Cara's World

Day 30

2011-07-03T22:02:00.000-04:00

My sexy husband! And a little fun with Picnik!

Day 29

2011-07-03T21:57:00.000-04:00

Another photograph. A pig...roasting, um, pig. Excuse the irony.

Day 28

2011-07-03T21:55:00.000-04:00

A photograph.

Day ???

2011-07-03T21:52:00.000-04:00

I found a huge bag of Girl Scout badges! Eureka! I can't wait to see what comes of these!

Day 27

2011-07-03T21:35:00.001-04:00

Soooo...had what seems to be 800 little square "inchies" and finally NEEDED to do something...Going to add a few more embellishments when I get back home, but pretty good so far.

And, since it is July 3, obviously I haven't kept up but dang determined to finish!

Day 26

2011-07-03T21:34:00.000-04:00

Day 25

2011-07-03T21:33:00.001-04:00

Day 24

2011-07-03T21:33:00.000-04:00

Day 23

2011-07-03T21:32:00.000-04:00

Day 22

2011-07-03T21:31:00.001-04:00

Day 21

2011-06-24T20:53:00.000-04:00

I'm catching up! Refashioned shorts from pants (for Talia.)

Day 20

2011-06-24T20:50:00.000-04:00

Labeled the washing power! Cute!

day 19 part 2

2011-06-24T20:49:00.001-04:00

And here is my magnetic pin box...

Day 19

2011-06-24T20:48:00.002-04:00

A little bit of envy made me start this project. All the cool sew-ers have a magnetic pin cushion... I didn't want to pay nearly 20.00 for that, so I got busy. Ally's pin bowl (not practical but cute) got a magnet in the bottom and a felt top for spillage. Yay, me!

Day 18

2011-06-24T20:45:00.001-04:00

I know I am not the first person to think of this, but I saw online that there was a "cordless" speaker available for purchase at the Apple store...it was an "attractive" glass thingy...I thought...I sweated (not really, well, not from this project) and tried a glass bowl. It is amazing the increase in volume! Amazing...and free. And I'm using my dessert bowls.

Day 17

2011-06-24T20:35:00.000-04:00

Pudding popsicles...Made with Kate, the almost 2 year old.

Day 16-Or cheese on...

2011-06-21T21:26:00.000-04:00

Looks quite cheesy-but semi sweet (secretly throwing up in my mouth as I say that). Traced my hand, Ta's hand and K's hand. Stuck them together....You get it. Again an idea spawned from Pinterest, my BFF.

Day 15

2011-06-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

I'm so close to catching up I can't stand it! These are jars I covered with purty paper. Inside is baking soda and lavender essential oil. According to the tutorial I found, on Pinterest cha cha cha, all I need to do is shake it and my room is refreshed. Course I didn't bother to check how much of either I needed to use...so I made 3 with three different amounts of the baking soda and lavender. So, I shall shake and smell.

Day 14

2011-06-18T09:23:00.001-04:00

Yes, I am wearing the same shirt-two different days! Not really. Just trying to have a huge craft-a-thon to get caught up to day 18...Oh, and I MADE this from fabric that was on a bolt just 24 hours before! This thing has 8 panels that are sewed together, a waist band, finished edges (re:looks good!) and a hem. All in 6 hours. Last time I sewed a garment was, um, 1993. So watch out-Cara's back! And with a cute skirt.

Day 13

2011-06-18T09:22:00.000-04:00

This was a dress (picture one trying to recreate the "it's a dress concept" and I made it into a flowy little skirt....(I asked the photographer to not take my head...but I'm too lazy to do the same cropping for the first.)

Focus

2011-06-15T21:55:00.001-04:00

Focus, originally uploaded by RedHandedCara.

Had to add the pic of Kate. Little stinker. Was drawing a picture of her "shirt" and a "duck."

Day 12?

2011-06-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

Day 11

2011-06-13T21:34:00.000-04:00

A photo for Day 11...

Day 9 and 10

2011-06-13T21:02:00.000-04:00

These are my next two creations....My saute I make with wahtever veggies are on hand...I think this has purple and white cabbage, squashm mushrooms, onion, an acorn squash (I think), banana peppers and zucchini from my garden. Yum!

And this! Zucchini lasagna! Found the recipe at http://italiandish.squarespace.com/imported-20090913150324/2009/2/11/my-moms-zucchini-lasagna.html and it is delicious!

day 8

2011-06-09T10:38:00.002-04:00

Day 6

2011-06-09T10:38:00.000-04:00

Blackberry died....This was about all I did this day.

