Hat Day

Monday is hat day at school.  I ignored the flyer to begin with, but after talking with some PTA moms, I realized this is a big deal and we had to participate.  Our project was to pick a new vocabulary word and display it on a hat.  So...did we do a good job???  Can you tell me what scarehead, scrutator and lepidopterophobia mean???  There will a hat parade on Monday with prizes being awarded in the afternoon.

If It's Good Enough for Jaelyn

I wanted a bed for Gracie's crate, but they are so expensive.  I didn't want to spend that kind of money until she's older and we know what size or type she likes.  For now, I bought an eight dollar egg crate for a bed and a seven dollar fleece throw (someone told me dogs love to snuggle down in fleece).  I cut the egg crate to size and sewed the blanket into a removable cover.  Jaelyn says it's very soft and snugglie.  I think Gracie Mae will love it.

 In just a week or so, we'll have a puppy!

Report Cards and School Stuff

Moving to a new school has been an adjustment for all of us.  I had a lot of concerns at the beginning of the year.  I wasn't sure about the teachers or class sizes or curriculum.  I started volunteering in September.  I'm at school two days a week and work in each childs' classroom for a couple of hours.  It's given me a chance to get to know the administration, the teachers, the students and I must admit, I'm really happy with our school.  It's tiny.  There are only 14 classrooms total. 

Jaelyn's teacher has given me a book club reading group.  We'll finish our first book next week and then the kids and I will pick our next book.  It's exciting for me.  I'm finally using my education, but on my terms.  I never want to teach in a classroom setting again, but I love the one on one and small group time.  It reminds me of my tutoring days when I was in college. 

Allie's teacher has me come in during center time.  I do something different with the kids every time I'm there.  I also get to work with all the kids in her class.  Allie has struggled the most with making friends.  I feel like I have more insight into helping her navigate the social issues of school. 

To begin with, Caden didn't want me working in his class because he gets too sad when I have to leave.  I talked to his teacher and we decided I'd come in the afternoon and help till he goes to free play at the end of the day.  He's having no trouble when I leave which makes me happy.  The tears have always been so hard for me to handle.  Caden's teacher usually has me helping one on one with her kids.  I understand why Caden used to come home unhappy, telling me how mean his teacher is, but his class is so bad, if I were his teacher, I'd be yelling everyday too.  That said, his class is really cool.  His teacher has gestures and sayings for everything she teachers them.  I really like some of the things she does.  Her students may not follow the rules, but they sure can tell them to you :).  About six of the kids (Caden included) have gold bars on their desks.  They are the "good kids."  Thankfully, when the bad ones are in the trouble, she rewards the good ones for their behavior.  The goal is for everyone to have earned a gold bar by the end of the year, but I truthfully don't see that happening with a few of the kids.

I really like the curriculum at our school.  I hated the math curriculum at Emmorton.  English was non-existent.  They took a more whole language approach.  My kids could write sentences, but they didn't know the difference between a noun or a verb.  It's so nice to finally see them learning those things.

Report cards and parent conferences were Thursday night.  They have the students lead the conferences here.  I liked that the kids explained what they've learned and showed us how well they had learned it.  The teachers were there to answer questions, but they did a good job of standing back and letting the kids be responsible. I'm thrilled with the report cards.  Jaelyn made As and 1 B in Language Arts (did a mention all this "English" stuff is new to her).  Allie had As and Bs in reading and Math.  Caden had Ms for mastered with a S for satisfactory in Spelling.  This is the first year Caden has had spelling tests.  He also started out the year hardly able to write.  His writing has improved drastically.  Not only is he writing more and writing quickly, he's making his letters correctly so you can read what he's written.  Anyway, I said all that to explain his B (when he could verbally spell the words).  I expect to see all Ms from him next quarter.

Yesterday was a vacation day so I took the kids to Springfield to Chick-Fil-A to celebrate their good reports.  I'm not sure I believe in paying kids for good grades, but they've worked so hard.  I wanted to reward them and more importantly, have them motivated for the hundred and sixty mile drive, so I paid them $1 for every A or M on their report card.  We had a really fun day shopping and eating (can you say CFA, Krispy Creme and Chipotle???) with a minimal amount of whining about the car ride.

