-7 business days!  I am soooooo excited! 

What do I do with this child's hair? I am at a loss? It is usually hidden under a hat? April Fool's, I am already mourning the day that my kids don't get such a kick out of simple stuff like making and serving dirt cups for desert on April Fool's day.  They thought they were SO funny when they passed these puppies out.  We all "eeeewwwwe 'd and grrrooooosss'd" and pitched fits because they wanted us to eat dirt.  Mina was a bit freaked out and wouldn't eat it... Someday they are going to think their Mommy's sooo lame, but right now I am a rockstar because I let them eat pudding, cookies and gummy worms in the same sitting...Oh, if it could just stay this easy....Layer number one in the first suitcase.  I am savoring my packing because I know the more prepared I am for our trip the more my arms will ache to hold my precious daughter.  The only thing that keeps me sane is my outrageous To-Do list! 

Weekend Warriors

I don't know why I love to take photos of Mina's serious side.  Maybe it's because we don't see much of it.  She is usually always happy, bouncy or fiesty, but rarely serious.  

My girls and I did a triathlon relay today, we had a really fun morning.  None of us take ourselves or our sport seriously so it makes for a great time and lots of motivation.  Thanks girls.  

Can you spot the complete deceit in this photo? Bragging rights if you find it.  No cheating. 

We love spring! 

Why I am a blog slacker...

It's crazy 'round here.  With all the excitement of our upcoming trip to China, I pulled out all my suitcases yesterday and started refining my packing list.    I can't wait to start throwing all the clothes and goodies in.  I have a feeling fed-ex "black-listed" my address after I chased this poor unsuspecting guy into the street to get his photo when he delivered our LOA.  He made no attempt to look at me with a straight-face when I gave the envelope back to him and started snapping his photo.  He surely thought I was nuts when I began telling him that his photo would forever be in my daughter's baby book.  He was a man of few words, and he made me feel like a complete and utter lunatic.He did manage to cop a smile while I clicked his photo.  I guess I should have told him I would be posting his photo on the Internet for the 10 people who read my blog??? Oh, well, sorry. Mina and her buddy Mia making cupcakes for "Mina day", she got to do all her favorite things, Hang with her best bud, make cupcakes, and eat noodles until she nearly popped. It was fun and simple. She has asked me every day since if today is her special day, I think she is in it for the cupcakes. 

(why does my head look outrageously large in this photo?) Oh, the joy of parenting teenagers.  One second you love them to pieces & your beaming with pride and the next, well.... I came to the grueling realization that in about 10 years we will have 4 teenagers at the very same time living under our roofs. I hope I can get though it without therapy, or better yet, I hope THEY can get through it without therapy.  This poor kid thinks his Mama is the ONLY Mom who is so tough.  Like the time I packed up his ENTIRE room, clothes, tv, video games, cell phone, I-pod, posters, papers EVERYTHING other than 4 days worth of clothes. I kept all his belonging for 3 months, because he threw a salami sandwich on my front lawn. (oh and he ate the sandwich for dinner too)  Yeah, but that was a year ago and I have never had to get all crazy since, well not until this week.  So I would feel bad about posting this, that is if I knew he would see it, but since he won't be privy to any electronic device for sometime, I'm not skeered.  If anyone needs their car washed or house painted for free, let me know, he is in need of keeping busy. He knows I love him though, He always tells me that he is my favorite.  

I love this little character.  She has let go of her puppy hat the last few days, only wearing it here and there.  Now she says "rina-rina" because she wants to dress like a ballerina.  So floppin' cute! 

"Mina Day"

A year ago today....
It has been the best year of my life. 

Day 87!  Holy Cow we are crazy happy right now.   China here we come.  We have to wait a few more weeks for our Travel Approval, but this is the big one.  We will be in China in May!  

YIIIIIPPPPEEEEEEEEEE. 

I know I'm the Mommy, but seriously, How cute are my girls????

She didn't get the nickname Mama-two for nothing..  She loves being a big sister and loves doing anything Mommy does.  Mina has no problem with my 2nd string Mommy.  I don't know what I would do without her.   

Day 76 waiting for our Letter of Approval from China, and I am growing old and weary of waiting.  I am really in need of some progress here.  Once we get our LOA, we will probably travel about 6 weeks after that.  Mama's coming baby,  hang on!!!