Day 7

2011-06-09T10:36:00.002-04:00

Earrings...and a cool picture, too if I may say so myself.
6-10-11-and now the actual picture.

Day 5?

2011-06-06T21:21:00.002-04:00

This was yesterday's creativity post...Can't. keep. up! Today I filed and discarded piles of papers and magazine articles that have been piling up since January, and some that had been piling up since before then. Tomorrow's "plan" is to do a few more art-like creations, so I have something to post. Oh, this is potato salad with dill. I need to plant more dill because I've made this twice and almost depleted my dill crop.

Day 4

2011-06-05T20:01:00.000-04:00

Day 4 (yesterday) of the 30 days of Creativity...This whole being without electricity for 30 hours is hampering my style! Worked on a little garden arrangement yesterday and snapped a pic with the Blackberryy...best that could be done in these conditions! But I have two clean fridges-freshly purged of all yucky foods thanks to the meltdown. Tomorrow the craft is back on, but today's creation may be the potato salad I am going to make as soon as garden is finished being watered so I can cut some fresh dill.

I now have 3 chairs snatched from the roadside on trashday. All relaxing and being loved in my yard.

30 Days of Creativity-Day 2

2011-06-02T13:37:00.000-04:00

Made two (pretty much identical) bereavement cards. Its hard to see (I actually went outside for better lighting but its midday, so bright everywhere), but its a soft watercolor of the sun rising.

30 Days of Creativity- day 1

2011-06-01T13:23:00.000-04:00

So I made two countdown calendars. Done. Photo quality is lousy because I didn't have enough natural light and no time to run around locating it. Have had to actively resist starting other projects because the art room/girl room needs straightening up as well. So, for now, one project completed. Back to cleaning.

A New Direction...maybe

2011-05-31T20:51:00.000-04:00

Seems this blog was a great outlet for yapping during the waiting period before Kate arrived....and the busyness of two kids has usurped all other creative juices. UNTIL! My summer of not working began! My original plan was to work some (lots) and make some extra money...but that doesn't seem to be in the plan, so, if I must-I shall create! In fact, I've already signed up for quite a bit of creating (what? me? over-commit?) Settle down, now. I have a pretty wicked cold right now so I'm actually starting kinda slow, but I'm on it! Today Ally and I started our 10 week challenge- losing 10 pounds (or more, just setting the bar low.) I've been doing quite a bit of reading and tweaking how I make habits (i.e. eating healthy) stick. So, the plan is itty bitty steps. My first step is eating fruits/veggies at every meal. For 30 days until it becomes a habit, i.e. part of my life. Tomorrow starts the 30 Days of Creativity. Have a tame task for tomorrow-a countdown calendar. But I have a growing list. I can't wait for the garden to finish producing edible stuff so I can create that way, too. Also, Julie and I signed up for a Photo Silly class, too. Just something different. That starts on June 13. So, the plan is lots of posting here!

Finally. I blog.

2011-01-24T13:24:00.000-05:00

It's been since the summer since I actually blogged anything...almost feel I have to type something so I can get back to blogging. Since August ( I just checked.) I've just started back to be a full-time mom and employee. Had a hysterectomy in December (blah blah-everything looked weird-turned out to be endometriosis and cysts that fed estrogen=all bad...so glad that whole shebang is out.) Just back to not needing my parents to be here to take care of Kate...The heaviest I was able to pick up was 5 pounds, and that was weeks 5 and 6.

I am posting my first artist crush..

2010-12-27T20:27:00.001-05:00

Jane Schouten. Just found her today. I've been couch-bound for a few weeks after surgery and have read the internet. This evening I found http://blog.alltheluckintheworld.nl/-her art site, and http://blog.alltheluckintheworld.nl/, her blog. This Christmas tree was what got me to her site and her blog. Collage...found objects...upcycling...design...I <3 it all!!!

(From her blog http://blog.alltheluckintheworld.nl/2010/12/25/this-time-of-the-year/)

and these vases! I heart it all...