A Room Divided

Do your kids like each other?  Mine don't really.  They play okay some of the time, but the rest, they fight.  It's no fun.  The girls have always shared a room.  Jaelyn does not like sharing with Allie, but she also doesn't want to be alone at night.  I can't tell you how many times I've threatened to play musical rooms, but I haven't followed through because three rooms of furniture is a lot to move by myself and Jaelyn would just whine and cry at night.  I've been looking for a divider to break their room into two seperate spaces so they could be together but apart.  If we had an Ikea close, I know exactly what I'd buy (if only my crystal ball had been working before we moved).  Anyway, I finally struck gold yesterday.  I drove to Rolla (30 miles) to a bookstore.  Lost in the Woods Missouri doesn't have one and our library is closed for the next month for new carpet.  While I was there, I did a little wandering.  I discovered the JC Penneys that I thought was a home store is actually a clothing store.  Yea.  I also stopped by Big Lots and I was thrilled when I saw this pink 3 panel room divider clearanced!  Score!

The view from Allie's bed

The view from Jaelyn's bed

I secured it to the wall, but I'm also going to make little feet to give it more stability.  This morning I called a Big Lots in Springfield and found another one clearanced.  They are holding it for me till Friday.  When I hinge the two together, we should have the perfect divided space!  The kids are out of school so we are taking a road trip whether they like it or not.  I'm sure the promise of Chick-Fil-A and Toys R Us will help win them over to the idea!

Our First House Guests

We were so excited to have Dan's family come visit us this weekend.  It was a whirlwind trip for them. They drove a day and a half, spent 2 days with us and are driving a day and a half home.  Originally, Dan's Mom and Nana were coming.  Then Dan's Dad decided to come.  Finally our nephew Caleb had a few days off from school so we surprised the kids.  I wish I had thought to video the reaction when Caleb and I picked the kids up from school on Friday.  Allie ran to him screaming and threw herself into his arms.  It was priceless.  Caden was equally excited, but Jaelyn was very nonchalant with a "oh, hi Caleb."  She's so funny.

Friday evening, we played at our house.  The kids had a great Nerf war.

Jaelyn even used Nana as a defense shield.  It didn't stop Daddy from shooting at her though.  Poor Nana was stuck in the crossfire.  She didn't mind.  I think she loved sitting back and watching the commotion.

Grandmother, Caden and Granddaddy

Saturday morning we took everyone to Happy Hollow to throw rocks in the river and play on the playground.  It was a beautiful fall day.

Caden and Granddaddy

Caden and Caleb

My Monkey showed off her skills on her bars while Grandmother looked on.

Nana and her little buddy

After Happy Hollow, we drove up to Miller's Cave.  I was impressed that Larry hiked down with us.  Caleb had a few falls, but he did it! :)

Jaelyn and I walked a little bit down a different path to discover Sadie Cave.  It is indeed closed up tightly as people had told us.

As soon as fall rolls around, Dan is always insistent I get pumpkins so we can carve them.  It's a big deal to him.  This year, he kept reminding me to buy them so "Dad could carve them with the kids."  I always thought it was so important to him because it was a cherished childhood memory - wrong.  It's important to him because it was a memory missed.  Larry says he's never carved a pumpkin, until Saturday, that is.  I'm thrilled to report that Dan now has a memory of carving pumpkins with his dad.  The funny thing is for this "kids oriented activity," the kids were in the living room watching cartoons.

After a yummy lunch at Ruby Tuesday's, the family is on the road heading home.  Thank you so much for coming.  We loved having you and would love to have you visit again some time.

A New Fashion Accessory

A few weeks ago, Allie told me she couldn't see the board in school so off to the eye doctor we went.  {Tangent, I did not know Tricare covered one eye exam a year.  No one has ever told me.  I've never read it in the Tricare book and yes, I have read most of the Tricare book.  Thank you to the wonderful nurse that told me.  I've been paying for my own eye exams for the last 15 years when I didn't have to.  Arghh.}  Anyway, I was shocked as I sat and watched Allie read the eye chart with her right eye.  She couldn't see it until she got to the line below the big E.  Her left eye has been compensating for her right.  Of course, the left eye can not see up close so the right eye has been returning the favor and helping it out in reading.  Crazy girl and crazy eyes.  Dr. B said it is very uncommon.  He had a name for it, but I don't remember.  The only tihng that's important is that Allie got to pick out really cool purple glasses that she loves and she can now see!

