Bits of this and that

Meet bunny (Peter and I secretly call her fugly) I am not sure why but suddenly this ugly

bunny is a must have item. (And before you tell me she is cute let me tell you fugly loves the camera and photographs well. Don't believe your eyes she earns the nickname fugly) She goes everywhere with us and good lord if she is missing it is

a SERIOUS problem. I don't know where she came from but one of us is in love. And to those of

you who know us in real life tags is still around, he just doesn't have to leave the bed any longer.

This morning we made, made to order pancakes. Lily ordered hers chocolate with a side of pancake.

Lily is helping her Daddy mix it up.
We have some new friends. They came home from Grandma and Grandpa's house.
I remember my own fascination with poly wogs it is fun to see Lily with the same enthusiasm.

We have a new hang out. We've been told we are welcome anytime and we plan on welcoming ourselves often.

When you make yourself at home you have to learn to not wear out your welcome.

The water is 61 degrees but that didn't stop one little one from dipping in.

We had a wonderful weekend. Hope you all did too.

Interview~4 1/2

1. What is something your mom always says to you?
Lily you need to be cooperative.

2. What makes mom happy?
Huge smile on her face ME!

3. What makes mom sad?
When I'm not nice.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
She tickles me.

5. Who are your mom's best friends?
The little puppy (meaning Lily) is your best friend.

6. How old is your mom?
2, no 3, no 4 and a half.

7. How tall is your mom?
Your bigger.

8. What is your moms favorite thing to do?
work, (WRONG)

9. What does your mom do when your not around?
work

10. What is your mom really good at?
What is good at.... what do I do really well.... books

11. What does your mom do for her job?
school

12. What is your moms favorite food?
lettuce, tomatoes and spinach

13. What makes you proud of your mom?
She plays with me.

14. Who is your moms favorite cartoon character?
Toothless

15. How are you and your mom the same?
you are the same and I am different and the same.

16. How do you know your mom loves you?
She watches movies with me.

17. Where is your moms favorite place to go?
work
I'd like to point out in 6 days I will be off for the summer. These answers certainly make me ready for vacation.

18. If you could buy your mom something what would you buy her?
CUPCAKES!!!!

Fairy Tale town

We went to Fairy Tale Town with some friends today.

We were there early so we took a stroll through a flower garden first.

We saw bumblebees and went around and around in circles.

The right path kept leading us to the same place.

After our stroll through the garden we met up with Sofia

and visited the knights of the round table.

The princesses found their chair.

Lily showed Irma the perfect spot to sit.

We took some time to make use of The Little Old Ladies shoe.
Then they ran and ran and ran.....

on the crooked mile.

We ran out of steam here a bit.

Took a little rest at the three little pigs.

Were entertained here way longer than I thought possible.

Had a bouncing good time on the Little Engine that Could.

My favorite picture of the day.

Laugh attack~Flash Back

I remember a time when I didn't have to work for a smile when behind the lens of a camera.

I miss those days.

Now I have to beg, plead, bribe, dance, talk of smelly feet.....

I know many of you feel me.

My daughter has the best smile.

It reaches those eyes and lights the room.

Her giggle pulls the strings of my heart and makes me want to give her the moon.

And on a different note our very good friend just found her smile.

Visit her mama here and give her some love.

You don't know what a gift your childs smile is until it goes missing.

Happy Mothers Day!

Okay, so there is nothing like a little perspective.
Turns out being sick was the perfect break.
I WAS really sick!!
How did that help you ask......
There is nothing like feeling like absolute s*** to make you appreciate
FEELING WELL!!!

(Oh it also makes for a great dieting regimen)

So today Peter, Lily and I celebrated mother's day.

He has to go to stinky work tomorrow.

We went to the river

threw in some rocks and

enjoyed the sun.

This mom thought it was a perfect mothers day.

Oh yeah and I worked on reversing my strict dieting regimen at lunch.

Got lots of great pictures.

Really how could you not with this as your backdrop.

And look its a family shot. Don't get enough of those.

Goodness Gracious I love this little girl!

And this guy to they have both stolen all of my heart!

Beautiful!

but it really pales in comparison to this beautiful smile.

Throwing rocks is pure joy!

Goodbye to my beautiful river thanks for sharing my mothers day joy!

Mama needs a break!

Every year at this time I feel like I'm sinking instead of swimming.

At work everything is coming to a close.

Open house is a few weeks away.

Report cards are coming.

Testing has not been started.

The little ones are becoming restless etc. etc....

Every year at this time my own stress triggers something in Lily.

She becomes aggressive and tantrums alot.

Last week she repeatedly overturned her time out chair

smacked scratched hit and tried to bite me.

When she was done with her tantrum she sat in my lap and sobbed.

Which I didn't have time for cause I had to be at work.

I held her for sometime but my eyes were on the clock.

She went to school in half of her pajamas and her hair was undone.

Once I dropped her off I cried the rest of the way to work.

Is she having adoption related stress or is she just being a kid.

I wish she could tell me.

Lily has not warmed up to school in 2 years.

I have felt that it is in her best interest to be made to go.

But I'm always left wondering why she doesn't care for it.

What I do know is she is a control freak.

She does not like others telling her what to do.

She does not like people in her space.

These are all things that she needs to come to terms with

When I dropped her off at school the terrible tantrum morning

She hit her teacher and made contact.

She's never wanted to say hello to her teacher.

She has always grunted at her and I've felt at a loss as to what to do.

Hitting her was the last straw.

I pulled her out of school a month early.

I thought that this would cure some of our morning drama.

Give me some peace.

But.....

well you probably know it didn't

Tuesday I was trying to get her in the car.

She was hungry but wanted nothing I had to offer.

She decided she wanted some cheese.

To which she crumbled it up and threw it on our porch.

I picked her up put her in the car and she screamed kicked and thrashed her body

the entire half hour

to my moms.

So like I said I could use a break

so today I have some sort of crappy illness

Not exactly the break I was looking for.

Fever, chills, sore throat.

I tried to go to work but my good friend made me go home.

She and Mary took my class

Thank you

It's a small break and I'll take it.

Just in case you thought it was all roses over here!

Forever Family Day #4

Four years ago this week this woman entrusted me with the best gift I've ever recieved.

She handed me the baby she nicknamed Rubi and had cradled for me for 6 months.
She brought her son to say goodbye.
The rest of Evelyns family stayed at home to take care of her newborn baby.


All that day we stared at our miracle and she stared wide eyed at us.

And now it is our annual celebration with that same teeny tiny baby.
Who has grown and remains just as much our miracle, as she was ,the day
we recieved her picture.


Our family went to San Francisco to celebrate.
It is the second year in a row we have taken this particular road trip.
I think it will be tradition.

This year we went to the zoo.
As is Lily's style, she did not have time or interest in posing for pictures.
So all our shots are candid.



The San Francisco Zoo has a fantastic train pulled by a actual steam engine.
Much smaller in size but impressive none the less.


A little cotton candy was in order for our special day.

We went on a bear hunt and actually found a bear!

She humored us with a smile.

The one and only for the camera.

This is my effort at getting a cool shot of my girl and I as you can see my girl left and it is just one splendidly happy mommy.

There are so many wonderful things about adoption. For me one of the best things is that my family will never be taken for granted. All children are special and I know that all families feel this way, but when your family is made through adoption, as parents you have to work so hard to become a family, that when your child looks into your eyes and says I love you mommy I think it is just a little sweeter. I love my baby girl so much and am just so lucky that the stars aligned just right and she was placed in my arms on May day.