(again from her blog- http://blog.alltheluckintheworld.nl/2010/08/14/ongoing/)

Status of the Family-

2010-08-04T13:58:00.000-04:00

So it's been a while since I last posted-again. Seems that here is where I actually can document the kids' milestones. Kate is walking. She started around 11 months taking some steps and was doing some good walking on her birthday. Now its almost a month past her birthday and she is everywhere. We like to call her Little Destructo. From clenched teeth. Kidding. Sometimes. She has an amazing vocabulary. I am trying not to compare her to Talia who spent 10 1/2 months in Russia with no stimulation and had a hearing loss thanks to ear infections for almost a year after she arrived in SC. Kate can say and/or sign yes, more (3 different ways), dada, rain, pretty, sleep, dirty, uh oh, wow, TaTa, JuJu, ball, bottle, cat...I think I'm forgetting things. Notice no mention of mama...She still says "that" when she gets real excited to see me...but nothing else. She is working on thank you and fish now. She ate baby food for a couple of weeks until she realized that we were not eating baby food and she turned her head away from any baby food I tried to give her. So, I cut up a lot of food for her. She eats almost every single food we've introduced. She thiefed some grilled salmon on night and ate it voraciously...loves guacamole...macaroni and cheese...wheat bread..Very strange child.

Talia, on the other hand, who is only 9 pounds heavier that her, eats so very little. We've been trying different things this summer-hoping to get her overall affect improved-sorta a little experimenting as her doctor says. Also Talia is going to the Perceptual Motor Lab at USC where she is getting therapy twice a week for visual perception, balance, fine and gross motor skills, etc. Started a new medicine that we hope can allow us to reduce her Adderal. Hope. She actually swallowed the pill by herself with granddaddy's urging! That was amazing. She is very excited to be a 1st grader, but not to go back to school.

Kate has been sick so often this summer that I feel I haven't gotten anything done,,,finally she got tubes on July 24. Hopefully that will be the end of the infections.

Kate's 1st Birthday part 3

2010-08-04T13:27:00.000-04:00

The Great Grandmothers

Ally's sis and mom

Very weird smoke line...

Ally...perhaps pondering something...perhaps not.

Kate's 1st Birthday part 2

2010-08-04T13:24:00.000-04:00

Bubble meister!

A bit of a break with Nona...

Really, cheese puffs were the biggest hit of the day.

A little Bumbo action.

Kate's 1st Birthday Part 1

2010-08-04T13:21:00.000-04:00

Water attack!

Cupcakes for CupKate!

Bubbles...

NYC Part 3

2010-08-04T12:17:00.000-04:00

Yum...champagne and mango juice.

Central Park

Somewhere. With happy hour prices all night.

Shoes. Really, that's all I can say.

NYC Part 2

2010-08-04T12:13:00.000-04:00

The tourists...

The empanadas!

The silliness...

The signs!

NYC Part 1

2010-08-04T12:11:00.000-04:00

Really...what can I say? The trip was fantastic. We ate. We drank. We walked. We saw so much. There was so much "eye candy" for me...Everywhere was something interesting, or new, or new and interesting. And the food! So many choices!

Tiramisu and coffee in Little Italy.

Getting drenched in Chinatown.

Drinking margaritas in this open air bar in Williamsburg. (I could have watched people walk by for hours!)

Brooklyn Bowl! Who knew? Live shows AND microbrewed beer AND bowling AND people watching?!

Pure Happiness

2010-08-04T12:04:00.000-04:00

She loved it and I loved watching her...and taking pictures of course.

Water Day in our backyard

2010-08-04T12:01:00.000-04:00

Look! Not crying!

Slip and slide...well, walk and maybe slide at some point.

I'm totally using the baby as a shield in the water fight. Bad. Mama.

Retaliating and still taking pictures.

Zoo trip with Atlanta friends!

2010-08-04T11:58:00.000-04:00

Carowinds-Elias' Birthday Part 1

2010-08-04T11:57:00.000-04:00

Carowinds-Elias' Birthday

2010-08-04T11:53:00.000-04:00

Just a cute evening...

2010-08-04T11:45:00.000-04:00

Playing with goggles.

On mother's day

2010-08-04T11:41:00.000-04:00

April Visit to Atlant

2010-08-04T11:39:00.000-04:00

The bottom two pictures were taken by Jantzen..I wanted to remember Talia's missing teeth. About a week before this trip she and I were starting to clean up her bedroom when she tripped and hit her front two teeth on the wooden frame of her bunk bed. Ouch. Much blood and many tears later, we see both teeth are hanging by a root each. It is 5pm on a Friday afternoon. Finally I decide to call her dentist's office and, who knew, there are on-call dentists-even on Easter weekend. So a little laughing gas and three extracted teeth later, we make it back home. (She knocked out 2 teeth but he pulled three because the third was starting to make other teeth move and it was super loose.) Tooth fairy brought her double-$2.00 a tooth. She thought it was the best thing ever. Now its the beginning of August and the top teeth still aren't in all the way.