Last Lunch

Something Good!

Back Next Week

Crazy week...that's the only way I can describe it.  I've volunteered everyday at the kids' school.  There have been doctor and dentist appointments and a science rain forest diorama to complete.  In between, I've tried to pick up my house and feed my family.  I don't think I've stopped except when I've been sitting in the car line to pick the kids up in the afternoon.  Today's agenda is to finish cleaning because we have company coming to visit.  I'll be back next week to tell you all about it and about Allie's new accessory - I can't believe I've never blogged about it.

Meet GracieDoodle

We've picked our puppy. She will be five weeks old tomorrow. We can get her in three more weeks!

Alone With No Person

Dan left yesterday morning for his first TDY from Ft. Leonard Wood.  With him here, I don't worry about the what-ifs of emergencies, but with him gone...there's no one here.  I've met people that I would consider acquantances, but no one that I can call a friend yet.  It's a little unsettling to not have a go to person that I can call at midnight when Allie is coughing up blood requiring a trip to the ER in an ambulance.  So, yeah, that's not going to happen again, but you know what I mean.  Would you say a little prayer for us as we survive our week without Dan?  Pray for "a person" for us for his next TDY.

My Car - The Travel Bug

Look what Dan bought me!!!  My car is officially a travel bug.  How cool is that? If you don't know what that means, check out geocaching.com.  It's such a great family oriented activity.  I had to mark out the code because you have to find my car to get credit, not just look at the picture on my blog.  Be on the look-out.  Dan told me he read a story of someone having a travel bug tattoed on his leg.  That's a tad extreme!

Lake of the Ozarks

October is turning out to be a fun month. 

We had a four day weekend for Columbus Day so we took the kids camping at Ft. Leonard Wood's LORA (Lake of the Ozark's Recreation Area).  The weather was absolutely perfect, highs in the 80s, lows in the 50s.  I know most people camp in the summer, but we are spring and fall campers.   

Someone told me there are 300 miles of coastline.  It's an odd looking lake, isn't it? 

We set up our camp and finished dinner just in time to walk to the water and watch the sun set Friday night. 

With tent camping, we normally have a "rustic site" which means we have running water.  It was only $5 more a night and they weren't booked up so we got an RV site which had running water AND...ELECTRICITY.  Pure awesomeness - especially since my dear husband has sleep apnea and sleeps with a c-pap machine.  Without it, he snores like a sick walrus.  We LIKED electricity.

There will be no marshmallow pilfering before it's time!

My mini- me.  Jaelyn loves her camera as much as I love mine.

Caden scored on driftwood.  He had a gun, a crutch and a staff.  And the best part, driftwood is hard so it doesn't break as easily.

Jaelyn and her frog.  They were everywhere hopping on the rocks.

The worst part of camping to me is bedtime (and the 2 a.m. bathroom runs with Jaelyn).  The last camping trip was horrible with crying and fighting.  This time, we brought our 3 cots.  They take up a lot of room, but the kids went to sleep nicely each night playing DSs or listening to Ipods because they each had their own space.

 Saturday, we decided to drive up to Osage Beach to see A Dolphin Tail.  If you haven't seen that movie, GO!  It was wonderful.  I want to go see it again.  While we were there, we also got to do some shopping...Yea!

Sunday, we rented a pontoon to take the kids on the water.  Apparently our kids have been deprived as this was their first boat ride.  It was so much fun.  Dan let the kids take turns driving.  We had about 8 miles of lake we were allowed to explore. 

Jaelyn liked going the fastest. She laughed and laughed when she figured out how to cross another boat's wake to make us bounce in the water.