April Visit to Atlanta

2010-08-04T11:31:00.000-04:00

Hiatus over?

2010-03-03T07:57:00.000-05:00

As if I ever did anything with any regularity or consistency...but wow-not posting since Jan 7! Bad girl. So, minor appologies to the 2 people who ever read this thing :)

Kate has been developing so fast I fear I will forget all the huge milestones she is flying past if I don't put it all here.

First teeth at 4 1/2 months. Been chewing on her hand and stuff (right now its Daddy's smelly sock-nice!) since then but no more teeth. Even so, I still have to throw her on my lap (daily), wrench open her mouth and do a tooth check. She laughs at me. Maybe even scoffs. Nah.

Started rolling over at 6 months. Opps. I'm back. She'd stopped eating the smelly sock and was trying to eat stuff from the carpet. I have my standards! After learning to roll over, the world was her oyster! Rolled here, there and under every where. I'd come back in the room and see a head sticking out under the couch.

In the past 3 weeks she has started crawling. It still isn't up on her knees (I spelled that nees first-ha) but it gets her where she needs to be. At daycare she crawls under the cribs, under chairs, etc. They'll be kicking her out of the infant room soon, to the mobile infants. That whole idea made me a little verklempt until she returned from my mom and dad's house this weekend sitting straight up. Grandma Catherine (and, well, me) almost cried. Our little girl is growing up. It's time.

She can feed herself her bottle. She eats ANYTHING we give her, including avocado (which she stares at the ones I try to selfishly eat until I am forced to be maternal and share), hummus, banana, pasta, and on and on. Sigh. We are trying to teach her to sign more for more food, but I think she is already saying mmmmmm for more. She's been doing that. It actually sounds a little like more now.

And she can clap. And clap at music. And wave. And says her version of "hi." Oh. And has said dada. What do I do when I hear that? Instantly say, "Say mama! Say mama!" Last night at dinner she became a little scientist...Let's see what happens when I throw the towel on the floor...Wow, mom and Talia pick it up. Again and again. Dang little developing monster! Such a doll!

Talia is doing phenomenal at school. Hasn't had her name on the board since she returned after the winter holidays. Her writing has improved 100%. She attends and answers questions in class. She tells me what they do in class. She actually got "Bobcat of the week" last week!!! She and her cousin and 2 other friends also were in a talent show at school and sang "We are the World." I'll post pics soon. We are still having some tantrums at home but I am upping my game and her doctor upped her meds so they'd last longer. So, I'm hopeful. I've just spent the last 4 days reading the. entire. internet. (Mike and I got the horrid stomach virus-me worse than him) and found lots of ideas for streamlining house stuff so I can spend more time with the girls. Mike has been home (sick, too) but it has been so wonderful having him at home at night to talk with, to help with the girls, to put one to bed, to just dialogue with...really very sad that he is returning to health, and work, today.

Off to wake the older beastie! It snowed a tad last night (twice in one year!) and the girls' schools have a 2 hour delay. Hense, I blog and the older one sleeps. Kate-not so much.

Talent show Pic

2010-03-03T07:56:00.000-05:00

4 amigos singing "We are the World."

Snow Day!

2010-03-03T07:55:00.000-05:00

A few pics of the 8 inches of snow we had! Too cool.

Wine Tour!

2010-03-03T07:50:00.000-05:00

Some friends and I went to the Yadkin Valley area and toured FOUR wineries. The second winery gave us 16 wines to taste! Yikes. We had a blast. After the wineries we went to Full Moon, a local restaurant, and had delicious food. Then we slept.

I think I was thinking about the 4 S's of wine tasting...

My sis, the lush.

SIXTEEN!

Them. :)

Mom and Dad's Birthday Celebration

2010-02-03T07:58:00.000-05:00

January Pics

2010-02-03T07:57:00.000-05:00

Meds Update

2010-01-07T19:43:00.002-05:00

So this week has been terrific! I met with a potential IEP team at Talia's school yesterday and had the PT, OT, speech and regular ed teacher there. She was too good to qualify for all, but the OT is weighing one section of tests more heavily than others so she can qualify for OT. The OT will serve her through a 504. I tried to call and get some community based OT to supplement the school therapy. The one place the school's OT recommends has a 25 kid waiting list. I'll try to call other places tomorrow! Anyway, the OT thinks with the lack of touch, nutrients, normal stimulation, etc. that Talia experienced in the orphanage is causing some sensory processing gliches, So, when she is anxious, everything goes in her mouth.
But the most important part of the meeting was her teacher saying that Talia is behaving perfectly! Its been amazing listening to her come home and tell me what she's done that day. 4 days=4 blue faces!

Day and a little rambling

2010-01-04T21:54:00.000-05:00

Talia ate almost the entire mini bagel for breakfast...a container of yogurt and a few goldfish crackers for lunch and I shoved soup down her at dinner. A friend at work has a protein shake that she gives her kid..supposed to taste better than Pedialyte. She had a tremendous day at school, though! Her teacher wrote an entire page of the great day she had. Yay for that! So, we traipse on.

Kate is 6 months old on Wednesday and we have her 6 month checkup on Thursday. She learns so much everyday! I have said it to a few people, but if we'd adopted Kate first, we would not have adopted Talia. I was petrified of an infant. I knew I did not want one. I was devastated when we couldn't adopt internationally for the second child. But, all things for a reason. I LOVE the baby stuff! I don't share night time feedings with Mike because I am stingy! I love kissing her cheeks and rubbing noses. Anyone that knows me is probably yacking because I am NOT this gushy normally. But babies! MY baby. Wow. Love. I also see what we missed with Talia and how remarkable she is without having the first 10 months with us. Tonight I let her sleep in my arms even longer than normal because I didn't want to let her go. Me. These words are coming from me. Again-if you know me-you are fainting from shock.

Day 4

2010-01-03T22:11:00.000-05:00

Really, I'm just posting this for my own recollection later. Yesterday, last day in Atlanta, it took and HOUR AND A HALF to get the medicine in her. Yes, that long. Kicking, screaming, threats (from both of us), bribery, Facebook posts/begs, M&Ms, etc. etc. I finally "hid" the medicine in between pudding and it went down like butter. Only wasted a pill a day...gunna have to explain that to someone at some point. So, the medicine got in her at 9:30am...I almost didn't give it to her, knowing it had a 10-12 hour effective period...But it was fine. Had her strapped in the van for over 5 hours..that'll make anyone ready for bed!

So, today. Did the ole hide-the-medicine-in-the-pudding trick. Down in 10 seconds. Very interesting day, too. After I hounded her to eat a peanut butter and jelly roll up sandwich, she ate nothing else all day until dinner at 7pm. This can't go on more than a week. She is 32 pounds!!! She wanted to start crafting and spent at least 4 hours making paper crafts-mainly little books. Very interesting. Talia has NEVER been able to sit still long enough to do anything...FOUR HOURS, and probably longer, but I didn't count. Too much going on.

So, this is it so far.

Day 2

2010-01-01T13:39:00.001-05:00

Talia was awake until 1am last night and woke up at 6:51am. I finally brought her downstairs at 7:30 for today's dose, which almost didn't get taken. (She swallowed the pill yesterday but couldn't today. Finally put it on yogurt that she also said was impossible to swallow, but eventually did.). Her affect is better today but eating still stinky. All day-only 2 mini pancakes. All day. Again, just needed to vent. Will this get better?

What a long, strange trip its been...being...

2009-12-31T19:12:00.002-05:00

So, among other things with which I've been dealing, Talia has been struggling at school. Her entire kindergarten day is spent unfocused and inattentive. She hunts for things in the carpet. She wanders off while heading to lunch. She chews her sleeves. The only way she can get her work done is if an adult sits with her. So after visits with the teacher and a community psychologist, we've diagnosed her with ADHD and today she started Adderol. Heaven help me. She already is a tiny, thin girl that only wears a size 4, and all she's had today is half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and 3 1/2 chicken nuggets. I've been counting. I've been watching her in hyperfocus today. I should be carrying around a scientific journal in which to document her behaviors. Everything she has done today I've viewed through the Adderol lens. For the past two hours she's carried around one of Liam's shoes asking him if he wants Lightning McQueen. Over and over and over. She hasn't laughed all day. Its only day one. I'm trying to remember that.

State Fair 09

2009-11-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

These black and whites made the fair more eerie than normal...

State Fair 09

2009-11-01T08:44:00.000-05:00

Sate Fair 09!

2009-11-01T08:41:00.002-05:00

If Kate had more mobility, she'd be eating that corndog!

Fisk french fries!

More pics at http://www.flickr.com/photos/28380864@N06/

Sidewalk City

2009-11-01T07:38:00.000-05:00

Kids had a blast drawing a city on our driveway...Oh, you know my name is Simon...and the things I draw come true...

Burp clothes' fun continues!