It is a really pretty lake.  The leaves are starting to change.  It's going to be beautiful in a few weeks.  I wouldn't want to be out here in the summer though because I bet it's filled with boats flying around.  It would be kind of scary to me.  I like rules, lanes and traffic lights!

Around the camp, we rode bikes, played in the hammock, threw horse shoes and just basically hung out together.

Dan, Jaelyn and I played frisbee with 3 frisbees.  That was fun. 

And no campout would be complete without a fire, marshmallows and s'mores.

We have a weekend off this weekend and then we are getting visitors the following weekend. I learned this morning that there might be a tag-along.  But shhhhh, don't tell the kids.  It's a surprise.  We are excited!

Best Blog Post Ever

Click here to read the best blog entry I've ever read.

Did you read it?  If not, it's safe to follow I promise, follow the link and read it.  Shannae has been officially approved to receive the enzyme replacement therapy that she needs to save her life.  It's just the first step in a lifetime of treatment, but she got approved!!  Would you please keep praying?  I can only imagine how bittersweet this is...to know your daughter will get what she needs, but to have to watch her go weekly for the rest of her life.  You don't want your child to have to go through that, but at the same time, THANK THE LORD, that there is a treatment.  We are jumping up and down and praying with you, Sandi!!!!

Silver Dollar City and Long Lost Friends

I've been looking forward to this weekend since we got that nasty phone call that told us we were going to be lost in the woods for two years.  I'll back up and tell you about Becky and Denise.  I "met" Denise on-line about ten years ago on Hannah's Prayer, an online infertility ministry.  We walked through primary infertility together and eventually adopted from the same region and orphanage in Russia.  I was so blessed to get to meet Denise right before our adoption, but I haven't seen her since.  I can't really tell you when I "met" Becky.  I know it was sometime between the adoption of her two children; so maybe seven or eight years.  I "know" a lot of women online through HP and Becky has been on my top ten to meet for a long time.  Both Denise and Becky are awesome Christian women who ooze God out of their pores.  They are fun and outgoing.  It was just what I needed.

We met them in Branson at Silver Dollar City on Saturday morning.  It was so amazing to see Denise standing there looking for us.  It's awesome that through technology, I have built such good friendships.  We know each other inside and out, yet we hardly ever, if ever, get to see each other.  I was helping Allie get seconds at the buffet for lunch, when I met Becky over the pudding.  I heard "Hi Kelly."  Fun.  Even though it's the first time I've met Becky in person and the second for Denise, it was like we'd known each other forever, because we have.  We've walked the last decade together through so much junk.  There was none of that weird akwardness of meeting someone for the first time.

Our kids all got along fabulously.  Between our infertile families, we have seven children ages six to nine, six of which are adopted.  We took the kids on just about every ride in the park and only left on Saturday because the park was closing.  That night, the kids swam at the hotel pool while we waited for pizza.  We let the kids eat in one room (adjoining) and the adults got to eat and catch up in another.  Denise's husband, Heath, came, but Becky's was drilling (Active National Guard).  I'm hoping we can meet Becky's family to camp in the spring.  Becky had to go home early on Sunday, but the rest of us headed to the park again for another day of rides.  Going home was hard.   There might have been tears, but we have season passes now so we can meet our friends again anytime we want!!!

Ok, pictures...there are lots.  Deal with it.

Becky, Denise and Kelly

Will, Kaden, Abby, Allie, Jaelyn, Elaina, and Caden

The giant swings were so much fun.

Who doesn't love the teacups?  Well, Dan!  I got in trouble for taking pictures during the ride, but it was worth it to capture those smiles.

That Dumbo is one scary ride!

It was so much fun, we almost couldn't stand it.

Our favorite ride.  Abby calls it the sombrero, but that's not it's really name.  I bet we rode it 8 times.

The girls of Toliatti - Abby was a couple months old when we were there adopting the girls.  Abby's brother Will was in another orphanage in the same region.

Love this picture!

Jaelyn ran into a tree, don't ask, and got tree burn on her forehead.

Abby and Allie getting ready to ride the Powder Keg - our favorite-ist roller coaster at the park!



What's a day at a park without a funnel cake!!!

Caden and Will loved shooting targets in the flooded mine.

So, did we have fun or what????