2009-11-01T06:32:00.000-05:00

Really not sure why this amuses me so much...

Walk for Life

2009-11-01T06:29:00.000-05:00

We're last. Last. Last. Last.

Bath Time

2009-11-01T06:28:00.000-05:00

First bath with a camera handy...and another hand to take it!

Like a freight train..

2009-10-24T20:44:00.000-04:00

Life. Moving. fast. Been 5-6 weeks since I last touched this page. Yikes. Kate just rolled over! I figured I had to document it somewhere! 3 1/2 months old. Left her watching the Gamecocks and went to check on Talia and came back...on her tummy. Time's a'flying!

So...last 6 weeks. Talia's Gotcha day # 5 was Oct. 12. We were going to the fair on Oct 15 but it was monsooning. So we went this week (pictures to follow). Talia had the H1N1 flu, of course, since everything goes in her mouth. She missed a week of school, and then she gifted it to Kate. So then I missed a week of work. Both girls are better now. My father-in-law was at work and some uber-enormous water pressure knocked off the nozzle of the hose he was holding and it slammed into his chin, breaking everything. Actually, splintered the TMJ joints and disintegrated the chin. He now has a metal plate in lieu of his chin (looks perfect) and mouth wired shut. Doctor hopes the splintered joints will reform and reconstruction surgery will not be necessary. Ow. Ow. Ow. I whine when I have jaw pain from sinus problems. Ow. Ow. Ow. But he's doing awesome. What else? A couple of other sad events. My favorite cousin from Louisiana lost her husband. I feel lost as to what to say. We've lost touch for the better part of 20 years and Facebook just got us back together. I can't stop thinking about her and wishing I knew what to say. I have learned just to say something, rather than nothing because you aren't sure.

Lemme go get some pictures posted....

Body Art

2009-09-06T21:42:00.000-04:00

So, we've been promising that the kids could do some face painting. Actually weeks ago I brought it to the parents' house and it never was used. So, for 2 days the kids whined about face painting. I, in true democratic style, asked the kids if they wanted to swim in the lake for a short time or do face painting, assuming of course they would choose face painting. Yes, wrong. So Talia and Elias went to the lake and Bella and I, then Julie, started painting. LUCKILY I did not paint my face because the purple and the pinks are not washing off. Lower calf is rather strangely decorated. But we had a blast.

Orange washed off. Dark pink did not. Just imagine.

Our Bugs

2009-09-06T21:35:00.000-04:00

I am more and more amazed each day as I see more and more creatures in our yard (not all welcome). We have salamanders (including a baby) and a turtle, birds and squirrels, fireflies, wasps, mosquitoes, frogs, praying mantisis (not sure of the plural) and on and on.

This was a beautiful web, which of course I tried to photograph, but the sun was in the wrong place, as was the web. This was as good as I could get.

Wow. Huge. An an inch from getting inside my house. And eating us.

Umbrella Party

2009-09-06T21:32:00.000-04:00

So, for whatever reason, the kids have always loved playing with Talia's umbrellas. E and Bella have recently earned an umbrella each for their good behavior. Elias has held that umbrella each second he was not in school. So, I guess, it was only fitting that we had an Umbrella Party on Wednesday afternoon. I am still not sure what transpired at the "party," but the 3 kids ran around and acted like, well, kids.

Catching Up-July 15-more home arrival pics

2009-08-30T09:46:00.000-04:00

Catching up-July 15-Arrival home!

2009-08-30T09:43:00.000-04:00

I was explaining that there was going to be lots of excited people at the house that would be holding and kissing her. She said, "oooh."

Heat killed the welcome home balloons.

Talia meets Kate for the first time.

And Grandma meets Kate for the first time.

Catching up-July 13th-Last night in Hot Springs

2009-08-30T09:40:00.000-04:00

We found this delicious Mexican restaurant. It has beautiful murals on the walls and these ornate chairs (you can kinda see one behind mom in the second picture). We feasted on delicious food-so much more delicious than we expected to find. Even had a guacamole/green pepper dip that came with the chips. Yum.

Even Kate got into the act-8 days old and hogging the chips!

Zoo Date

2009-08-30T09:32:00.000-04:00

Some of you know that my biggest challenge with two kids (so far and right now) is bedtime. Talia LOVES her baby sister, but is struggling with the massive reduction of exclusive mom/Talia time. That manifests at bedtime. She may also be afraid Kate and I will do something that she will miss. Bedtime is a nightmare some days. It is also Kate's fussy time. Not colic fussy, but just your regular fussy. Talia switches back and forth from having a fit to her tummy is hurting so much she "is going to die!" The most recent behavior modification technique (remember I am a special educator...I have techniques) is to let her earn time with me by going and staying in bed. Each time she gets out to tell me about a phantom pain, she loses minutes. (Thanks, Fred Jones). This week was the first trial of the most recent attempt at control of the 5 year old. We were working towards time at the zoo. She earned 1 hr and 27 minutes. Much better than last week. She earned the full time on Thursday evening after the zoo, then has spent the weekend with the grandparents, so no idea what tonight will bring.

So, we get to the zoo, see the flamingoes and then....

Owen and Christian!!! This is the fallout after Ring around the Rosy (yes, that was random.)

They totally made the trip 50 times more fun.

Still learning

2009-08-30T09:17:00.001-04:00

So, some of you know I took a class at MTC about photography. So, since the class was talk, talk, talk, I've spent the 6+ months since figuring things out. Actually its been a great little process...tweaking, manipulating, etc. My new trick is changing the white balance. This is within a few minutes of each other, the second one being after I changed to "cloudy." Going to embark on a photoshoot of Kate today to see if I can get a couple of good shots without taking her to a photo studio at the mall.

Sweet kids

2009-08-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

Quality time with Poppie

2009-08-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

And of course I had to take pictures!

Family Fun

2009-08-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

Beth's surprise 50th birthday party...

Saluda Splash

2009-08-30T08:57:00.000-04:00

End of summer blow out...Okay, well, a couple of hours running through water features...

The rogue bluejay that made himself at home and stole an almond we brought for snack. Bad birdie.

Bad Mommy

2009-08-30T08:53:00.000-04:00

I photograph everything...

Hair Attack!

2009-08-30T08:52:00.000-04:00

The ONE day she wants hair accessories, this is what she asks for...

Cuteness

2009-08-30T08:36:00.000-04:00

Girls in Yellow

2009-08-30T08:35:00.000-04:00

One picture

2009-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:00

Kate's first outing with shoes! Sweetness!

Friend Fiesta 1

2009-08-09T21:34:00.000-04:00

So Julie's church had a mother-daughter-friend service on Sunday night. Julie was the guest speaker-oh, la la! It was Fiesta night. Mexican food and entertainment. Julie had a great speech.

Kate...slept through everything.

The entertainment. I took over 100 pictures, trying to capture the movement of their dresses.

Ta. Cute.

Kate and her visitors

2009-08-09T21:28:00.000-04:00

a So dad isn't a visitor, but she sleeps so well with dad! Of course, Sara has to butt in.

Mrs. Amelia...waiting to meet her baby! Expected any day.

Best picture! With Ms. Emilee.

Tia Julie. Can't. Get. Enough.

2 weeks and counting!

2009-07-21T21:09:00.000-04:00

So we've been home 7 days now. We arrived home last Wednesday evening. Talia has been glued to Kate ever since. She is a terrific baby! She is sweet, calm, laid back and cute! Talia is in love with her "littler" sister. It is very sweet. We to the doctor yesterday for her 2 week check up and she is up to 8 pounds, 15 1/2 ounces and already grown an inch. That's what I'm talking about! My parents have spent a few nights here so I've had at least two nights of good sleep...now they are gone. Sniff. Don't expect coherent conversation!

She's Ours!

2009-07-13T18:11:00.000-04:00

At 5pm Arkansas time, the wait to see if babymama was going to revoke the adoption ended!!! She is officially ours! Tomorrow the judge will sign the papers and legally Kate will be ours. Yippee! Tonight we are going to eat Mexican and celebrate! Right now I'm in Walmart for the 8th time. Buying baby stuff, of course.

Court's Finished!

2009-07-10T15:49:00.000-04:00

So our fabulous lawyer handing the adoption (read: handling babymama) found us a local attorney, who changed around her schedule and met with us today. Then she got a good judge at the courthouse and she stopped court to meet us and Kate! Her first question was "So, you're from SC. SC's been in the new recently....What do you think of your governor?" She was very nice and funny. She also has a 33-year old daughter named Kathryn and called Kate. Cute. So, we have made our appearance in court. Now the judge will sign the papers on Tuesday and FedEx them to us! We'll have another daughter, officially. Now we're off to the store-need MORE baby stuff!

More Kate!

2009-07-08T22:03:00.000-04:00

So we are out of the hospital and in our Staybridge Suite, overlooking Lake Hamilton. This is an amazing place! Awesome staff folks, too. One with a great name-Kara. She spells her name wrong, though. We even went to a free BBQ sponsored by the hotel this evening. Seems they do a theme dinner Tues-Thurs evening, with beer and wine! We're never coming home! Oh, wait- I miss my Talia.

This is the card on her nursery bed in the hospital. Nurse Tina made us a new one, too, that said Kate Senterfeit. Sweet. We brought them both home.

Little purple bow...seemingly withstands everything. May never come off.

Wrapped! Actually my father is telling her something goofy-which is his nature.

First car ride. Didn't cry-looked a bit perplexed, but she has that "What tha..." look often. I would too if I was 2 days old.

the story

2009-07-07T11:22:00.000-04:00

So we got to Hot Springs around 6:30am. Ate at IHOP with some weird people. One comment heard was "and then I shot that bottle rocket into my trailor!"
Got to the hospital before 9am...killed some time then went to meet Babymama. Babymama less than thrilled to see me. Some time in the night she must have changed her mind about seeing us, so instead of a lovely visit, I got screaming. Meh. That's the way it was supposed to happen I guess. No contact. So we ran to the nursery and the sweet nurses let me hold Kate! I gave her kisses and she ate ate 35 ml of her bottle. I am a natural! Let me say that tonight, and tomorrow, and in the next few weeks!
So we met with the lawyer and the lawyer got Babymama and Babydaddy to sign all the paperwork. I will get to spend the night tonight in the hospital with Kate. Then bring her to our hotel tomorrow! Babymama has until Monday to change her mind. We'll go to court on Tuesday and hopefully head home! Anticipating home on Wednesday at this point.

T-minus 45 minutes

2009-07-07T08:16:00.000-04:00

We're headed toward the hospital. Visiting hours are at 9am. We are going to be there to be the first visitors! I have to go to babymama's room and introduce myself and inquire about her health. Then as soon as politeness allows, run to get the baby. Please let my tact button work full power today.

Bon Jovi

2009-07-07T05:27:00.000-04:00

So that's been the song in my head all night...Whooooooah, we're half way there...whoooaah....living on a prayer," mainly because it is Elias' song of the moment and he sings it all the time. And I wanted to be half way to Arkansas quickly. Now we are, over half way to our destination. 3 hours to go. Very excited. First I have to go introduce myself to the woman who is giving us her daughter. What do I say? How do I start that conversation? In between fits of sleep, I've been over and over opening lines and rejected them all. Everything seems so trite and silly. Giving. Us. Her. Child. Whoa. Then after visiting her, I am supposed to get to the nursery and see our baby. That's another, less stressful, weird never-before-experienced conversation. And then the "first" we've been waiting on...seeing Kate. 7-7-09 is going to be a day for the record books.

Baby's Here!!

2009-07-06T20:13:00.000-04:00

Kate was born this morning! She was 8 lbs, 13 oz and is 20 inches long. We are in the van now, heading to the hospital. It is a 12 hour drive to get there so we'll be driving all night to get there by 9am when the doors open! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers because she isn't officially ours yet! Have a week to go, but if the birth parents are still willing, we'll be able to take her to the hotel (i.e. temporary home) on Wednesday when she is discharged!

John Deere girl

2009-07-04T13:44:00.000-04:00

I know this isn't a John , but I can't think of any other farm-type references. Daddy had to drive the lawn mower. Had to. It was just sitting there, begging to go for a ride. So, he pretended to start it up for Talia. She enjoyed it anyway.

Little Fish

2009-07-04T13:42:00.000-04:00

So this weekend, with Nona's encouragement and teaching, Talia can do a front flip, a black flip, hold her breath for a while, and has come a long way in swimming. She can hold her breath, cup her hands, move her arms and kick-just not all together. But is this weekend's learning speed continues, she'll master that with swimming lessons next week. When her daddy came out, he showed her how to float on her back and after a few tries, she had that too. She also has learned to ride her bike and can go a huge distance without tiring.

Do a little dance....

2009-07-04T13:34:00.000-04:00

A performance by Elias and Talia...

Elias has Talia's leather jacket on that I scored from a thrift store.

And a couple's dance.

Work day

2009-07-04T13:30:00.000-04:00

So, Beth was in town and we were going to work on the house. Suddenly it became a nursery! Bella spent the night before with me and refused to go to school since Talia wasn't going to school. Actually they played quite well together and Beth and I got some things accomplished. Here's a little Popsicle break.

A perfect mess. Half red and half blue. Awesome.

This is a wink. Honest!